Meet Our Instructors

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Photography is, was, and always will be Traci's passion. In her work, the line between reality and surrealism blurs, teasing the impossible. It is a real world of her own creation, where images are shot with intention, composited, and crafted in the digital darkroom to match what she sees in her head.

A proud graduate of Arizona State University with a BFA, Traci also enriched her knowledge at Oxford University. Her photography has received accolades, gracing various galleries, and is celebrated for its captivating blend of reality and imagination. "Art, at its core, is a way to capture and maintain your attention long enough that it works its way into your soul."  Visit Tracey's Website:

https://www.traciarneyphotoart.com/

 Laurie Basham is an award-winning pastel artist who enjoys capturing the beauty of color found in light and shadow, whether it’s a landscape, figure, or still life. She loves spending time plein-air painting but is also inspired by her travels around the country. When she can’t be outside, she will be found working in her studio using her own reference photos of her grandchildren or painting a still-life of freshly cut flowers.

A native of Rockville, Maryland, Laurie received her Degree in Art Education from the University of Maryland in 1985. After an award-winning career as an Art Educator in Howard County, Maryland, she retired in 2019.

Since retirement, Laurie has enjoyed being a full-time artist and has received awards in several Plein-Air competitions and many local, national, and international shows. She is very active in the art community in North Carolina and has taught many pastel workshops in the area and online. She also offers private instruction in the medium.

Laurie is a signature member of the Piedmont Pastel Society, where she previously served as President. She is also a signature member of the Maryland Pastel Society and the Degas Pastel Society and an Associate Member of the Pastel Society of America.  Visit Laurie's website: https://lauriebashamfineart.com/

Ashley Bell grew up in Raleigh, N.C., always enjoying taking art classes. She graduated from East Carolina University in 1985 with a B.A. in Art Education and a minor in painting. Living in Statesville since college, she has taught art in Iredell at the elementary, middle, and high school levels since 1986. She also taught years of private lessons and summer art camps.

After retiring in 2020 (with 32 years of service), she spends time substituting for school art teachers, painting, crafting, or babysitting her new granddaughter. She teaches a Watercolor class at the South Iredell Senior Center and after-school sessions for ages 8-11 at Mooresville Arts.  

Last summer, she taught two weeks of watercolor painting. This year, she will focus on various ways to paint creatively using different mediums. Even though she enjoys spending time painting and crafting, she says, “Teaching art is my passion, and I am thrilled to provide instruction for students at Mooresville Ars this summer. Come join in the painting fun this summer!”

Heather Burnell’s art niche is positivity. She experienced, as many people do, a "dark night of the soul," and one of the ways she worked her way back into the Light was with positivity. For years, she practiced positive thinking, didn't watch the news, only read self-help books, etc. This positivity found its way into her work when she started making art. Almost all of her art has a positive quote or word. People tell Heather that her art makes them feel exuberant, enlivened, joyful, happy, positive, loved and seen. Her mission or purpose now is to help people feel positivity via her art.

She was born in northern NY state, went to college and graduate school in Albany, NY, and worked in Manhattan for several years, where she had the opportunity to work in a position that allowed her to travel the world. She currently lives in Charlotte, NC.

She has always considered herself creative but not artistic until she took a mixed

media art class. The class transformed the way she saw herself, and she passionately dove into mixed media. She has continued to take online and in-person art classes, but her education and career before art were in technology. She is a member of the Charlotte Art League and the Guild of Charlotte Artists.

You can learn more about Heather and her art at https://HeatherBurnell.com

Ah Ra Cho is an artist and art instructor based in North Carolina. She earned her BFA in Asian painting from Hongik University in South Korea and completed her MA at the University of Arts London, where she explored metaphysical themes through contemporary art. Her work focuses on the nature of light and the unseen forces that shape our reality.

Alongside her studio practice, Ah Ra is a live worship painter at her church, using art as a form of praise and reflection. She also leads worship art workshops, creating opportunities for participants to connect with their faith and creativity. With over a decade of teaching experience, she is dedicated to helping students of all ages find and develop their unique artistic voice.

https://www.choahra.com/CHO-AHRA

Paul Farmer received a Bachelor of Art & Design from the NCSU College of Design and an MFA from Western Carolina University. He has participated in artist residencies at The Bascom Center, Vermont Studio Center, I-Park, and Keystone Art Space. Paul's work has been exhibited across the U.S. Currently, he is a full-time visual arts instructor at Mitchell Community College.

Artist Statement: As a multimedia artist, my practice ranges from painting and photography to digital collage and animation. The work often relates to light, pattern, and topography. I am especially interested in examining the act of transformation.

