Andrea

My name is Andrea Driver. I am married and a mother of 3. I moved to Carmel in 83’. I am still local to the area. I am very involved in my children’s extra activities, I guess you could say I am their biggest fan. I am a very optimistic and passionate person. I did not go to school to be an artist but I have always dreamed one day I would become one. Here I am living my dream. I get very involved in all art mediums. I enjoy it all from ceramics and crafting to painting. Art comes naturally to my creative mind, that is not to say I don’t work hard to perfect it each day. I find painting to be very relaxing and soothing. I ask questions all the time and always want to learn how, when and why. I have worked in theater both on and off the stage. I enjoyed costume making and make- up artistry. Outside of working at my new dream job Painting with a Twist. I work at an elementary school as an Instructional Assistant. I wear many hats with that job, but my main hat and the one that makes my days the fullest is, I work with special needs. Nothing in the world gives me more joy then teaching all students.

Chris

My name is Christopher Kuhne. I am 22 years old, graduated from Asbury University in 2018 with a degree in art education, and have lived in Indiana for six months. Along with Painting with a Twist, I also teach drawing and intro to 2D art at Carmel high school. Since I was fifteen years old, I have seriously pursued various forms of art: from drawing and painting to crochet and fiber arts. Two of my greatest passions in life are creating high quality artwork and sharing the immense joy which art can bring with other people. One of the most gratifying experiences I have is seeing students overcome their fear of failure to try a new art form or technique. My hope, as an instructor at Painting with a Twist, is to break down the elements of intimidation which so many people have in the realm of painting and to re-awaken the experience of pure joy/ creativity which we are all capable of.

Joanna

Hi. My name is Joanna Wood, but I also go by Jo. I love art and have been working on my art since childhood, but attended Ohio State University for Natural Resources and Landscape Architecture due to my love of the outdoors, as well. After I spent several years focusing on a career in land management, I then started doing pencil drawings followed by ink, charcoal, pastels and color pencils for fun and relaxation. Building on that I started finding classes in several different paint mediums. I have taken classes in painting with oils, watercolors, acrylics, and in the use of airbrush acrylics. Also during this time, I have been dabbling in digital art, etching and ceramics. What I found in all of these classes is the joy of creating and painting with others, and learning to teach others art started to come into focus. I come from a long line of teachers so it was natural for me to pick up on the teaching techniques both in art and in other skills I had learned over the years. While my current career as an environmental manager and GIS specialist with the State of Indiana has been rewarding by combining art, science, nature and teaching, I am further honing my art to follow my heart as I approach early retirement and the opportunity to make it my second career. I am excited to be able to work with this great team and all of you.

Kim

As a true lover of the arts I am so excited to bring that passion to you. Originally from Pennsylvania I relocated to Indiana in 1999. I am a married and the mother of 3 amazing children. For the past 19 years I have been an art teacher. Teaching art has brought so much joy to my life. I am experienced in many mediums with painting and ceramics being my true love. As a member of the Paint with a Twist team I am excited to share my love of art with you.

Melissa

Melissa is thrilled to be a member of the Painting With a Twist team! As a life long self taught artist, Melissa has worked with a variety of mediums including watercolor, acrylic, and oils, combining all sorts of mixed media with her own twist. Her work has been appreciated both locally on Indy Style TV, and internationally with clients as far as Sweden. Melissa gained the title of entrepreneur in 2010 when she created her own small business geared towards art and fashion. That experience led her to realize one of her favorite parts of the artistic process is sharing it with others and she knew teaching would be a great fit! Unfailingly calm with a quiet confidence, Melissa comes to class ready to help each participant create a piece of art to proudly display in their home. She hopes these paintings will bring a sense of accomplishment to the artist and remind them of a joyful experience for years to come.

Sherri

Hello! I’m Sherri Cline - a graduate of Ball State University with a degree in fine arts education and an emphasis in painting and ceramics. I have taught full-time elementary art since 2010; currently in Fishers, IN. I enjoy spending my summers as a teaching artist at Newfields’ summer art camps and family day events. I have shared the joy of creativity with artists of all ages in a variety of settings including adult workshops and conference lectures as a former district representative for the Art Education Association of Indiana (AEAI). When I’m not in the teaching spotlight I seek inspiration from backpacking National Parks and practicing yoga. I truly believe art is for everybody! I can’t wait to bring the joy of painting to you, your family, and friends.

Shirley

Born and raised in California, Shirley moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1998. After five years in Washington state, she and two of her three children moved to Carmel Indiana. Now happily living in the country near Sheridan, she is glad to have called Indiana home for the last 15 years. Shirley has had a love of art all of her life. While in kindergarten, there was a two sided easel and the rule was, the first two children at the easel in their smock got to paint. Shirley was always at the easel first and painted daily. It didn’t matter what activity she was doing, when paint time was announced, she dropped what she was doing and the race was on! Drawing and painting have remained a favorite activity throughout her lifetime. Over the years she took some private classes, some workshops and did a lot of learning by trial and error. Shirley has worked in a variety of mediums including watercolor, oil and acrylic paints. She has participated in juried art shows in the past and hopes to do so again. Although artistic talent ran in her family, it was often looked at as a hobby and took the back seat in life. Over time, Shirley found the same thing happening. Shirley spent 13 years in restaurant management and too many years with art on the back burner. In the summer of 2017 she decided the time had come to leave the restaurants behind and look for a way to make art a regular part of her day again. Shirley is now painting for her own pleasure at home and experimenting with some new directions artistically. Currently working part time in banking by day and spending most nights and weekends managing at Painting with a Twist, Shirley is thrilled to be working such in a fun artistic atmosphere. Most classes you will find her wearing the manager hat, but occasionally you will find her instructing class. Shirley finds it especially delightful to help people discover that painting is fun and that they can relax and have a great time while being creative.