Faculty Bios

Jill Badonsky is an internationally recognized creativity mentor and creator of Kaizen-Muse Creativity Coaching Certification. She is a multimedia artist, playwright, and author-illustrator of three inspirational books about creativity—The Muse Is In: An Owner’s Manual to Your Creativity, The Nine Modern Day Muses (and a Bodyguard): 10 Guides to Creative Inspiration, and The Awe-manac: A Daily Dose of Wonder—that have freed the creativity of thousands of individuals. She teaches workshops throughout the country and in France, runs biannual creativity retreats in New Mexico, and teaches creativity classes in San Diego.

Lisa Bebi, since a small child, has loved two things: looking through snapshots in her family album and painting as expression. For over three decades, the San Diego native has married these two things together, and her work has received international awards and recognition for its content, style, and color. Lisa received her BA in fine arts from San Diego State University (SDSU), where she developed as a colorist, straddling representation with abstraction. Daughter of a journalist, Lisa always finds ways to tell the untold story she sees in snapshots.

Pierre Bounaud is a San Diego–based ceramic artist working from his home studio overlooking the scenic Talmadge neighborhood canyons. Born and raised in the Provence region of France, Pierre studied chemistry before clay took over his life and became his muse. Combining his love of experimentation and architecture, Pierre creates original, colorful, and textural functional wares, as well as sculptural vessels and geometric abstract structures. Pierre is a member of the San Diego Potters’ Guild, exhibiting in the guild’s gallery and twice a year during the guild’s semiannual shows.

Frol Boundin was born in 1974, in Leningrad (St. Petersburg, Russia), where he received his initial artistic training in the traditions of social realism from his grandfather, the painter Victor Boundin, and at the Leningrad School of General Arts. After moving to the United States, he received his BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2000. Boundin lived and worked in Chicago for 10 years, focusing on large-scale abstract paintings and prints, collaborative installations, and graphic design projects. In 2013, he earned an MFA from the University of New Mexico.

Rivian Bütikofer earned a BA in painting and printmaking from SDSU and an MA in education from Point Loma Nazarene College. As an artist and longtime educator, Rivian combines her educational experience and extensive background in art, drama, and art therapy with an enthusiastic and encouraging teaching style. She has been an artist-in-residence and a visual arts resource administrator, K–12, for the San Diego Unified School District and has taught at the secondary level in several area schools. Rivian has also taught at her own art school, The Magic of Art, as well as at University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD), and San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA), and was a consultant to the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.

Judith Christensen has been making books for 25 years. She has taught book-making at Grossmont College and has been an artist-in-residence at numerous elementary schools in San Diego County. Working with San Diego Book Arts Education and Outreach Programs and the County and the City Schools’ Deaf Education Program, she has designed and directed artists’ books projects for K–8 students, teachers, and school administrators. Her artist’s books are widely exhibited and are included in the UC San Diego Special Collections, the Arthur and Mata Jaffe Center for Book Arts, and the University of Washington Libraries' Special Collections, among others.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Marty Davis is a sculptor, illustrator and animator whose work has appeared in video games for Sega, Sony and Disney/Pixar. As a sculptor, Marty assisted former La Jolla Athenaeum instructor and master sculptor A. Wasil on many San Diego public sculptures over the years, including the Stations of the Cross at Mission San Luis Rey in Oceanside, and Mary Star of the Sea in La Jolla. Additionally, Marty taught at the La Jolla Athenaeum for many years prior to moving away from San Diego. Now that he and his wife have moved back to town, he is excited to resume his association with the Athenaeum.

Sharon Carol Demery moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles, where she studied and began her career. There she developed her modern art with an affinity for vibrant color, purity, and simplicity depicting images of abstraction that retain their cohesiveness. She was associated with the 1970s Abstract Illusionism movement. Primarily considered to be an abstract painter, her artistic facility and mixed-genre style depict an artist capable of eluding classification working in both abstraction and representational painting. Sharon has shown in galleries and museums around the country, and her work is in many private and public collections.

