KELLY EMMERT

Miss Kelly is the owner and Creative Director at The Art Garage.  A former high school art teacher, she discovered her passion for teaching in an art camp format in 2008 when she held her first Art Garage camp.  She loves that her camps and classes give children a chance to experiment with all sorts of art media in a very encouraging and positive environment.  Her belief is that every person in the studio should feel successful and have fun!

Kelly holds a degree from the School of Visual Arts at Florida State University and studied education as a graduate student at the University of North Florida.  When Kelly is not in the studio, she is spending time with her family or running with her friends.  She is a happy wife of an Austin firefighter and proud mother of two daughters, 11 and 16.  You are likely to see them all at The Art Garage helping out, too!

A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS INCLUDE…

  • Favorite Place in the World:  The Hakone Open-Air Museum, Japan
  • Favorite Food:  Does coffee count?
  • Favorite Color:  Violet, sometimes aqua
  • Favorite Art Material:  alcohol inks!
  • Favorite Project She’s Working on at the studio: planning 2017 Van-a-Gogh-go camps!

RENAISSANCE CAFFERTY

Miss Renai is our Lead Teacher & Manager at The Art Garage.  She has been with us since we opened our doors in 2011, and sharing art education is her passion.  She strives to make art accessible to all ages, exciting for all interests, and meaningful to everyone who interacts with it.  She loves teaching growth mindset, mindfulness, and sculpture to her students.  Her personal work is a little of everything, but she is currently working with mixed-media canvases, clay sculptures, glass jewelry, and handmade books & greeting cards.

Renai is originally from Houston, but has been in Austin since college.  She earned a BFA in Art Education from UT in 2013. When she’s not getting messy in her studio or with her students, she enjoys spending time with her dog Kody & her husband Ryan, practicing yoga, & flying hot air balloons with her family.

THESE ARE A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS…

  • Favorite Artist (at the moment…it changes all the time!): Yayoi Kusama
  • Favorite Place in the World:  Paris
  • Favorite Food:  Mac-n-cheese with Broccoli (ok, let’s be honest, anything with cheese)
  • Favorite Coffee: All the coffee, but especially Stouthaus & Summer Moon coffee
  • Favorite Color:  Purple!  All the purple things!
  • Favorite Art Material:  Clay!
  • Favorite Project she’s working on at the studio: ART SCHOOL!

AMANDA KUEHNE

Miss Amanda is a fantastic Teacher and our Studio Manager at The Art Garage.  She enjoys teaching mixed media projects, canvas painting, and sharing her love of Impressionism with her students.  Her favorite media to work in for her personal art is acrylic painting, and she’s been using her artistic skills and energy to decorate her new home.  Miss Amanda has been a teacher at The Art Garage since 2012.

After graduating from the Public Academy for Performing Arts in Albuquerque, Amanda took art classes from the University of New Mexico.  She moved to Austin with her husband in 2012.  When she isn’t creating or teaching at The Art Garage, Amanda enjoys rock climbing, yoga, and spending time with her pug Stout and her husband.

THESE ARE A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS…

  • Favorite Artist:  Claude Monet
  • Favorite Place in the World:  Puerto Rico
  • Favorite Food:  Firefly Pizza
  • Favorite Coffee: Wintermoon from Summer Moon Coffee
  • Favorite Color:  Magenta
  • Favorite Art Material:  Watercolors
  • Favorite Class She’s Currently Teaching: Pre-School Art at Mt. Olive
  • Favorite Book: Never Let Me Go by Kazoo Ishiguro

MISS HANNAH

Miss Hannah might be a unicorn.  She is so positive and full of magical energy!  She is originally from Lafayette, LA, but made her way to Austin in 2014 to continue her education in Art Ed.  While attending UT, she worked as a teacher here at The Art Garage.  2015 was a big year for Hannah–she received her Masters in Art Education from the University of Texas, got married and bought a home here in ATX.  (Yay, she’s gonna stay!)

She currently teachers art to grades 4-7 at  Austin Discovery School.  She will be back for her 3rd Summer to teach at The Art Garage in 2017.  She loves long naps, reading, and her dog, Jojo.

Here are a few more of her favorite things:

  • Favorite Color: Rainbow
  • Favorite Art Material: Glitter
  • Favorite Animal:  Unicorn
  • Favorite Artist:  Artemisia Gentileschi and Gustav Klimt
  • Favorite Food:  Mac and Cheese

MISS JACKY

Ms.Jacky is a Teacher and Studio Specialist at The Art Garage. She is quite energetic and is excited to share her passion for sculpture with campers. This will be Ms.Jacky’s 3rd summer teaching at The Art Garage. The force is strong with this one!

Born and raised in Houston, Jacky started her path to become an art educator and artist at The University of Texas at Austin in the Visual Art Studies program. She graduated in 2016 and currently teaches high school art in Pflugerville.  When out and about, you can find her at the movie theaters, reading a book or discovering food gems in the Austin area.

THESE ARE A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS…

  • Favorite Artist: William Joyce
  • Favorite Place in the World: New Orleans
  • Favorite Food: Sushi and Chicken Flautas!
  • Favorite Color: Purple
  • Favorite Art Material: Chalk Pastel
  • Spirit Animal: Stitch!!!

KAIYA EMMERT

Kaiya is Miss Kelly’s daughter.  She enjoys running with her mama, playing Lacrosse at Bowie High School, hanging out with her friends and reading.  She is a photographer and writer, too.

She has been helping out at The Art Garage for many years and she’s super-knowledgable and kind.   Kaiya is an in-studio instructor and aid to the the teachers.

THESE ARE A FEW OF HER FAVORITE THINGS…

  • Favorite Artist:  my mom!
  • Favorite Place in the World:  Clearwater Beach, FL
  • Favorite Drink:  Caramel Macchiato
  • Favorite Color:  Midnight blue
  • Favorite part of working at The Art Garage: assisting customers to create beautiful art in the studio & making new friends!
  • Favorite Art Material:  Pastels and Photography
  • Favorite Animal: German Shepherd
  • Favorite Book: Eragon