Orlando Almanza is a Cuban painter, printmaker, and draftsman based in Portland, Oregon, known internationally for evocative works that explore memory, myth, and loss through ethereal landscapes and portraits. He has exhibited widely in Cuba, the United States, England, and Mexico, and his work is held in the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, the CDE Cuba Cuban Art Magazine collection, and numerous international private collections. Almanza holds a BA in Printmaking from the Instituto Superior of Art in Havana and trained extensively in classical drawing under sculptor René Negrin. Recent highlights include serving as a public art panelist for RACC, a solo exhibition at Froelick Gallery, participation in the Sitka Art Invitational, and a feature on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat.

View his website here.

I studied art at Pacific Northwest College of Art and received a BFA in Painting.  My work has included textile design, mosaic,muralsand mixed media work.  I am currently focusing on painting with Watercolor, Gouache and Acrylic. Teaching has become integral to my artwork as it compels me to learn more as I practice. With 13 years of teaching experience, I always strive tofacilitatean environment where students in my class learn to trust their instincts, begin to see art as a process and adventure.  I currently teach watercolor classes and gouache classes in the Portland Metro Area.

View her website here.

Bergin has a MHCC Associate Degree Graphic Design and attended the Pacific NW College of Art in Portland and the School of the Art Institue of Chicago. Bergin has worked as an Art Director/Graphic Designer for Weiden + Kennedy, BP&N, and Bergin/Gallup Design. She is the author and moderator of Alla Prima Portland.

View her website here.

Molly Chidsey is a graphic illustrator with a passion for amplifying others’ creative voices.  She works primarily in ink, watercolor, and calligraphy. Originally from Cleveland, Molly has called Portland, Oregon home for 23 years. She studied painting and illustration at Pacific Northwest College of Art Continuing Education Certificate Program.

Before she was an artist, Molly worked as a social change agent and project manager for sustainability and racial equity programs for 25 years. When she doesn’t have ink on her hands, Molly likes to play with her puppy, gardening and riding her scooter.

View her website here.

Scott Gellatly is a celebrated Portland-based painter and printmaker whose work has been exhibited in galleries across the country. A proud Oregon native, Scott is driven by a lifelong passion for the creative process, finding wonder in the act of bringing new works into existence across various media. His artistic practice is defined by a constant drive to experiment and evolve, a perspective he brings to his roles as an educator. At the Oregon Art Center, Scott shares this expertise and enthusiasm with students through his landscape painting and beginning printmaking classes.

View his website here.

Jef Gunn is a West Coast–based artist whose work explores land, water, and sky, shaped by a lifelong engagement with wilderness. He studied drawing and painting in California during the 1970s, held residencies in Barcelona and Paris in the 1980s, and since the mid-1990s has focused on Asian art influences. Gunn holds a BFA in Painting from Marylhurst University and has taught at Oregon College of Art and Craft and Pacific Northwest College of Art. He is represented by Traver Gallery in Seattle, i.e. gallery in Edison, Cedar Street Gallery in Honolulu, and Augen Gallery in Portland, and his recent work reflects both reverence for and concern about landscapes that are threatened, restored, or protected.

View more of his work here.

Dorota is a botanical artist and educator working at the intersection of ecology, healing, and our relationship with nature. Holding a Diploma in Botanical Illustration (UK) and a Master’s in Teaching, she specializes in portraying the resilience of native and medicinal plants. Having self-published five ethnobotanical coloring books—including works for the Lan Su Chinese Garden and Seaside Mill Pond—Dorota’s art is deeply informed by her Polish heritage and the healing power of the environment. Her work has been exhibited at the Portland Japanese Garden and the Oregon Society of Artists.

View her website here.

Ashley is an illustrator and writer based in Portland, Oregon. She studied creative writing at Portland State University, and has an interest in Children’s books and narrative illustration. She is a mixed media artist and works mainly in watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, marker, and pastel.

She finds joy in creating art that captures emotional complexities that are universal to us all, such as grief, joy and sadness. Nature themes also play an important role in her work.

Leah Kohlenberg is a former journalist turned artist who has been painting for 25 years.  She founded The Roaming Studio, a private art school, in 2010, and has since taught hundreds of individuals and groups art around the world. She teaches all fundamental drawing and painting classes, and while she is primarily self taught, she has studied at the Art Student's League of New York, the Gage Academy in Seattle, Washington, the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and with private art teachers in Hungary, Armenia, Croatia and in Portland, Oregon. Her paintings are in public and private collections worldwide. 

View her website here.

A signature member of the American Impressionist Society, Joanne Radmilovich Kollman is an Oregon-based artist known for her lyrical, energetic style. Her work emphasizes the expressive quality of oil paint, using bold brushwork and light to capture the spirit of figures and landscapes. A firm believer in the power of working from life, Joanne brings her award-winning expertise to the classroom, where she teaches Expressive Painting and Life Drawing and facilitates figure sessions at the Oregon Art Center.

