Guest Artists

A unique feature of the Envision program is our close relationship with the professional arts community. We have partnerships with many local an National and International Arts leaders . These amazing teaching artists work beside our faculty to provide our students with a current, relevant, and exciting arts education unlike any other.

Jump to Cinema · Dance · Digtal/Fine Arts · Music · Theater

Cinema

Destin Cretton-In 2002, Destin co-wrote/directed the award-winning short, Longbranch: A Suburban Parable, which won a number of Best Film awards and was an official selection of over 30 festivals including Tribeca, Austin, and The Chrysler Million Dollar Film Fest. Since then, he has continued to write and direct award winning shorts including Bartholomew’s Song (2004), which was a National Finalist in the 2006 Student Academy Awards, and Deacon’s Mondays (2006), which was a Student Academy Finalist in 2007, won the Fuji Film Audience Impact award at the 2007 Angelus Awards, and HBO Films Best Student Film Award at the 2007 Savannah Film Festival. To date, Destin has written and directed seven short films as well as a feature length documentary entitled, Drakmar: A Vassal’s Journey, which premiered on HBO Family in 2007 and is currently distributed by TVF International. Cretton’s most recent project is a short film about the effects of child abuse starring Brad William Henke (Choke, Sherry Baby, Me & You & Everyone we know). Go to www.shortterm12.com for more info.
Thomas O'Hara- documentary filmmaker

Dance

Annie Boyer- graduated cum laude with a BFA in dance from The Boston Conservatory in 2001, before joining the Seán Curran Company in New York the following November in 2002. Originally from Bethesda, Maryland, Ms. Boyer trained at the Academy of Maryland Youth Ballet, as well as Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Jacob's Pillow, and NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She has also performed with the Metropolitan Opera ballet and New York City Opera ballet. Ms Boyer moved from New York City to San Diego in August of 2006. She has taught dance at NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Cynthia King Dance Studio in Brooklyn, New York, The Windsor School in Boston, Massachusetts and has set choreography at many universities and professional companies. She currently teaches ballet and modern and is a guest choreographer for both day classes and Conservatory in Envision Dance.
Erica Buechner-has been performing professionally in San Diego since 1999. She has worked most extensively with Mojalet Dance Collective, under the direction of Faith Jensen-Ismay. Erica has also performed for Eveoke Dance Theatre, Patricia Sandback and Dancers, Malashock Dance, and The PGK Project. She graduated from SDSU in 2006 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance. Erica has presented work at the Celebrate Dance Festival, various Mojalet events, San Diego Dances, 4x4 and 4x4xFloor at the Bluefoot Bar, The Vine, and many other local performance venues. She is also a resident choreographer for d’shire dance. Erica teaches for various studios and schools, including Malashock Dance School, Georgia’s School of Dance, and Young Audiences of San Diego. She has also been invited to teach improvisation/choreography workshops at Canyon Crest High School; set choreography at Canyon Crest High School, Carlsbad High School and Orange Glen High School; and teach master classes at SDSU and CSUSM.
Ericka Moore-believes in the impact of art (dance) to empower individuals, which therefore empowers community. Since starting to study dance (jazz, ballet, modern, and hip-hop) seriously at the age of 15, Ericka has been driven to perform and to create pieces that speak about the world she lives in. Ericka has been a professional dancer for Eveoke Dance Theatre since 1997, performing in over 17 full-length shows as a principal dancer. Ericka has danced with the Colette Harding Contemporary Dance Company (San Diego), PGK Dance Project (San Diego), and HydroFlo (New York). Currently, Ericka is Director of the Apprentice Company, Master Teacher Artist and Resident Choreographer for Eveoke Dance Theatre and on faculty at Palomar Community College; teaching Jazz, Modern, and Hip Hop. Ericka has worked as a guest choreographer for Envision Dance Conservatory (Romeo and Juliet) and recently has been hire to teach the Dance Lab Class and guest Jazz/Modern teacher for the Envision Dance Conservatory.
Anthony Diaz-started dancing at the age of nineteen. Now 25, Anthony loves every opportunity he has to express himself through dance. A graduate from University of California, San Diego, Anthony excelled in his studies of performance and choreography, as he experimented with finding his personal style. A transplant from the California central coast, he has made San Diego his home. His training includes Jeans Isaacs, Yolande Snaithe, Patricia Rincon and Liam Clancey, His performances include California Ballet, Patricia Rincon Dance Collective, Trolley Dances. He has also been an apprentice for Fusion Dance and now is a company member with San Diego Dance Theater. Anthony looks forward to bringing his talents to the ever-evolving San Diego dance scene.

