2025 Camp Create Staff & Teachers

Jodi-Ann Taylor
Jodi-Ann Taylor is the Associate Curator of Education at the Museum of Art – DeLand and the coordinator for Camp Create. She recently graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Digital Arts with Music and Entrepreneurship minors from Stetson University and has been teaching art to youth for almost 4 years, starting at the Gateway Center for the Arts as a Summer Camp Art Teacher. She has worked at the Hand Art Center as a Gallery Assistant, and now loves to help implement educational art programming within our local communities for people of all ages through the Museum of Art – DeLand. Jodi-Ann also serves as Vocal Director at Identity Church Daytona, and teaches voice and piano with Beachside Music Lessons and Therapy. As a multidisciplinary artist, Jodi-Ann adores performing and producing music, writing poetry and songs, leading worship, portrait and nature photography, exhibiting her portrait paintings, and running her Etsy store. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and making memories with her loved ones. Jodi-Ann will be at camp every week as an administrator.

Ashley Hess
Ashley Hess is the art teacher at Heritage Middle School where she has been teaching since 2021. Prior to teaching in Volusia County, she worked as Museum Educator at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. She grew up in Georgia where she received a bachelor’s in Sequential Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. She also holds a Masters of Archeology, Art History, and Museum Studies from Paris-Sorbonne University. She specializes in ceramics, watercolor, acrylic, pen and ink, as well as mandala designs. Ashley will be teaching Weeks 5 & 6 at Camp Create.

Gwen Petersohn
Gwen Petersohn is a retired educator of 37 years in Volusia County. During those years she taught high school 2D and 3D Art, Elementary Art, General Education (grades 3rd and 5th), and held various positions in Exceptional Student Education. Gwen has a master’s degree in Varying Exceptionalities, Elementary Education and Studio Art, and is also an Artist, Illustrator, Author, and CrossFit Coach. Her favorite medium to work in is acrylic paint and she loves to work with her hands, taking inspiration from the old saying: “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Gwen will be teaching Week 1 at Camp Create.

Katina Hurst
Katina Hurst is an Art Teacher at Freedom Elementary, and has been teaching for 7 years, 2 of them being in art. Art has been a lifelong passion of Katina’s, and she feels so lucky to be able to share that passion with students. In her spare time, Katina creates most of her own artwork using watercolors. When she is not teaching or creating, she spends time with her family, including painting her two young children. Katina is very excited to be teaching Weeks 2 & 5 at Camp Create.

Kristan Brinley
Kristan Kinsella-Brinley currently teaches at DeLand High school in grades 9 through 12. She teaches Photography, Studio Art, Drawing and Painting, Portfolio Development, and Advanced Placement Studio Art classes. She has been living her dream as an art teacher since 2003. Kristan graduated from Syracuse University with a master’s degree in art education and began teaching elementary school art and later moved into teaching at the high school level. She spent her summers teaching art camp at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse for 8 years and is excited to get back to teaching summer art camp here in DeLand for her 5th year for Week 6 of Camp Create!

Tiffany Warren
Tiffany Warren is the elementary art teacher at Champion Elementary School, and has been working with Volusia County Schools for 10 years, with the end of the school year marking her 5th year teaching art. She values inclusivity of all students-regardless of ability, encouraging everyone to shine and find a love within art! Art is one of her greatest joys and her biggest passion is to spread that joy to others and see them grow within the art field. While not teaching and creating, she enjoys spending time with her husband and three children at home or traveling. Tiffany will be teaching Weeks 3 & 4 at Camp Create.

Kim Martinez
If there is one thing that describes the persona of Kim Martinez, it is her desire to create. This desire was instilled from an early age through drawing the cartoons from the inside of matchbook covers; then graduating to pastels in her teens and early twenties, and then discovering acrylic painting. Her passion to find creativity in almost every aspect of her life has led to a diverse artistic background. Kim has an AA in Fashion Merchandising from LA Trade Tech and a BA equivalent in Education from St. Leo’s University and her professional background encompasses several creative fields including: art leadership, show production prop builder/stagehand, muralist/decorative artist, stained glass artesian, life-casting sculptor, arts and crafts instructor- with children, adults, and special needs individuals. Kim is a mostly self-taught artist and has worked in a variety of mediums, but her true love is hand-building/sculpting with polymer and air-dry clay. Her most recent artistic endeavors are hosting her private Facebook clay group and being a member and exhibitor at ArtWorks Deland gallery, where she sells her work and teaches a variety of clay projects. We are excited to have Kim as a teacher for Week 3 of Camp Create.

Nicole Steele
Nicole Steele has been a teacher for 16 years and currently teaches Art at Starke Elementary in Deland. She has a passion for creating many forms of art and encouraging her students to explore all media. Nicole was recently named as a recipient of the 2025 Crystal Apple Award by the DeLand & Greater West Volusia Chamber of Commerce. Nicole and her loving husband Lance have two amazing children, Mason who is 21 and Maddie who is 17 and attends Deland High School. Nicole moved to Florida 3 years ago from Tennessee with her family and they love to explore everything Florida has to offer! Nicole will be joining us as a teacher for Weeks 1 and 2 of Camp Create.

Tamera Dillen
Tamera Dillen has been teaching life skills and art for 12 years, the last 3 years exclusively focusing on art education. Tamera holds a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies majoring in Education and Art from the University of Central Florida. She loves guiding students through self-expression using various forms of art. For Tamera, it’s rewarding to see her students explore their art skills and art making processes. Spending time outdoors, gardening, hiking, enjoying concerts, going to festivals, and creating 2D art like landscapes are all things Tamera loves. Tamera will be teaching with us for Week 4 of Camp Create.

Camp Policies

Cancellations and Refunds

• • • No fees will be returned or credits issued for failure to attend.
    • There will be no make-up classes due to a student’s illness, unanticipated travel or other reasons not the responsibility of the Museum of Art – DeLand.
    • If a class is canceled, students will be notified at least two (2) days prior to the date of class, and tuition will be refunded. The Museum reserves the right to substitute teachers as needed.
    • A refund will be issued minus a $25 processing fee for cancellation up to 7 days prior to beginning of the session.  No refund will be issued after the 7 day deadline.

Check In/Check Out

• • • Students cannot be dropped off more than 15 minutes before the start of class and students are to be picked up promptly after the end of class. Please let the museum staff know if you are running late. A fee of $1 per minute will be assessed for late pick up or early drop off.
    • Students can only be signed out by authorized adults with identification each day.
    • If any changes need to be made to authorized adults for pick up list, changes must be submitted in writing to Jodi-Ann Taylor.

Lunch/Snacks

• • • Campers should bring two snacks, a lunch, and water bottle with them in clearly labeled containers each day. No refrigeration or microwave is available.

• • • If your child needs any type of medications during camp, please see Jodi-Ann Taylor on Monday at check in.

Dress

• • • Art camp is messy so please send your child with clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty.
    • Campers must wear close toed shoes each day.

• • • Please have your child leave all personal items at home, as we cannot be responsible for them.

For more information contact Jodi-Ann Taylor, Associate Curator of Education, at taylor@moartdeland.org