Genesee Center Instructors

*If you think you should be on this list and aren't, please email your bio to Kate at office@geneseearts.org

Community Darkroom Instructors

Natalie Best

Natalie Best is a local photographer who graduated in 2008 from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Science in Cinema and Photography.  She has worked for several studios and photography companies in the Rochester area and recently opened her own photo studio in Gates, Picture the Best.  Natalie has a documentary approach to her photography and has enjoyed working with the Community Darkroom since 2009.  Questions and discussions are always welcome in Natalie’s classes.  Please check out some of her work  through her website.

Patrick Cain
Patrick Cain is a fine art photographer with a particular passion for Holga images. Pat is the Framing Manager at Lumiere and oversees all aspects of presentation needs from design, special orders, custom mats and assembly of picture frames.

www.flickr.com/photos/paddyjoe

James Cavanaugh

James graduated from the New England School of Photography in 1975 and returned to Buffalo to establish his photography studio.  For 10 years, he provided  a wide range of photo services for consumer and commercial clients.  In 1986, he redirected hs business and focused on architectural, interior and aerial photography, and video and multimedia presentations which he still specializes in today.   His clients include local and national architects, engineers, interior designers, contractors, real estate developers, architectural product manufacturers, and government agencies. For 6 years, he taught “Professional Business Practices” at Villa Maria College in Buffalo and currently provides seminars to ASMP (American Society of Media Photographers) chapters around the country.  He is a long time member of the ASMP and a strong advocate of copyright issues and ethical business practices in photography.

Bruno Chalifour

Bruno Chalifour is a fine art photographer, freelance photojournalist, art critic, curator, photo consultant, photo instructor and lecturer. A Community Darkroom instructor since 1995, he has also taught at SUNY Brockport, Buffalo State University, University of Rochester, and various French institutions. His work has been displayed in galleries throughout the Region and his home town of Limoges, France.

Nick Choroshyliw
Nick Choroshyliw is the owner and primary photographer of Nix Images LLC. His involvement in photography started in the mid 60's in high school and in 1966 when he got his first after school and weekend job at Allen Studios in Webster. Nick’s training in Photography and Photo-lithography continued through high school and on to RIT. In 1971 he joined the Navy where he was trained in electronics and computer systems but continued to use his photographic skills while in service. Upon leaving the Navy he continued his interest in photography and ultimately started his own photo studio. In addition to sponsoring his own workshops, he has been teaching various photo related subjects at the Community Darkroom for the past 5 years. While specializing in wedding and portraits he also shoots events and commercial venues.

www.niximages.com

Matt Chung
Matt Chung has his BFA in Photography from College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan and is finishing up his MFA studies in photography at Rochester Institute of technology. HIs work has been shown locally as well as in several shows in Michigan. He has worked as a photo instructor as well as a gallery manager and and a lab tech. His current body of work takes a look at places that are inbetween--places that are absent of pedestrians in a car dominated culture, such as grassy, littered periphery beside highways and deserted parking lots of commercial developments.

www.mattchung.com

Rachael Deeley

Rachel has a BFA in photography and graphic design with a minor in marketing from Alfred University and is currently in the graduate program at Visual Studies Workshop.  She loves alternative processes and utilizes alternative, traditional, and digital techniques in her personal work.

David Ditzel

David Ditzel is a Rochester, NY based commercial photographer who specializes in people photography for corporate and editorial clients.  A graduate from the Rochester Institute of Technology School of Photographic Arts & Sciences with a degree in Photographic Illustration, David has learned to enjoy the challenges of the photography business as well as the creative side.   David is also a past president and current treasurer of the Western NY Chapter of American Society of Media Photographers (http://asmp.org).  As an ASMP member since 2002, one of David’s goals is to educate emerging photographers on best business practices in photography.

Kris Dreessen

Kris Dreessen is an award-winning journalist and photographer who specializes in documentary, news and travel journalism. As an outdoors writer, editor and photographer for an upstate New York newspaper chain, her writing earned 11 state newspaper-writing awards.

As an instructor at the Genesee Center for the Arts and Education's Community Darkroom, she introduces students to photojournalism. She learned the most, by doing. Students in her classes photograph on a field trip, learn to self-edit and create their own project by the end of the class.Her freelance images and writing have appeared in newspapers, “Women’s Adventure” and other national magazines, travel guides and in galleries in Philadelphia and western New York .In 2006, she created The Friends Project to give back for all the inspiration she has received while on the road. The grassroots travel charity funds small improvement projects in developing countries.You can see more of her work on her website.

Michael Gaffney

Michael Gaffney has a BFA in Photography and an MST in Visual Arts Education from RIT. He is currently a substitute art teacher at a variety of grade levels in area schools. While at RIT, he worked as a Lab Technician in the Chemical Mixing Department. His personal interests include both analog photography and antiquated photographic processes.

