Mentoring Through Art Programs combine postive role models and art teaching practices to support education, graduation and success.

ARTreach URGEWORKS- These programs are urgent and they work in juvenile justice and innercity populations by combining aspects of the hip hop culture with positive role models to deter gang involvment and drug abuse.  

ARTbeat Programs- are designed for senior citzens and indiviudals with Alzheimer's to encourage memory, rehabiliation and sense of belonging.

Within My Reach- These are ARTreach Program that serve children and adults with special needs. They are offered as vocational training programs and enrichment.

SMART- These are ARTreach Programs that combine Science and Math to support improved learning.

ARTreach Community Programs- include free activites and events in the community. Open to the public and designed to draw attention and support for outreach.

ARTreach recruits and trains volunteers, and evaluates and approves teaching artists based on the merit and artistic intergrity of their program and its impact, on our targeted populations. Impact is measured by recorded improvements in behavior and grades, teacher and student testimony. Programs are piloted in Houston, Katy, Richmond, Sugarland and Austin each semester. Best practices are determined within each pilot.  Mentoring through Art, Art Beat, Within My Reach are scheduled  once a week for a minimum 6 weeks serving 1- 6 at risk children to support best practices.

ARTreach Program Directors and Teaching Artists offer a range of workshops. Teachers can be interviewed and workshops tailored to support an individual, campus or agency needs.

ARTreach Program Directors and Teaching Artists

Chris Gamez
Program Director
URGEWORKS Programs

• Chris Gamez is a professional hip hop dancer and choreographer of the international dance group, Urgeworks. He has over 15 years experience dancing and teaching youth how to achieve success by staying off drugs, off the streets and in school. Chris developes creative dance, urban arts and writing programs for ARTreach that serve Children at risk & Troubled Youth and support education objectives and graduation
• Gang Intervention
• Urban Arts
• Arts-in-Education

Inspirational and Motivational Presentations

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Vicki McMillan
Program Director, professional artist and mentor

Vickie is a professional artist from Katy, Texas. She has traveled internationally teaching a variety of cultural arts courses and workshops that support education and graduation. Many of her ARTreach projects incorporates artwork created by children and adults in Africa, Philippines, China and Mexico. Vickie is a professional art mentors and develops ARTreach programs that focus on building a child's self esteem and self worth.
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Lorena Fernandez
Program Director
Expressive Arts 

Lorena is our professional facilitator of Expressive Art workshops, with a PhD in Expressive Arts, her programs currently support Elder care and individuals with Alzheimer’s, patient recovery, grief counseling, veterans, drug addiction recovery and Staff Development. Workshops and Retreats to support Staff Development are available through ARTreach.  To learn more about the Expressive Arts visit www.LFcreative.com

Michelle Mitchell

Michelle develops unique music sing along programs that combine acoustic guitar and motion to engage children and adults with special needs.

Stacy Baer

Stacy is a professional artist and a Ceramic & Clay Specialist trained to work with troubled youth popualtions.   Her workshops can be booked as two hour special events to support youth groups adn counseling sessions

Suzanne Adams

Suzanne offers a Mentoring through Art Program that focuses on teaching creative writing and journalism techniques to adolescent girls to build self esteem and self awareness.
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Elizabeth Linder
Program Director
Studio Scholarships

• Elizabeth teaches Gifted and Talented
• Special Needs
• Children at risk

An approved mentor, professional visual artist, illustrator and studio teacher. Elizabeth is specialized in working with at risk youth, and individuals with special needs and Alzheimer’s. Elizabeth's programs can be booked for Staff Development. Private Lessons are available. Scholarships for gifted and talented students.

Kelly Dillard
Program Director

Kelly is a professional artist and designs creative art programs supporting elder care, adults with physical and mental disabilities, and children with special needs. Kelly is a ARTreach roster artist and lead teaching artist trained to work in specialized fields.

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Kelly Litvak
Program Director Tools 4 Teens

Her background is in professional Scrapbooking and journaling her programs combine art activities and character education/ Kelly's priograms are curriculum based. Her unique Tools 4 Teens program can be booked via ARTreach. Financial assistance must be applied for. info@artreachonline.org

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Dan Egger-Belandria
Program Director Austin Projects

Dan is a professional musician and developing new ARTreach programs that introduce percussion instruments to support early childhood development, social skills for children with special needs, team work and realtionship building serving youth at risk.  new projects in Austin, Texas are directed by Dan to support expansion in 2010.

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Maxine Rothman
Exhibition Curator and Director

Maxine is involved the art selection process and installation of professional artwork in our public venue exhibitions and gallery events. Maxine is to supporting the installation and booking of our rotating art exhibitions, to include corporate installations and professional gallery/restaurant events.  Maxine also offers knitting workshops and community demonstrations.

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 Tess Thornton

ARTreach Studio Program Director

ARTreach Studio @Ceramics by Tess
402 Grand Parkway
Times Square Shopping Center
Katy, Texas 77494

Tess Thornton is a professional teaching artist overseeing community programs the ARTreach Studio in Katy. Senior Citizen and Elderly Programs run weekly with and additional programs can be scheduled anytime to support Life Skills and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.

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New Teaching Artists- are invited to submit proposals. New programs are piloted in controlled training situations. We are currently piloting programs

Transitional and Vocational Art DARS Training programs for adults with autism and other special needs are being piloted now at the ARTreach Studio. Program Director is Carrie Schneider.  Dance programs for mothers and babies are being piloted at the the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Katy. Program Director is Erin Stanley

 ARTreach Training for Excellence Program includes an orientation held monthly for new volunteers and teaching artists. info@artreachonline.org