Creative Arts
Thomas Reed, MFA
Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts
thomas.reed@alverno.edu
Tom teaches a variety of performance-based classes as a member of the Dance/Theatre Department. Classes in acting are his specialty, and he still works regularly as a professional actor. Part of Tom’s contribution to the Milwaukee Professional Arts community is the Optimist Theatre Free Shakespeare in the Park festival which he co-produces. Each year select Alverno Dance/Theatre students are employed by the festival onstage, backstage, and as interns with the Development and Management team. Outside of professional theatre and Alverno, Tom has been a guest speaker for the local AAUW conference, Milwaukee Theatre Unconference, and he was a guest lecturer/artist in residence at UNC-Greensboro.
Anna Haney, MFA
Assistant Professor of Dance
Anna Haney received her MFA in Performance Dance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, MA in Education from Alverno College, BA in Dance and BS in Education (1-8) with a minor in English from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. She also holds a K-12 Dance Education Certification from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Anna.haney@alverno.edu
414-382-6137
Dara Larson
Professor and chair of visual arts
dara.larson@alverno.edu
Dara Larson is a professor of art and serves as the chairperson of the visual arts department.
Larson received her Master of Fine Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
She teaches Digital Art, Printmaking, Fiber Arts, Sustaining Art and Crafts in Latin America and
researches steam and environmental art.
Andrea Skyberg
Assistant professor
andrea.skyberg@alverno.edu
Andrea Skyberg received her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art before earning a Fulbright Fellowship to Nigeria, working with Girls Power Initiative. She received an MFA in Fiber Art and Museum Studies from UW-Milwaukee, where she also curated the Union Art Gallery. She’s the author and illustrator of five award-wining picture books.
Lynda Sommers-Herzog, MFA
Associate professor
Lynda.Sommers-Herzog@alverno.edu
Lynda Sommers-Herzog is an associate professor of art and the director of the Art & Cultures Gallery. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture with an emphasis in Foundry and a Bachelor of Arts Ceramics. Lynda teaches Sculpture, Metals, Fused Glass, Senior Seminar and Gallery Management.
Eileen Booth
Instructor
eileen.booth@alverno.edu
Eileen Booth teaches Modern and Contemporary Art History, Medieval to Modern, Asian Art History, Art and Religion of Asia, and Arts and Cultures Europe: Italy. Hands-on artmaking experiences are an important component of these courses. Eileen holds degrees in Studio Art, Art Education, and Historic Preservation.
Jerry Dutscheck
Instructor
jerry.dutscheck@alverno.edu
Jerry Dutscheck graduated from Cardinal Stritch University with a master's degree in
instructional technology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business and management and marketing from Lakeland University and an associate’s degree in broadcast electronic communications from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Jerry serves as the director of the Media Hub and has been teaching video art and communication at Alverno College since 2008.
Lydia Ferraro
Instructor
lydia.ferraro@alverno.edu
Lydia Ferraro received her master of science in art therapy degree from Mount Mary University. She specializes in school-based therapy services and currently works for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. She is an adjunct faculty member at Alverno College, teaching two sections of Art Therapy Practicum (AT410 and AT485.)
Linda Johnson-Dynek
Instructor
linda.johnson-dynek@alverno.edu
Linda received her Bachelor of Arts in Art Education/Art Therapy with a minor in Psychology, and Master of Arts in Education degrees from Alverno College. Linda's doctoral coursework was completed at Marquette University, in Educational Policy and Leadership, with a research focus on
authentic assessment (ABD).
Lauren Keesler
Instructor
lauren.keesler@alverno.edu
Lauren Keesler received her Master of Science in Art Therapy from Mount Mary University.
She is a licensed professional counselor and currently works for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin offering child and family counseling. She is an adjunct faculty member at Alverno College, teaching two sections of Art Therapy Practicum (AT210 and AT215).
Audra Magermans
Instructor
audra.magermans@alverno.edu
Audra Magermans received a B.Arch from Universidad Francisco Marroquin in Guatemala and an MFA in Computer Art from Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Audra teaches Graphic Design, New Media, Digital Photography, Content Development and Media Design, among other courses at Alverno College. Audra is an international award- winning painter and an active member of Shorewood’s Artist Guild.
Nick Schilz
Instructor
nick.schilz@alverno.edu
Nick Schilz is a Milwaukee-based and influenced visual artist with a focus on painting and drawing. His work stems from personal intuition, photographs and the urban landscape. He has been teaching at Alverno for the past four years. His classes include: Digital Art, Painting, Drawing, and Contemporary Art History.
