Anne-Sophie Adelys

Anne-Sophie is passionate about art and is an incredibly talented artist. She has a Bachelor in Fine Art from the French National Art School and has previously worked as a graphic artist in advertising. She is very experienced in working with children having staffed and directed a number of childrens holiday camps in France.

Claudia Gadotti

Claudia has a Bachelor in Fine Art with a major in illustration and design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Claudia is a practising artist, exhibiting at many Galleries and exhibitions in California and Auckland. Along with her past teaching experience she brings to Fine Young Artists a passion for children and a desire to help them develop their own creativity.

Claudia undertakes commissions by arrangement. For more information, contact Fine Young Artists at fineyoungartists@xtra.co.nz

Erica Soman

Erica graduated from Elam with a Masters in Fine Art. She has a NZ Teachers Qualification and has taught art for many years. She has also managed galleries both in Australia and New Zealand. Erica is a mother of 2 children and is an extremely organised, structured and knowledgable teacher as well as being a talented artist.

Fiona Small

Fiona has a NZ Teachers Qualification and years of experience educating children. She is a practising artist and has an incredible manner with children, always exuding a fun and funky attitude.

Irena Kennedy

Irena has just returned to New Zealand after living in south America where she put her Bachelor of Fine Arts with a major in sculpture to good use teaching ceramic sculpture to children. Whilst in Bolivia, Irena also taught sculpture to hearing impaired and mute children.
Irena believes that art is an integral part of children's growth, helping to stimulate the imagination as well as being very therapeutic.

Kirsty Ruffell

Kirsty comes to Fine Young Artists with a Bachelor of Visual Arts from Manukau School of Visual Arts. In 2006, the year of her graduation, Kirsty was awarded an Artists Alliance Award.
Living in the Waitakere ranges with her husband and two children, Kirsty is inspired by her surrounding environment, and includes the natural and repetitive forms that she sees daily into her artwork.
Kirsty currently exhibits at Seed Gallery in Newmarket www.seedgallery.co.nz

Jane Wilks

Jane graduated from Elam with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in graphic design.  She went on to work as a freelance graphic designer and ran her own business specializing in corporate identity - in fact Jane is responsible for the design of the Fine Young Artists logo.
As a mother of three teenage children Jane very much enjoys the freshness of working with younger children  and nurturing their creativity.  Jane is a practising artist and has explored the areas of printmaking, papier mache and is now focusing on painting, when time permits.

Monica De Alwis

Monica has a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Elam, University of Auckland, where she was awarded top student for her year and received the Head of the Schools prize for Moving Image and Sound Art. Since graduating she has tutored BFA students at Elam. She now specializes in time-based arts and film making, yet has worked across disciplines including drawing, design, painting, installation and photography. Monica encourages experimentation coupled with the development of fundamental art techniques from which a student can gain courage and create more rewarding and exciting results. Monica has an enthusiastic, thorough and patient teaching style. She has experience teaching children and adults and has also tutored English as a second language.

Bonnie Warner-Blackburn

Bonnie graduated with a Fine Arts degree from Elam Art School at Auckland University before living overseas for a few years. She is excited now to be working with children in such a creative capacity - having been busy more recently raising 2 kids of her own. She brings an enthusiastic, intuitive approach to the classroom.

Tanya Gordan

Tanya graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. A keen painter and jewellery maker, she has since been focusing on her love of crafts selling handmade bags, wallets and jewellery through her Etsy store:
www.etsy.com/shop/gypsybandit
She is passionate about sharing her love of art with others and has plans to return to study in 2011 as a high school art teacher. She also keeps a blog of what she is working on. You can check it out here: http://www.nzfinch.blogspot.com/

Daniella Lahav

Daniella Lahav (a.k.a Dani), has a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts from Elam, The University of Auckland where she graduated with honours in 2008. She specialises in sculpture (lost wax bronze casting, glass, leather molding) , is skilled in oil, gauche and acrylic painting and has also worked with film and video.
Dani’s work is process-based but leans towards the theatrical - she has  worked back stage for Cirque de Soleil and for the Melbourne Art Centre. Dani is committed to the development of children's artistic and creative expression. Her other great love is out-door adventure, and her hobbies include free-diving, sailing and adventure running..... she has plenty of energy and enthusiasm to offer her class!

Leila_Goddard

Bio to follow