Digital/Fine Arts

Jackie Lo-My art relies on the language used on buildings, storefronts, restaurants, and product labels in Chinatowns, J-towns, and other ethnic enclaves. I document personal names, group names, brand names and place names in my paintings to locate the point at which words are lost in translation and its significance. Signs are a symbolic establishment of one’s identity and the projection of an image or idea. By emphasizing the inconsistencies and ironies within the language, one sees how names are used to authenticate and validate cultural identity and how language is used to construct an image. These paintings chronicle the acculturation and assimilation process of first and later-generation Americans in the U.S. The image undergoes several stages of mediation: photography, photo manipulation, and painting. During this period, the image loses aspects of its visual information but gains complexity in the same way that a hybrid culture abandons parts of their traditions and acquires new customs. By creating my own signs, I reflect on the importance of naming and what it signifies to the namegiver and others.
Elizabeth Washburn - grew up in Kansas where she began painting at the age of thirteen. After high school, she moved to San Francisco to attend the Academy of Art College. She received a BFA in Drawing and Painting in 1995. Elizabeth backpacked Europe for several months thereafter and ultimately landed a job as a painter for a mural studio in San Francisco. The studio specialized in large-scale murals for casinos and hotels, primarily in Las Vegas. With two years of work experience, Elizabeth ventured off to New York to pursue her free-lance career. She continued doing commissioned murals and paintings for homes and restaurants. Less than a year went by in New York, when a mural commission lured her overseas. The presumed three month duration of the commission turned into an eighteen month sojourn, living, working and traveling in Egypt. After a year and a half, Elizabeth returned to the U.S. and decided to move back to California, this time to San Diego, where she has resided since October of 2000. She carries on with mural and painting commissions, as well as local exhibitions. A recent addition to her career has been teaching adult painting and drawing classes, as well as art classes for children, at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Elizabeth plans to continue with her painting as well as broaden representation of her work in the U.S. and abroad.
Amber George- is an exhibiting artist and arts instructor. She earned her degree in Fine Art from UCLA where she studied with some of the most prominent artist of contemporary art, including Nancy Rubins, Don Suggs, and Lari Pittman. Her work is exhibited nationally, and her current body of work will be shown in a solo show at the Museum of the Southwest in Midland, Texas. She enjoys sharing her passion for the arts and hopes to inspire students to pursue careers in the arts. Jeff Kahn An Art Center College of Design graduate and scholarship student.
Jeff Kahn-His professional experience encompasses twenty-seven years in graphic design, marketing communications and branding. He has worked as an art director and senior designer for national advertising agencies graphic design and publishing firms. He has been the owner of Kahn Design for the past thirteen years. His technical and design expertise has landed website and graphic interface design projects for OKbridge, the Internet's #1 bridge club plus design projects for Hewlett Packard and Revlon. Jeff's created a tremendous amount of work for Laugh.com - designing graphics, CD packaging and promotional materials for George Carlin, Jonathan Winters and Phyllis Diller. Jeff's packaging design for Nana's "Temptations", a high end chocolate bar, was awarded “Best New Vegetarian Product 2006” by VegNews at “Expo West”. Awarded recognition in international logo design competition. Three logos were judged worthy for inclusion in the new books. Currently you will find Jeff teaching part time at Palomar College and Canyon Crest Academy. Jeff is actively painting and has had national best selling fine art prints early in his career.
Kimball Taylor- has been scolded by a leper; robbed in Peru; nearly duped by a Balinese transvestite; riddled by malarial mosquitoes in Ecuador; attacked by baboons in Africa; and mocked, browbeaten and harangued by great and not-so-great surfers around the world. A Senior Editor for Surfer magazine, Taylor holds a bachelors degree in journalism and a masters in creative writing from San Diego State University. Return by Water is his first collection of stories.
Amanda Dahlgren is a former Canyon Crest Academy teacher and was part of the team that founded Envision Conservatory as the first Envision Digital/ Fine Arts Coordinator. She is currently working on a Master of Fine Arts in Photography, running a small portrait photography business, and spending lots of time with her adorable 17 month old daughter. Please visit her website at: www.amandadahlgren.com
Lisa Paysen-of Clemson, SC. Attended Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC and received a BFA in Ceramics and Printmaking. Worked for a production potter for 2 years and then given the opportunity to try teaching. Have now gained National Board Certification and 10 years of experience. Work revolves around personal relationships amd experiences and interest in travel and nature very much a “story-telling” style. Love to incorporate mixed media in 2D & 3D format with materials such as charcoal, pastels, collage, and paint on paper/canvas and found objects. Karen Eastman. I have always loved to draw and paint. This interest led me to pursue an education in the arts at the University of Colorado, Boulder, where I graduated in 1987 with a BA in Humanities and a minor in Art History. After graduation, I moved to San Diego, California and enjoyed a career in sales and merchandising over the next ten years. I always felt something was missing though, and came to realize I had gotten away from my passion to create art. I decided to start my own business in 1996 called Paint, Glaze & Fire!, a ceramics studio, located in Encinitas, California. Working with customers to help nurture and advance their own creativity made me realize that art was in my soul and painting was my favorite form of expression and release. I sold my business in 1999, and have been painting full time ever since!

