News & Blog

We are excited to welcome several new Teaching Artists and lots of new classes to our Fall semester.

From photographing John F. Kennedy at the White House to Maryland Hall, Chuck Engstrom's professional life as an artist has included teaching the art of woodturning to over 250 students at Maryland Hall.

The Maryland Hall community mourns the loss of Gerry Valerio.

Maryland Hall is thrilled to welcome Naptown Jazz Kids and usher in a new partnership to bring transformative music education, community engagement and jazz performance for students of all ages to Maryland Hall.

Laura Brino is the Outreach Coordinator at Maryland Hall. She is the lead teaching artist for the Jovenes Artistas (Young Artists) program, an outreach program that has been at Maryland Hall since 2013. The program was developed as a comprehensive arts program for at risk youth. It provides a safe environment for self-expression, confidence building and motivation to stay in school.

Our commitment to our students and patrons is to keep sharing the arts however we can during our gradual reopening post-COVID. We hope you'll enjoy some of these at home activities.

Mary’s favorite part of teaching dance is, “helping people find another means of expression and an outlet, creating a sense of joy in their life.” Now surpassing three decades at MD Hall, Mary says, “I’ve continued here because I like the feeling the minute you walk in the door. You see the artwork, you hear the music, you see the young and old all enjoying the arts. I think it’s wonderful that we can make the arts possible for all, not just the ones who can afford it,” she says.

“I’ve never seen a bad cat photo,” says Maryland Hall Photography Teaching Artist Joe Yablonsky. He says it as a joke but there’s truth in his humor: Yablonsky’s eye for photography has no room for pretension. “I’m the first one to admit there isn’t only one good way to take a photo. I think every student should bring their personality into the process and take photos that are uniquely their own.” Yablonsky developed his own love for photography on the campus of Princeton University. In the late 90s, he lived near the beautiful grounds and found inspiration in the gothic architecture and gargoyle sculptures.

Teaching Artist Holly Rosario knows how to connect with young artists. “My philosophy is to create as much of an authentic studio environment as possible. When you offer the studio environment, studio materials and the opportunity to explore, you discover that without a lot of strict guidance kids do the most amazing thing. Kids are natural artists. They don’t need to be coached as far as artistic thinking; it’s just teaching the skill,” says Rosario who teaches parent and child classes up to age 13.

My favorite thing about teaching is the feeling I get when someone lights up and says, ‘Oh, I get it.’ To share that with someone else and see them feel joy over creating something beautiful; that’s why I do it. The joy and understanding of how you got there is what it’s about.” For the 30 years Andrea Olney-Wall has taught art classes at Maryland Hall, she’s ended every class the same way: with an art show. “It’s really important to reward kids for their work,” she says and so on the last day of class she hosts a reception with food and a display of the students’ self-selected best work.