Meet the ART Station staff members

David Thomas (Founder, President and Artistic Director of ART Station) is originally a native of North Carolina, but has been a resident of Stone Mountain (Atlanta) since 1983. Along with a group of five college friends, David founded the ART Station Contemporary Art Center and Theatre Company in 1986 and served as the original Artistic Director and Executive Director for the company. His title was changed to President and Artistic Director in 1996 by the Board of Trustees. He is responsible for creating unity and a positive environment for arts production and education for all aspects of the ART Station organization serving as the leader of an ensemble of artists, managers and trustees. David attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, holds a BA in Communication Arts (Radio, Television and Theatre Arts) from Appalachian State University, and two MFA degrees in Theatre Directing and Arts Administration from Virginia Tech. He is a graduate of the IBM Leadership Institute, Leadership DeKalb, the Middle East Travel Seminar and is a graduate of the Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta. He has directed over 100 productions for the ART Station Theatre and has provided the artistic direction for hundreds of art exhibitions, festivals and education programs in the arts. David was very active in Atlanta’s Cultural Olympiad in 1996 where he directed the Opening Ceremony of the International Olympic Committee and the Nobel Laureates Conference. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Appalachian State University’s College of Fine and Applied Arts for the Department of Theatre and Dance and for the Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Loan Fund. He is also a board member with the Stone Mountain Downtown Development Authority and serves on the advisory board of the Continuing Education program at Perimeter College. He has served on numerous arts panels for the Georgia Council for the Arts, City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Fulton County Arts Council, the Southern Arts Federation, the National Endowment for the Arts and on various art boards and associations. David also serves as the Artistic Director for the Stone Mountain Arts Incubator and on the theatre faculty at Georgia Military College’s Stone Mountain campus.  davidt@artstation.org

Michael Hidalgo (Founder, Associate Producer) Since July, 1996, Michael has served as the Associate Producer & Director of Development for ART Station. He is responsible for overseeing all administrative aspects of the organization including payroll, bookkeeping, marketing and development; raising individual, corporate, foundation and government financial support. Since 1985, Michael has served the art center as Technical Director & Resident Set and Lighting Designer, where he is responsible for the technical direction, design and implementation of 5 – 8 theatrical productions each year; assuring technical excellence for all the art center’s programs including theatre productions, gallery exhibitions, and the general operations of the center. Michael’s set designs have toured throughout the United States with various ART Station touring productions as well as the Piccolo Spoleto Festival and the Cultural Olympiads in Lillehammer, Norway and in Atlanta. Michael attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia & Northern Virginia Community College in Virginia. He is a graduate of Leadership DeKalb, Class of 1998 and serves as Secretary of the Board of ART Station, Inc. Michael’s community involvement includes serving on the Planning and Zoning Commission, is an alumni of Leadership DeKalb and Arts Leaders of Metro Atlanta.  michaelh@artstation.org

Jon Goldstein has been Program Manager for ART Station from 1993 to the present.  He is the arts center’s Resident Equity Stage Manager for ART Station produced theatre, Production Coordinator for presented theatre, Visual Arts Gallery Series Manager/Curator and installation of over 100 exhibitions of a wide-variety of media in contemporary art.  Other duties include contract administrator, rental manager, literary manager, administration liaison between ART Station and Actors’ Equity Association, management of front of house, box-office personnel and facility.  At various times he has also directed, tour managed, performed at ART Station and serves as a visual arts juror for various other organizations throughout Atlanta.  Prior to coming to ART Station, Jon was a freelance Equity Stage Manager in Metro-Atlanta and the Southeast for three years. Previously, he was General Manager/Production & Operations Director and Resident Equity Stage Manager at Theatrical Outfit for 7 years.  Jon completed a two-year intensive arts training program at the Dance Theatre Workshop in Chattanooga, Tennessee and studied Theatre at DeKalb College, now Georgia Perimeter College and has been actively involved in the Atlanta arts since 1972.  Jon served on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Coalition of Performing Arts from 1994 - 2002 and served as its President for two years.  Jon also served on the Atlanta Area Actors’ Equity Liaison Committee for 16 years and as the Stage Manager Representative for the Coalition of Atlanta Stage Talent.  jon@artstation.org 

