STAFF
Committed to Education
Our faculty members are accomplished artists and educators. In every course they teach, they bring their rich experience, their passion and their ability to develop excellence in others. Get to know our talented team below, and feel free to reach out with questions.
TODD BURROUGHS
Director
Todd Burroughs is the founder of Atelier Art Studio. He is best known for his realist drawings, oil paintings and passion for teaching. He has received numerous awards and honors for his art.
Todd's fresh perspective to teaching is shaped by his life-long research into art-making techniques, advocacy for youth education and the development of accessible studio practices for all. He regularly shares his knowledge through lectures and teaching from the studio.
AMY FOSTER
Instructor
Amy Foster is a celebrated artist and art instructor. Her passion for drawing and the figure is contagious and inspiring. Amy's popular classes focus on developing accuracy and speed for artists. She is beloved by her students for her generous teaching style and her ability to develop the best from those who study with her. Amy has been sharing her valuable knowledge with lucky students since 1999.
KENNETH HERSHENSON
Instructor
Kenneth Hershenson has been painting and drawing for over 50 years. His artistic approach is rooted in the twin disciplines of realism and illustration. He developed his unique approach to arylic painting over many years of study and his work as a designer for Disney and Starbucks. Kenneth's popular, hyper-realist acrylic paintings have won numerous awards and honors.
ARMIN MERSMANN
Instructor
Armin Mersmann is known internationally for his art which ranges from Hyper-realist graphite drawings to the emerging artform of iPhoneography. His artistic achievements and his enthusiasm to share the creative process has made Armin a highly sought out instructor across the country.
VIANNA SZABO
Instructor
Vianna Szabo is a nationally recognized artist known for her exceptional grasp of color in a variety of media, including oil, pastels, and watercolor. She is a passionate and highly skilled teacher, who regularly teaches workshops around the country, as well as in Europe.
SHANNON FODY
Instructor
Shannon Fody is an award-winning artist who recently returned to Michigan. She is a graduate of Laguna College of Art where she concentrated on academic painting and drawing techniques. Shannon is known for her fresh and intimate portraiture, painted from either life or from reference.
“I like my work to be expressive, and a little ambiguous. Although I want my work to represent the subject I am painting, I don’t want it to be a complete illusion. I want the viewer to have an insight into how the piece was created.”