Patrick J. Jones Expertise: Sci-Fi & Fantasy Art, Figure Drawing, Oil Painting Authored Books: The Anatomy of Style, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Oil Painting Techniques, Figures from Life Worked for: Lucasfilm, Disney Studios, Simon R. Green

Patrick J. Jones is an award-winning artist, illustrator, and author who specializes in sci-fi and fantasy art. Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Patrick’s early fascination with art led him to a prolific career creating book covers, concept art, and illustrations for major clients, including Lucasfilm and Disney Studios. His work has been featured on the covers of renowned authors such as H.G. Wells and Simon R. Green, and his concept designs have appeared in films like Peter Pan and The Great Raid.

Patrick is also the author of best-selling books on art, including The Anatomy of Style and Sci-Fi & Fantasy Oil Painting Techniques. He currently teaches figure drawing and painting workshops in Brisbane, Australia, and around the world. His original works are held in private collections globally.

Laura Sonnek

Laura Sonnek is a rural Minnesota native, happily transplanted in sunny California. She began attending college at the age of 16 to cultivate her budding interest in the fine arts of drawing and painting. She moved to the West Coast in 2019 to further her formal education and received her MFA in Painting from Laguna College of Art and Design in 2021. Today, Sonnek’s first love is still all things fine art. She channels her extroverted nature into intensely chromatic oil portraits, influenced heavily by complementary color relationships and pop culture. Her second love is teaching and enjoys nothing more than helping young artists find their own voice through classical study. Her third love is gluten.

Ron Husband Expertise: Animation, character design Notable Works: "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "The Lion King," "The Fox and the Hound," "Pocahontas" Teaching: Conducts workshops and lectures worldwide

Ron Husband is an animator and educator based in Southern California. Born and raised in Monrovia, CA, he is a 38-year The Walt Disney Company veteran. He holds the distinction of being the first African American supervising animator for Walt Disney Studios. He worked extensively as a character animator and supervising animator for Disney Feature Animation, known for his work on classics like “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Lion King.” His animated characters include Gaston, Pumbaa, and Djali. Ron also teaches at institutions such as Art Center College of Design and Cal Poly Pomona and has conducted workshops worldwide. As an author, he published “Quick Sketching with Ron Husband,” which has been translated into Japanese and Chinese. His contributions to animation have left a lasting legacy, and Ron has received awards such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Hollywood Education and Resource Center.

John Frye Art Focus: Vehicle Design Graduated from Art Center Worked for Boeing, Hasbro, John Deere, Activision and Honda

John Frye, originally from Bend, Oregon, nurtured an early fascination with mobile machinery, sketching scenes of army vehicles, tanks, and car races, inspired by movies like “Battle of Britain,” “The Great Waldo Pepper,” and “Star Wars.” These early interests paved the way to a future in industrial design. With a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the Art Center, John ventured into vehicle design, offering his talents to clients such as Boeing, Hasbro, John Deere, and Activision. His journey led him to a pivotal role at Honda R&D, where he serves as Principal Designer and head of the digital modeling group.

Cornelia Hernes Expertise: Drawing, Painting Studied at Florence Academy of Art and Odd Nerdrum Taught at Florence Academy of Art Italy and US

Cornelia Hernes is a fine artist who graduated from The Florence Academy of Art in 2007, where she became a Principle Instructor. She studied with Odd Nerdrum in Norway and completed a BFA from The University of Victoria, B.C, Canada. Cornelia specializes in painting from life with oil paint, covering a variety of genres like still life, interiors, and natural motifs. Cornelia has been an Award recipient from the International Art Renewal Center (ARC) Salon Competition.

Matt Duckett Expertise: Figure Painting and Illustration Teacher at Laguna College of Art and Design and Kline Academy Studied at Laguna College of Art and Design

Matt Duckett is an accomplished fine artist and freelance illustrator. Duckett’s art explores themes of displacement and identity, particularly resonating through his poignant reflections on disaster-ravaged communities in the Philippines. Internationally exhibited and featured in distinguished publications, Duckett’s diverse portfolio ranges from indie publisher book covers to card games and splash art, skillfully marrying tradition with modern design. Beyond his creative work, he actively contributes to arts communities via nonprofits, artist incubators, and arts boards. His art goes beyond mere aesthetics, linking cultures, histories, and shared resilience, challenging viewers’ perceptions of identity and tradition. Duckett holds an MFA in Painting from the Laguna College of Art and Design and a BA in Fine Art from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Michal Suffczynski Expertise: Watercolor and Architecture Studied Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology and the University of Detroit Mercy Teaches at Warsaw University of Technology

Michał Suffczynski holds a degree in Architecture from the prestigious Warsaw University of Technology and the University of Detroit Mercy in the USA. With extensive experience in both practical and academic domains, he is a renowned Ph.D. and Professor of Architecture at the Department of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. Michał is one of the founders of the Polish Watercolor Association. He is an accomplished watercolor painter and has gained international recognition for his artwork. Michał’s contributions to architecture and watercolor are recognized through various grants and awards from the Residenza Universitaria Internazionale Association in Rome in 1990 to the Italian government recognizing his work with grants in Perugia in 1991 and Siena in 1997.

Marc Dalessio Expertise: Portrait and Landscape Painting Taught at Florence Academy of Art and Charles H. Cecil Studios

Marc Dalessio is an American naturalistic painter and a highly experienced artist who has dedicated his life to mastering his craft. He started his journey by studying art and biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, then later honed his skills by continuing his education at the prestigious Il Bisonte in Florence, Italy, where he specialized in printmaking. He also studied and taught at Charles H. Cecil Studios. In 1997, he instructed landscape painting at the Florence Academy of Art. Not only is he a masterful landscape painter, but he’s also a highly accomplished portraitist with a wealth of experience. His work has been exhibited in prestigious galleries in cities such as London, New York, and Florence.

Moritz Moser Expertise: Wood and Stone Sculpture Studied stone and wood carving in Italy Teaches at HTL Hallein in Salzburg, Austria

Moritz Moser is an experienced stonemason and woodcarver from Salzburg, Austria. He received specialized training in stone carving at the Marble School in Lasa, Vinschgau, and woodcarving at the Woodcarving School in Ortisei, Val Gardena. Moritz currently works as an instructor in the sculpting department at HTL Hallein and has exhibited his sculptures in Pongau, South Tyrol, and Germany. He is known for creating unique, individualized tombstones and sculptures from local and European wood and stone.

Fei Meng Expertise: Portraiture and Illustration Exhibited at the Royal Society of British Artists and the Federation of British Artists

Fei Meng is an artist based out of Oxfordshire, England. She specializes in representational portraiture as well as digital and traditional illustrations, primarily in colored pencil. Fei has shown her art at the Royal Society of British Artists – Rising Stars and the Federation of British Artists – Figureatice Art Now exhibitions.