Emily Eigel, Customer Service Manager, grew up in Snellville, Georgia just down the road and came to Stone Mountain Village a lot as a youth. She graduated from Hollins University in Roanoke, Virginia with a BA in history and a minor in math.  Emily received her Masters of Historic Preservation from Georgia State University and has worked with several preservation-related organizations including Main Street Stone Mountain and now works in a historic building.  boxoffice@artstation.org

Erin Bailey joined ART Station in 2010, as the Education Manager for SMart, Inc., the micro-enterprise arts incubator project powered by ART Station. For over 30 years before coming to ART Station, Erin worked for the City of Atlanta Bureau of Cultural Affairs. She held several positions during her long career, including: art teacher, historic facility manager, SOS! Project Coordinator, and Facility Administrator, supervising three community arts centers, including Chastain Arts Center and Gallery.  Erin earned a BFA from the University of Georgia, cum laude, with a double major in Jewelry-Metalwork and Art History. She worked as a jeweler for about 3 years, before going to work for the City of Atlanta. Erin’s education continued with studies at the Atlanta Art Therapy Institute, and the completion of an online certificate program in Arts Administration from the University of Massachusetts. As the Coordinator for the metropolitan Atlanta area “Save Outdoor Sculpture!” project, Erin received training in public art and sculpture conservation at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American Art in Washington, DC. Erin was selected to be part of the Fall 2010 class of the Art Leaders of Metro Atlanta, and was named as one of ten experts who serve on the statewide Community Advisors Network for the Georgia Assembly of Community Arts Agencies.  Erin is also a working artist. She has participated in numerous classes and workshops in studio art through Ringling School of Art, the University of Georgia’s Cortona Experience program in Italy, and Chastain Arts Center. Over the years, she has worked in metal, clay, pastel, watercolor, photography and with Polaroid photo transfers. Erin’s artwork has been exhibited in many invitational and juried exhibits throughout the state, and she has been a juror for numerous exhibits and arts festivals.  In addition to fine art, Erin is also passionate about Historic Preservation. She serves in the appointed position of Chair of the Stone Mountain Historic Preservation Commission. Erin was a founding Board member of the Metropolitan Public Art Coalition (MPAC) and is currently on the organizing Board of the Cortona, Italy Alumni Organization (CIAO!).  ebailey@artstation.org

Nancy Knight serves on the staff as a special events and projects coordinator.  She has been with ART Station for the past 18 years and heads up the very popular fiction writing classes at the art center and is a property builder in the theatre program.  She served as Director of Education at ART Station from 2001 – 2008 and also curated the ART Station fine arts and crafts showcase and gift shop from 1999 to present.  She is a freelance art instructor in watercolor, oil and acrylic and is a freelance writer, having over 15 novels published.  She is a member of the National League of American Pen Women, Atlanta Writer’s Club, Southeastern Writers Association, Dark River Writers and served as the president of the Atlanta Writer’s Club and on the Board of Directors of Romance Writers of America.  She attended DeKalb College  and the University of South Carolina and majored in Literature at Georgia State University.  novelkid@aol.com

Patrick Hutchison (ART Station Resident Music Director) is the composer of several musicals (including The Harvey Milk Show) which have been produced all across the United States.  He is half of the piano duo "ph Balanced", and a member of the vocal harmony group "SIGHS."  Patrick played keyboards on the Moody Blues "Strange Times" tour, and has also played for such stars as Richard Chamberlain, Keith Carradine and Toni Tennile.  He has sung, danced, conducted and musically directed in Mexico, Greenland and in theatres across the United States, including Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre, Symphony Hall, The Atlanta Civic Center and The Fox Theatre. 

