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

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 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 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, to the cliffs of a blow hole, to the secret red sand beach in Hana, across a petrified lava field, and more! It was incredible!

Now, Amy is the owner and primary teacher at Art Adventures. Also, the proud mother of one, Amy’s daughter Serena is 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 also 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

Brian Barr
Teacher, Jeweler, Framer

Keeping family tradition alive, Brian Barr enjoys teaching at Art Adventures. Brian wears many hats! He teaches clay, runs the custom framing shop and keeps his custom jewelry shop in house.

Brian uses his skills as a sculptor and craftsman to help students create innovative clay pieces. “I enjoy working with the kids… they make each day fun! It is wonderful to watch their imaginations at work.” -Brian Barr

Brian Barr graduated from East Carolina University with a BFA with a concentration in jewelry design. He went on to top jewelry stores like Schwartzchild’s working with precious metals like yellow gold, white gold and platinum. Now, he is a professional diamond setter and qualified to buy and sell gems like diamonds and sapphires.

On the side, Brian enjoys building fine furniture with a modern flare. He likes to incorporate inlays and experiment with exotic woods. He is also an awesome wake boarder!

Holly Clarke
Teacher
Holly first came to Art Adventures when she was four years old. She never left. After years of art instruction by the Barr family, she was accepted to the fine arts program at VCU. She has aspirations of becoming an interior designer. She began teaching at Art Adventures in 2002. “I love watching the students' eyes light up when they see a painting come together.” –Holly Clarke  In her free time, she enjoys woodworking and oil painting.

Kristen Napier
Teacher

Kristen began taking art lessons when she was a young girl. She has always been drawn to create!  Her advanced skills earned her a scholarship to Pratt University where she studied the fine arts with a concentration in Printmaking and Glass blowing. In 2002, she was named the Oustanding Graduate in Crafts. Also in N.Y., she taught beginning glass blowing in Brookland. Kristen began working at Art Adventures in 2004. “Teaching kids gives me endless inspiration. I come home from the studio feeling energized!” –Kristen Napier   On the side, Kristen enjoys traveling and live music.

Amanda Gregorio
Teacher and Party Director

Amanda Gregorio started taking art lessons when she was just a little girl! Now, a mother of two, Amanda LOVES to throw parties at Art Adventures. A graduate from James Madison University and accomplished artist, Amanda is creative, energetic and full of style. She brings lots of love and laughter into the art room. She makes every event special.  “I love to watch the kids doing something exciting and educational! The parties are fun for the whole family!”

Marg Bucher
Teacher

Known as “Mrs. B.”, Marg Bucher is vivacious and fun loving! You can always count on a smile and a hug from Mrs. B.! Marg Bucher earned her BFA from Purdue University and took masters art classes at Michigan State University. She has been an art teacher for many years. She loves watching the kids and adults light up when they discover they really can make fabulous art! Mrs. Bucher is not only a talented teacher, but a working artist as well. She has a painting studio in Petersburg, VA. She has won numerous awards and recognition for her work. “I enjoy drawing and painting in watercolor. I have a keen interest in landscape and have always loved architecture…the way light plays on it and defines it.”

Hunter Hedrick
Teacher

Hunter Hedrick began taking art classes at Art Adventures when he was a young boy. In High School he became an apprentice and later a teacher. Graduating second in his class, he is currently working on his degree at Davidson College. Hunter is an exceptional student, artist and teacher. He has won several art awards including first place in the United States for a Latin Art Contest. He also had an independent art show at Art Works in Richmond, VA. Hunter is also an accomplished musician. On his free time, he enjoys painting, composing music and surfing! “Art is a release for me. It gives me great pleasure to work with the students Art Adventures. I think we inspire each other!”

Jill Blom
Teacher

Jill Blom is a graduate of VCU. With a Masters of Art Education, she brings enthusiasm and lots of new ideas to Art Adventures. Her drive to teach art comes from her belief that the Arts can provide a sense of unique self for each student. “I believe that art is a universal language that can teach everyone to learn and accept the commonalities, as well as diversities that we all share as human beings.”  Jill is excited to be a part of Art Adventures and enjoys sharing her knowledge of the Arts with others.  She strives to bring out the best in each student. Mrs. Jill has expertise in  photo-realism, creative journaling, abstract painting, and mixed media art.

Lavar Carter
Teacher and experiential art educator

Bringing smiles and warmth to Art Adventures, Lavar Carter is a graduate of Savannah College of the Arts. With a strong background in experiential art education, he enjoys a multitude of outdoor activities like hiking, climbing and boating. Lavar says art is "freedom of expression" and is a powerful tool to unlocking the creative potential of students. He feels that Art and nature are a catalyst to finding ones true self. In his free time, Lavar enjoys working primarily with pen and ink, water colors, acrylics, oils, and sculptural medias.  He develops intricate caricatures and cartoons. He is also a Master Yoga instructor.

Stephanie Garr
Teacher

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 places in between.  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".

Alex Lewis
Teacher and curator

Alex Lewis is the curator of the Art Annex and a photography teacher at Art Adventures. While she is fully involved with the inner workings of the art gallery and studios, she also thoroughly enjoys working with photo students in the darkroom. With a deep understanding of black and white photography, Alex finds teaching to be a wonderful way to stay in touch with the basic fundamentals of art. "A strong understanding of how a camera works and darkroom skills  will inevitably help a student excel artistically". An art degree from VCU with a focus in photography has lead to her love of teaching this subject. A proud mother of two, Alex is multi-faceted and a much loved addition to Art Adventures.

Mindi Montoro

Mindi Montoro has been teaching Pre-K and Kindergarten for almost twenty years and is yet to let any grass grow under her feet! She is always full of energy and new ideas. Having taught countless families at Salisbury Presbyterian Preschool, children of all ages praise her as their "favorite teacher". They still remember the songs she taught and art they made! It is a true treat to experience Mrs. Mindi with her never ending creativity and oodles of innovative projects. She puts her all into teaching. As a result, students have an educational and unforgettable experience in her classroom. Mrs. Mindi is a graduate of James Madison University with additional education from UVA, Lynchburg College and VCU.  Ms. Mindi is a mother of two lovely children and quite a talented artist too!

Pam Connolly
Teacher and Artist

Pam Connolly is full of energy and new ideas. A graduate of VCU with a BFA and a minor in Art History, Pam's focus is on textiles and fashion design. Pam is a professional working artist as well. She paints on silk with vibrant dyes and uses black lines to make the figures in her work dance across the fabric. A talented woman and mother of two, Pam is a luxury to have at Art Adventures. She brings her lively spirtit and expertise to our students which makes them shine! "Working with kids inspires me to paint and keeps spark in my life!"