Laura Barton received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA in 1984. She continues to expand upon her education by taking classes at the Main Line Art Center, the Community Art Center and the Chester County Art Association. She has worked for several advertising/design studios and now operates her own graphic design business, Barton Design, Inc. However, her passion remains in painting. Her oil landscapes, cityscapes, interiors & still lives have been on display in numerous galleries, both locally and regionally. Working primarily on location - in plain air - she usually limits her canvas size to 12" x 16". However, she has recently begun doing larger works in the studio. Ms. Barton's paintings range from impressionist to abstract impressionist in style, and capture color and light in its many manifestations. Laura Barton is a second year art of caring artist!

Tracy McCloskey, who was born and raised in West Chester, went to West Chester University where she received her BFA in art with a minor in art history. She went on to receive her teaching certification at Millersville University and now teaches within the West Chester Area School District. In addition, she also teaches at the Chester County Art Association. She partook in the CCAA's 75th anniversary celebration by painting a planter of her own and also assisted students paint a planter at a local middle school. She currently has work at Simple Pleasures Gallery in West Chester. Tracy McCloskey is a second year art of caring artist!

Evalyn Eckman announced as a child, clutching her crayons and coloring books, that she was going to grow up to be an artist. In the eighth grade she won a blue ribbon at the State Fair for her pen and ink drawing. In high school she was the art editor for the school year book. Next, Evalyn received her B.F.A. degree in Painting at the University of Colorado. After leaving her beautiful state, Evalyn found exciting landscapes in Delaware. One evening in Wilmington, she met Frank Schoonover at the Art Museum where she had a painting hanging. He invited her to join a group of painters at his studio. She did, and that led to several years of learning, observing, and painting at his studio. She was thrilled to see this talented painter at work in his studio and felt honored to get to know him. Evalyn favors working in watercolors but has found acrylics very challenging. She enjoys occasional work in pastels…….they seem to have a calming, satisfying affect. Her subject matter is simple and uncomplicated. She explains that a viewer does not have to search for some mysterious or hidden meaning in her work. She especially enjoys painting florals and finds landscapes fascinating. And still life set-ups with unusued “things” can be fun. Evalyn is not associated with any particular gallery, but is always happy to show her work whenever invited to do so. She has been in numerous group and solo shows in the Wilmington and West Chester areas. For many years, Evalyn has been associated with a group of artists in Wilmington called The Studio Group, Inc. The members are all lady painters and they meet once a week year round to paint, sometimes with instructors. A planned program is an attempt to satisfy everyone’s interests. Classes are intended to be a fun and learning experience. Evalyn says she is still striving to grow into that artist the little girl dreamed of.

David is a Chester County artist whose watercolor paintings reflect the quiet beauty of nature. Some of his favorite subjects are native as well as domestic animals which sometimes have a whimsical touch. His work has been exhibited and has won awards in regional juried and invitational shows. After graduating from the Hussian School of Art, David started a career in graphic arts at Sunoco Inc. and retired as Corporate Art Director. He is a member of The Delaware Valley Art League and the Chester County Art Association. His paintings are displayed in private collections across the county. David Linton is a second year art of caring artist!

Born in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Michael Mcnelly’s lifelong interest in art and nature has culminated into a career that is fulfilling and successful. After graduation from the Hussian school of art in 1976, Michael embarked on a twelve-year illustration career. Some of his clients include the New York Times, national wildlife federation, the Jacques Cousteau society, the nature conservancy, TV guide, sun company and Macmillan publishing company. While he still accepts an occasional illustration assignment, his focus for the past fourteen years has been exploring nature through his paintings. Michael has accumulated an impressive collection of awards and best of show ribbons including the Philadelphia academy of science’s award of excellence. Michael’s work can be found in many private and corporate collections throughout the United States and abroad. Michael McNelly is a third year art of caring artist!

Enjoy "Table for Two", Tuliptree Mandala. Jim Simmons studied art at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Jim’s paintings have been exhibited in numerous shows and galleries in the Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware area including squirrel gallery, Willistown, Pa., Chester County Art Association and the Wayne Art Center. Corporate Collections include Blue Cross, Philadelphia, Ray O Vac, Ltd., Miami, Florida, Martex Corp., Philadelphia and MBNA., Newark, Delaware. Jim Simmons is a second year art of caring artist!

Don Shoffner grew up in Chester County, PA anchored by three centuries of family tradition, amid the old buildings, barns, and bridges that fill his works. His challenge is to try and capture their utility, texture and integrity before they disappear from our landscape. Working in watercolor and India ink, his works depict fall and winter scenes in their subdued hues. His seascapes reflect the peaceful nature and warmth of the Massachusetts Southshore and bring a certain balance. After graduating from West Chester University, he studied textile design at the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Sciences, gaining new appreciation for texture and composition. For the past 25 years, Don has been a participant in numerous group shows and associations both in Pennsylvania and New England. He was commissioned to paint the 2005 holiday card for the ARC of Chester County. Working with the Redesign Group, Don has completed production of a toile fabric incorporating seven scenes of the historic Quaker community at Buck Hill Falls. Don Shoffner is a fifth year art of caring artist!