Anna DiMartino is an artist, writer and educator. She has a BA in Art with an emphasis in Printmaking from UC Santa Cruz and an MFA in Creative Writing: Poetry from Pacific University. Anna enjoys ceramics, printmaking, wood carving and fiber arts.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Tomory Dodge (b. 1974, Denver, Colorado) received his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design (Providence) and his MFA from California Institute of the Arts (Valencia) in 2004. Tomory is the subject of recent, current, and forthcoming exhibitions at Philip Martin Gallery, Los Angeles, for solo exhibitions, Newfoundland and Back and Hair into Gold and Back Again, and the group exhibition Pocket Universe.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Melissa Ewart is a graphic designer that loves crafty projects. She received a Visual Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Computing and the Arts (ICAM) from UC San Diego. Her career started in the hospitality industry working for a destination management company planning, staffing, and designing collateral for special events. Afterwards, Melissa managed a student-centered design and communications studio and advised a student-run apparel and promotional products company at UC San Diego, for almost 15 years. Melissa recently started her graphic design business, Other Duties as Designed LLC, focusing on digital and print work. In her spare time, she tries to keep up with her teenage daughter, loves taking Athenaeum watercolor classes, and works part-time as a field staff for special events.

Ken Goldman studied at the National Academy of Design, the Art Students League, and New York Studio School. A recipient of numerous awards, Ken has exhibited widely in various group shows and solo exhibitions in galleries and museums in Holland, Paris, Mexico, China, Italy, Greece, New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Diego. Ken’s work is included in the permanent collections of SDMA, Hilbert Museum of California Art, North Carolina’s Hickory Museum of Fine Art, the San Diego Museum of Natural History, and the Zuo Wen Museum in Qingdao, China.

Stephanie Goldman is known for her richly colored figures, insightful portraits, boldly painted miniatures and dynamic charcoal, graphite, and ink drawings. Having studied with and been greatly influenced by artists Ken Goldman, Wolf Kahn, and Nelson Shanks (at Studio Incamminati), she imbues her work with focused creativity and experimentation. Memorable exhibitions include 15 unique portraits of children entitled I Am A Child at the Riverside Art Museum; Bearing Exquisite Witness at the Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, University of San Diego; and many national and international group exhibitions.

Stan Goudey, AWS, SDWS, WFWS, started painting in grade school. He received formal training at Grossmont College and studied figure drawing and illustration at the Art Center of Design, Los Angeles. He was commissioned for illustrations for books and magazines, including Psychology Today and Oceans. His constant goal is to try to paint to the standards of the masters—the old ones as well as the new. Personal favorites include Edward Hopper, Winslow Homer, Wayne Thiebaud, Richard Diebenkorn, Arnie Westerman, John Salminen, and Ted Rose.

Suda House is a photographer of national and international reputation living and working in San Diego. She has taught photographic processes since 1977, first in the Los Angeles area. Since 1980 she has been a professor of art and photography at Grossmont College, where she has also served as Art Department chair and coordinated the Digital Media Arts Lab.

Kevin Inman was born in Honolulu and grew up on US Military installations around the world. He attended the Universitat de Valencia, Spain, graduated from the University of Virginia, and earned an MFA in oil painting from Radford University. Inman formerly worked in IT. During graduate school, he transitioned from large abstract canvases to an approach informed by the Bay Area Figurative School and the Spanish Baroque. He has traveled extensively around Spain and Italy studying painting, especially the Venetian school. The recipient of numerous awards for plein air painting, Inman has been a professional artist for 10 years.

Pat Kelly is an accomplished and versatile artist known for her large-scale floral paintings in oils. Proficient in plein air, landscape, and still life, she is especially admired as a colorist and for her color theory workshops. A dedicated and experienced painting instructor, her teaching method includes elements of art history, classical painting technique, and color theory. Pat received a BA in visual art from UCSD and currently maintains a studio in Ramona. She teaches painting classes and workshops at the Athenaeum and The Art Center in Ramona and is represented by Santa Ysabel Art Gallery.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Eileen Kitrick is a letterpress printer and printmaker whose practice began at Colorado College. She has experience working at both commercial print shops and small fine art presses. Her work includes traditional prints, artists’ books, broadsides, and zines.

Jean Krumbein embraces all aspects of drawing. An artist, teacher, and model; she is a guest artist/figure-drawing instructor for the Canyon Crest Academy EVA Conservatory program and Founder of the Encinitas Library Figure Drawing Group. A New York transplant, Jean studied at the Huntington Fine Arts League, Friends World College, and the Art Students League. She teaches for art retreats and workshops in Southern California, specializing in life drawing, portrait, and still-life drawing classes for adults and teens. Her work has been shown in many group and solo shows in San Diego and New York.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Kelvin Lopez is the new Print Studio Technician at the Athenaeum Art Center! Kelvin has a passion for printmaking and community engagement. His journey in printmaking began at MiraCosta Community College in 2012, and he has since earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) with an emphasis in printmaking. From relief to monotype techniques, Kelvin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our studio.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Kathi McCord is a printmaker and illustrator. Her politically oriented etchings titled “Toys in Peril,” received praise from local iconic art writer Robert Pincus, who describes the work as “immaculately executed” and added that “the wry tone of them is finely tuned. Her woodcuts and illustrations have received much praise, as well.

