Our Instructors
Joel Tidey
Instructor - Drawing
Joel studied at The Art Institute of Philadelphia and continued his studies at The New York Art Students League in New York City. His work has been exhibited throughout the tri-state area and abroad.
Read about Joel Tidey
Mark Romanoski
Instructor - Illustration, Fantasy Arts and Comics
Mark is a graduate of Kean University with a B.F.A. in Illustration. He studied under Joe DeVito and ultimately enrolled in the Art Student League. Mark focused on illustration at the duCret School of Art, studying under Peter Caras. He began his illustration career in the studio of famed illustrators Tim and Greg Hildebrandt. His work in the fantasy arts includes such clientele as D.C. Comics, Marvel Comics, WWE and World of Warcraft. He is also an accomplished muralist.
Read more here – https://www.markromanoski.com//
Phil Laskowski
Instructor - Adobe InDesign
Phil Laskowski teaches graphic design thorough knowledge of the various aspects involved in the conception, design, production and management of print, video, multimedia and interactive promotions. He has done design work for Dow Jones, Business Information Services, Merrill Lynch, MetLife, Rapp Advertising, and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Read more here – http://pldesigns.net/
Frank Falotico
Instructor - Anatomy. Pastel, Sculpture
Frank Falotico has a B.A. from Monmouth University and is a graduate of the duCret School of Art. He also studied at the Art Students League, N.Y. under famed anatomist, Robert Beverly Hale. Professional experience includes work in animation with both Adventure Cartoons for T.V. and Paramount Studios, N.Y. and design and illustration for the Point-of-Purchase publication display field. He has exhibited in numerous shows in New Jersey and New York.
Read more here – Frank Falotico
Michael A. Donato
Instructor - Drawing, Renaissance Oil Painting, Children's Book Illustration
Michael Donato graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1974 with a B.F.A. degree and has been working as a professional artist/illustrator since then. His illustrations have appeared in both editorial and children’s markets with commissioned paintings appearing in galleries and private collections.
Read more here – Michael Donato
Christine Myshka
Instructor - Life Drawing, Watercolor, Steampunk, Waterworks, Pen & Ink
Christine has been working professionally for over 30 years. In carving out a career in the visual arts, she has done illustration, logo designs, architectural portraits, fine art, murals, and painted furniture. Some of her clients include Davis Publishing, Ideal Graphics Inc., T`Leon Advertising, The Home New & Tribune, Suburban Golf Club, Arcola Country Club, Rockaway River Country Club, EJ`s Bar and Grille, Vitale General Contracting, John Kling Custom Homes as well as numerous commissions for private clients.
Read more here – Christine Myshka or here
Jo-El Lopez
Instructor - Acrylic Painting
Jo-El is a New Jersey native who uses the visual storytelling of traditional realism to convey complex commentary on the intersection of faith and modernity, the strength of family, and the multidimensional contemporary urban experience.
The decades the artist spent under the Pentecostal doctrine, a bold color palette informed by both abstract painting as well as the older traditions of icon-making, all meld to create Lopez’s kaleidoscopic worldview. His collection of artworks reveals a restless, deeply engaged spirit closely observing his immediate environment and the more significant historical trajectory of national news.
Read more here – Jo-El Lopez
Larry Gove
Instructor - Jewelry Design
Larry has over 48 years of experience in the jewelry industry.
Specializing in custom design, bench repair and lapidary techniques. Expert in wax modeling, casting, fabrication, diamond setting and polishing.
He has been teaching at duCret Center of Art for the past 18 years.
Billy Seccombe
Instructor - Oil Painting
Richard Lear
Instructor - Scene Study
Richard Lear is a Plainfield, NJ resident and excited to be teaching at duCret. He has been coaching professional actors for auditions for years. He directed Egg Salad for Dragonfly Multicultural Arts Center, The Sunshine Boys for AOD – Pat Golden, and was the assistant musical director for Day In Hollywood,
He is the author of 3 screenplays, 2 short plays and 1 novel and will be producing his latest screenplay this coming summer. Richard is a graduate of Amy Poehler’s Improv School, Upright Citizens Brigade, a member of the New Jersey Repertory Company and Theater Breaking Through Barriers in New York City.
Read more here – RIchard Lear
Kevin Sadler
Instructor - Illustration, Digital Painting
Kevin Sadler graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Illustration. He has done design and prep of commercial print pieces including posters, pocket folders, mailers, invitations, books for clients like Seton Hall University, Drew University, O.Berk Company, Boy Scouts of America, and Village Supermarkets.
