Haley McElroy - CAMP COUNSELOR

Haley McElroy graduated from Appalachian State University with a BFA in Art Education and a BA in Art Education. Since Graduating she has taught elementary art for 5 1/2 years. She has lived in Greenville, NC, for the last two years and excited to be teaching summer art camps for my second year. In her own studio, she enjoy constructing figural wall pieces and surface decorating simple functional forms. In her free time she enjoys spending time with my partner, AJ, curling up on the couch with their cat, Little Man, and getting lost in a new show.

Gregory Tuomi

Gregory Tuomi, has worked with a number of mediums, such as digital and film photography, pottery, painting, small metals, printmaking, book arts, and woodwork. Greg received a BFA in photography from East Carolina University and an MFA in book arts/printmaking from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA. Upon graduating he worked with a Fine woodworker in Philadelphia for two years and has since continued as a woodworker, making products using remnants and upcycle materials. Currently, Greg is an adjunct instructor teaching several art courses at Lenoir Community College in Kinston, NC, where he enjoys sharing knowledge with his students.

GAIL RITZER

Gail Ritzer received her BS in Art Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia and an MFA in Ceramics and Painting from East Carolina University. She has been exhibiting her work nationally since 1980 at such locales in New York, The University of Missouri-St. Louis, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Nebraska. Her work has appeared in several publications including FiberArts Design Book, Art/Quilt Magazine, and exhibition catalogs. Gail has been fortunate to receive a number of grants from the North Carolina Arts Council to pursue a variety of personal and community arts projects. She has been teaching surface design techniques, mixed media methods, painting, and ceramics to students of all ages for many years at workshops, as Outreach Coordinator for the Greenville Museum of Art and as an instructor at Emerge Gallery & Art Center.

Caroline Koerner

Caroline is an illustrator and ceramic artist with a BFA from East Carolina University. She has trained and worked alongside potters in Seagrove, NC, and regularly sells her work as a vendor at festivals across the state. Caroline is committed to creating a safe, encouraging learning environment where students can build strong artistic foundations and gain the confidence to market their work professionally. Outside the studio, she enjoys time with her cat, reading, and journaling.

Kayleigh Redmond

After she received her Associate’s Degree in Arts from Vance Granville Community College, Kayleigh moved to Greenville, NC to pursue her BFA in Art Education at East Carolina University. She hopes to graduate next Spring, and start teaching at a public school in Fall of 2024. Artistically, Kayleigh has explored many mediums. She enjoys printmaking, drawing, and painting, but she has a particular interest in collage art. Kayleigh seeks ways to combine different media and materials, for the sake of making an interesting art piece. In her free time, she enjoys reading, poetry, and going to new places.

Jacque Schacht

Jacque Schacht graduated from the University of Nebraska Lincoln with a BS in Elementary Education. She is a proud member of the Ponca tribe of Nebraska. Much of her art is done through the lens of her tribal heritage. She enjoys many different mediums including watercolor, ledger art, beadwork, ceramics, and cooking. She is kept very busy with her three growing children but always makes time for art in some form. She is looking forward to sharing and creating art with your children during the summer camps.

Sonya Coulson Rook

Sonya received a BFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University and has obtained additional technical training in stone setting and hand engraving at New Approach School for Jewelers and the GRS Training Center. Her work combines industrial and organic aesthetics with a focus on mixed metals and heavily textured surfaces. It can be found in stores and galleries around the country and has been featured in several publications and national exhibitions. She has taught adult and youth metals classes at Sertoma Arts Center, NC State Crafts Center, and Emerge Gallery. Sonya thrives on the chaos of learning through experimentation and play in the studio and aims to impart a sense of curiosity and whimsy as she helps students build skills and develop their own artistic voice. If she could travel in time and spend a day with any historical figure, it would probably be Leonardo DiVinci, even though she speaks absolutely no Italian.

Kas Eastwood

Despite a lifelong love of art, it wasn’t until college that Kas discovered the sense of community and connection that creative spaces can foster. They earned a BFA in Painting and Drawing, developing a strong foundation in visual storytelling while also exploring a wide range of practices including sculpture, ceramics, and mixed media. This multidisciplinary approach continues to shape their work and allows them to engage with materials and ideas in flexible ways.

Since graduating, Kas has participated in numerous community-based programs centered on art education and creative engagement. Through teaching and collaboration, they emphasize how art can improve quality of life, build confidence, and encourage personal expression. Kas is particularly passionate about helping others trust their own creative instincts and feel empowered in their work. They find it rewarding to connect with people in their hometown and find ways to bring art into the conversation.

Paula “PJ” Jordan-Mayo

Paula “PJ” Jordan-Mayo was born and raised in Rocky Mount, NC. They earned their BFA in Illustration at East Carolina University and the Master’s in Illustration at Academy of Art University. Though PJ primarily works in digital illustration, they have experience in various mediums such as drawing and painting. People can always see PJ carry their iPad with them. Since early childhood, PJ has always had a passion for the arts. They have a passion of inspiring young artists to continue the love for art.

Kaitlyn O’Connell

Hi! I am Kaitlyn O’Connell and I have lived in Greenville, NC since I was 10 years old. I have my AAS in Advertising and Graphic Design, and I am in my last semester at East Carolina University to earn my BFA in Art Education. My goal is to become a visual arts teacher that students can look up to and take inspiration from. My own art teachers are who inspired me to become a teacher as well. I have loved art for as long as I can remember and I enjoy always trying new things! I like to think of myself as a jack of all trades for art because I work in most mediums and enjoy experimenting. In my free time, I enjoy reading, shopping, and cooking!

Norah Harbold

Norah Harbold is a student at East Carolina University, majoring in Fine Art with a concentration in Ceramics. She has been enthusiastic about art since childhood, but she discovered her passion for ceramics during her sophomore year of high school. Throughout high school, she began exhibiting her work locally and aspires to showcase her art on a national level in the future. Norah enjoys creating sculptural and functional pieces. She views the process of wheel-throwing as a form of meditation and prioritizes the enjoyment of creating over simply producing an object. For her, creating brings joy to her life, and she is eager to share her love and knowledge of ceramics with others.

Isabel Jackson

Isabel Jackson is a North Carolina native, getting her Art studies degree from NC State University. She specializes in creating Acrylic portraits and hand built ceramics. She is currently working as North Pitt High School's Visual Arts and Ceramics teacher.