PO Box 660  
Northville, NY 12134
office@svanarts.org

About the SVAN Sponsored Artists

1. Connie Dodge – Artist

For twenty-three years, Dodge's permanent exhibit space was the Amos Eno Gallery in New York City.  Her work appears in many private collections, both nationally and internationally including the National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D. C. and Artpool in Budapest, Hungary.  Her work has also appeared in "New York Magazine".  Regionally, she is a professional member of the Guild of Adirondack Artists and the former Director of the Oakroom Artists, a group in existence for 52 years.

Ms. Dodge’s education includes a BS in Art Education from Nazareth College of Rochester, an MFA with Distinction from Catholic University of America, and two years of additional graduate study at the State University of New York.  Among her many honors is the distinction of being selected for a fellowship at the Millay Colony for the Arts. Currently, she is working on paintings of “Traditions, Faces and Places” in her adopted town of Edinburg/Batchellerville to fulfill an artist grant awarded her by Saratoga County Arts Center Decentralization Funds from the New York Council on the Arts.

2.  Michael Hine – Digital Printing

Michael’s award winning photographic career started many years ago with his first camera.  He is a self-taught photographer learning from works of great photographers like Ansel Adams, Galen Rowell, Art Wolfe and by doing his craft.  He loves to experiment with photography, pushing the limits of his camera and himself.  Now that digital photography has come of age Michael has begun to experiment with images that only a few years ago he could only dream of.  He has taught courses at Piseco School in the use of Photoshop and Digital Photography.   Michael’s images have been published in the New York’s Conservationist magazine. 

3.  Laura Ginter – Basket Weaving and Flower Pressing

After retiring from a 30 year career in nursing education, Laura took up the art of basket weaving, studying under several gifted artist in the field.  As a member of the Northeast Basket Guild, she has had the opportunity to bring the ideas and techniques of national artists to this area for others to enjoy through her business, BasketThyme.  Making baskets for the past ten years, she currently holds classes through SVAN using some of her own designs.  

Also a Master Gardener, Laura enjoys leading visitors on tours of her beautiful gardens.  Her gardens consist of shade and sun loving plants, flowering plants or foliage, vegetables and herbs.  Laura holds classes on the art of using flowers in card making and other paper art. 

4.  Meghan Murphy – Digital Photography

Meghan has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography and Art Education.  She has taught art to elementary school children and has participated in the Capital Region Center for the Arts in Education Summer Session Program.   Meghan founded an artist confluence group that meets to share and discuss works in progress. Meghan also hosts and curates a monthly art show on Lark Street in downtown Albany.  She is also a member of The Center for Photography in Woodstock and the New York Foundation for the Arts.   Meghan currently works in a photography shop providing instruction, technical support in the use and capabilities of camera’s and other photographic equipment.  Meghan's photography artwork has been exhibited in shows in various locations in Albany, Manhattan, Schenectady and Troy.

5.  Jeffery Meuwissen – Beginning Woodworking

Jeffery has been involved in woodworking for 50+ years.  He has constructed and remodeled buildings, created many pieces of furniture and cabinetry and created small pieces including turned bowls and other turned items, carved art pieces, and has created a media he calls intarsia/glass that combines the art of intarsia with the art of stained glass.  His work has appeared in numerous juried art shows and has won more than 20 awards, the most recent being a first place at the Northeastern Woodworkers Association Show in Saratoga.

6.  Sue Mc Lane – Tea Gracious Entertaining

Sue, The Victorian Lady, started out innocently enough, with people asking her to share her knowledge of 19th century fashion history through small workshops and fashion shows.  But after a while, Sue was not happy with knowing just the fashions – she wanted to know more.

Sue gained her knowledge by attending every museum exhibit, lecture and professional gathering available.  She studied collections of historical societies and private homes just to add to her own knowledge about how and why they dressed as they did.  This knowledge lead her to ask who they were and why they lived as they did.  Her desire to know more has provided her with a passion that has charmed, entertained and informed her audiences. 

7.  Sharon Marie Parrella – Improving the Craft: a workshop for writers

Sharon has been the School Media Specialist at Northville Central School for over 30 years.  She was an editor of the local literary publication, Lake Affect.  She is a charter member of the Saratoga Romance Writers of America and was editor of their newsletter, Inside Track, for over three years.  Perrella has given workshops on writing and publication locally for the past ten years.

8.  Sandy Yates – Hard Shell Gourd Crafting

Sandy has been working in the art of gourd carving for three years.  After observing the ancient art of gourds being carved, wood-burned and painted at the Florida State Fair, Sandy was hooked.  She has demonstrated and taught this craft to family and friends.  After showing a beautifully carved gourd, Sandy was requested to teach a Gourd Crafting class to a group of interested participants in Northville.