ISLAND CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Island Center Faculty
Island Center Directors
Tom Dempsey is Director of the Island Center for the Arts and Visiting Professor of Painting and Foundation Studies at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, since 1984. Tom's work is exhibited in Greece and the U.S., and he has been the recipient of grants and awards for public art projects. Tom is committed to building a positive, open, creative environment for artists. He brings to the Island Center 22 years experience as Program Director and faculty, as well as his encouraging and challenging teaching style.
Isabel Dempsey is Co-Director of the Island Center for the Arts and Director of Greek Cultural Workshops. She studied Modern Greek as an independent scholar at Harvard University and was awarded a Maliotis Foundation Research Grant to document changes in the traditional role of women in rural Greek society. Isabel's first book, "Breath of Madness", which documents the Carnival customs of Skopelos, was recently published by the Municipality of Skopelos. She is a painter, assemblage artist and illustrator who's work has appeared in major publications and exhibitions in Greece and in the U.S.
Painting
Kat O'Connor earned a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing with highest honors from Montana State University and a Master of Arts in Painting from the University of Texas. Her work is exhibited nationwide and she has won numerous awards, including the Worcester Cultural Commission's 2002 Creative and Performing Fellowship, the Jacob Knight memorial Award and a Kinnicut Award. Kat has taught painting at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Southwest Texas State University, Worcester State College, Fitchburg State College, the Worcester Art Museum and the DeCordova Museum. Her work is represented by Joyce Paulson Associates of Cambridge, MA.
Elizabeth Da Costa Ahern painting in a master class with Helen Frankenthaler at the Santa Fe Art Institute, College of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is instructor of painting and drawing at the DeCordova Museum School and Lesley College. As a participant in the American Artist Abroad program of the United States Department of State, Elizabeth went to Luanda, Angola, Africa where she conducted painting workshops, met Angolan artists, and exhibited her work in the spirit of cultural exchange. Elizabeth has won numerous grants and travel awards for her drawings, monotypes and paintings and her work is in private, corporate and museum collections throughout the United States.
Bill Griffiths has over twenty years of experience as Instructor of Painting at the Worcester Art Museum with special expertise in teaching watercolor, oil, and acrylic techniques as well as color and light. Pratt University.
Sue Swinand has taught painting at the Worcester Art Museum since 1986. She has been an adjunct painting and design instructor at Clark University and she currently teaches painting at the Greenhouses at Wellesley College. Sue is a recipient of several awards from the American Watercolor Society's International Exhibitions and her work is exhibited widely, including solo shows at the Woodmere Museum, PA, the Berman Museum, PA and the Danforth Museum, MA. She has done demonstrations for the American Watercolor Society in NYC and hosts a monthly TV program, "Arts and Ideas."
Photography
Steve Tourlentes is Photography Program Director at the Island Center and Visiting Professor at Massachusetts College of Art. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and three time recipient of the MacDowell Residency Fellowship. Steve's photographs are exhibited nationally, widely published, and included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.
Tom Dempsey is Director of the Island Center for the Arts and Visiting Professor of Painting and Foundation Studies at Massachusetts College of Art and Design, since 1984. Tom's work is exhibited in Greece and the U.S., and he has been the recipient of grants and awards for public art projects. Tom is committed to building a positive, open, creative environment for artists. He brings to the Island Center 22 years experience as Program Director and faculty, as well as his encouraging and challenging teaching style.
Isabel Dempsey is Co-Director of the Island Center for the Arts and Director of Greek Cultural Workshops. She studied Modern Greek as an independent scholar at Harvard University and was awarded a Maliotis Foundation Research Grant to document changes in the traditional role of women in rural Greek society. Isabel's first book, "Breath of Madness", which documents the Carnival customs of Skopelos, was recently published by the Municipality of Skopelos. She is a painter, assemblage artist and illustrator who's work has appeared in major publications and exhibitions in Greece and in the U.S.
Painting
Kat O'Connor earned a Bachelor of Arts in Drawing with highest honors from Montana State University and a Master of Arts in Painting from the University of Texas. Her work is exhibited nationwide and she has won numerous awards, including the Worcester Cultural Commission's 2002 Creative and Performing Fellowship, the Jacob Knight memorial Award and a Kinnicut Award. Kat has taught painting at the University of Texas at San Antonio, Southwest Texas State University, Worcester State College, Fitchburg State College, the Worcester Art Museum and the DeCordova Museum. Her work is represented by Joyce Paulson Associates of Cambridge, MA.
Elizabeth Da Costa Ahern painting in a master class with Helen Frankenthaler at the Santa Fe Art Institute, College of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is instructor of painting and drawing at the DeCordova Museum School and Lesley College. As a participant in the American Artist Abroad program of the United States Department of State, Elizabeth went to Luanda, Angola, Africa where she conducted painting workshops, met Angolan artists, and exhibited her work in the spirit of cultural exchange. Elizabeth has won numerous grants and travel awards for her drawings, monotypes and paintings and her work is in private, corporate and museum collections throughout the United States.
Bill Griffiths has over twenty years of experience as Instructor of Painting at the Worcester Art Museum with special expertise in teaching watercolor, oil, and acrylic techniques as well as color and light. Pratt University.
Sue Swinand has taught painting at the Worcester Art Museum since 1986. She has been an adjunct painting and design instructor at Clark University and she currently teaches painting at the Greenhouses at Wellesley College. Sue is a recipient of several awards from the American Watercolor Society's International Exhibitions and her work is exhibited widely, including solo shows at the Woodmere Museum, PA, the Berman Museum, PA and the Danforth Museum, MA. She has done demonstrations for the American Watercolor Society in NYC and hosts a monthly TV program, "Arts and Ideas."
Photography
Steve Tourlentes is Photography Program Director at the Island Center and Visiting Professor at Massachusetts College of Art. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and three time recipient of the MacDowell Residency Fellowship. Steve's photographs are exhibited nationally, widely published, and included in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC.
