Staff
How We Began |
| Art Adventures is a family owned studio. Suzanne Barr began teaching small painting classes in the basement of her home. Quickly her zest for teaching and love for children drew in dozens of neighborhood kids. Thirty years later, she and her daughter, Amy Barr, combined their teaching expertise and founded Art Adventures. Now offering a full array of Art classes, the studio still embodies the feeling of family. “We teach every child like one of our own and we HUG every student every day no matter how tall they are!” –Amy Barr |
Teachers |
 Amy Barr Owner and Director“It is my dream to build a cultural center where families can come to experience all of the arts.” Art Adventures is the first step towards that dream.Amy Barr graduated from Radford University with a BS in Art Education. While beginning her career as an art teacher in Chesterfield county, she entered the masters program at VCU. Amy spent almost 10 years teaching art in the public schools of Virginia. In 1998, she won art teacher of the year for her region.Amy is also the owner of Earth Art and FeatherLight Studios. Earth Art is a creative combination of primitive living skills, Native American Indian culture and Art. FeatherLight Studios, solely run by Amy is devoted to helping dynamic, spiritually minded women “get creative” and follow their dreams.Amy enjoys pushing the envelope and trying new things. “I believe that students should be able to create anything they want. I try to facilitate each students’ inspirations and show them new ways to create artwork.” Her students have won many art competitions and scholarships. However, “It is not about the merit you receive for your work, it is about the fun!”
Amy has taught deaf, autistic, and handicap children. She has worked with toddlers and retirement communities. Outsourcing, Amy works with local Art facilities, private residences, educational organizations (like day cares, sleep-over camps, and scouts) and countless schools. Amy loves to travel and combines that joy with her love of art and thrill of teaching. For example, she organized and lead 250 middle school students to New York for a three day art and language experience. Next, she was the art educator on a student mountaineering/kayaking trip to Colorado and Utah. Amy taught at risk students how to make art from found objects and create an art journal. She even took ten students to Maui on a one week art and photography excursion. Students took cameras on a sailing trip, a jungle hike, explored the cliffs of a blow hole, trekked to the secret red sand beach, meandered across a petrified lava field, and more! It was incredible! Amy is the owner and primary teacher of Art Adventures. Also, a proud mother, Amy’s children are her pride and joy. Primarily and oil painter, Amy paints scenes that remind her of things she loves, like her family, and places she has traveled. Amy is a personal trainer and enjoys water skiing, snowboarding and backpacking. “I am lucky to have such a wonderful family. Together we have built Art Adventures for all to enjoy. I also thank all the members of Art Adventures for their endless support. They too are like family to me. I keep busy, but LOVE what I do for a living. Every day is different and always full of fun!” -Amy Barr
Stephanie Garr Photojournalist Stephanie Garr uses her camera to make beautiful, timeless images. She is a Certified Professional Photographer specializing in creating environmental portraiture. She states, taking photos of “beautiful, timeless images” helps to “capture the feeling of the places around us”. Her clients span from the East to the West Coasts and all around the world. Proficient with both traditional and digital cameras, darkroom work and computer technologies, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Art Adventures. Stephanie says “photography brings us closer to one another and love and happiness to our hearts”. Please visit her web site at www.stephaniegarr.com |
