Faculty

Carole Pearlman M.Ed., M.A., has a master’s degree in Educational Therapy and in Developmental Psychology from National-Louis University. She has over 20 years experience in the field of education working in hospital, school and private settings. In addition to being a certified teacher, she is a professional artist with a B.F.A. in painting. Her mixed media paintings have been represented in galleries in Illinois and Wisconsin. Pearlman founded The Joy of Creativity® art enrichment program in 200l, supporting creative exploration in the arts for both children and adults. Her programs are widely recognized for their innovative, informative and engaging curriculum. Through her research and teaching Pearlman believes that facilitating and supporting creativity in children provides a foundation for their future success.

Doris Volpe was educated at Lake Forest College and later studied with Hubert Ropp, Abbott Pattison and Ed Paschke. Her work has been published in “Chicago Art Scene” by Ivy Sandell and Dorie is a member of “Who’s Who of American Women 2001”. She has exhibited in more than 40 galleries and shows from Chicago to New York to London. Her work is enjoyed in private collections throughout the U.S. and South America. Among her one-person exhibitions is a retrospective show at the Chicago Cultural Center

Lezlie Lenz likes to create paintings that make people smile. Her whimsical mixed media landscapes of flying ladies and angels create the illusion of movement and sound. She uses non-traditional watercolors to paint her landscapes that have become the home for her angels. Lezlie received her Bachelor’s Degree in graphic design and painting and has worked as a graphic designer/illustrator for the past 20 years. Her award-winning art is exhibited at galleries and shown in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Michael Latala expresses the natural beauty he sees in the world around him through his deft handling of materials such as oil paint, pastels and charcoal. His landscapes, still life, figurative and portrait work offer a fresh and seemingly effortless symphony of color. After receiving a Associate of Arts degree in Advertising/Design from the American Academy of Art, Michael has had a successful career as a storyboard illustrator working on staff at Draft FCB and Ogilvy & Mather, two of Chicago’s largest advertising agencies. Pursuing his love of painting, he’s studied with Scott Burdick, Dan Gerhartz, Romel De La Torre and Richard Schmid.

Philip has been working as a graphic designer for over 30 years and has been putting emphasis on his own artwork since 2013.  His colored pencil renderings have been featured in galleries throughout Lake County, as well as Colored Pencil Magazine.  Philip finds that the color pencil gives him control and detail needed to create photorealist pieces.  He keeps his instruction simple for beginners and takes them step by step through materials and techniques.

Sandie Bacon is a versatile, classically trained artist . She has an MFA from Maryland Institute Graduate School of Painting, and is the Chicago land representative/teaching artists for Golden Artist Colors. Her work is shown nationally, and she has received many commissions for large-scale public art (including one the murals in the Lake Bluff train station), and is a member of the Dandelion Gallery in Waukegan.

Sarah’s career began under her saintly mother’s marble coffee table, where she created her first abstract with crayon.  Her lifelong inspiration was further developed among the extremely compelling classmates she was surrounded with at Cherokee School in Lake Forest, and carried through the wonderful Fine Art program offered at Lake Forest High School.  In 1992 she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Wisconsin and started a decorative arts company, which specialized in doing custom artwork on walls, floors and furniture.  She paints in watercolor and oil, her work is in private collections.

Skip Wiese, an illustrator for H&R Studio in Chicago until 1980, has received more than 50 art awards. He runs his own studio and gallery in Waukegan in addition to teaching workshops in pastels, watercolors and monotype printing. In 1991, Skip attained signature membership to the Midwest Pastel Society, awarded to an artist for achieving three years of juried competition. His artwork is widely displayed in galleries and has been purchased for private and corporate collections worldwide.