Instructor Bios

Dianne Bauman

Dianne is a retired art teacher from the Montour School District located in a suburb of Pittsburgh. She is a member of the Pittsburgh Society of Artists, Plein Air Painters of Western Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh Artistry, Cranberry Artists Network and the West Hills Art League. Dianne has been painting for 30 years and has studied under such renowned artists as James Sulkowski, James Douglas Addams, Nelson Shanks, Christine Swann and Tom McNickle.

She paints mostly in oils but enjoys dabbling in watercolor and pastels. She does numerous shows and has won many awards. Her passion is traveling and painting and was recently in Provence, France painting the lavender fields in Spring This past fall, she painted in Venice, Italy.

Dianne has demonstrated landscape painting at the Three Rivers Arts Festival and also has a local television show "Painting in Oils". In addition to teaching at Gilberti Fine Art Studio, Dianne will also be teaching a workshop at Sweetwater Center for the Arts this March. You can view her website: diannebauman.com.

Gail Beem

Art has a spiritual aspect—it comes from within. Color is a language in of itself, full of vibration, energy, and expression. Color is my mode of expression. Colors are my words. I paint spontaneously, intuitively, allowing the color to flow in a multitude of possibilities, arranging and rearranging those “words” in an exploration of possibility, to express myself through the language of color.
An exploration in color, an exploration of possibility, each piece emerges and develops, expressing the joy and energy I experience in the world around me. My paintings are an invitation to join me in a response to the world.
Check out Gail's gallery at gailbeem.com

Doug Brown

Enjoyment to Doug is painting watercolors on location or in his studio. His favorite subjects are local landmarks in Pennsylvania. His paintings have an interplay of light and shadow with a realistic view his subject.

Doug's paintings are exhibited locally and nationwide. He also teaching at local art venues and is a member of the Pittsburgh Watecolor Society, PA En Plein Air Society, West Hills Art League, Hazleton Art League and more.
Visit Doug's website at dougbrownwc.com

Marianne Hilke

Marianne comes from a family of artisans, all
extremely creative in their own areas. Her early
art education originated in Pittsburgh at The Ivy
School of Art, then continued at the Rhode
Island School of Photography. Her most valuable
instruction came while in Rome, Italy, where she
studied art and developed a passion for painting.
While living in southern California, she attended classes at art schools, galleries and museums as well as taking private
lessons. After graduation, Marianne worked in the graphic arts field for various companies. Marianne started the restoration department for a photographic company in Santa Ana, California and also worked as a color artist for a large fabric and design company.

In the mid 90’s Marianne established an art department for a private school in North Palm Springs, California. She was one of two art teachers for grades 3-12, along with starting and marketing the adult education program. She returned to school and earned a license in geriatric studies at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, with the goal of art with the elderly as well as those with Alzheimer’s.

She continues to teach all ages and passes along art skills to those who attend her classes. Marianne lives in western Pennsylvania and is affiliated with The Butler Institute of American Art, Phipps Conservatory, The Hoyt, St
John's Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania.

Sarah Simmons

Photo courtesy of Porter Loves Creative/Nathan Shaulis

Sarah Simmons is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Moon Township Pennsylvania. She creates pieces from unwanted, damaged, and leftover materials. Her focus is creating functional and thought provoking work for the viewer to interact with.
Sarah has exhibited at local and regional exhibitions as a member of Society of Sculptors and West Hills Art League. She has exhibited at The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, Sweetwater center for the arts, The Hoyt, and Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Sewickley Public Library. Currently you can see her outdoor sculpture ‘Bedtime Stories’ in the Bissonette gardens at Oglebay. She repurposes books and fabric into jewelry and bags as In Your Clutches, the company she started in 2011. Sarah also creates seasonal and themed displays using recycled paper from books for Moon Township Public library.
Sarah has a BFA from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in jewelry and metalsmithing and an AA in studio art from Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland.

Jan Steinle