Rachel Keebler
Owner / Director: various seminars
Susan Crabtree
Furnishing Your Backdrop
Jenny Knott
Teacher’s Training
Brian Goodman
Sign Painting
Terra Writz
Successor to Rachel Keebler
Gwen Cox
Teacher’s Training
Sandy Phillips
Using Pneumatic Sprayers for Scenic Artwork
Jenny Stanjeski
Hard Scenery: Materials, Methods, and Touchups Stage Floors and the Scenic Artist
Helen McCarthy
Rust & Aging
Emily Yoder
Film & TV Series: 3D Textures
Kimb Williamson
Perspective for the Scenic Artist II
Andrew Mannion
All About Foam
Jamie Clausius
Summer Scene Painting
Rebecca Perrenod
Film & TV Series: The Basics
Brian Clinnin
Portraits
Sean Crosby
Faux Bois Woodgrain
Alan Bryson
Historic Scene Painting
Em Barnhill earned a bachelor of arts in technical theatre at Kansas State University in 2015 before coming to study in the two year Scenic Artist Training Program at Cobalt Studios. Since she graduated in 2017, she has been working at various companies in New York City, New Jersey, as well as upstate New York. Some of these companies include Infinite Scenic, Prop Star, Czinkota Studios, The Public Theatre, Daedalus, and more. She also returns to Cobalt Studios when needed to help with their latest studio projects. Em is excited to join the Cobalt instructor team to teach the Pneumatic Sprayer seminar and share her knowledge.
Historical Scene Painting: Techniques with Dry Pigment
Wendy Waszut-Barrett, PhD, is a designer, artist, author, and theatre historian. She is the founder of Historic Stage Services, LLC, a Minnesota-based company specializing in the preservation and replication of painted illusion for historic theaters. For over thirty years her passion has remained the preservation of historic stage settings and scenic art techniques. She is the scenic designer and artist for Haymarket Opera Company (Chicago) and the Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Co. (Minneapolis). Recent projects include stock scenery for the Tyne Opera House & Theatre in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England. Dr. Waszut-Barrett’s current research, writings and projects are posted to www.drypigment.net, and the FB group “Dry Pigment.”
Co-founder of Cobalt Studios, Howard C. Jones is an acclaimed set designer and teacher. His designs have graced stages from coast to coast, including Starlight Theatre, Missouri Repertory Theater, American Heartland Theater, and theater companies in Boston and other east coast cities.
Howard is generous in sharing his skills as a scenic artist with young people who are learning the profession. He currently resides in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he recently retired from the Design and Production School at University of North Carolina School for the Arts. He has also spent 5 years as Assistant Dean there.
B.A., William Jewell College. Scenic Designer: Goodspeed Opera House, Starlight Theatre, American Heartland Theatre, North Shore Music Theatre, State Ballet of Missouri, Merrimack Repertory, North Carolina Shakespeare Festival, Boston Conservatory of Music, Coterie Theatre, Missouri Repertory Theatre, New Theatre. Elliot Norton Outstanding Designer 2000, K.C. Drama Desk Award. Howard received the Best of Theater award in Kansas City for his set design for the 1940s Radio Hour at American Heartland.
Among the Noted Scenic Designers he has painted for: John Conklin, James Leonard Joy, Santo Loquasto, Loy Arienas, Jose Varona.
Member, United Scenic Artists Local 829.
to come?
History of Scenic Art
Lance was Professor at the University of Minnesota, Theatre Arts and Dance, for (how many Years?)and is now retired.
His research interest is in the aesthetics of late 19th and early 20th century American theatre scenic art. Mr. Brockman’s interest led to the discovery of the Twin City Collection that contains sketches used for painting scenery for opera houses, vaudeville, circuses and department store displays. Mr Brockman was instrumental in adding two other collections to that and installing them as freely accessible resources at the University of Minnesota library. His recent interest is in the scenery created for use as backgrounds for the initiation of members in the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. His research the basis for a NEH funded exhibit titled Theatre of the Fraternity.
