Instructors

Susan Bradford

Susan comes to Museo Art Academy with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Washington, emphasis in Ceramic Hand-building, with undergraduate studies in Art Education. She also has a Masters degree from Washington State University. A practicing artist, and active member of artEast, she has participated in three shows at the UpFront Gallery last year.

Susan has taught Art in Issaquah for several years, teaching a variety of art to students of all ages (preschool through adult). Susan also incorporates her art into her other passion, theatre, having created significant pieces needed for plays she directs. She loves teaching Art, “because as I learn and share with my students, I continue learning, and learn from them.”

Krstine Helgager

Art and education are Kristine’s true passions and have been since before she can remember. She grew up outside of Minneapolis, MN where she began her love for art by drawing her neighbor’s houses. Kristine has always found drawing to be the most essential and fundamental part of the visual arts, so, it’s not hard to believe that she went on to earn a degree in art from the University of Wisconsin—Madison with a focus in drawing and painting.

Her love for education was satisfied during that time while she worked at an after school program at a local elementary school in Madison. There she managed daily after school classrooms and the after school’s Art Clubs. During her five years there, Kristine learned how important the opportunities are that after school activities provide for children. She saw how a safe, inviting and creative atmosphere can get any child to express themselves in a healthy way which can be important after some of those stressful school days.

Kristine recently began a new adventure here in Seattle where she can more easily pursue art and education. Kristine is excited to be teaching in the Afterschool Art program for Museo as well as begin showing her work in a new state.

Kristine’s mixed media paintings and drawings have a strong focus on environment and the fusion between the urban, suburban and rural settings. She is interested in challenging the ideas of traditional landscape art by playing with ways to portray a human index within all types of environments by using objects that are overlooked, discarded and nonfunctional, within her pieces. Through Kristine’s use of traditional and non-traditional materials she challenges the viewer to see drawing, painting and sculpture not as independent entities but more as a three-part Venn diagram where each has commonalities.

Amanda Lien

It’s probably a good thing Amanda’s mother never dissuaded her from watching cartoons or playing video games, since that’s exactly what she’s now making herself. Doodling random art during class in elementary and middle school slowly turned into doodling of her own characters and scribbling of stories in high school.

After graduating from Skyline HS she earned a degree in Multimedia and Web Design at the Art Institute of Seattle, as it seemed a bit more lucrative field than drawing. Turns out she’s not a fan of web design and drawing is all she really wants to do. Amanda is now working on her degree at DigiPen in Redmond for Production Animation and couldn’t be happier with her choice. “It’s a wondrous thing when watching the newest animated film or playing the next great video game can be classified as research”.

Amanda’s focus is heavily on character design and development, but the grinding of her instructors gave her a good knowledge of painting, sculpture, 3D modeling, and animation. All of which she addresses in her Manga class at Museo.

Lauren Razuri

Lauren comes to Museo Art Academy with a strong background in not only Art, but Education as well. Raised by her grandparents, who were both highly recognized elementary school educators in Florida, she has been in the classroom helping other students for as long as she can remember. She also comes from a strong art background, as her father, grandfather and aunt are all artists who use various mediums. During high school, she first became interested in art and she sold her work at a local arts and crafts store in downtown Gatlinburg Tennessee.

While working on her Associates degree from Palm Beach Community College, Lauren started to volunteer every Friday at her grandmother’s classroom, and soon became known as the “Art Lady” because she would make art lessons to follow the curriculum of the classroom. She kept up with her passion of combining art and education and graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Education, as well as a certificate in American Sign Language. During her final two years at UCF, Lauren discovered a passion for clay and began focusing the remainder of her art classes on ceramics. Lauren intends on carrying her passion for art and education forward to her curriculum here at Museo Art Academy.

Beth Wetzel

Coming from a family background in art and education, Beth grew up creating art, but really discovered her passion in college. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Seattle Pacific University, with an emphasis in ceramics. Using hand-building techniques, she creates sculpture, functional vessels, and jewelry. “I love that a finished piece utilizes many different art techniques. It starts with a drawing, moves to sculpting, and finishes with painting. There’s always something different to work on!”

Beth has worked with children for many years, and loves the passion they have for life and art. Realizing how important it is to foster the creativity of today’s youth, Beth is devoted to art education which teaches method, history, and fully engages the imagination.