NATIONAL ARTS IN THE SCHOOL DAY
Thursday April 15, 2010

Carolee Brakewood
Musician, Music Educator, Private Instructor
Carolee holds a BS degree in music, an MA for teachers and spent 6 months as a Fulbright Scholar studying Thai methods of music instruction in Bangkok. We are happy to have her as our KinderMusic instructor.
carolee.brakewood@verizon.net

JoAnn Brody
Clay Artist, Sculptor, Educator
JoAnn is a sculptor whose work is exhibited extensively throughout the area. Artist-in-residence for Peekskill and Westchester Arts Council, she has been working with Port Chester's LTA program for six years.
www.jo-annbrody.com

Donna Cribari
Composer, Musician, Musical Director
Donna is a founding member of the Port Chester Arts Council and was recently awarded Westchester's Cab Calloway award for lifetime achievement in the arts. She is a composer of many historic based musicals.
doni430@msn.com

Lou Del Bianco
Actor-Singer, Storyteller
Lou is a 5 time Parents Choice award winner for his CD's of songs and stories. He travels the Northeast with his 12 one man educational shows. A pioneer in Literacy through the Arts program, he is honored to be part of this celebration in the community where he got his start.
lou@findlou.com

Joseph Fama
Artist, Historical Painter
Joseph is an arts educator at Greenwich and Bronxville High Schools. He combines his love of history and art in a collection of drawings and paintings on the Lewis & Clark expedition. Check his web site for details:
www.josephfama.com

Nina Gabriele-Cuva
Theater Arts, Creative Writing Instructor
Nina is an actor, director, arts administrator and educator. She has developed theater classes for special needs and ESL students and was honored by Bronx borough president for "bringing arts to young people."
HopeCotage@aol.com

Jane M. Gang, Ph.D.
Storyteller/Professor/Author
Dr. Jane Gangi is an Associate Professor of Education at Manhattanville College and the well known author of Encountering Children's Literature: An Arts Approach. She holds a Ph.D. New York University, School of Education, M.A. Northwestern University and a B.A. Colorado College.
www.faculty.mville.edu/gangij

Mai Kong
Visual Artist (oil pastels), Private Instructor
Mai was born in China, the daughter of one of China's most famous artists. She or her husband, Wei Chen, have worked with Literacy through the Arts since its beginning. She is building her web site.  
xiaomai@optonline

Jonathan Kruk
Historic Storyteller
Jonathan was born in Texas and raised in Westchester on tall tales and day dreams to become a career storyteller. He brings programs from Finger Fables to Legend of Sleepy Hollow to hundreds of schools.
www.jonathankruk.net

Denis Licul
Ceramacist
Denis Licul is a teacher and member of the Clay Art Center in Port Chester, New York which is now celebrating its 50th Anniversary. She is a native of Croatia where she earned a degree in Fine Arts. Denis lives in New York, works as a free-lance artist and exhibits her work internationally.

Brigitte Loritz
Visual Artist (watercolor)
Brigitte was born in Switzerland and was the founding director of the Byram River Arts Festival. A teaching artist for Literacy through the Arts, she developed KinderArt for Port Chester schools, an NYSCA award-winner, and exhibits and teaches throughout Westchester.
Loritz.brigitte@gmail.com

Michelle Menick
Opera Singer, Actress
Michelle is an opera singer, actress who sings professionally and  performs the role of Susan B Anthony in a NYC production. A Port Chester alumna and was an artist-in-residence until her son's birth.
Mme51996@yahoo.com

Dana Rutson
Communication Arts Specialist
Dana is a communications professional who has developed and led campaigns for a variety of premium brand lifestyle products. She has developed business presentations and speeches for top executives, CEOs.
danarutson@yahoo.com

Frank SanMarco
Environmentalist, Actor
Frank is the creator of a multi-media Native American educational presentation with a vision: "everything on earth has a purpose, every disease an herb to cure it, every  person a mission. This is the Native American way."
Phone: (845) 628-5717

Eva SantaMaria
Latin Dance Instructor
Eva started a Latin dance group for young people when she first came to the U.S. from Colombia many years ago. She has returned to her roots by teaching Latin dance to a new generation through Port Chester's LTA.
NANYREY@aol.com

Gladys Silva
Folkloric Dancer/Instructor
Gladys is a teaching artist for the Port Chester Council for the Arts Connections program. She is a native of Peru where she received early dance training in classic ballet and Spanish dance. Gladys performed with the Ballet de Camera in Lima and later transitioned to folkloric dance.

Grace Solis
Visual Artist (acrylic)
Grace's art blends the spirit of Latin American "magical realism" with the technical ability of European surrealism. Her art is exhibited in Ecuador, Switzerland & the U.S. She is a teacher and resident artist.
grace2461@aol.com