Laura McCravy has served as the ART Station House Manager since 1996.  A longtime active community volunteer, Laura served as a member of the Stone Mountain Woman’s Club for over 25 years where she chaired the public affairs and art committees.  Laura graduated from the Crawford W. Long School of Nursing and was married to Major Peter McCravy for over 40 years until his death in 2001.  Laura and her husband Pete were had five different duty stations in the U.S.A., the last being Andrews Air Force Base.  They have one daughter, Laura Maria.  Pete retired in 1972 and he and Laura move to Stone Mountain, GA after his retirement.  Laura also serves as the ART Station Volunteer Coordinator where she provides volunteers for bulk mailings, work calls and all ART Station special events.

Emma Brooks has served ART Station in the capacity of Facility Manager for the past 12 years. She is a native of Stone Mountain, a graduate of Hamilton High School in Scottdale and an active member of Bethsaida Baptist Church. Prior to employment with ART Station, she was employed with the City of Stone Mountain. Emma is an active member of the community and serves as ART Station’s liaison to the Stone Mountain Civic Club. She is responsible for facility maintenance at ART Station and for supply inventory and requisition.

The Stone Mountain Arts Incubator Artists

Meredith Bridges.  Born and raised in Stone Mountain, Meredith Bridges has been making art in this community her whole life.  Her work is based in traditional crafts and consists of fully functional art objects for the home. Items available for sale include handmade brooms, leather journals , hand-woven dishcloths, and custom footwear.  Always attracted to the arts, Meredith followed that pursuit to the University of Georgia where she graduated with a degree in Art and Art Education. Following a period of mentoring at risk children in the Utah wilderness, she became a high school art teacher. As an art teacher, she enjoyed helping students find their passion and taught many how to sew.  With budget crises at the fledgling school, Meredith moved back to her own DeKalb County School system where she taught art at Stone Mountain Elementary. Next, she decided to continue her education and studied Accessory Design in Savannah. These studies are evident in her offering of unique shoes and small leather goods.  Now back in Atlanta, she is excited to have time and space in her own community to create.  Meredith Bridges Design is located in the North Town Gallery.  meredithbridges.com

Tracie Lee Hawkins.  At the age of 4, Tracie was the child who colored inside the lines in her coloring books & 64-box Crayola crayons.  Experimenting with oil pastels in the second grade, she loved the feel of colors on her finger tips blending beautiful floral petals.  About the age of 12, her mother taught her to sew and she pursued a discipline in fashion design. After graduating High School, Tracie allowed life to consume her and consequently put her artistic desires aside.  One son, a Masters degree in Organizational Management and a gift (paint set) later, she gas morphed into a fine artist.  She paint with several organizations in Atlanta, including Southern Colours and African Americans for the Arts.  She has studied Old World Art under Chris di Domizio.  She also teaches Interior Design and computer skills at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia.   At her gallery and studio, T Lee Art & Design she creates extraordinary custom fiber art heirlooms, handbags and oil and mixed media paintings.  You can also view her fine art at http://tracie-hawkins.artistwebsties.com.  T Lee Art & Design Studio is located in the Center Town Gallery.  traciehawkins2004@comcast.net