Jenn Libby
Jenn Libby is an installation artist with a penchant for tactile, antiquated processes such as wet plate collodion photography and hand-processed 16mm film. She has her Bachelor of Arts in Photography from Empire State College and her Master of Fine Arts in visual studies from Visual Studies Workshop in Rochester. Jenn has taught at several area institutions and her work has been widely exhibited.

Michelle Macirella

Michelle Macirella has a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.  She was an assistant photographer in Rochester for 3 years, staff photographer for Rochester Woman Magazine, and in 2008 opened her own photographic business, Luminaria Photography. She specializes in lifestyle and studio portrait sessions for children, families, couples and pets as well as weddings, events, head shots/model portfolios, and product photography.

Nick Marshall

Nick Marshall, formerly a freelance photographer in Columbus, Ohio, received his MFA in Photography from RIT.  He currently works at George Eastman House in the creative services department as an exhibitions preparator - handling, mounting, matting, framing, and installing photographs.  His personal work deals with issues concerning family albums and vernacular photography.

Kevin McGowan

Kevin McGowan has a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and currently works for the University of Rochester at the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in the Optics and Imaging Sciences Group. His photographic projects have included preserving and archiving an extensive collection of historic photographs of Irondequoit locations and creating over 300 photos for the book, “The Yoga of Indian Classical Dance”.   He has taught at Community Darkroom since 1979 and exhibits his work regionally. An avid outdoorsman, he became an Adirondack 46-R in September of 2007.

Kris Murante

Kris Murante is a staff photographer for the Democrat & Chronicle, covering both news and sports.  He also has his own business,  Kris J. Murante Photography, specializing in senior portraits, sports action photography, team and individual sports portraits, as well as weddings.

www.murante.com

Michael Parks

A native of Philadelphia, Michael studied at R.I.T’s School of Photographic Arts and Sciences Fine Art Department. Active in Rochester’s photographic community for the past twenty years, he has pursued his passion for the medium through exhibitions, teaching and the craft of fine printing. Michael’s work stems from a core belief in the personal document and has taken varied paths to convey these experiences. Michael’s photography is included in a number of private collections in the United States. “I am also a Taurus who enjoys long walks in scary, poorly illuminated places, mid-seventies Dutch commercials and a variety of preparations of toast. Hobbies include a collection of thumb tacks and a passion for locking and unlocking doors.” View his website here.

Nicole Rowley
Nicole Rowley has her BFA in fine art photography from Alfred University where she also studied abroad at Edinburgh College of Art in Edinburgh Scotland. She went on to achieve her Masters of Science for Teachers degree in Art Education from Rochester Institute of Technology. Nicole has taught at various places including The Putney School, Alfred University and Churchville Chili. She has been both a volunteer and lead teacher for Community Darkroom’s youth program, Studio 678. She currently is a substitute teacher in the Hilton School District.

Erica Salgado
Erica Salgado received her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in photography from Rochester Institute of technology in 2005 and went on to obtain her Masters of Science for Teachers in 2006. In addition to photography she also enjoys painting, printmaking, drawing and ceramics. For the last three years, Erica has worked as an art teacher in the city school district.

Chris Schwer
Chris Schwer, a Rochester native, is a self taught master printer. Co-founder of New York City’s Kelton Labs, Chris worked from 1987-2010 as a fine art photographic printer providing complete black and white darkroom services. At Kelton Labs he provided printed work for various publications including Vougue, Esquire and Martha Stewart Living. Chris’ client list included many of the world’s finest photographers such as Mary Ellen Mark, Ernst Haas and Helen Levitt. Chris also has worked as a Digital Photographic Archivist for the Garrett County Historical Society.

www.christopherschwer.com

Guy Solimano

Guy Solimano has a BFA from RIT, worked as a photo editor for Associated Press in NYC and Philadelphia for 15 years, was Senior Photo Editor for AOL in NYC for 5 years, and is currently a Rochester based freelance photographer whose clients include The New York Times, Associated Press, and Getty Images. He also serves as a team producer for the Eddie Adams Workshop - scouting locations, arranging photo shoots, and creating a photo presentation of student work. 

Ria Tafani

Ria Tafani has a BS in photography from RIT.  She works part time as a studio manager at Studio 2B which does a variety of corporate work, specializing in food photography.  Ria also runs her own photography business.  Known for her stunning compositions and rich detail, Ria has photographed hotels for Expedia.com, properties for realtors and architects, and gardens for landscape designers. A gifted candid and portrait photographer, Ria also enjoys shooting corporate events and weddings, and has earned recognition for her intimate maternity portraits. In recognition of her artistry, Ria was recently selected by M.I.R.A. (Martignano International Residency for Artists) to participate in a 2 month placement in Martignano, Italy during the summer of 2011, where she focused on her architectural photography.

