Dana's daughter, Macy (age 4).
Dana Place- Director
Dana Place was delighted to discover Wee Little Arts at her daughter’s all-girls private school, Ashley Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, where Wee Little Arts founder, Melissa Bradshaw, still teaches the curriculum as a staple of their enrichment program. Through Macy’s love of the classes and the nature of the artwork, Dana was inspired to bring Wee Little Arts to one of her favorite cities-Austin, Texas. Here, she has assembled a team of experienced teachers who share her passion for reaching preschool children through art.
After earning her Marketing degree, Dana pursued and fell in love with the world of advertising where she spent nearly a decade until opting for the role of full-time mother for her daughter, Macy. Now, with her creative and entrepreneurial spirit, she introduces her daughter’s favorite childhood program to pre-schools in Austin. “I have such great art appreciation and wanted Macy exposed at an early age to the masters. When I discovered Wee Little Arts, I knew one day I’d somehow be involved in marketing this program.”
Cristina Coro-Dickson- Instructor
A native Austinite, Cristina has always held a passion for art knowing she wanted to become an artist and teacher from childhood.
Graduating abroad from La Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts, Cristina emphasized sculpture. During this time she became fluent in Spanish and apprenticed for a jeweler honing her metalsmithing and once returning home to Austin, founded Lola Riera Jewelry, a contemporary jewelry line named for her grandmother with designs all custom and unique.
Cristina has enjoyed her role as an art teacher with Austin I.S.D. during the past eight years as well as teaching summer art camps.
Finding a passion for working with young children helping them discover their creativity, Cristina is now looking forward to sharing Wee Little Arts in Austin.
Suzi Duke- Instructor
Suzi is a native Texan having graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Arts degree and has lived and taught in Austin for 18 years holding an All Level Art Texas Teaching Certificate as well as a General Elementary Texas Teaching Certificate.
Teaching elementary art for a total of 29 years, Suzi has always honed her skills as a master art teacher and her heart is with teaching young children about art and showing them how to experience the wonder of creating and expressing themselves through many mediums.
In addition to campus art teacher, Suzi organized annual school sponsored fairs, implemented a permanent campus art gallery, held after school art camps and served on numerous curriculum committees. She is a member of Capitol Area Art Education Association, Texas Classroom Teachers Association and Texas Adopt-a-School Program as well as an art advocate for The Girl Scouts of Central Texas and The Homeless Resource Network.
Suzi always enjoyed teaching summer art classes at Laguna Gloria Art Museum and holding art workshops for classroom teachers across Austin I.S.D. campuses and looks forward to sharing Wee Little Arts with Austin preschools.
