Classes

Meet Our Instructors

Jeff Blackwood has a talent for pairing the unique qualities of a particular piece of wood with the perfect project. When he’s not in the shop he’s helping to protect our watershed, hanging out outdoors, and enjoying being a grandpa.

Nika Blasser holds a BA from PSU and a MFA from Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton. Her studio practice involves meditative, obsessive mark making and forcing seemingly organic forms out of materials.

Arlen Clark is a self-taught painter producing works for nearly 40 years. He uses bright colors, exaggeration, distortion and imagination to express his ideas.

Karl Davis is the Executive Director of Crow’s Shadow Institute of the Arts; he enjoys all things competitive, from card games to sports to trivia night at the pub. He is a natural teacher and is looking forward to introducing more people to the fun and diversity of modern board games.

Erica Edwards is a native of California and a lover of Oregon. She enjoys teaching classes, reading and all things art.

Katie Hall is a lifelong crafter and self-taught macramé artist. You can follow her on Instagram @emFiberCraft.

Charlie Herrington is semi-retired and working at the Pendleton Music Company. His enthusiasm for music led him to the PCA, where he’s brought his 25 years of experience to share with our beginner adult guitar groups.

 

Stephanie Huffman is a fiber artist who loves introducing others to the joys of upcycling. She earned her Bachelors from PSU and Masters from National Chengchi University. If she’s not knitting she’s likely to be spinning or sewing. You can follow her on Instagram @sewingstephanie

 

Marie Pratuch learned pottery from Michael Booth at BMCC and is now ready to share her talents with others. Follow Marie’s work on her Instagram page ThistleDewNicelyCeramics.

Brian Purnell has been working with young artists for more than 30 years in schools and alternative education programs. He’s interested in what happens when you stop worrying about what something’s going to look like and simply explore the process of Making.

Kathy McConnell took thousands of photos over her career teaching young children. Now retired, she teaches writing and photography. She has had photos published in Another Chicago Magazine and Burningword Literary Journal. She currently has a photo hanging in the Walla Walla City Council Chambers for the duration of 2022. A photo, “Road North,” was awarded an Honorable Mention this year in the Pendleton Arts Regional Photography Contest.

Chantell Reid is a creative minded soul. You can often find her exploring different creative avenues, including needle felting, macrame, photography and crocheting.

Juggling is just one of Greg Schulberg’s many talents; he’s also a musician, visual artist, and dancer. He’s been a juggler for more than 20 years and is passionate about teaching others.

Ian Summerfield is a musician who’s a fan favorite of Pendleton audiences. While also a talented drummer and piano player, he’s best known for the original music he writes and performs for the ukulele.

Melissa Weston is a self-taught artist specializing in repurposing furniture & wood, as well as creating a wide range of décor, paintings, and pieces of art that are sure to impress.

Kate Brizendine is interested in all sorts of creative pursuits, especially when she can share them with her children. She also serves as our Coordinator of Education and Outreach, helping connect students of all ages with outlets for creative expression.

Kate Peck has worked in the Early Childhood Education field in some form or another for the past 22 years. She teaches classes serves as PCA’s Education & Outreach Assistant, coordinating various community events that advocate strong and healthy youth and families.

When Roberta Lavadour isn’t working at PCA, she’s busy in her studio making artist’s books and design bindings. She teaches book arts at venues across the country. You can see her work at robertalavadour.com.