Evanston Team

Meet Our Team

Heather Kipper-Bernat (She/Her)

School Director

Most of the vacations I had growing up were not to tropical destinations or historic monuments, but a 40-mile drive away from the Illinois suburbs to “the city” of Chicago. Our frequent trips to the Art Institute of Chicago are some of my earliest memories and were my first introduction to a life-long obsession with the visual arts. In addition to being an “art kid” throughout my childhood and teen years, I went on to study Art Education and obtain my K-12 Illinois teaching certification with hopes of educating and inspiring others interested in the study and practice of making. After teaching K-12 art in public schools, my career shifted to working in higher education with adults helping guide them towards their creative careers. While my undergraduate concentration was in drawing and painting, my post-baccalaureate education and work have primarily been in commercial photography and image manipulation.

As the Evanston School Director, my role can be distilled down to a culture creator and arts advocate. I get to craft relationships with artists, educators, students, parents, and community members that all share a common interest in the creative process. Some days that looks like directing all of the processes that make our operations run smoothly and other days I get to be hands-on at events, in the classroom, or in our gallery! I love to help guide our students on their creative journey and help to ensure every customer has an amazing experience.

Marisa Andropolis (She/Her)

Director of Education

Learn More About Marisa

Marisa Andropolis is a traditionally trained painter. In 2007, she spent three months at an atelier in the south of France mastering a Northern Renaissance painting technique. In 2011, She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in two-dimensional studies with a minor in Italian Renaissance Studies from Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, OH. From this, Marisa went on to pursue her Post-Baccalaureate at Studio Arts Center International in Florence, Italy with an emphasis in Painting and Art Conservation/Restoration from 2012- 13. In 2018, she received her Master of Fine Art in Studio Art at The University of Mississippi where she spent a year after teaching foundations as a Visiting Instructional Assistant Professor. She currently teaches painting, drawing, and 2D Design at Elgin Community College in Elgin, Illinois and is the Director of Education at One River School. Marisa is passionate about teaching individuals of all ages and inspires them to discover the magic in the world through art.

I have always loved art and remember drawing even as a small child. I vividly remember being young and watching Star Wars with my dad and trying to draw every spaceship as accurately as I could. When I decided to pursue art in school, I was interested in old renaissance painting techniques and wanted to be classically trained like the old masters. I studied painting in both my bachelors and master’s degree. Although I love all mediums in art, oil painting will always hold a special place in my heart. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to teach a foundations class in graduate school, and completely fell in love with teaching from that point on.

Marisa's Class Schedule

DOT (they/them)

Assistant Director of Student Services

Learn More About Dot

I’m a nonbinary artist originally from Austin, Texas, now based in Chicago after getting my BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. My art practice centers on storytelling through imagery and self-expression, utilizing repetitive processes such as stylized comic drawing, fiberwork, and hand-drawn animation. The choice of medium I work in deeply influences the subject matter of each piece. The focus required to engage with materials—whether a pencil or a crochet hook—becomes a therapeutic process, allowing me to channel my thoughts and emotions. This synergy between body, mind, and medium fosters a flow state that is integral to my creative process.

Currently, my primary focuses are crochet, animation, needle felting, and drawing (both digital and traditional), though I am passionate about exploring all forms of art and craft. My fiber work includes handmade clothing and accessories, primarily through crochet and knitting. In animation, I explore short-form content that delves into character movement and personality through their interactions with their environment. My drawing and needle felting work often feature narrative-driven, image-based work that invites viewers to question and engage with the situations depicted.

I strive to share the excitement and fulfillment that flow states bring to both art and life, hoping to inspire others to discover and harness this transformative experience.

Dot's Class Schedule

JEANETTE (SHE/HER)

Learn About Jeanette

Jeanette's Class Schedule

GLENESE (SHE/HER)

Learn About Glenese

Community, outreach, & keeping arts actively attainable regardless of age, ability, & budget is the driving force behind G's artistic endeavors. Over the years her creative journey has spanned many different avenues & media types making her comfortable with a variety of mediums/techniques (traditional & digital alike).

Glenese has been an instructor & mentor within the arts/entertainment industry & academia since the early 2000's with students ranging in age from 2yrs - 99yrs. Most predominantly, she's known for concept, design, & sculpt/fabrication related to all things characters/creatures (plus, worldbuilding & storytelling for such). Other related roles have been Department Head, Project Manager, Artistic Producer, & as a creative problem-solving specialist!

When not designing nor creating for productions/clients, Sculpting & 3D Digital Modeling are her favorite artistic outlets, along with Photography & Digital Art. Other interesting tidbits: she's a huge animal lover, plus you'll rarely find her without her water bottle & a .5mm mechanical pencil!

Glenese's Class Schedule

SALLY (SHE/HER)

Learn About Sally

Sally's Class Schedule

Join Our Team

Career opportunities at One River School allow passionate artists, educators and lovers of art to share their love and knowledge of art and enhance the lives of people they connect with everyday.

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