Read more here Kevin Sadler
Nancy Plominski
Instructor - Sewing
Nancy fell in love with sewing at a young age and never stopped. She’s been teaching sewing for the past seventeen years to students of all ages. With her extensive experience in fashion design, millinery, and tailoring from attending the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC, Nancy is passionate about sharing her love of sewing, fabrics, and design with her students. She is a maker who loves all the needle & fiber arts including embroidery, hand sewing, quilting, weaving, and knitting. Before she began teaching, Nancy worked freelance designing and constructing custom-made clothing and costumes for individuals, film, theater, and dance productions.
Read about Nancy and see her work: Nancy Plominski
Alexandria Lewis
Instructor - Crochet
Meet Alexandria Lewis, a self-taught crochet artist who has spent years honing her craft and perfecting her unique style. Alexandria fell in love with crochet after the birth of her daughter.
“I remember sharing the news of my pregnancy with someone who wanted to make my baby a blanket. I appreciated such a kind gesture but couldn’t help feeling like I should create something for my baby with my hands.” She recalls and has been hooked ever since.
Read about Alexandria Lewis
Eva Sienkiewicz
Instructor - Ceramics, Stained Glass
Like many other artists, Eva Sienkiewicz arrived at her current profession by a convoluted route with a built-in compass that knew “my heart was always with art”. She obtained a Master of Science Degree in Biology at Silesian University in Katowice, Poland and received training in ceramics, stained glass and art therapy with the Polish Ministry of Culture. She subsequently wrote magazine articles and worked as an art therapist and manager for the Polish Society of the Mentally Disabled.
After immigrating to the United States in 1999, Eva studied at the Craft Student League, Moravian Pottery and Tile Works in Doylestown, PA., from 2000-2003 and at the duCret School of Art in Plainfield, NJ from 2003-2006 and graduated cum laude. She has also attended classes at the Art Students League of New York.
Read more here Eva Sienkiewicz
Grace LaForge
Instructor - Ceramics: On and Off the Wheel, Chidren's Camp, Open Studio
Grace has taught Art most of her adult life, to children from grades K through 12 as well as adult classes. The past 20 years have been spent at Bonnie Brae in Liberty Corner, teaching Art and Ceramics to youth in a Special Ed setting. While there, she especially loved spearheading annual pottery-making events which involved all students and staff in raising funds for worthy causes: Soup Bowls for Hunger, Pies and Plates for Puerto Rico, Smile Train Tiles, to name a few. She especially loves collaborative efforts like the group sculpture done by the Friday morning Open Studio Ceramics group for the Evanescent show at duCret.
Read about Grace LaForge
Mike Stark
Instructor - Printmaking
Mike graduated from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a B.F.A. in Printmedia. He is currently the studio director at Frontline Arts, formerly the Printmaking Center of N.J. Mike is also the owner and collaborative printer at Pink Line Press and co-owner of Stark Press Company in Kenilworth, NJ, with his brother Tom. The brothers are much sought after up and down the eastern seaboard to repair, restore, and relocate printing presses. Along with working closely with other artists to guide them through the printmaking process to realize their vision, he continues to create prints, experiments with techniques, and further explore his passion for all things printmaking.
Read about Mike Stark
Ibrahima Diallo
Instructor: Photography
Ibrahima Diallo is a renowned photography instructor and licensed NYC Tour Guide who has been leading photography tours and teaching workshops across the US since 2013. He is fluent in English, French, and Spanish and brings nearly two decades of experience in the tourism and hospitality industry. Diallo’s extensive portfolio has earned him a position as the former Vice President of the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) and features in interviews by notable platforms like BBC World and NYC TV.
In the realm of photography, Diallo is celebrated as an accomplished author whose work has been highlighted in esteemed publications such as Photography Week, NPhoto Magazine, and Digital Camera World. His photographs have graced several prestigious venues, including online Virart Gallery, King’s Manor in New York City and international exhibitions in Spain, Germany, Vietnam, and Greece. Additionally, he operates a successful photography business that specializes in weddings, events, portraits, commercial, and fine art photography, continually committed to excellence in every project.
Greg Gilchrist
Instructor: Pottery Wheel Intermediate and Intro
After an almost three-decade hiatus from working in clay, Greg started attending the Open Ceramics Studio at duCret, honoring a promise he made to himself during Covid to reintroduce back into his life things that used to give him joy. He was soon asked to become an instructor at duCret and started teaching evening pottery wheel classes. Greg’s days are spent seeing Art’s therapeutic and transformative power while teaching creative courses at the Plainfield Senior Citizens Center. His goal is for all his students and himself to have fun while exploring personal creativity.
His favorite quote is by Kurt Vonnegut:
“To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”
Read about Greg and see his work: Greg Gilchrist