Beyond research and collecting extant examples of historic scenery, Lance has devoted time to recreating painting processes based on the collections of the University.
Cobalt Studios was lucky that he brought his knowledge, enthusiasm and guidance to us for all those years!
Sean is a firm believer in the idea that a little skill and a lot of encouragement can produce exciting results from even the most timid students. He has been privileged to work and teach theater on both coasts for nearly two decades. Sean is the Professor of Design for Southern Oregon University’s acclaimed Oregon Center for the Arts in Ashland, Oregon. Sean spent many years teaching stagecraft and design at small institutions and teaching scene painting to novice, and even reluctant students. He is the author of many scene painting articles and most recently has had Painting for Performance: A Beginner’s Guide to Great Painted Scenery published by Focal Press. Along with Joe Rial, Sean taught the Teacher’s Training session at Cobalt from 2005 through 2017.
Teacher’s Training – Teaching Scene Painting to High School Productions Through Stagecraft Class
Joe Rial’s life in theatre began in the 80’s on Kauai Hawaii, with children’s programs in the schools and the local community groups. From the limited resources of the island, Joe began working with cardboard and masking tape and other supplies that could be easily ordered or scrounged. He became known for a MacGyver-like approach to fabrication using recycled materials. He was a t-shirt artist so was able to use the airbrush to complete subtle surfaces and light in paint, compensating where such resources and training were limited. After nearly a decade of freelance, scrabble, and a 5 country walk about, Joe went to college to learn how theatre was done professionally. To help pay for this, he continued to freelance where ever possible and teach any creative class he could arrange.
Joe Rial received a B.A. in theatre at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and was exposed to many foreign conventions, especially Asian theatre. He worked on a number of mask and puppet productions and learned to build shows from the ground up. He also went on a Japanese Game Show (3 times) even winning a white guy award. Joe went on to study at the Krannert Center for a year at the University of Illinois before getting his M.F.A. at Illinois State University. There, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival exposed Joe to casting, everything from heads on stakes, to casting common objects to create ornate embellishments on furniture and props. After a decade of study and production, Joe began teaching as an Assistant Professor of Scenic and Lighting Design at SUNY Oswego. While there, he met Rachel Keebler at the USITT convention in 2005 where she asked him to come teach TTSP at Cobalt Studios.
Nearly two decades later, after some great collaborations with Squonk Opera, and Peggy Shaw of Split Britches to name a few; a stint with The Dream Freedom Revival- a group of freedom fighting activists, and a preschool classroom, Joe has returned to the West Coast to be near family. Living in the redwoods he works with elderly and differently-abled populations and continues to freelance when he is not floating down the river on a raft or hiking in the hills.
Landscape Painting for Murals & Stage
Bob is a Professor Emeritus and Master Scenic Artist, Brandeis University and has extensive scene painting and teaching experience, including work for repertory theaters, television, opera, professional scenic studios,and colleges and universities around the country. He was a scenic-artist crew member at St. Louis Municipal Opera (MUNI) for 24 summer seasons: the latter 11 seasons as Master Scenic Artist Chargeman. In addition, he was Chargeman Scenic Artist at ABC Television in Chicago for five years, and was also on the faculty of Goodman School of Drama in Chicago for five years.
Theresa is an accomplished Sign Painter, Decorative Painter & Scenic Artist whose portfolio spans over 30 years of projects created for film, tv, theater, theme parks, exhibits, restorations & commercial signs.
Portfolio highlights include The Newton Boys, Michael, Courage Under Fire, A Perfect World, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Dazed & Confused, The Whole Wide World, Ned Blessing, Walker Texas Ranger, Angry Housewives, Fiesta Texas Grand Opening, Disneyland Duckburg, Universal Studios Western Stunt Show, St. Mary’s Cathedral Restoration & Texas Compound Depots & Railcars.
