Staff & Instructors

School Staff

KEELY NOFFSINGER MASSIE
Executive Director

MAR JIMENEZ
Office Manager
In addition to keeping things running in the School office, Mar teaches our Jewelry Making with Precious Metal Clay classes, and has also been an instructor with our Side-by-Side program for preschoolers since 2014.

School Instructors

CHUCK ALMAREZ After 10 years of military service (four years as a photo intelligence analyst), Chuck formalized his photography education with a degree from Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, CA. He participated in the Shroud of Turin project undertaken in 1979 and later worked as a staff photographer for Santa Barbara Research Center, a subsidiary of Hughes Aircraft. In 1982 he joined a fellow Brooks graduate in operating a commercial photography studio in San Francisco. Years working in technology marketing intervened until a move to Glen Wilton, Virginia in 1989. In1994 he started Kid Pix Photography, shooting team and sports photos in Clifton Forge, VA., and by 2002 he had made a transition from film to digital photography. In 2014 Chuck completed a Master’s degree program in Digital Photography at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His work can be seen at www.fireandlightgallery.com and www.almarezphoto.com

GEORGE AYARS has taught stained glass for more than 45 years. He teaches many forms of glass art including traditional foil and lead came construction, fusing, lampshades, and glass mosaics. He also teaches many practical applications of glass work, including design, marketing, repair and installation. As a guest instructor he has traveled across the US, and written for various glass art publications. He enjoyed his own full-time studio in Burlington, NC, for six years before returning to Michigan to manage a major art glass supplier and oversee its educational programs. He now lives near Covington, VA, with his wife Robin, where they maintain a small farm.

HEATHER BAKER is an artist who enjoys teaching art as much as doing art. In 1994, Heather double majored in Art and Psychology from Radford University, anticipating working in a career in art therapy. With a passion to work with children using art in a therapeutic setting, she began her employment with the National Children’s Advocacy Center in Huntsville, AL. She also started a custom framing and decorative painting business. Heather’s business of custom framing and specialized paintings and murals took off. Her works were displayed in many model homes and numerous clients’ homes throughout Northern Alabama. After moving to Covington, VA in 2007, Heather pursued her teaching license to satisfy her desire to work with children. She taught art to little ones from 2007-2009 before making the jump to high school art teacher. For 12 years she taught different levels of art (beginner to advanced) to students in 8th grade - 12th grade through a variety of teaching methods, such as hands-on experiences, demonstrations, lectures, and critiques/discussions. From a very young age, Heather has always enjoyed drawing and painting. She focuses on realism and surrealism. She also loves learning new techniques and exploring different mediums of art. Since 2014, she has been developing her watercolor painting skills. Heather has always been passionate about teaching art to those who want to learn. Heather lives in Covington, VA with her husband, 2 children and 5 fur babies.

MAC BEARD is a retired Information Technologies and Computer Systems specialist whose career in these fields has spanned over 40 years.

JULIE M. BENNETT arrived in the United States 12 years ago as a professional translator of languages in New York City, with an avocation in the art of knitting. Born and raised in Soviet-era Russia, Julie began knitting at the age of 11 out of necessity due to shortages in the Soviet Union to provide clothing for her and her family in the industrial city of Chelyabinsk, near Siberia. She oftentimes performs the rare art of recycling yarns from clothing in order to have quality fibers for her projects. She has a clientele throughout the eastern United States making clothing on a custom-order basis. “I’m trying to take the stress out of the knitting process by not relying on reading patterns,” Bennett says, and adds, “various techniques will be offered to achieve this.”

GLEN BRYANT has been a metalworker and blacksmith for the better part of 40 years. Some of his larger projects can be seen in the Alleghany Highlands. He designed, built, and installed both signs for the C&O Railway Historical Society and the CSX Office Building; same for the fence and decorative gate around Virginia Landscaping & Supply; the matching chandeliers hanging in The Company Store & Iron Company Restaurant; and the ornate door handles at Jack Mason's Tavern. His smaller works may be less noticeable but they also reflect his artistry and craftsmanship.

MALLORY BURRELL is a Harrisonburg Virginia based artist who cross-pollinates drawing, painting, photography, collage, and installation work. Investigating polluted spaces and left-behind objects and detritus propels her practice. Burrell has art degrees from Virginia Tech and obtained a master’s degree in fine art at James Madison University. She has had residencies and exhibitions in various states and cities in the country. Her work can be further explored at malloryburrell.com.

TROY COTTRELL was born in the Alleghany Highlands, his school years were spent in Baltimore, but this was always home. At age sixteen, upon graduation from high school, he packed his van and came home to the Highlands. He put his hands to working on wood in the construction trade and hasn’t put wood down since. Like his father and step-father, Troy is a self-taught wood worker. Troy’s pieces are made from locally harvested trees of oak, sassafras, walnut, cherry, hickory and others that he finds. Troy and his wife are an example of the kind people you will find here. They have made a home here for their children; biological children, adopted children, and more than twenty foster children.

CYNDY SHORTER LITTLETON was first introduced to clay in 1979 while a student at Mary Baldwin College. At the time, Jim Hanger of Staunton was instructing students from MBC at his studio. In 1981 she changed her major from art to biology and put her pottery tools away. In March of 2013, Lee Taylor offered a pottery class at CFSOTA and Cyndy picked up her tools again. Since then she has studied under famous potters such as Steven Hill and raku artist Lynn Conyers. Currently she instructs in wheel throwing and raku while building a portfolio for her business Earth, Fire, and Clay. Her work can also be found for sale at http://alleghanyhighlandsartisansshops.com/brands/Cyndy-Littleton.html

JUDITH SIVONDA is retired from the New Haven, Connecticut, public school system and has taught at the School of the Arts since our opening. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Hartford Art School of the University of Hartford and a Master's in History from Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT). She has studied with Roy Superior, Wolfgang Biehl, Paul W. Zimmerman, Rudolf F. Zallinger, Mary Barnes, Micheal DiGiorgio and Charlie Hunter. Judith works in oils, acrylics, dry media, sculpts, and is the proprietor of The Art Store at our School.

JOE WOOD was born and raised in Alleghany County. Both his father and grandfather were master carpenters. Joe received his first woodturning instruction in a woodworking class at Alleghany County High School. He has continued his passion for woodworking throughout his lifetime. Since his retirement from a nearby paper company, Joe has had more time to devote to his craft. He enjoys using native woods, especially woods that may be rejected by commercial lumber yards. In addition to lathe work, Joe also enjoys making furniture. He participates in local craft shows and farmers markets.