Kortney Gibson has lived in the Lake Norman area all her life. Now residing in Mooresville with her husband, daughter, and four dogs, she's excited to open more opportunities in the world for anyone who wants to paint. 

Kortney's primary focus is on painting animal portraits in oil mediums. She is passionate about bringing out the animal's personality in each painting. She wants to continue to help people of all ages find their inspiration to start making art.

Dixon Handshaw is a photography educator based in Mooresville, NC. He spent 35 years as a learning and performance consultant and president of his own company, Handshaw, Inc. Before that, he earned his living as a professional photographer. He combines those two experiences to teach fine art photography in digital and film formats. His favorite aspect of teaching is inspiring students to find personal expression through the lens of a camera.

Dixon has a BFA in photography from Alfred University and an MS in Instructional Systems Technology from Indiana University. He served on the Board of Directors for The Light Factory in Charlotte, NC, and chaired their Education Committee, where he taught and designed courses. He also served on the Board of Directors at the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte, NC, where he designed and taught a Bird and Wildlife Photography course. 

Dixon is now a member of the board of directors for Mooresville Arts and Education Committee Chair. He has been passionate about photography since he was 14 years old. Learn more about Dixon at www.handshawphotography.com

A native of NC, Anne Harkness is an alumnus of the Atlanta College of Art and earned a

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from The Maryland Institute, College of Art.

Her work as an art director in NYC for 15 years has embodied her work with a graphic

element that astute viewers can detect in her paintings. As a contemporary artist, Anne

seeks to capture a distinct point of view, often finding some unexpected beauty in

locations or views others might dismiss as ordinary. Appreciating what is local and

slowing down to see, can lead to a painting which documents a time in history. It can also

remind viewers of occasions during ordinary life and their memories.

Working from her love of a strong design element, Harkness focuses on line and

movement in her work. Each of her pieces reveal the many layers used to create each

piece. Anne credits her emphasis on these particular components to her love of drawing

and a desire to retain the looser marks that give a piece a more rustic, unfinished quality.

The surprises that come from spending time in a painting are her treasures. These

discoveries assure that she is always learning and seeking the ‘new-fresh’ for her work.

Advice to collectors when purchasing art:

“All paintings give us something when we walk into a room. I strive to design paintings

that offer a refreshing approach, an engaging subject with a positive fragrance. My hope

is that each will enhance the atmosphere of your life.”

Register for Anne's  Landscape Diptych Painting Class 

RSVP for Anne's  Lecture & Demo 

Brenda is an artist in the LKN area; she enjoys painting flowers, nature scenes, and abstract. Her preferred medium is watercolor and acrylic. 

Brenda's artwork is a unique play of color, texture, and depth- a fresh, fun, modern take on the classic subjects she enjoys. She plans a little, plays a lot, and lets her instincts lead the way - it is all about the joy of creating! She is excited to lead the Paint & Sips and Paint Parties at Mooresville Arts, where she can encourage and inspire others to explore their artistic talents! 

She was born in New Jersey and raised in Winston-Salem, NC. She attended UNC Greensboro, earning a BS in Interior Architecture and a BS in Human Development and Family Studies. Her background includes teaching preschool classes and working with children of all ages.  "I believe everyone can express themselves through visual arts." Learn more about Brenda at brendakadlecik.com

Register for private painting parties with Brenda

Justin Leluika has instructed all grade levels, from kindergarten to collegiate, over the last 16 years.  

He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Time-Based Media Studies (Animation) from Columbus College of Art and Design, Master of Fine Arts in Illustration from the Academy of Art University, and Art Teacher Certification from Seton Hill University. Justin has worked with ESPN, Wendy's, and the Walt Disney World Company within the visual arts field.   

"As an educator in the field of visual arts, I feel it is important that every individual finds their way to self-express themselves and to use that skill when moving forward in life's journey."

Zan Thompson was born into a family of watercolor artists, greatly influencing his passion and persistence for watercolor painting. Zan grew up playing and experimenting with art in his parents’ Atlanta studios. 

Today, Zan paints strictly in watercolor, is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina, and teaches several workshops and classes on drawing and painting. He likes to share the little tricks that helped him conquer the difficult watercolor medium with his students. 

He paints both En Plein air and in the studio and always welcomes an audience. He works in realism, impressionism, and abstraction.  

"Watercolor paintings celebrating the essence found in our environments from the alluring subjects to the most mundane!" -Zan  Learn more about Zan at

zanthompson.com