Music

Mike Atesalp-is an accomplished Instructor and Performer. Michael’s instructional credits include the Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, the Anaheim Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps and the WGI World Champion Clovis West High School Percussion Ensemble. Michael currently instructs the San Diego State Aztec Drum Line and the SDSU Indoor Marching Percussion Ensemble. Michael’s accomplishments include Championships at DCI, WGI, WSMBC/WBA, SCPA, ADLA and the Fiesta Bowl National Pageant of Bands. As a performer, Michael is a former member of the famed Blue Devils “Q-5” Tenor Line and has performed with Reggae/Pop sensations “Big Mountain”. Michael also performs on drum set and percussion with various national and regional acts including his own Afro Cuban-Funk band !PRISA! Michael proudly enjoys relationships with DYNASTY, Vic Firth, SABIAN, Aquarian Drumheads and Rhythm Tech.
Danny Green-Piano/Conservatory
Nate Jarrell-can be seen performing at venues throughout the Southern California area in formats ranging from solo guitar to larger jazz ensembles. Although now primarily a jazz guitarist, Nate first gained experience performing and recording with various rock groups and toured extensively throughout the United States. He has since worked in numerous genres including Jazz, Blues, Latin, and Celtic music. Nate can currently be seen with his own jazz groups, as well as with Duo LaRe (featuring mandolinist Chris Acquavella), the Tokeli band, and numerous other performing groups. He holds a Masters degree in jazz studies from San Diego State University where he studied privately with pianist Rick Helzer and guitarist Bob Boss. In addition to his work as a performer, Nate is also an active music educator. He is an adjunct faculty member and guitar instructor at Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California. He is also the Assistant Director of the west coast campuses of the National Guitar Workshop and directs jazz ensembles and teaches music theory at Canyon Crest Academy High School.
Seth Malmstrom-Strings/Conservatory
Jesse Rogers-Winds
Louise Titlow-has performed with the San Diego Symphony, Opera, and Chamber Orchestras, Orchestra Nova San Diego, La Jolla Playhouse, San Diego Repertory Theater, Starlight Theater, and Lyric Opera San Diego. Louise earned a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the Eastman School of Music. Louise is a Low Brass Clinician for the Poway Unified School District, the Low Brass Specialist at the Francis Parker School, and an Artist in Residence in the San Dieguito High School District. Louise has a successful low brass studio, and many of her students are top players in their school and youth orchestra bands and symphonies.
Pak Djoko Walujo- studied classical Javanese gamelan music from an early age with many of the most highly regarded musicians of Java, including the world renowned K.R.T. Wasitodiningrat (lovingly known as Pak Cokro). Mr. Walujo first earned a law degree from the Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta, after which he graduated from the Indonesia Arts Institute where he studied music. He soon became a faculty member there and taught Javanese gamelan, from 1975 until coming to America in 1992 with his wife and three children. He was hand picked by K.R.T. Wasitodiningrat to be his predecessor as the leader, director, and teacher of the Javanese gamelan at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia (CalArts). Mr. Walujo has performed throughout Indonesia, Asia, Europe, and the United States. He has composed gamelan music for dance, dance drama, theater, and instrumental music, for which he has received numerous awards from the Indonesian Ministry of Education, the governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, the National Radio of Indonesia (RRI), and the governor of Central Java. He currently serves as a faculty member at CalArts, where he continues to teach classical Javanese gamelan and compose music, both classical and contemporary. He is the musical director of the Javanese music and dance group, Kyai Doro Dasih which is based out of CalArts, and which his lovely wife plays and sings in and his two beautiful daughters are featured dancers for. He has composed gamelan music for dance, dance drama, theater, and instrumental music, for which he has received numerous awards from the Indonesian Ministry of Education, the governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, the National Radio of Indonesia (RRI), and the governor of Central Java. He currently serves as a faculty member at CalArts, where he continues to teach classical Javanese gamelan and compose music, both classical and contemporary. He is the musical director of the Javanese music and dance group, Kyai Doro Dasih which is based out of CalArts, and which his two daughters are featured dancers for.
Renee Woodring-has been teaching private voice lessons since 2001, and am currently a Teaching Artist with the Vocal Conservatory and Choir at Canyon Crest Academy, and Choral Director at the Waldorf High School of San Diego. Her musical background includes several musical theatre productions and a brief stint in a rock cover band. The majority of her professional singing has been in a classical, liturgical, or choral setting. She holds a B.A. in Music from The Pennsylvania State University.

