Sara is a self-taught artist who enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with the youth in our community! She began exploring art at a very young age and has continued building her 'toolbox' through a lot of trial and error.

Sara works in any and all mediums in an exploration of herself and the world around her. Her personal work centers around natural themes and concepts of emotional, and spiritual renewal.

Rebecca Conklin has worked as an art educator in the community for 23 years, sharing her passion for creating art and working with clay to students of all age levels. Rebecca received her BFA from Syracuse University and her MSEd from SUNY Plattsburgh. Rebecca has been part of the Strand Center for the Arts for many years as a clay instructor, and is a high school art teacher at AuSable Valley Central School District.

Mollie Ward is an artist and ceramics teacher. She received her BFA from SUNY Plattsburgh focusing in ceramics and drawing. Through teaching ceramics at the Strand, Ward is interested in building relationships and fostering creativity in the studio and sharing her love for ceramics with the greater community.

At the tender age of 13, Tom was turned loose in the forge at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, and managed to neither burn the building down, nor do irreparable damage to himself. Having always been interested in arms and armor, he quickly focused on making blades and hasn’t looked back. In his free time he enjoys D&D and photography. Tom's day job is in IT, so the forge is a welcome respite from being a desk jockey. 

Samantha started her metalworking career at a young age, making wire jewelry. During her time at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, she was introduced to blacksmithing and immediately was hooked. When not in the forge, you can find her rocking out to Queen, driving her classic 1970's car, or diving deep into Medieval European History. She is also the Director of the Kent-Delord House Museum in Plattsburgh, NY.

Noah Bonesteel is an emerging artist, working in painting, drawing, and printmaking. Originally from Averill Park in Rensselaer County, Noah attended SUNY Plattsburgh where he received a BFA in Painting and Drawing (2025). He and his art practice have developed a strong connection to the North Country and Adirondacks where he is committed to strengthening the local art scene. His work explores the human relationship to our environment focusing on the interconnectedness of all life and the entanglement of ecology and human activity. He has exhibited across the North Country and Capital Regions of New York. 

noah.bonesteel.com

Emily Shaffer is a local artist and teacher. She received her masters degree from SUNY Plattsburgh in education with a concentration in studio art, focusing primarily on ceramics. Emily’s work is a mix of functional ceramics as well as an exploration of the human body and form. Emily values the role of art in everyday life and believes creativity should be a part of how we connect, reflect, and grow. Find her work @funfunkyforms on Instagram. 

Sommerleigh D’Elia is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus on ceramics and watercolor illustration. For Sommerleigh, found objects in the natural world contain a magical quality, and her work seeks to share that childlike wonder with her audience. With influences deriving from both fairytales and field guides, she hopes to place these commonly found pieces of nature onto a pedestal and foster an appreciation for the remarkableness of the ordinary.

Kilian Croghan is a local artist from Keeseville, New York.  Kilian received his BFA from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2023 with a focus in Drawing, Painting, and Illustration. His work focuses on themes of nature, folklore, and mythology, working from the landscape and his imagination to tell stories through art. He also enjoys plein air painting in both watercolor and oil paint. Kilian is thrilled to be teaching courses at the Strand and hopes to share his passion for the arts with the community.

Tiana Saroj has been involved with teaching and the arts in the North Country for 20 years. From musicals to drama to improv, she has had her hand in all of it! Tiana is a Health teacher at Northern Adirondack CSD and a long-standing member of Completely Stranded, Plattsburgh's improv comedy troupe. Tiana's teaching and artistic endeavors have landed her as the operator of The School of Improv, Plattsburgh's premiere improv workshop for school-aged performers. She is so excited to see what's in store for this year!

Ally Baker is a multidisciplinary artist who focuses on digital illustrations and graphic design. They have a B.S. in Digital Media Production from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and are self-taught in drawing & illustration.

Ally’s digital work also includes photography as well as video and audio planning, production, and post-production editing.

Growing up in Las Vegas, art, culture, and entertainment became ingrained into who they are and how they see the world around them. To Ally, artistic expression is fundamental to life and community.

Growing up in Plattsburgh, Jennifer learned to cherish words from birth. Her parents taught her the value of reading by example, so she decided she wanted to spread her love of literature through teaching.

Jennifer had a life-changing experience while attending the National Writing Project Summer Institute at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. There, she learned the power of writing to honor our shared experiences and our individual stories.

For over twenty-five years, she has provided a space for people to express and celebrate themselves and their world through writing-be it in the classroom or in a workshop.

Her work has appeared in the professional journal for the National Council of Teachers of English, “The English Journal.” In 2010, she self-published a children’s book, “The Sweet Dreams Kiss,” which was beautifully illustrated by Jenny Spash. Most recently, her work was featured on the Adirondack Center for Writing’s website.

In her free time, you can find Jennifer hiking and cross-country skiing in the Adirondacks with her husband.