Theresa has developed her extensive skills in Austin, LA & NY at Dworschack Fine Finishes, Eichenbaum Displays, Lexington Scenery, Airway Sign, Hollywood Signs, American Sign, Atlas Scenery & Hudson Scenic. She received her BA in Theatre from UT Austin & studied Scene Painting at Studio & Forum of Stage Design & Yale University.
Amy Shimko earned her BFA in Technical Theatre and Scene Design from the Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011. She is also a graduate of the 2 year Scenic Artist Training Program at Cobalt Studios. After graduating she stayed and worked a year at Cobalt Studios. Then returned home to Richmond, VA she began her freelance career, working for a number of scene shops, theatres, dance companies and Film & TV.
As the years went on Amy found herself on more and more Film & TV sets and lovin’ it! She joined IATSE. Some of the many Film and TV projects include Santa Houses, Nickelodeon pop up shows, Oreo commercial, VA Lottery Commercial, TURN Washington Spies (2 seasons), Mercy Street (season1), and Loving (Lead Scenic), Ithaca, Point of Honor, just to name a few.
At present Amy is also a full time Decorative Artist by day working in residential houses while still freelancing in the Film & TV industry in and around Richmond.
Foam Scenery
Donna Wymore was the owner and lead scenic artist for Denver-based COLORado Scenery from 1997 until relocating in 2007 to masterfully oversee Cobalt Studios’ Backdrop Rentals. Working as a professional scenic artist since 1977, she was a lead scenic artist and the art department manager for 9 years for Lexington Scenery and Props, one of the largest scenery studios in Los Angeles. Prior to that Donna worked nationally for several LORT theatres, opera companies, Shakespeare festivals, independent films and ballet companies. Her work can be seen at most major theme parks, many casinos, restaurant chains, museums, and assorted “B” movies. Donna is a native of Syracuse, New York and a theatre department graduate of SUNY Oswego and Onondaga Community College.
Interior-Grade Painted Woodgrain
Nels received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI in 1981. He lived and worked in Paris from 1983 to 1985 as a consultant at the Mayflower Interior Design Company. He went on to study at the renowned Van der Kelen School of Painting in Brussels, Belgium receiving its highest honor of the Gold Medal of Excellence for Decorative Painting. He has been an agent in Christianson Lee Studios, a mural and decorative painting firm that has worked with some of the most renowned designers in the Greater New York City area since 1986. Cobalt Studios has been his only teaching venue, and has enlightened us annually since about 1992.
Stage Floors & Scenic Artists
Hannah Davis, originally from the Eastern Shore of Maryland, moved to NYC after completing her BFA in Scenic Design at Ithaca College. Upon moving to NYC, Hannah found work as a scenic artist, model maker, and draftsperson. She has painted for many companies including Hudson Scenic, Playwrights Horizons, New York City Center, The Vineyard, and Williamstown Theater Festival. In addition to her career as a scenic artist, Hannah also paints custom acoustic guitars and figurative oils. Hannah is a firm believer that practice and adaptability are essential for any artist. She trusts that diligent study and energetic experimentation can lead anyone with a true interest up a successful path.
Perspective for the Scenic Artist
Received an MFA in Theatre Design from Brandeis in 1985. She has taught Set Design and Drafting at SUNY Albany, Scene Painting at Cobalt Studios for 3 years and Painting Seminars at a variety of educational institutions. Since September 2001, Diane has been a part-time faculty member at Boston University teaching Drawing, History of Architecture and Decor, and Scene Painting. Diane has been the Charge Scenic Artist at the acclaimed Goodspeed Opera for 14 years.
