Our Team
Danielle Barbaro
Danielle was the kid in the back of class who doodled in the margins of her notebooks. A Jill-of-all-trades, she dabbled in many mediums while attending Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, where she received a Bachelors in Fine Art and Masters in Art & Design Education, with a minor in Art History.
Danielle taught publicly in the Department of Education in NYC, as well as privately for individuals, groups, retirement homes, and businesses. She took the plunge on owning a business with The Art Studio in March 2022 after several other tries where the timing wasn’t quite right. She is the studio’s owner, curriculum writer, and lead instructor.
She uses a variety of mediums in her personal artistic endeavors, including printmaking, drawing, pastels, sewing, and watercolor. She encourages all that she meets to doodle in the margins of their notebooks and beyond.
IG: danielle_barbaro
Web: www.daniellebarbaro.com
Meghan Taylor
Meghan is an artist who loves painting animals, wild things, and the small wonders we often overlook, like pigeons and dandelions. She earned her BFA in Studio Art from SUNY Geneseo, studied graphic design at Hunter College, and continued painting at The Art League of Alexandria and the Art Students League in NYC. Alongside her art, she spent years in administrative work in the nonprofit sector before transitioning to painting full time, including pet portraits. Her work has been exhibited across the U.S. and now lives in homes around the world. When she’s not painting, you’ll likely find her birdwatching, making questionable batches of kombucha, or hanging out with shelter cats. She has been working at The Art Studio as our Studio Coordinator since February 2026.
IG: @meghantaylor_art
Web: www.meghantaylor.com
Angelica Zampini
Angelica is a dedicated art instructor at the studio with a deep passion for her craft. She teaches a variety of classes including general art, drawing, oil painting, and pottery. She approaches teaching with a soft, caring, and inclusive style, supporting students of all ages with patience and encouragement.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Molloy University, with double minors in art therapy and child life. Knowing she wanted to work with children and art, she found her path at the studio. After joining the team in January 2023, she quickly took on increased responsibilities as one of the lead instructors and found a strong sense of purpose in teaching and mentoring others.
Chloe Veg
Chloe grew up right here on Long Island and earned her bachelor’s degree in Art from LIU Post. She became part of the Art Studio family in March 2024 and is working toward her master’s in Art Education. She is one of the studio’s lead instructors.
The studio has always been a special place for her, and she’s excited to help create that same sense of comfort and creativity for others. Chloe enjoys working with all ages and exploring different mediums such as paint, pastels, mixed media, and pottery.
Watching students explore, grow, and discover their ability to create is where she finds the most joy and inspiration.
Stephanie Battista
Stephanie has a BFA in Fashion Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in New York City. She has worked as a Designer for over a decade with some of the industry’s finest brands, including Avec Les Filles, Express, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom. After years of experience in NYC’s Garment District, she now welcomes the opportunity to share her knowledge with young budding designers at The Art Studio. She has been one of the studio’s lead fashion and sewing teachers since July 2022.
Erma Wyse
Erma has decades of experience in sewing and garment construction, specializing in a variety of sewing techniques from beginner basics to advance methods. She has taught children and adults of all ages and is passionate about sharing her knowledge and skills with students to help bring their creative vision to life. Her classes are designed to be hands-on, engaging, and tailored to all skill levels, ensuring confidence is built to continue the sewing journey. She has been one of the studio’s lead fashion and sewing teachers since September 2024.
Chris Ortiz
Chris is a visual artist specializing in character design, concept art, and illustration for video games and animation. He is a huge fan of games like The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy, as well as animated series such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and Arcane. His greatest passion is to create characters with depth and dignity through inclusive and accurate representation. He is excited to share his knowledge and techniques to help future artists build their own stories and worlds that reflect their unique and diverse experiences. He has been working at The Art Studio as our Digital Art teacher since April 2025.
Tierney O’Brien
Tierney graduated with a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Sculpture with a minor in Theater Design and Technology from SUNY New Paltz and she is passionate about all aspects of visual art, including painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, sewing, woodworking, and welding. She loves to share the knowledge she’s learned throughout her years of education and exploration of these materials, and is continuously seeking out ways to learn more from the world around her. Tierney has been working at The Art Studio since January 2026, and she is excited to share the joy of creating art with students and peers alike.
Roger Beckles (In Memoriam)
Roger was a realistic painter living and working in New York City. He was born in 1958 in Barbados, West Indies. From the age of eight, Roger Beckles envisioned leaving his home in Barbados and becoming a professional artist in New York City. At nine, this vision began to come into focus. Roger and his family immigrated to New York where he would grow and continue his artistic explorations.
In 1977 he attended the School of Visual Arts, New York City. A visit to a Cape Cod gallery catalyzed him to pursue his art professionally which lead him to begin studying oil painting with his mentor Marcel Franquelin in Princeton, New Jersey, honing his talent and perfecting his artistic perspective.
Influenced by 18th century French artist Jean Auguste Dominique-Ingres and 21st century contemporary Realist Chilean artist Claudio Bravo, Roger’s oil paintings are richly realistic and soothingly serene. “Composition, light, color, texture and mood are all essential elements for the style of paintings I produce. I want my paintings to express a feeling of serenity, to capture a moment in time, to create a familiar comfort zone.”
His oils have been exhibited at the Garth Davidson Gallery, Clover Fine art Gallery, Gilt Complex, Stricoff Fine Art Gallery and Grenning Gallery.
Roger sadly passed away on May 27, 2024 after losing his battle with cancer. We retain him on this team page in his memory.