Meet the team!
Catelyn
Owner + Instructor (and everything in between!)
Catelyn was born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she currently resides. She has loved creating ever since she was a child and found her love for painting in elementary school. She went to VCU Arts where she honed her passion for art. She followed in her Mom + Grandmother’s footsteps and worked in Elementary Education for a few years after college. It was there that she discovered her love of teaching children in a small group setting and sharing her love of art with them every chance she could. Later, Catelyn brought that same passion for teaching to a local “paint bar” where she worked as an instructor, guiding both children and adults through painted masterpieces.
Throughout the years, she worked as a career artist selling her pet portraits and blue ridge inspired work at markets and shows. She found her true calling in teaching others how to paint, sharing her passion for the medium, and celebrating the beautiful blue ridge area by partnering with venues in the greater Charlottesville area.
FUN FACTS:
Coffee Shop Order: Iced Lavender Almond Milk Matcha Latte
Fav Musical Artist: Whatever I’m feeling in the moment, usually pretty chill and lyrical - big Noah Kahan + TSwift fan!
Favorite Candy: Cherry Pull-N-Peel Twizzlers, Starbursts, High Chews, anything fruity and chewy!
Guilty Pleasure: True Crime + Mac-n-Cheese, no question!
Marissa
Instructor + Motivation Guru
Marissa is a Blue Ridge transplant with a background in education, striving to gently guide and nurture the future generation. She has been a lover of the arts since grade school and that passion has continued into adulthood where she began to foster her love of painting. Marissa loves to share the joy and relaxation of painting with anyone who is willing, believing that everyone is an artist with their own unique story to paint!
FUN FACTS:
Coffee Shop Order: Large Iced Coffee with Caramel and White Chocolate
Fav Musical Artist: J. Cole, DOUBLECAMP, or Fall Out Boy depending on my mood!
Favorite Candy: Reeces Pieces or Nerds Gummy Clusters
Guilty Pleasure: Reading allllll the fantasy romance books!
Michael
Instructor + Jack-Of-All-Trades
Michael is from Nashville, Tennessee and has loved art since he was a little kid. He attended the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and spent several years traveling the country as an avid hiker and outdoorsman. He's been in the Charlottesville Area for the last couple years as a working artist and art instructor and loves helping others find their way into art making.
FUN FACTS:
Coffee Shop Order: Flat White
Other Hobbies: Homemade Hot Sauce, Fly Fishing and Thru Hiking
Guilty Pleasure: Harry Potter!
Elysa
Instructor + art enthusiast
Elysa is a full time elementary art school teacher who always comes up with the coolest projects for the kiddos she teaches. She lives with her husband, three beautiful children, two doggies, a bunny and some chickens and loves getting outside and tending to her garden in her free time.
FUN FACTS:
Coffee Shop Order: Whatever she’s feeling in the moment, gotta keep ‘em on their toes!
Favorite Musical Artist/Genre: Currently lots of late 90’s/early 2000’s
Favorite Candy: Anything chocolate and peanut butter!
Guilty Pleasure: Organizing things + scrolling Pinterest!