If you are interested in purchasing any of these art pieces, please contact 9Muses Art Center located at: 7139 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Lauderhill, FL  33313 954-746-2055 or Click Here

Kathleen

Kathleen Keuper Born in Rochester, NY, Kathleen attended art classes at Memorial Art Gallery there when she was 9 years old, returning there periodically over the years to learn different skills.  Since moving to Florida and joining 9Muses, Kathleen's watercolors and acrylic paintings are popular items in our gallery.  She also enjoys clay sculpting and ceramics.

Lois Feiler Lois was born in Philadelphia, PA and was an art major in college.  She owned and operated a boutique for 17 years where she also designed clothes.  Lois is married and has 3 children and 7 grandchildren.  She works in acrylics, oils and pastels and also does sculpting.  9Muses has given her the confidence to paint after years of abstaining, marvelous instructors who encourage her to explore many art forms and an outlet to express her feelings.

Mara Hyman Born in Brooklyn, NY, Mara attended the High School of Art & Design and the School of Visual Art, both in New York City.  Her work appeared at the Guggenheim Museum and was printed in The New York Times.  Mara paints in acrylics and also does ceramics.  She says 9Muses has been her St. Bernard in an avalanche!

Pat Astoske Because she signs some of her work “Pat A,” many of her friends at 9Muses call her “Pata.”  She was born in Foley, AL moving to South Florida in 1979 when she married.  She is a true “outsider artist,” working mostly in acrylics on canvas, paper, board, wood, etc.  Pat says 9Muses allows her to give of herself so that she can think of others who also have their problems and not be so into herself.  She thinks art has kept her mind from much pain and upset and hopes to enjoy it all her life.

Randy Starr   Hailing from Toledo, OH where she took some art lessons as a child, Randy specializes in religious paintings and those of famous people such as Elvis, Princess Diana, Mother Theresa, etc.  She also makes her own greeting cards and sings with the Turnaround Band, the 9Muses house band.  She says 9Muses saved her life, that taking art lessons and attending a support group have helped her heal from her illness and recover her self-esteem.

Regina Skane   Although born in Baltimore, MD, Regina grew up in Westchester, NY.  She didn’t discover her artistic talent until the 80s and was self-taught until she joined 9Muses.  She specializes in acrylic paintings, ink and pastel designs.  Among her interests are classical music, the theater, furniture refinishing and her dog and cat.  9Muses means everything to Regina, validating her artistic existence, introducing her to new people and teachers and giving her a venue for displaying her art.

Yolanda Hernandez Yolanda arrived in Florida from her birthplace of Cuba via several years in Spain and time in New York City.  She worked for a jewelry design firm doing the wax models, but  had never painted until coming to 9Muses and has come up with many innovative ideas.  She credits 9Muses with saving her life and says it has helped her to set and achieve goals.

Michael Kryszak Michael comes from New Britain, CT and is a totally self-taught artist specializing in jewelry and woodworking.  He's a former postal supervisor and has two beautiful teenage children.  Michael suffers from co-occurring disorders and feels that 9Muses has changed his life, being crucial to his growth as a person and as an artist.

Violet King We consider Violet a born artist.  No matter her state of mind, she can still create.  She is the most prolific of the 9Muses artists and has many styles.  Violet was born in Detroit, MI and studied at the Cass Technical High School of Science and Art there, moving on to the Art Students League and Cooper Union in New York City.  At the age of 18, she did a Pen & Ink for Seventeen Magazine.  She credits 9Muses with "helping her the most of anything" and believes she is better since she came.

Marjorie Bryl At the age of 4, Marjorie knew she had artistic talent.  She had a 4-year scholarship to the University of Buffalo in her hometown and won many awards.  She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts and was an advertising art director in New York and Miami.  Marjorie works mostly in acrylics, but also does oils and charcoal.  She says 9Muses has given her back her confidence as an artist and helped her regain her identity.

Connie Lusk Connie has been painting since kindergarten in Evart, MI, majored in art at Fort Lauderdale High School and received a scholarship to study with Walter O'Hare on Las Olas.  She works mainly in watercolor, acrylic and oils and says 9Muses gives her a sense of identity and a feeling of being close to God and Art while allowing her to get more time away from her problems.

Roger Graning After working as a draftsman in a piano factory, owning his own body shop, and designing and building at Blakely Autoworks for 10 years in DeKalb, IL, Roger's art is mostly colored pencil on matboard and very precise.  He specializes in portraits, pets and cars and does commissioned work from photographs.  He's also a wonderful clay sculptor.  Roger finds 9Muses an anchor, a place to which he feels compelled to come and where he gets inspiration.

Lois Champi Cleary Born in Paterson, NJ, Lois started drawing pictures of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at age 9.  Her teachers thought she traced them until they saw her at work.  Basically self-taught, she learned by trial and error.  Landscapes and animals were her specialty until she started working at 9Muses and artistic Director Peter Cocuzza encouraged her to diversify.  Although art is her main love, she also enjoys gardening and writing.

Luis Agosto Born in New York City, Luis had no formal training, but was into art from the age of 5, sketching cartoons, faces or anything else he would see.  Luis has an interest in ceramics, woodwork, music, theater, museums, photography, and specializes in portraits.  His version of the Mona Lisa caught the eye of Judge Ginger Lerner Wren of Broward's Mental Health Court and was the artwork on our first T-shirts.  Luis feels he expresses his feelings through art and that 9Muses gives him peace of mind while helping him interact with his peers.

Angelo Lombardo Born in Brooklyn, NY, Angelo studied at the Parsons School of Design and spent 30 years in advertising design.  He specializes in sketching, painting in acrylics and watercolor and photography.  Angelo spends 5 days a week at 9Muses and can't think of anyplace he'd rather be.

Peter Cocuzza A Broward resident for over 45 years, Peter was active as a designer for the Winterfest boat parade, charity balls, and the Lauderdale Yacht Club before illness slowed him down.  As the Artistic Director of 9Muses Art Center, he taught most of the fine arts classes and was invaluable for his decorations at MHA fundraisers.  He worked mainly in acrylics and had a variety of styles.  He had no formal training hinself, but was a born teacher.