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 enjoys sharing Wee Little Arts in Austin.
Elizabeth Hartman- Instructor
A graduate of Rhodes College with a B.A. in Studio Art, Elizabeth emphasized painting and enjoys inspiring creativity through art working with young children. She has taught in toddler, pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten classes as well as served as Lead Teacher of after school programing for a South Austin child care center.
Elizabeth has also enjoyed her work at both at Brooks Museum of Art in Memphis and Austin Museum of Art, and has served as a volunteer at Dell Children’s Hospital providing art activities to patients and their families. She enjoys community involvement and also served with the Center for Outreach and Development of the Arts program on the Rhodes College campus as well as in the Memphis community.
Elizabeth loves teaching for Wee Little Arts because it allows her to teach art exclusively and to share her passion for art and design with students.
Natalie Gorman- Instructor
A native Texan, Natalie graduated with honors from The University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Art Education. After graduation, Natalie enjoyed time in New York City teaching early childhood art classes at the prestigious Diller-Quaile School of Music and developing a visual art summer program. Natalie helped found Grace Outside the Box, a fine arts camp in Massapequa, Long Island and also attended the Friends of Reggio Children International Association Group Program in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She earned her MA in Art & Art Education from Teachers College, Columbia University and has returned to Texas most recently teaching Pre-Kindergarten and serving as a clay artist with Eye of the Dog art center.
As a Wee Little Arts instructor, Natalie has found her passion teaching visual art lessons and loves the process oriented curriculum which compliments her Reggio teaching methods.