Mark Watts

Mark J. Watts lives in beautiful upstate New York; a place with four seasons, that he enjoys firsthand outdoors. He has served as an Educator, Instructional Designer and Technologist at many companies throughout Rochester, where has designed and created media in numerous platforms and formats; Web Publishing, Interactive Media, Print, Photography and Video. When teaching at Community Darkroom he builds and presents courses based on the technical foundations of the media, employing transferable skills, process refinement, and real world examples. He has a B.F.A. (Photography), and an M.S.T. (Instructional Technology) both from R.I.T. His work can be found here and here.

David Walter
I took my first photo, a self-portrait, at the age of 2. Since then, my visual journey has been a way to express my thoughts and emotions of life and my perceptions of the world around me. I graduated from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco, continued on to New York where I studied under the tutelage of Avedis Baghsarian. Through the years I have worked to perfect this journey and now realize that, this journey is the expression of my life. I currently work for the School of Photographic Arts & Sciences, at Rochester Institute of Technology, all the while pursuing my art and sharing my visual journey wherever opportunities may present themselves.

www.davewalterphoto.com

Emily Zeller
Emily Zeller has her BA degree from Kenyon College in English/Studio Art. Currently, she’s teaching undergraduate classes at Rochester Institute of Technology while finishing up her MFA in photography. She has also worked as a photo assistant, lab technician and an art and marketing director. Her work has been featured in multiple exhibits and publications. She is experienced in both film and digital photography and looks forward to sharing her knowledge with others.

www.emilyjoyzeller.com

Genesee Pottery Instructors

Andrew Cho

I’ve been drawing since I can remember. I’m currently fascinated with adapting sculpture into a three-dimensional drawing medium which seamlessly weds surface and form. Ceramics is sometimes unpredictable and I derive great satisfaction from reconciling such a volatile material with precise, highly detailed drawings. I also love to cook." Andrew received his MFA at the University of Georgia, and this is the furthest north he has ever lived, so stop by and give him some tips for enjoying the Rochester winter! 

Visit his website: The Andrew Cho Art Show

Josh Duttinger

I have always had a fascination with the past. The human experience can be reflected upon through hand made objects. By using hand made objects we create a bridge to a moment in time. As I experience a hand made object I look for the little imperfections or "finger prints" that serve as a physical reminder of someone else. I try to recreate this effect when I make pots. I want my audience to experience me through the little breadcrumbs I leave behind.

In the classes I teach, students will learn the basic skills needed to create objects using the potter's wheel as a tool. I believe in a supportive environment where students are encouraged to learn at their own pace. Together we'll develop a foundation of shapes and textures from which you can build upon. Let's learn how to walk, so that later you can dance.

Experience- BFA from Alfred University with a concentration on Ceramics, 2000; Artist in Resident at the Genesee Pottery,  2000-2001; Ceramics Instructor from 2000-2011 at Genesee Pottery, Turk Hill Craft school (Fairport) , Tom or Nicks Ceramics, and Bucks Rock Camp (New Milford CT).

Melinda Friday

"I create installations using space as a foundation, and found objects, paint, and ceramics as the support beams.  My narratives speak of the delicate balance of development within the individual and society.  My inspirations are drawn from processes, growth, and the individual impact we have in life." -Melinda.

Melinda Friday grew up in Ohio watching her father building and repairing houses, to which she credits her desire to construct spaces.  After a short-lived career in graphic design she started taking clay classes at a local community college.   After a year at the Rhode Island School of Design, she transferred to Alfred University, where she obtained her BFA in 2010.  Be sure to stop by her studio space and say hello!

Marsha B. King

I came to pottery-making accidentally, in 1996, when my teenagedaughter wanted to take a pottery class and I decided to do it with her. That was my introduction to the Genesee Pottery, and I have been here ever since as a student, a renter, and, for the last five plus years, as an instructor. Both teacher and perennial student, myself, I study advanced throwing and hand-building techniques on an ongoing basis with Adam Spector. In addition to having been part of countless workshops at the Genesee Pottery over the years, this summer I attended a workshop with Kristen Kieffer at the Greenwich House Pottery, entitled “Ornately Functional”.  I have also recently had workshops with Tony Clennell and Julia Galloway. I work in both stoneware and porcelain, using the potter’s wheel or hand-building to create my pieces. I am also exploring altering thrown forms. I have an intense interest in surface decorating techniques and ceramic glazes. Many of my pots have references to textiles, clothing, and handbags. Some of my work can be seen on my Etsy shop.
Here at the Pottery, I teach Introductory and Intermediate Wheel-throwing , a lecture series on practical ceramic science for the potter, and a Glaze Lab.