Lori Mitchell graduated with honors and a BFA from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. She wrote and illustrated the award-winning children’s book Different Just Like Me, for which she appeared on Oprah. She has illustrated numerous other books, including Bal Yoga for Kids, which won the San Diego Book Award. Lori’s work has been exhibited at the Cannon Art Gallery in Carlsbad, the California Center for the Arts Museum in Escondido, Fresh Paint Gallery in La Jolla, the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA), and the Athenaeum. She is known for her creative, ever-changing lessons and positive, engaging approach.

Thia Nevius grew up in Studio City, California. She received a BA from California State University San Jose and an MFA from Colorado State University. She went on to paint sets for the Santa Fe Opera and teach studio art at Santa Fe Community College in New Mexico. Since moving to San Diego, she has taught art for many years including at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, UCSD Extension, The Art Department, ARTS-A Reason to Survive, and the Athenaeum. Thia has traveled extensively in Asia, Europe, and South America. Her work has been featured in numerous group and solo exhibitions, where she has won awards of excellence and Best of Show.

Susan Osborn taught art at The Bishop’s School for 17 years. Keeping a studio at home, she works in assemblage, drawing, and painting. Her work reveals a love of energy through line, texture, and color. Susan’s work is in collections in the United States, Denmark, Japan, and Spain. She is listed in Who’s Who of American Women (25th edition). Among her many awards, she has received a Visual Artists Assistance Award from the State of California, awards at SDMA, the San Diego Art Institute, Bonita Museum, and Small Image Show.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Jared Padilla-Elliott received his Bachelor’s degree in Art Education from California State University, Bakersfield. He graduated top of his department, was awarded Outstanding Graduate of Art and Art History, and was inducted into the Roadrunner Society for top scholars in the university. Padilla-Elliott has experience in after school education and enrichment programs and has held roles at the San Diego Museum of Art and at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. He currently works as an Enrichment Program Site Coordinator at the Preuss School at University of California, San Diego and as a Museum Educator at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. Padilla-Elliott is an assemblage artist with work mainly composed of recycled material and found objects. His work brings the materiality of personal and found objects into focus with 2D and 3D compositions. He has exhibited work at Bakersfield Museum of Art, Harold J. Miossi Gallery, and Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Sfona Pelah is an award-winning San Diego–based printmaker with many years of experience in the medium. She has an MFA from Rochester Institute of Technology, majoring in printmaking with a minor in photography. Sfona has been teaching fine art and printmaking at UCSD and San Diego Community Colleges for over 40 years. She has exhibited her artwork nationally and internationally.

Victoria Rabinowe is an American artist, author, international educator, and director of the DreamingArts Studio in Santa Fe. She has taught thousands of artists, writers, and educators around the world to create mythic memoirs and to understand the language of dreams through poetry, prose, and book arts. She is educated at Harvard, Emerson, and Pacifica Graduate Institute. Her artwork has been exhibited across the globe.

Robin Sanford Roberts is an artist and theatrical scenic designer working in models and mixed media. She has designed scenery for multiple theaters including The Old Globe, San Diego Repertory, Denver Center Theatre Company, Portland Center Stage, and Broadway. She holds a degree in architecture from LSU and an MFA in scenic design from UC San Diego. She also studied at the École des Beaux-Arts at Fontainebleau and at Sir John Cass School of Art, London Polytechnic. Robin currently teaches in the undergraduate theater department at the University of San Diego and at Art on 30th.

NEW INSTRUCTOR! Esteban Saltos is an Origami interpreter and designer with 25 years of experience. He's been invited as a guest speaker and exhibitor to origami conventions in over 10 countries worldwide.

Jeff Yeomans’ experience as an illustrator and graphic designer for the San Diego Reader in the 1970s eventually led to a career working in television as an award-winning San Diego broadcast designer and art director. In 2003, his wife encouraged him to consider painting full-time, and in 2014 he also began to teach. He enjoys painting many different subjects, and much of his work has explored the fragile beauty of California and the connected urban landscape, that ultimately impacts it. “As a regional painter, I feel a responsibility to document California as it is today. Someone told me, ‘paint what you know,’ so having grown up in Southern California, I paint to document where and how we live.”