View her website here.

Jenna Lechner is an illustrator and art instructor based in Portland, OR. She has over 10 years of experience as a teacher & illustrator, specializing in traditional media (like watercolor & ink) to create detailed, hand-rendered patterns, maps, and other educational drawings. She has created art for books, stationery, wallpaper, packaging, and more. Some previous clients of hers include Adobe, Starbucks, Travel Oregon, Facebook, Hachette Book Group and others. Common themes of her work include horticulture and the ecology of the Pacific Northwest.

View her website here.

Garrett Ley is a freelance illustrator, comic artist, and SCAD graduate with a decade of experience in the professional convention circuit. A dedicated educator for over eight years, Garrett has taught storyboarding and illustration at venues like the Wacom Experience Center and served as the Director of Digital Art Education at a local extracurricular program from 2019–2023. They also conduct national workshops for Copic and co-host the Brainstorm podcast, which explores the intersection of art-making and mental health. Garrett’s work has been featured in Copic and Blick catalogs, various anthologies, and their own successful "Only Human" Kickstarter project, all driven by a passion for connecting people through vibrant storytelling.

View more of their work here.

Mace was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. In the 1980s, he studied with Norwegian classical realist painter Jan Saether. He later moved to Portland, Oregon, where for more than 30 years he has taught painting and figure drawing at Hipbone, the Multnomah Arts Center, and in his personal studio. Mace has exhibited his work at numerous venues throughout Portland, including Froelick Gallery, Attic Gallery, and the Portland Art Museum. His large triptych depicting the JFK assassination is in the permanent collection of the Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, Texas.

View more of his work here.

Born into a family of art enthusiasts, Shahrad Malekfazeli began his formal training at age 15 under the renowned Persian master Morteza Katouzian. An artist of extraordinary ability recognized by WESTAF, Shahrad has won numerous international awards from prestigious organizations like the Art Renewal Center and the International Salon of Contemporary Art. With over twenty years of experience running his own studio before moving to the U.S., he is a dedicated educator whose students have gone on to become well-recognized artists in their own right.

View more of his work here.

Inspired by anthropology, physics, and the natural world, Martin creates sculptures and paintings that explore our shared primal community. His Portland-based studio serves as both a gallery and a creative hub where he mentors individual artists and offers classes focused on self-reflection and growth. By blending mystical influences with organic forms, Martin’s work seeks to transcend cultural and political boundaries, inviting viewers into a deeper conversation about the human role in the grander picture of existence.

View more of his work here.

Katherine is a Portland artist currently focusing on printmaking. Over the past 18 years, she has created over 500 one-of-a-kind abstract monotypes. Prints from the "Lake Monotype" series have been selected for a dozen solo regional shows and accepted into over 60 national juried group exhibitions. Her work is represented by The Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery and the Coos Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery. Her prints can also be found at The Josephy Center for Arts and Culture. Katherine is a juried artist member of The Boston Printmakers, Print Arts Northwest, Monotype Guild of New England and Los Angeles Printmaking Society. Having earned her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art at Cal Poly Humboldt, she now teaches printmaking at Oregon Art Center.

Joanne Mehl is an accomplished figurative artist and an honors graduate of the Art Center College of Design with over 140 commissioned portraits to her credit, including the 2020 Rose Festival Queen. Now in her tenth year of teaching at the Oregon Society of Artists, Joanne draws on her extensive experience in portraiture, equestrian art, and advanced oil and gouache techniques to mentor students. As the founder of the Portland Figure Painting and Drawing Group and a former adjunct professor, she is known for a sophisticated yet approachable instructional style that helps artists build unique personal styles upon a solid classical foundation.

View more of her work here.

Tony’s artistic journey began at age eight with oil painting, eventually leading him to study Major Art in high school and Interior Design at NYU. He further refined his craft through Scenic Design with Lester Polakov and Classical Iconography at the Institute of Classical Iconography. A US Army Veteran who served 18 months in Korea under the UN, Tony now proudly supports the Veterans’ Program as both a dedicated student and an instructor.

Specializing in portraiture and Pacific Northwest landscapes, Tess creates work that balances realistic representation with loose abstraction to capture the quiet, intimate moments of human existence. A graduate of Reed College with a diverse background in biology and martial arts, she brings a unique perspective to her role as an instructor at the Oregon Art Center. Tess teaches watercolor and portraiture to students of all experience levels, focusing on capturing tangibility and expression while fostering an inclusive environment for artists of all backgrounds.

View more of her work here.

A native Oregonian, Michael Orwick’s art is inseparable from his deep love for the Pacific Northwest. Driven by the region's mysterious light and atmosphere, he seeks to weave narratives into his paintings of the coast, mountains, and meadows. For Michael, light is a transformative force that turns the ordinary into the exceptional; his work strives to capture these fleeting, atmospheric moments, inviting viewers to experience the natural world through new and inspired eyes.