Theater

Mary Reich- M.F.A., is a movement educator, choreographer and co- director of SomeBodiesMovingCompany. She has been researching movement and art making for the last 27 years focusing on improvisation, somatic awareness, creative research and performance. She currently is working towards a PhD in Expressive Arts Education/Therapy at the European Graduate School in Switzerland.
Cynthia Stokes- Director Cynthia Stokes’ staging credits include Opera Carolina, Cincinnati Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, the Florentine Opera, Opera Pacific, San Diego Opera, and Los Angeles Philharmonic. Recent engagements for Ms. Stokes include Margaret Garner at Opera Carolina and Cincinnati Opera, and Il trovatore at The Florentine Opera. Ms. Stokes has also staged new commissions for Los Angeles Opera, Houston Grand Opera and San Diego Opera including Murder at the Opera which she co-wrote with composer Edward Barnes. An accomplished stage director, her theatrical credits include the Piccolo Spoleto Festival, American Conservatory Theatre, and New York Theatre Workshop. She teaches acting and directing at the University of California at San Diego where she received her M.F.A.
Bernard Baldan-is a founding member of The San Diego Repertory Theatre, Indian Magique Repertory Theatre, and created the role of ‘Scrooge’ in an Diego’s longest running production, ‘A Christmas Carol’. Other San Diego performances include Brodin in the west coast premiere of ‘Red Noses’, Father Rivard in ‘The Runner Stumbles, Boo in ‘The Marriage of Bette and Boo’, Blue in ‘The Unseen Hand’. He also performed the role of Ben Silverman in the last production performed in the original Old Globe Theater, ‘The Sunshine Boys’. In Los Angeles he performed at The Comedy Store, The Improvisation, and the Laugh Factory before landing reoccurring roles on ‘Days of Our Lives’, ‘Hart to Hart’, and ‘Crazy Like a Fox’. After two years as staff riter at Universal Studios, he returned to San Diego to finish work on, ‘The Boise Club’; a play recently produced at The Laguna Playhouse, directed by D.W. Jacobs. Awards include Old Globe Atlas Awards or lead and supporting roles, Drama Circle Award, USA Film Festival. Member of Actor’s Equity – Screen Actor’s Guild. Executive Director of 3Arts Foundation (an arts education company).
Lynne Jennings-Like most puppeteers, Lynne has experience in many phases of the art: as a designer, builder, teaching artist, writer, director, consultant, presenter, performer, with more than 30 years in the field and in the schools. Long active at local, regional, and national levels, she holds awards for her service from each. From 1977-2002, she was on the staff of the majority of regional and national puppet festivals held in this country and directed two. She is one of the founding (and current) staff of PuppetFest MidWest, an annual independent puppet festival whose mission is to grow, inspire and strengthen live puppet theatre. She served on the Board of Directors of UNIMA-USA (the US branch of the International Puppeteers organization) for 13 years, with 6 as VP, and 5 as Citations (the highest award for puppetry in North America) Chairperson. She is currently the chief administrator of the San Diego Guild of Puppetry/Puppetry Center of San Diego, as they work to grow a permanent place for the art in the southernmost corner of the Pacific Southwest.
Lisa Berger-is a Director, Teacher and Actor. She received her MFA in Directing from the University of Montana and completed the 2-year intensive in the Meisner technique at the William Esper Studio in NYC. Her directing credits include The Long Christmas Ride Home (Patte Award), Our Town, Pirates of Penzance, Looking for Normal, Handbag (co-author), Come Back to the Five and Dime......, Picnic, The Boys Next Door. In addition she directed over 7 plays for the Metropolitan Opera Guild's Creating Original Opera program in NYC. As an actor, she toured with the Montana Repertory Theatre. She co-authored a two woman show called Rita and Inez: The true Queens of Femininity that toured throughout the US and Canada and was included in the Toyota Comedy Festival in NYC. Lisa has worked as a teaching artist for Broadway's The Lion King and Footloose, and locally at the La Jolla Playhouse. She currently teaches theatre at Mira Costa College, Cal State San Marcos and UCSD.
Tim McKnight is a professional musician and teacher in the San Diego area. After receiving his Masters in Vocal Coaching and Accompanying from the University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign, Tim moved to San Diego where, in addition to serving as Director of Music at Chalice UU Congregation in Escondido, he also teaches a studio of 20 piano and voice students. Tim has served as musical director, conductor, vocal coach and pianist for numerous musical theatre productions at Starlight, Diversionary, Junior Theatre, North Coast Rep, ACT, San Diego State University, Youth Theatre Conservatory, J*Company, and many others. After musical directing the very successful “Bat Boy” a few years ago, Tim is thrilled to be back at CCA for another terrific production!
V. Nadja Lancelot-Guest Designer