Bill E. Leavell, former Executive Director for DeKalb’s Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, was highly instrumental in development, programming, architectural design, interior decoration, logo & mantra of the newly opened center.  He is a graduate of Art Institute of Atlanta where he studied Graphic Design and Visual art.  Hailing from Newnan, Georgia, Bill also majored in Fine Art Education with a concentration in painting and sculpture at the University at West Georgia, in Carrollton, Georgia.  As Creative Director for more than14 years with Belk Department stores, a Charlotte, NC based company, his work included computer graphics, drawings, photography direction, model management and merchandise branding, rounding out his love for the arts and its involvement with the community.  He has owned and operated Leavellgraphis & Aunt Duck’s World Famous Cheese Straws for 22yrs, which includes top clients such as Coca Cola, Bronner Brothers, The Diamond Warehouse, Rich’s Dept. Stores (Federated Inc.) and several others to name a few.  He is an advocate and consultant for all things arts/culture and has been a driving force in DeKalb’s diverse Arts community as a liaison to the county government.  He has been named community leader, international counsel and has received numerous awards for his given talents in helping to encourage, engage, and promote a thriving diverse cultural community.  Bill serves on the Board of Directors for Celine’s Place and Celine's Family Services, a non-profit organization for disadvantaged children across Georgia named in memory of his daughter Celine Leavell.  His family includes a loving wife of 25 years (Sandra) and a 15 year old son (Alex).   Bill Leavell Studio is located in the Center Town Gallery.  bleavell67@yahoo.com

Susan Ryles is a Florida native who relocated to Atlanta about 20 years ago.  Her interest in the three-dimensional world began about thirteen years ago with wheel thrown and hand built clay/ceramics as a creative outlet and stress reliever from a hectic corporate career with a large telecommunications company.  After retirement, she returned to school and completed my BFA in Sculpture in 2009, Summa Cum Laude, from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) – Atlanta.  In 2006 Susan was the first President of the Tucker Arts Guild.  She guided the group through establishing its organizational structure as well as curating and leading the organization through its first of many art shows and sales.  She was the subject of feature articles about the arts in publications including “Up Close & Personal in Tucker”, April 2006 and the Atlanta Journal Constitution April 27, 2006.  In spring of 2007 Susan was one of the featured artists on Home and Garden Television’s (HGTV's) "That's Clever."  Her work was shown internationally in conjunction with the 2010 Cultural Olympiad as part of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, BC, Canada. In addition, she has shown in a variety of art venues in Atlanta including: ART Station, Spruill Arts Center, MudFire Gallery, StudioPlex, Castleberry Hill, B-Complex, SCAD Atlanta, Swan Coach House and the Dalton Gallery at Agnes Scott College.  Susan is married to Tim Ryles and have 3 grown daughters, a granddaughter and a grandson.  Butterfly House Studio is located in the East Town Gallery.  susanryles@yahoo.com

Debbie Thigpen has spent her life working with multiple forms of artistic expression.  As a teenager, she began working as an apprentice to Margaret Ratcliff in her small, enamel on copper company in Stone Mountain.  Debbie also worked under her mother, Wanda Locke, a noted painter, gaining knowledge of oil and mural painting.  Within the last 10 years, she found her talent for stained glass and has created several large windows for churches and homes around Atlanta.  Last year, Debbie was chosen to participate in the SMart Inc. program, which is providing space and wonderful support for her to run her own small business, Sailor Studio.  Her daughter, Lily Bilsland and daughter in law, Britni Thigpen, are part of her team, working together to create innovative lines of wearable art and inspiring giftware, as well as one-of-a-kind gallery pieces.  Sailor Studio is located in the Center Town Gallery.  sailorstudio@gmail.com

Angela Williams is a resident of Stone Mountain Georgia.  She is a graduate of  Grand Canyon University with a Masters in Special Education.  Angi graduated with a BA in Science/Arts from Illinois State University.  For the past ten years, she taught art and pottery as a freelance artist.  Previously she freelanced while she was a student in Illinois.  After graduation, she studied in Italy.  Angela dedicated to giving back to the youth organizations through being a mentor and a member and participant of many activities for schools and other organizations.  She also works throughout the year teaching classes for adults and children at ART Station.  Angela is an active member of her church, Power of Purpose Christian Church.  Angela loves working with many mediums and enjoys the challenge to learn something new.  The represented pieces are in pottery, pastels, oils, acrylics and water colors as well as charcoal and mixed mediums.  Angelic Art Studio is located in the North Town Gallery.  angelic_art@msn.com