Arts

List of 5 members.

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  Jennifer Bolesta 

  Art

  (314) 625-9100

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  Jennifer Bolesta joined the faculty of the Viz Middle School in August 2020, teaching visual arts to students in Grade 6 and Grade 8. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she also serves and a Grade 8 advisor. Jennifer is a member of the Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education, Missouri Arts Education Association, and National Arts Education Association. She came to Viz from St. Gabriel the Archangel School in St. Louis, having spent 14 years there teaching Kindergarten through eighth grade art. Jennifer earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a Marketing minor from Loyola University of New Orleans and her Art Education Certification, Pre-K-12 from the University of Dallas.
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  Molly Bryant 

  Art

  (314) 625-9100

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  I started teaching in 2009 after receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art Education from Fontbonne University and went on to complete my Master of Arts in Art Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia. I am now in my eighth year teaching art here at Visitation and have thoroughly enjoyed working alongside the dedicated staff and wonderful students. My passion is in the arts, and I love sharing this with our students in Grades 10 through 12. I strive to make the art classroom a creative and fun learning environment. Outside of school, I enjoy painting, drawing, cooking, and taking on DIY projects around my house. Though I am a busy wife and mother of two beautiful girls, I also am a freelance artist and graphic designer and run a small business selling my artwork.
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  Jonathan Hartley 

  Visual & Fine Arts Technical Director

  (314) 625-9100

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  I am Visitation’s new, full-time Theatre Technical Director, having just arrived in May 2019. I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Technical Direction with a minor in Video Production from Webster University. My theatre set designs and lighting designs have taken me to New York where I designed a few shows off-off-Broadway and off-Broadway. Here in St. Louis, I have been nominated multiple times at Arts for Life for my set and lighting designs and have received awards the past two years for my lighting designs. I am excited to be putting my experience and love of set and lighting design to use on Viz theatre productions. I also teach two tech classes which cover all aspects of technical theatre; but it doesn’t stop there. I teach tech theatre to students and parents that work our productions and volunteer outside of classes. Additionally, I am mentoring Viz’s brand new drone program which we are using to film footage from school and sporting events as well as other school activities. Outside our school, I spend time teaching younger students and really anybody that is interested how to build and fly drones, using best practices for flying both indoors and outdoors. My other time is spent designing theatrical sets and lighting for local theatre groups, and I have recently ventured into designing and building freshwater fish tanks, including installing and fabricating waterscapes. In my mind, an empty tank is just another stage waiting to have a design added to it.
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  Ellen Cook Isom 82

  Dance

  (314) 625-9100

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  I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Webster University and joined the faculty of Visitation Academy in 2007 after serving as a guest teacher at the school’s bi-annual Fine Arts Day. I am thrilled that I have the opportunity to pass on my love of dance to young people at different stages of their lives. Currently, I teach dance to seventh grade and Grades 10-12, choreograph the musicals and dances for both the Middle School and Upper School choir concerts, and direct and choreograph the annual Maypole Ceremony. I am extremely proud to have been honored by the St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards (SLHSMTA) for my choreography of Viz’s production of Nunsense and Bye Birdie, as well as to have received recognition for my professional work from other prestigious theater organizations over the years.

  Outside of Viz, I have shared my life-long love of dance in a variety of ways –

  • Teaching children ages 3-18 at On Your Toes Dance Studio.
  • Serving as a faculty member at Webster University where I helped the department head start a professional dance company, Webster Dance Theatre.; teacher of ballet, jazz, tap, and musical theatre dance at Webster, as well as choreographer for their Conservatory’s musicals.
  • Performing and choreographing for STAGES St. Louis as well as teaching in the pre-professional training program.
  • Serving on the faculties of the Webster University Dance Intensive, the MUNY/Webster Theatre Intensive, and STAGES Academy Summer Dance Intensive.
  • Serving as resident choreographer for the annual Midwest Theatre Auditions and working with fellow Visitation theatre teacher, Marty Strohmeyer’s children’s theatre company, Shooting Star Productions.
• 

  Martin Strohmeyer 

  Dept Chair Visual & Fine Arts

  (314) 625-9100

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  After earning a Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeast Missouri State University, I went on to attain a Master of Arts with an emphasis in directing from Fontbonne University. I joined the faculty of Visitation Academy in 2004 and currently am the Visual and Performing Arts Chair. I teach Upper School speech and theatre classes, as well as direct productions for the Lower, Middle, and Upper School. There are many highlights to choose from during my time in the Viz theater department, but a few that I am most proud of include being selected to perform at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2010; the many nominations from St. Louis High School Musical Theatre Awards (SLHSMTA) and, of course, receiving the Best Director Award in 2017 and 2018; and receiving the Independent Schools of St. Louis Teacher of Distinction award and the Emerson Excellence in Teaching award.

  Theater is my passion as you can see from all the things I am involved with outside of Viz –

  • Co-founder and Artistic Director of the city-wide children’s theatre company, Shooting Star Productions (SSP), which is in its 17th season of producing musicals and plays for youth ages 5-19.
  • Assistant director for The Variety Children’s Theatre Company for six years, working with children with disabilities in a professional show. I also developed an intern program for Variety which paired children with disabilities with professional theatre directors and designers.
  • Active member of the Speech and Theatre Association of Missouri and previous board member.
  • Member of the Missouri State Thespian Organization. I also directed the Missouri Thespian All State Show in 2014 and 2017, and the 2014 production was selected by and performed at the International Theatre Festival.