Susan Gordon Davis, "Super", is a lover of nature and wildlife. She magnifies the beauty she sees in nature and animals. A self-taught painter, she is always discovering new ways to share what texture and color can do. Super has exhibited in local galleries in the mid-Atlantic area and plans to paint more local wildlife and landscapes to suit the market desire. The Marchwood Shopping Center Goodwill store in Exton, Pennsylvania has several murals painted by Super for their expansion in 2000. Super's favorite subject matter is pets who have passed on, because in paintings she can capture their beauty forever. Super is a third year art of caring artist!

TM Samuel is a local Artist, who lives and teaches Art in Southern Chester County. She specializes in oil, charcoal and watercolor. TM Samuel was born in Merrimack, New Hampshire and moved to the Southern Chester County in 1990, where she completed high school in the Avon Grove School District. Samuel graduated Dean’s list from Kutztown University in 2005, with a B.S. in Art Education k-12. She currently teaches Art at Nottingham Elementary School in the Oxford Area School District. There she strives to teach her students the value, impact, and unique individuality of Art. Samuel also gives Art Lessons through the Southern Chester County YMCA and works in an after school enrichment program for kindergarten students. As an Artist, TM Samuel creates artwork by commission through her Studio she calls Animae, the Latin word meaning breath, life, and soul. This word was chosen through Samuel’s love of the Latin language and because of the outstanding link the essence of this word embodies within Art. Although Samuel’s most celebrated subject matter is the human form, she enjoys abstraction and surrealism above all. TM Samuel is currently illustrating two books for the world renowned Musician, Angela Falco and paints murals in homes throughout the county. She is also showing 25 pieces of Art at the Chamber of Commerce in Malvern, Pennsylvania. To learn more of TM Samuel visit her Web site at www.StudioAnimae.com.

Nancy Thompson has taught and painted in Chester County for over 30 years. She studied at Moore College of Art, Beaver College, and Penn State University. Her Yellow Ribbon design sold nationally through QVC to benefit the Red Cross during the Persian Gulf War. Nancy’s paintings include many historical sites with a human touch. She participated in the 2004 Harrisburg “Cow Parade” by painting a fiberglass cow to commemorate the work of historical muralist Violet Oakley. Nancy Thompson is a five year art of caring artist!

Betsy Elliott Zukin is a graduate of the University of the Arts and received her M.F.A from Tyler School of Art. Betsy received both the Faculty and Renzetti Awards while attending the University of the Arts and was granted the Russell Conwell Fellowship by Tyler School of Art. Her work is featured in Visions by Dr. Steven C. Schachter. Betsy has shown her work in multi-media events with visual art, music and performance at the Prince Music Theater, Philadelphia, and has performed and displayed her work at the Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia. Her work has been in shows throughout the country. Betsy was taught to sew, and embroider when she was 5 years old by her great aunt. Teaching art to children has always been a passion. Her art work primarily consists of repetitive patterns, often using found objects. The repetition is a motif from textiles, each thread is a form on its own, when unified they becomes a pattern or object. Betsy Zukin is a Three Year Art of Caring Artist!

Artist’s Statement ”Using paint and pencil I create full color narratives celebrating the common moments of humanity chronicled thru nostalgic black and white photography” Dane has taken his artwork towards new dimensions going from realism to a stylish combination developing his own interpretations of surrealism and primitive elongation. He has established himself as one of the premier painters of African American Art. He has a creative approach to artistic images of the common man, woman and child. Dane’s images are inspired of African Americans in and out of daily life, popular entertainment, and the world of sports. He has exhibited his works throughout the United States at art festivals, galleries, trade shows, convention centers and sports arenas where he has received numerous awards. His work has been exhibited at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, and also in one-man shows at Howard University, Widener University, West Chester University, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State and the Butler Institute of Fine Art in Youngstown, Ohio. He was recently commissioned to create artwork for the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey that would be displayed throughout the arena’s public spaces, private suites and corporate offices. Collectors of Dane’s artwork include notables such as Dave Winfield, Nelson Mandela, Bill Cosby, the estate of Ossie Davis, Nabisco Corporation and Astra-Zeneca. In 2004 Kutztown University commissioned him for a commemorative poster for the 50th Anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education. Dane’s creative philosophy is to bring to the audience his interpretative views of life on canvas. This is reflected in his diverse presentations as he shares his artistic gift with his audience. His unique style clearly defines his mastery of the craft. Dane is a third year art of caring artist!