TA Visual Art

MELISSA BERMAN brings over 25 years of experience as an innovative, critically-acclaimed award-winning teaching artist and performer in theatre, dance and music. Ms. Berman holds a BFA (honors) in Dramatic Art and Speech and Graduate Work in Educational Theatre from Virginia Commonwealth University. Melissa’s diverse background focuses on students ages 2- 1/2 years to Adult including a strong emphasis with the at-risk, underserved and special needs populations. Melissa has been a teaching artist with the Los Angeles Arts Group serving the at-risk community for the Mountain View...

Caroline Coolidge Brown explores the creative landscape through printmaking, mixed media painting, collage and watercolor travel sketching. Inspired by the unending variety of nature – birds, fish, plants, coral reefs – her work playfully embraces color, shape and texture. She is a recent transplant to Delaware, moving from Charlotte, NC where she was a founding partner in the Ciel Gallery Art Collective. Caroline loves teaching beginners and experienced artists and has taught locally at the Delaware Art Museum. You can find...

Emanuel ‘Manny’ Chacon, a dancer and choreographer from Wilmington, DE. His dance career began as an undergraduate at the University of Delaware where he spent much time performing with his fraternity (Lambda Sigma Upsilon Latino Fraternity, Inc.), training in Philadelphia, and working extensively with his mentor (J-Romeo) in New York City. In 2016 he began professionally touring with DC based company Step Afrika!, the first professional dance company dedicated to the art form of stepping. Step Afrika! is a top...

Yolanda recently returned from France where she spent a year learning French and developing her art. In 2017 she won the Masters fellowship in Delaware for her visual art. This is the highest honor bestowed on Delawarean artists. She has consistently exhibited her art work since 1982. Her latest solo exhibition was in the City of Nantes in France. In addition to being recognized as a distinguished artist, Yolanda has been working for DIAE for the last 28 years. She...

I am a local artist born and raised in Wilmington, DE. I began painting in 2015 while studying advertising design at Delaware Technical and Community College in Dover, DE. I’ve participated in solo and group exhibitions for Wilmington Art Loop. In 2017, I worked with Westside Grows’ Utility Box Project. I was also commissioned by the Delaware Children’s Museum to install my artwork as well as a mural. Most recently I was the Teaching Artist and Curator in Residence for...

Deitrich P. Faison (Dee) a native of Camden, New Jersey resides in Bear, Delaware. After receiving a B.S. degree from Hampton University, VA in Health and Physical Education she earned a M. Ed. in Dance Ed. From Temple University, PA, Additional studies: PA Ballet, and University of the Arts, PA. She taught Health, Physical Ed., Biology and the Dance Arts to middle and high school students in Philadelphia, PA. She was awarded “Best Practices in PA Arts in Education” and...

June Rose Futcher is a native artist of Delaware and was educated in a progressive arts education program in Cape Henlopen School District, graduating from Cape Henlopen HS with excllence in arts & crafts.  Over many years she had a dream of pursuing professional arts and when the opportunity to study communications and photography at Delaware Technical & Community College, she took the challenge as an older adult (having overcome personal obstacles) and excelled in photography and visual presentation. Studying...

Born in Havre de Grace Maryland, I was always surrounded by creative spaces and talented people. Havre de Grace is a small town with many mom and pop art shops, antique stores, and of course, amazing food. Surrounded by the water, it was always a peaceful place to get a clear mind and create. As a kid I always saw the world as my canvas, and explored my creativity through drawing, music, and building various things. Moving to Delaware in...

EMIE HUGHES is a modern dancer, photographer, and botanical artist living in Media, PA. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Dickinson College, where she won the Emil R. and Tamar Weiss Prize in Creative Arts. After graduating, she lived in NYC for 6 years, where she worked as a performance artist, arts administrator, production manager, and fundraiser at Danspace Project, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and other smaller arts...

Jason is a freelance performer and educator living in Newark, DE. Being involved with music and the marching arts for almost fifteen years, he has worked with over a dozen percussion programs throughout Delaware and surrounding states. Among them are high schools, colleges and independent organizations, including the Baltimore Ravens, Shepherd University, Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps, Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, and United Percussion. Jason is the founder of J.K. Percussion & Arts, a company focused on assisting...