Our Makers


Maureen Coleman

I was born and raised in Syracuse, New York and still call it home. I took a little hiatus from the cold and left the area after high school to pursue a college degree in North Carolina. There, I graduated with magna cum laude from High Point University, receiving a B.S. in Interior Design. It was a wonderful experience to be able to see what life is like outside of my little hometown here in Central New York… but after graduation, I felt a pull to return home and alter my life path from designing interiors to teaching art. My first true love. I went on to receive a M.S. in Art Education from Syracuse University and have been teaching 7th Grade art at ESM’s Pine Grove Middle School since.


Kathleen Ehrlich

I moved to Syracuse as a child and have lived here for most of my life. Art has always been my passion in life from a very young age. I started out my formal education at Onondaga Community College, receiving an Associate’s degree in Art which led to a Chancellor’s scholarship to continue my education at Syracuse University. While at SU I completed my Bachelor’s in Art Education and was awarded a teaching assistantship to stay on and complete my masters. After gaining my teaching certification I started teaching high school Studio Art and Media Arts. Currently I teach 8th grade general art and Advanced Art for high school credit. As a mom of two young children much of my time is spent working with, helping and creating alongside children.

Both Kathleen and Maureen are certified by the State of New York to teach art k-12.