FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT

Shilpa Rao is a St. Louis based, interdisciplinary artist with over 10 years of experience in community art and teaching. She works towards expanding artistic horizons, promoting multicultural outreach and connecting communities through art. Rao believes art can bridge gaps in communities, help heal, voice opinions, and spread positivity. She is a 2020 Teaching Artist Institute fellow from the Regional Arts Commission and 2023 Community Arts Training (CAT) graduate. Being a certified teaching artist allows her to share her passion and empower youth by using art as a powerful means of communication. Rao was born in India and is inspired by ancient art forms from around the world, especially art rooted in geometric and patterned symmetry. She has shown her work at galleries, juried shows and art fairs. Rao’s passion is to create collaborative art using her teaching skills with different communities. She has worked with various organizations including The Saint Louis Art Museum, The History Museum, The Magic House, Bread and Roses Missouri, Craft Alliance, Webster Arts, the City of Manchester, the City of Chesterfield, and St. Louis County Library. 

At Dayspring Arts and Education, Rao has taught Clay, Painting, Drawing, Geometric Art, and Friday enrichment classes since 2022.

Sheri Lyn Terry, Performing Arts and Art Educator, enjoys teaching and directing numerous youth musicals, fairy tales and melodramas in schools, camps, and community centers. Some of her favorites are Peter Pan, 101 Dalmatians, The Little Mermaid, and Alice in Wonderland. She directed Be A Star On Stage for 9 years in Maryland Heights, MO. She also has produced themed Variety Shows with senior adults and welcomes students of all ages to collaborate with her to make a production a rewarding experience for all. In her art classes Ms. Terry teaches a variety of techniques and especially enjoys collage and clay projects. She spent 5 summers in Maine at Tripp Lake Camp teaching pottery skills to 350 girls and is on the board of Blaze STL.

Sukanya Mani is a St Louis-based multidisciplinary artist. Mani has been with Dayspring for over two years, during which she has successfully hired more than 10 teaching artists,  developed a comprehensive arts curriculum that integrates various artistic disciplines, focusing on both foundational techniques and creative expression , created a range of art classes and short sessions, and established partnerships with local organizations.  She is dedicated to both your and your child's artistic development by building strong technical skills while also providing the freedom for their creativity to flourish.

As a professional artist, Mani seamlessly blends feminist values into actionable art using intentional choices, educational endeavors, and empowerment initiatives to create installations using cut paper, and found objects. Transforming the violent act of cutting into an act of creation is central to her artistic approach. Ultimately, through the delicate manipulation of space, Mani seeks to evoke empathy, spark conversations, and inspire action. A TEDX STL 2021 Speaker, Mani’s works are featured in prominent private and public collections and she has received numerous awards and grants for her work creating art in the community. Please visit her website www.sukanyamani.com to see her artistic works.

Pratima Murali is an interdisciplinary immigrant artist who lives in St. Louis. She has a degree in Applied Arts from India and she is a 2016 Community Arts Training (CAT) fellow from the Regional Arts Commission. She is an experienced teaching artist and an educator whose artistic journey is deeply connected to the natural world. Her teaching practice intentionally includes an emphasis on nature, and sustainability. She draws on her photography skills to inform her mixed media work to express her passion for nature. Her paintings weave visual stories using layers of paint, marks, and medium; leading to interesting textures, natural and abstract shapes. She has shown her work in galleries, art fairs, and invitational art shows. Her paintings can be found in homes in the United States and abroad. She has taught and led community art workshops for varied age groups through Artscope, Bread and Roses, DaySpring Arts and Education, and The Magic House. She is an Assistant Educator on Call at The Saint Louis Art Museum where she oversaw the Summer Artful Adventures for the past 2 years.

I graduated from Central Methodist University with a BS in Child Development. I have minors in Accounting, Business Administration and Early care & Education. I have been the director and teacher of my bilingual program for 15 years in a small setting with young children. I have two daughters, who are Dayspring Alumni. They attended DaySpring from Kindergarten through high school with me as their at-home teacher. As a DaySpring family, we are very familiar with the DaySpring's teaching method, the materials, and the wonderful education that DaySpring offers.

Hello! My name is Gayathri Seetharaman and I am thrilled to be your students’ Visual Arts Teacher at Dayspring. I am a St. Louis based teaching artist with over 10 years experience in the community teaching and volunteering. I have shown my work at galleries and juried art shows in painting and photography. I have collaborated with St. Louis Art Museum, The Magic House, St. Louis County library and I also teach at ParkwayRockwood community education. Throughout the year, your students will be exploring a wide range of styles, artists, art-mediums, and learn about the principles of art. Students will learn to be creative, express themselves freely, be hands-on and messy at times :) I have been teaching at Dayspring since 2023. Through Art Explorers, and the Drawing and Painting classes, students will learn the skills, techniques, and the appreciation of art.

Erica Popp is a mother, artist, educator, and curator. Her artwork is primarily ceramics and photography, especially alternative photographic processes. Her work has been shown nationally in solo and group exhibitions. She has juried and curated art and photography exhibitions regionally and nationally. Together with her husband, Erica was the owner and co-curator of Erica Popp Studios + Gallery, dedicated to supporting artists who are young in their careers through exhibitions, workshops, and mentorship, from 2017-2020. Erica holds an MFA in Photography and Ceramics from Fontbonne University. She has taught photography, design, and developmental writing at the college level, visual arts at the high school level, and summer art camps for children ages 4-14. She currently works full-time as the K-6 Visual Art Specialist at New City School and is pleased to be offering evening classes at DaySpring where her son Eddie has attended since first grade.