Chea Peng

Chea holds a BFA in ceramics and a MST in art education. A longtime friend of the Genesee Center, Chea was a Resident Artist at Genesee Pottery for two years as well as Studio Manager. He has been teaching ceramics for 8 years."Instructions are free, you just have to pay for the jokes." -Chea

Peter Pincus

A Pittsford, NY native, Peter took  his  first  clay  class  at  Genesee Pottery in 2000, shortly before attending Alfred University where he studied ceramic and metal fabrication. After receiving his BFA Peter moved to Mendocino, California, as an artist-in-residence at the Mendocino Art Center. He then worked on Wayne Higby's Earth Cloud project at Alfred University, and afterwards moved to Fairport, NY to manage the Turk Hill Craft School.

Peter recently received his MFA from Alfred University His work has been exhibited throughout the United States and internationally. "I make containers, though I do not consider myself a functional potter. These containers reference anachronistic objects - Victorian perfume bottles, ceramic scotch decanters, jewelry boxes, and large crematory urns. Historical items of personal luxury, which have been abandoned for new, shiny, digital consumer goods. With one foot rooted faithfully in studio pottery practice, and the other wandering toward slip-cast European Design, making containers is a practice in believing the potential of handcrafted goods as well as a way for me to understand American culture The careful observer will find not only an evolution ceramic pottery forms, but a pastiche of contemporary high and low cultural allusions in my work." 

Samantha Stumpf

Samantha is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. She received her Bachelors of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2003 and her Masters in Fine Arts in ceramics from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2010. Currently she works at a studio located in downtown Rochester and teaches at Genesee Center for the Arts & Education and Studio Sales, in Avon, NY. View her work here.

Printing & Book Arts Instructors

Amy Rau

Amy Rau teaches workshops in youth letterpress printing, printing with photopolymer plates, papermaking and book binding, and selling and marketing your handmade goods on ETSY at the Genesee Center for the Arts & Education. She is the owner of greengirlpress, a locally based eco-conscious letterpress printing company.

Amy is a graduate of the University of Dayton, where she studied Elementary Education, Art Education, Fine Arts and developed a strong appreciation for building cultured communities and the sharing of knowledge and personal experience. She loves paper, swoons for paper, pretty much considers paper her bestie.

Emily Sterling

I am a recent undergraduate of Wells College. Though I majored in English Literature, my minor in the Book Arts has become my passion and focus. I love taking some once used and recycling it into something new. Ideas, old type cuts, handmade paper, old texts, all of these fit the mold for becoming a part of my work. I have done several internships in the Book Arts, met some amazing artists, and gained a wealth of experience even at my young age.

I thank my Wells education and the Book Arts Center there for preparing me to teach and grow with all of you here at the Genesee Center for Arts & Education.

Laura Wilder

After receiving a BA in art from Hamilton College in 1980 and a diploma from a local commercial art school in 1982, Laura worked as a graphic designer, illustrator and art director for several years. Unsatisfied with commercial work and inspired by prints of the Arts and Crafts movement, she learned printmaking from Ron Netsky at Nazareth College, and became a Roycroft Renaissance Master Artisan specializing in vintage-style block prints and paintings.  For over fifteen years she has exhibited and sold her work at both local arts festivals and at national conferences on the Arts & Crafts Movement.

Locally, she’s been a 3-time Clothesline Festival merit award winner, a blue ribbon winner at both Corn Hill and Sonnenberg arts festivals, and has been the featured artist at WXXI’s annual auction for the past 9 years. In 2004 Laura was honored to receive the commission to paint Tom Golisano’s portrait for the Golisano Academic Center at Nazareth College. Nationally, she has exhibited, taught and demonstrated at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC, the Winterthur Museum in Wilmington DE, the Pasadena Heritage Craftsman Exposition, and Milliken University for their Arts and Entrepreneurship program. Her work is sold in over 20 galleries and shops around the country, and off her website.

Artist’s Statement:Thematically, my art is about antidotes to the spiritual starvation in our society: e.g., making things by hand, reading, growing things, and reconnecting with the natural world. Aesthetically my art is about the great tradition of early 20th century poster and block print design, as well as beautiful effects of light.

Karin Marlett Choi

An adventurer and optimist Karin Marlett Choi describes herself as a leader of a one-mom cottage artistry. She creates paper cuts, pop-ups, painting, and prints from her home studio when her young son is sleeping.  With degrees in graphic and studio arts Karin's education has taken her to Europe and Asia. She draws on her life and nature both here and abroad as inspiration for her work. She loves paper because it is accessible, flexible, renewable and oh so beautiful! Other activities she enjoys in her "cottage" are Cooking for her family; reading, dancing and tickling with her toddler and listening to her husband sing and play guitar. Peek into her world online.