Andrea Thomas
Instructor
Andrea.Thomas@alverno.edu
Andrea Thomas-Heffron received a BS in Marketing and Management from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, a BA in Interior Design and Architecture from Mount Mary University and a Master of
Science in Art Therapy from Mount Mary University. She is an art therapist at a private practice in Wauwatosa, an adjunct faculty member at Alverno College and serves on the board of Donna Lexa Art Centers.
Ann Mory Wydeven
Instructor
Ann.Wydeven@alverno.edu
Ann Mory Wydeven received a BA from UW-Milwaukee and an MFA from Rhode Island School of Design. She is an adjunct faculty member at Alverno College, a former mentoring artist at RedLine Milwaukee, and the sole proprietor of AMW Sculpture Studio for more than 35 years.
Marilyn Zwissler
Instructor
marilyn.zwissler@alverno.edu
Marilyn Zwissler teaches Ancient to Byzantine Art and the Great Art Quest, a course she
designed based on gamification principles. She uses Adobe Captivate, Photoshop and Camtasia
to create learning modules. She is an audio/visual technician for a non-profit’s streaming programs.
Rosalie Beck has an MFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has taught art at the college level for many years. Currently she is teaching Drawing and Intro to painting at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Observational Drawing at Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design . She also taught for two years in Bangkok in the MIAD Vajiravudth College Program
She has exhibited her oil paintings, pastels and watercolors in numerous regional and national shows such as the "Les Pastellistes" 18th Annual International Exhibition in Montreal where she was awarded Best Portrait, People and the Land at Laura Nohr Gallery at UW- Platteville and 41st Annual National Drawing and Small Sculpture in Corpus Christi Texas.
She has also had many one-person exhibitions, including the Riverfront Arts Center in Stevens Point Wisconsin ,Lakeshore Gallery in Milwaukee, the Anderson Art Center in Kenosha Wisconsin, SEAMEO-SPAFA in Bangkok, Thailand, Manitowoc Fine Art Gallery at UW-Manitowoc, Edith Barrett Gallery at Utica College of Syracuse University in Utica, New York and Greene County Council on the Arts in Catskill, New York.
Valerie J. Christell maintains a studio in the greater Milwaukee area and continues to exhibit her artwork commenting on existential issues. Through photomontage and mixed media, her work explores the symbiotic relationship between human beings and the natural environment and the process of perception of that world. Christell’s trip to Alverno’s Places of the Holocaust in 2007 and participation in the International Study Academy situated in the Auschwitz Death Camps/Poland in 2015 and 2016 have also informed her social statements.
At Alverno College, Christell currently teaches the hybrid course Art, Culture and Ethics that she originated. Other courses she developed include Global Art and Visual Culture, Art Activism/Global Impact, Public Art/Personal Insight, and Postmodern Feminist Art and the Media. She has taught a range of studio and art history courses and spoken to local arts organizations about the business of art and her own work.
As Alfons Gallery’s Director/Curator, Christell’s curatorial vision directs its mission to explore cultures and advocate for social justice, peace and the environment. This focus aligns with her previous collaborative, social statement Milwaukee gallery, Merge.
As a former Feature Arts Writer for Third Coast Digest, Christell published numerous articles analyzing the art/culture scene primarily in the Milwaukee area. She has also published a book of her photomontages, The Holocaust: A Gentile Journey, as well as several videos about the Holocaust, including Tiny Drawings: The Holocaust through Children’s Eyes and Their Final Journey; received the Philo T. Farnsworth Community Programming Award for video; and was interviewed several times for Where the Waters Meet about her artwork and process.
Christell received her Masters of Fine Arts degree at the University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee and her Bachelors of Fine Arts degree at the University of Illinois/Urbana-Champagne.
Website: www.vjchristell.net
Kelly is a Board Certified, Registered Art Therapist (specialty in Psychotherapy), and a Licensed Professional Counselor. She received her Master of Science Degree in Art Therapy from Mount Mary University where she also completed her Doctorate in Art Therapy as part of the inaugural class of 2014. She has worked in an executive administration position in a non-profit and provided clinical supervision for Art Therapy students and other mental health related professions as an on-site internship supervisor.
Kelly has taught many courses for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a career in Art Therapy and has also served as the chapter secretary for the Wisconsin Art Therapy Association. Both academic and on-site field placement learning have been a strong focus in the development of her research and career. In addition to teaching at Alverno College, Kelly currently provides clinical supervision to both art therapists and professional counselors in-training through a private practice in Bayview and is a professional member of the American Art Therapy Association.
As the Visiting Assistant Professor and Program Director for Undergraduate Art Therapy, Kelly uses art in her own practice and aims to empower students to engage in a thorough exploration through the process of creating art, and use reflective and critical thinking skills to enhance their personal and professional identity development.