Meet Our Instructors
John Armstrong
Drawing & Painting, Singing
John Armstrong's key objectives in founding the Open Arts Studio with his wife Lucy is to provide students with a classical foundation in music, visual and performance arts while creating a safe, noncompetitive and enjoyal classroom atmosphere. He teaches the Open Arts Drawing Method, singing, voice overs and improv. He has a Bachelor of Music from Central Washington University and received his Masters degree in Music & Classical Vocal Performance from the University of Colorado. John has created and studied art since his childhood.
Chris Cozine
Drawing, Painting & Pouring Picasso
Chris has loved painting since she was old enough to pick up a brush. “My Father did not always appreciate my art on the side of his garage or on my bedroom walls. Little did he realize then the obsession & and the passion that drove me to create with paint.”
She is a native of Puyallup Valley. She has also had the privilege to live in many areas of the United States while her husband was serving in the USAF. She has also visited some exotic places throughout our world in recent years, on mission trips doing dental work for the extreme poverty stricken.
Her art education includes studies at Pierce College, Green River College, University of New Mexico, and private classes from local award winning artists. She is an award winner in her own rights and has sold her works to private individuals as well as puzzle companies.
Chris instructs children and adults. She teaches both groups and private individuals. She teaches continuing education adult classes in three painting mediums at Pierce College South Hill Campus, and teaches adults & children at the Open Arts Studio, Tacoma, Washington. Chris has also opened her own studio to students in painting mediums as well as drawing mediums.
She continues to study and read about art and techniques. Chris believes that every artist continues to evolve and improve on their technique.
Philosophy: Take time to see the world around you and express yourself in painting. Let yourself be free and HAVE FUN creating.
She is a native of Puyallup Valley. She has also had the privilege to live in many areas of the United States while her husband was serving in the USAF. She has also visited some exotic places throughout our world in recent years, on mission trips doing dental work for the extreme poverty stricken.
Her art education includes studies at Pierce College, Green River College, University of New Mexico, and private classes from local award winning artists. She is an award winner in her own rights and has sold her works to private individuals as well as puzzle companies.
Chris instructs children and adults. She teaches both groups and private individuals. She teaches continuing education adult classes in three painting mediums at Pierce College South Hill Campus, and teaches adults & children at the Open Arts Studio, Tacoma, Washington. Chris has also opened her own studio to students in painting mediums as well as drawing mediums.
She continues to study and read about art and techniques. Chris believes that every artist continues to evolve and improve on their technique.
Philosophy: Take time to see the world around you and express yourself in painting. Let yourself be free and HAVE FUN creating.
Michelle Yamamoto
Drawing, Painting, & Pouring Picasso
Michelle’s Artist Statement
As a little girl I was always a doodler and I remember my first art studio was underneath the basement stairs when I was around 7.
In my life’s journey over the past 25 years from Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo to Beijing, China and Manila, Philippines to Whistler, B.C. and now to a quiet town south of Seattle called Ruston in the USA, my own introspective path and the colorful lives of the people and artists I have met along the way have been the biggest influences in my work.
I recall a chrystaline moment when we first arrived in Kota Kinabalu in 1989 and without having the necessary work papers to continue my career path, I decided all I could do was take up painting again to keep my sanity and so I started studying the Master’s such as Degas and Michelangelo and basically teaching myself human anatomy, color theory and portrait drawing and painting as typhoons came and went.
Around 10 years ago when I lived in Whistler, I formed my company “YinspirationArt Studios” and completed 36 illustration covers for Pique Newsmagazine. Then in addition to offering high quality reproductions of my work, I recently launched my series of Meditation Journals which enjoy distribution into 24 retail outlets in North America.
After over 20 solo and group art shows and 4 trade shows, I feel truly blessed to live this life that revolves around art which now includes teaching at the highly reputable Open Arts Studio in Tacoma. 2013 marked the beginning of my teaching career when I was invited to do an Artist’s Residency with at-risk young teens at a middle school in Hood River. It changed my life and now I have three artist’s residencies scheduled for the coming year between Whistler, BC and Hood River, Oregon in addition to my drawing and painting teaching at Open Arts Studios.
I am represented by White Dog Gallery in Whistler, BC and the Columbia Centre for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon.
Please check out my Skateboard Art teaching video to know more about me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KapJa5_fqW8 and visit my website: www.yinspirationart.com
As a little girl I was always a doodler and I remember my first art studio was underneath the basement stairs when I was around 7.
In my life’s journey over the past 25 years from Kota Kinabalu on the island of Borneo to Beijing, China and Manila, Philippines to Whistler, B.C. and now to a quiet town south of Seattle called Ruston in the USA, my own introspective path and the colorful lives of the people and artists I have met along the way have been the biggest influences in my work.
I recall a chrystaline moment when we first arrived in Kota Kinabalu in 1989 and without having the necessary work papers to continue my career path, I decided all I could do was take up painting again to keep my sanity and so I started studying the Master’s such as Degas and Michelangelo and basically teaching myself human anatomy, color theory and portrait drawing and painting as typhoons came and went.
Around 10 years ago when I lived in Whistler, I formed my company “YinspirationArt Studios” and completed 36 illustration covers for Pique Newsmagazine. Then in addition to offering high quality reproductions of my work, I recently launched my series of Meditation Journals which enjoy distribution into 24 retail outlets in North America.
After over 20 solo and group art shows and 4 trade shows, I feel truly blessed to live this life that revolves around art which now includes teaching at the highly reputable Open Arts Studio in Tacoma. 2013 marked the beginning of my teaching career when I was invited to do an Artist’s Residency with at-risk young teens at a middle school in Hood River. It changed my life and now I have three artist’s residencies scheduled for the coming year between Whistler, BC and Hood River, Oregon in addition to my drawing and painting teaching at Open Arts Studios.
I am represented by White Dog Gallery in Whistler, BC and the Columbia Centre for the Arts in Hood River, Oregon.
Please check out my Skateboard Art teaching video to know more about me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KapJa5_fqW8 and visit my website: www.yinspirationart.com
Peter Giardina A.K.A. "PECO", Guitar
Peter Giardina has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Education from Youngstown State University in Ohio. He earned his Master's degree in Education Technology from City University. Peter has been working as a public school teacher for 11+ years and has a background in the Orff and Kodaly teaching methods. He has taught guitar privately for 20+ years. Peter has expierence in many areas and styles of guitar such as fingerstyle, classical, electric rhythm and blues as well as rock. He has participated in many cover bands, tribute bands and original bands. Peter is also an aspiring singer and songwriter.
Risa Kaneko, Ceramics
Biography coming soon.
Natasha Leps, Piano
Natasha’s veins run thick with a love of music; after 18 years of playing the piano and 8 years of teaching piano, there is nothing she finds more satisfying than sharing that love of music with others! As a Bachelor of Arts in music graduate from Seattle Pacific University, Natasha’s primary degree focuses were in piano performance, piano pedagogy, and music theory. In addition to her formal music training, she also spent several years student teaching all ages of students a wide variety of subjects, including: history, math, English, and music theory, as well as leading sectionals for piano classes and choirs. Her love of seeing others succeed coupled with her great love of music, has made Natasha a passionate, caring, and patient teacher who is happy to work with all musical abilities and all ages. Using the knowledge and pedagogical techniques she acquired from her education and 13 years of classical piano lessons and training, Natasha is ecstatic to share her experiences and gain many more here at Open Arts Studio’s group and private piano program.
