Kristen Williams is a proud, native of Dover, VT. Born and raised in VT, Kristen graduated from Wilmington High School. Kristen's aptitude for art emerged at an early age, attending accelerated programs and art competitions throughout elementary and high school. Kristen's primary interest, early on, was in portrait work. She was known for gifting family and friends with pencil/pen portraits of various people, and spent most of her free time sketching her favorite celebrities with the help of Tiger Beat Magazine. It wasn't until college that Kristen began expanding her artistic horizons through a Fine Arts minor and developing a deep love affair for oil paints. When she moved to Austin, TX in 2009, her passion was fueled even further by the city's vibrant art culture, inspiring Kristen to continue her education through various art classes. While Kristen's mediums and subject matter continued to grow and shape, portraits remain her true passion, and where she has garnered most of her commissions over the years. Kristen moved back to Vermont with her husband and two children in 2022, where she is beginning to explore creative opportunities with fellow artists of the valley. Kristen cannot wait to combine her love for teaching and painting through Arthouse's “Sips and Splatters” classes. Her number one goal, besides having a blast, is to remove any "intimidation factor" for participants, and prove that EVERYONE has the ability to achieve beautiful art.

Additional Info:

instagram: @kristenwilliamsart

kristenwilliamsart.com

ktse.williams@gmail.com

Percussionist, Gong Specialist and Sound Healing Practitioner, Stephan Brandstatter moved to New Hampshire from Brooklyn, NY in 1955. At 13 years old he was given his first drum kit subsequently connecting with a variety of hand drums such as congas, Tabla, Dumbek, & Frame Drums. He has lived and performed in NYC, LA, Chicago, Boston, London, Wales, and Israel. Upon returning to the states in 1972 from his travels and performing in Europe, Stephan moved full time to the Green Mountain state in 1975 where in the late 1970's he founded and managed a NYC Bistro style restaurant and nightclub. He has played in Brattleboro, Bennington, Upper Valley venues, throughout Southern Vermont, Quechee Club, various VT ski lodges, regional festivals, Village Yoga, Healix Yoga, 118 Elliot (Brattleboro) and at house concerts. In addition he's offered Gong Baths as they are commonly referred where people lying down or sitting erect experience the soothing, relaxing & blissful feeling brought about from the resonance of its vibrations.

For the past 25 years Stephan has been on a journey and path exploring the mystery, mystique and healing power of the Gong in addition to other metallophone vibrational instruments. Introduced to this ancient instrument by Kundalini and Gong Master Don Conreaux and founder of “Gong Yoga” he has assisted in healing sessions, therapeutic gatherings, celebratory events, weddings, memorials, devotionals, sacred rituals, yoga practices. It’s his understanding, belief & firm commitment that the Power of the Gong can help heal people and our planet.

Additional Info:

getmusic@sover.net

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdQdZoxfaSVMv1M3yR7aQJw

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUdQdZoxfaSVMv1M3yR7aQJw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z33wP0BWNuA

Sarah Lavigne has lived in Vermont for the last 30 years. Sarah came to VT for college, fell in love with the state, and never left. Sarah has been teaching Let Your Yoga Dance for 6 years; she trained with Megha Nancy Buttenheim, the creator of Let Your yoga dance, at Kripalu. Sarah was also a full time professional photographer for over 15 years and now has moved on to printmaking. She also is an herbalist and makes body cream, herbal teas and other plant medicines, which she sells at fairs and festivals, such as the Marlboro Community Center Makers Fair.

Additional Info:

Facebook

802-689-0593

lavignephotography@yahoo.com

Bride Johnson has been creating art through painting and pottery since she was a kid. Bride’s first oil painting sold in the early 80’s. Currently, Bride uses acrylic and glass paint for many of her artistic creations. Bride received her certificate to teach painting in 2000 but has been teaching, holding workshops and providing private classes all over Massachusetts for years prior. Bride also has a certificate in one stroke decorative painting. Bride is a self taught potter and jewelry maker and is always looking to expand her trade by trying new techniques whenever she can. Although Bride lives in Athol, Massachusetts, in the last few years Bride has been drawn to Vermont and the Vermont Art scene because her daughter purchased a house in West Dover, VT. Bride states that she loves the beauty and people of Vermont, just about everything. Bride has shown her work consistently in craft fairs throughout Massachusetts, at Free Spirit Farm in Wendell, Mass, at Greenfield community college, at Wachusett Community College, and at Moosehead Lake in Maine. Bride uses her art to dedicate time to give back to the community, teaching senior citizens, kind classes at schools and holding private events. Bride also takes special orders upon request. After 45 years of being in the art world, Bride is excited to join the Vermont art scene for her first workshop in Vermont at Arthouse.

Additional Info:

Pondside Studio

Cell: 978 894 4088

Home: 978 259 9225

bridejohnson@yahoo.com

Melissa Boyles is an artist, mother, wife, herbalist, birth worker and somatic educator. She has spent the past 10 plus years traveling, teaching yoga, leading various artists workshops and returning to her innate intuition. In her home state of Alabama, Melissa picked up natural dyeing; for her it was an intuitive extension of her love for fibers and wild foraging. Naturally dyed fibers pair beautifully with her affection for needle work, a life skill she picked up from her mother at a very young age. Three years ago her travels brought her family to the Green Mountains of Southern Vermont. Melissa has since led natural dye, wild foraging and quilt making workshops throughout Southern Vermont.

Additional Information:

instagram: @mother.earthred and @riseinbloom.

www.riseinbloom.com

Heather Johnson, a certified Kripalu Yoga Guide since 2014, is a woman warrior who works to empower the Goddess community throughout VT. Her goal is to help individuals find their profound healing potential that resides within each of them. Heather has worked as a yoga instructor in VT for over 10 years guiding yoga in downtown Willmington,The Hermitage Club, Mount Snow, Inner Heat Yoga in Brattleboro and at her backyard studio. In her home studio, Heather provides spiritual opportunities for her community focusing on healing, nature, self-expression and holistic living and now brings her unique programing to Arthouse with Yoga & Cacao: Sacred Ceremony, Yoga & Herbal Infusions: Natural Wellness, Yoga & Sound Healing: Harmony Within, Yoga & Poetry Slam: Flow & Verse Fusion and Yoga & Painting: Blending & Bending.

Heather extends her commitment to wellness beyond the mat, promoting a balanced and mindful existence. Whether leading retreats, workshops, or private sessions, Heather's mission is to inspire and guide individuals on a transformative path toward self-awareness, healing, and joy. Heather finds joy in sharing her knowledge of plant medicine, natural remedies and more with community members.

Heather grew up around art, watching her mother paint, make pottery, jewelry and more. Although Heather has tried many mediums, she has embraced her body as art and focuses on concentrated breath as her art form, moving and contorting her body in motion to find peace and stillness. For Heather, this focus allows her to cultivate inspiration she can share with others to help them explore the art within them.

Heather not only supports the mind and body of community members throughout VT with yoga but also works as a dental hygienist caring for individuals throughout the Valley and Southern VT. Heather came to VT to ski Mount Snow and found her home. She loves VT because of its natural beauty, people, lifestyle and breathing art forms she sees around her every day. Heather works to give back to the community in many ways including providing after school yoga programming to students at the Dover school, holding yoga workshops to inspire others, and taking care of individual dental needs.

Additional Information:

Instagram: @UYogaVT