View more of his work here.

Jennifer is a prominent figure in the art community, recognized for her extensive career as a professional art model, producer, and entrepreneur. With over 30 years of industry experience, Jennifer is credited with transforming art modeling into a thriving field. By connecting artists with professional models and producing immersive drawing and painting events, she creates vibrant spaces where artists can have fun while honing their craft.

View more of her work here.

A lifelong artist and educator, Elaine Pawski brings a unique blend of traditional and digital expertise to the Oregon Art Center. With a background in drawing, painting, and K-8 art education, Elaine’s work spans watercolor, colored pencil, and photography, often merging these classical techniques with modern technology. As a freelance graphic designer and photographer, she now specializes in teaching iPad Drawing and Painting, where she helps students use digital tools to achieve the soulful "human touch" of traditional media through freehand drawing and expressive color.

View more of her work here.

Nicole Poole is an artist living in the Pacific Northwest who makes her living as an illustrator, calligrapher, and teacher. She was awarded the California Arts Scholarship in 1993 and has studied with various artists and schools concentrating on painting, sculpture, glassblowing, children’s book illustration, calligraphy and design. She creates her own ongoing body of work as well as designing illustrative works and calligraphy for clients all over Oregon and California.

She currently teaches art demonstrations, workshops, and classes, at Oregon Art Center and enjoys sharing her passion for creativity with others. 

View more of her work here.

Originally from Texas, this honors graduate of Sam Houston State University holds a degree in Fine Arts and a lifelong passion for creative exploration. From studying portraiture in London to a successful career in product design, she has consistently interwoven art into her professional pursuits. Currently specializing in egg tempera and watercolor pencils, she shares her broad knowledge of diverse mediums with her students at the Oregon Art Center. She is dedicated to guiding others as they discover their unique artistic paths, bringing the same joy she finds in her daily studio practice to her classroom instruction.

View more of her work here.

William Reichle is a stained glass artist and traveling instructor. He has introduced over 600 people to the joy of creating with stained glass through his satellite workshops. He looks forward to continue sharing his passion for this craft with more people and empowering others to create with this captivating medium.

View more of his work here.

Rita Sabler is a Portland-based visual journalist, artist, and educator who serves as the Education Director for the global Urban Sketchers organization. With an extensive teaching background at institutions such as Parsons School of Design and PNCA, Rita specializes in reportage illustration, travel sketching, and visual storytelling. Her work focuses on capturing the pulse of community life—from busy markets to festivals—documenting both the ordinary and extraordinary through on-location drawing. When she isn’t teaching or sketching on street corners, Rita balances her creative life as a parent and a tango pianist.

View more of her work here.

Dianna Shyne is an award-winning artist with over 40 years of experience working in acrylics, oils, and watercolors, with early training under renowned Russian Impressionist instructors and more than 25 years devoted primarily to acrylic painting. She has presented over 50 solo exhibitions, received top national honors—including First Place in The Artist’s Magazine All Media Competition and the Bold Brush Outstanding Acrylic Award—and has been featured in publications such as The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic, and Northlight Books. An experienced educator, Dianna has led workshops, lectures, and demonstrations across the U.S., Canada, Italy, and China, and views teaching as both a joy and an art form that blends strong technical foundations with deeper explorations of creativity and the artistic journey.

View more of her work here.

After a distinguished 20-year career as the Principal Viola for the Oregon Symphony, Randall Vemer transitioned to the world of fine art, applying the same rigor and analysis to classical painting. Specializing in the classical method of building paintings through meticulous layering, Randall often bridges the two worlds by featuring musical subjects and coordinating multi-media events. As an instructor at the Oregon Art Center, he focuses on teaching students how to apply traditional, classical techniques to contemporary subjects.

View more of his work here.

O’Jinae Welch is an artist and instructor whose practice is rooted in disciplined draftsmanship and the belief that art fosters focus and connection. Raised in a Washington State military family, her background instilled a deep appreciation for service and collective care—values that now define her approach to community-based art. After pivoting from a career in corporate finance, O’Jinae is currently refining her skills in classical drawing and painting as a third-year Academy Program student at Atelier Dojo. As an Intro to Drawing instructor, she is dedicated to creating an inclusive, structured environment where students of all experience levels can build practical skills through patience and accessible education.

View more of her work here.

Originally from Canton, China, Yong Hong Zhong is a graduate of the Pratt Institute whose artistic foundations were shaped by a 14-year career at Disney Animation Studios. During his tenure at Disney, he contributed to over a dozen theatrical feature films, including The Princess and the Frog. Now focused on his passion for traditional painting, Yong translates the invaluable knowledge and cinematic sensibilities gained from the animation industry into his fine art. As an educator, he brings this high-level professional experience to his students, helping them develop their skills through a blend of classical illustration and traditional techniques. 

View more of his work here.