Archives: Teams

My name is Pat Smelkoff, and I love to introduce students to the JOY of PAINTING!

I am an artist, designer, travel teacher and also author of “Juicy Fruits and Fragrant Flowers” published by Plaid Enterprises. I design painting projects for magazines such as Paint Works, Painting and the Decorative Painter, the official publication of the Society of Decorative Painting.

I have taught at many conventions, namely Artist Expo-Houston Texas, HOOT, Heart of Ohio Tole in Columbus Ohio, New England Traditions, Marlborough, MA, as well as Decorative Painting Chapters in North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida.

I had the opportunity to study Russian stroke painting in Zhostovo, Russia with Master Artist Boris Grafov.

I am a Plaid Ambassador, and a certified Priscilla Hauser and Heather Redick instructor, as well as being certified in Bob Ross Florals.

Ellie Peterson, creator of Meditative Movements™, is passionate about exploring with you how you can care for your own mind, body and being needs. She teaches individuals how to transform unhealthy habits into nurturing ones.

In 1992, she graduated from the College of St. Catherine where she studied fitness and psychology.  She has overcome addictions, emotional upheavals like depression, and illnesses.  Because of her own personal life experiences, Ellie believes that everyone can be healthy, happy and feel whole.

Ellie has 30+ years of teaching experience and is the author of “Meditative Movements” and “Empowering Energy,” books as well as the creator of the “Power of Positive Aerobics DVD.”

Visit Ellie’s website at ppworkouts.com.

Painter, Sculptor, Writer, Filmmaker, Peace Activist, Designer of furniture, interiors, landscapes and now add instructor for Golden Artist Colors to the list. K.D. looks forward to bringing his enthusiasm for all things creative to this latest adventure. Born in Connecticut and painting for more than thirty years in acrylics and mixed media, he has spent ten years painting and exhibiting in the Los Angeles area before relocating to Sarasota, Florida. He has spent time painting in Paris, France and the Tuscany region of Italy. K.D. works snippets of newspaper text and headlines from around the world into each painting. These pieces of newsprint act as time-coding elements to root the individual piece to the period in which it was created, and while subtle, this process also helps contribute to the rich surface texture imparted upon every work. Vivid colors and primitive forms spread across often outsized canvases, are hallmarks of his work.

His work hangs in many private and corporate collections throughout the United States and Europe. He is currently represented by Art Dimensions, Inc. in Los Angeles, and in Europe by Paul Arellano of International Artists’ Agency, Munich.

Visit Kevin’s website at kdtobinart.com.