Following graduate school Diane made her living as a freelance Designer and Design Asst. in scenery, lighting, costumes. After several years, she realized that painting was really her forte and decided to persue it full time. She has worked on Broadway, Off Broadway and Regionally, for such theatres as, The Roundabout, Public Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club, City Opera, CSC, Playwrights Horizons, Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Houston Ballet, Alabama Shakespeare, Minnesota Opera, Williamstown, Tri Cities Opera, Hershey Park, Coconut Grove Playhouse, Paul Taylor Dance Co., Lar Lubavich Dance Co., Cambodian Dance Tour, Great Barrington, HBO, Mr. Roger’s Show, Public Theater, Hartford Stage, Long Wharf, Jean Ann Ryan Productions, Cinderella Tour, Ford’s Theater, and Nation Theater of the Deaf. Store and Window Display and Event Decorations and for such companies as Tiffany’s, IBM, Exxon, Valentinos, Foxwoods and Bellaggio Casinos.
A freelance U.S.A. (Local #829 NYC) Scenic Designer, Charge Scenic Artist, and Puppeteer. Based out of Providence, Rhode Island, she shares a design studio, paint deck, and shop with her brother Robert McPherson, a Sculptor.
Laura received her MFA in Scenic Design from Boston University with John Fallabella & Don Beaman, and BFA in Scenic Design from The North Carolina Schoolof the Arts with Donato Moreno & John Lee Beatty. Laura assisted a number of Broadway designers. She was Assistant Professor at Emerson College including Scenic Painting, Maskmaking, mentoring young designers, and designing shows for the Majestic Theater. McPherson is now Associate Professor at Bridgewater State College, having taught Theater Appreciation, Play Production, Stagecraft, Seminar in Contemporary Theater, Scenic Design, as well as designing many shows. She has often served as a Visiting Lecturer at Boston University, The Boston Conservatory, Harvard University / Radcliffe College, and The American Repertory Theater Institute.
Laura is thrilled to have the opportunity to lead a workshop for Cobalt Studios in that Cobalt is doing the crucial work of preserving the traditional and discovering the modern knowledge of the Scenic Arts by being a universal resource to everyone from all walks of theater.
Mary is on the faculty of the California Institute of the Arts in the School of Theatre. She is the director of the new Graduate Scene Painting Program, offering a MFA degree in the design and production program. Ms. Heilman was the Lead Scenic Artist for South Coast Repertory Theatre in Costa Mesa, California for 16 years, completing over 250 productions. She is currently an independent contractor for Disney Entertainment working on projects for Anaheim, Florida and Tokyo. She has also executed projects for The Denver Theatre Center, the Old Globe Theatre, the Arizona Theatre Company and the Mark Taper forum and designed sets for commercial use by Mazda, Suzuki, Toyota and Mitsubishi. Mary is an active member of the United States Institute of Theatre Technology serving on national committees and participating in sessions related to the scenic arts. After completing her undergraduate degree in fine arts at CSU Stanislaus she continued with study in Europe, Mexico and the Middle East as well as graduate work at Otis Parson’s Art Institute.
Stephen graduated from Western Michigan University in 1973 with a Bachelor of Music degree. His first teaching job was Director of Performing Arts at Hackett Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He left the high school after seven years to continue his education. Stephen was awarded a Fellowship to the Hilberry Repertory Theatre Company – Wayne State University, and graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts degree in 1981.
Stephen came to Stevens Point in August of 1981. He is the Program Head of Design and Technology. As scenic designer at UWSP, Stephen has designed over 100 productions. He also occassionally directs, directing productions of Pippin, Into the Woods, Weird Romance, Guys and Dolls, and last season’s Picasso at the Lapin Agile. Next year he will direct Sherlock’s Last Case. It has been a while since he acted; his most recent credits include Benjamin Franklin in UWSP’s award winning production in 1776, Polonius in Hamlet, and Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof for Central Wisconsin Area Community Theatre.
In recent years, Professor Sherwin’s interests focus on computer enhanced drafting, design, and painting in theatre. He is a regular presenter at conferences and workshops on this and similar technology topics. His book, Scene Painting Projects for the Classroom, was published in June of 2005. Interests include gardening and scuba diving.
