Channe’l always knew she wanted to be a teacher from an early age, setting up schoolhouses and playing teacher for her sister and the other neighborhood children.  During her time at Indiana University, she studied Education, Communication, and Leadership while staying active in volunteering in the local community.  It was during this season she deepened her passion for serving others and helping them achieve their full potential. 

She took those skills with her into her next career where she began to developed curriculum and teach adult education classes weekly.  After moving to Louisiana, Channe’l found herself with the opportunity to teach at the preschool level, and was right at home singing songs, making crafts, and developing strong bonds with the children and families in her classes. 

It wasn’t until Channe’l began the task of teaching Art that she really found her calling in life.  She loves to teach the basics of making art, the deep rich history of it, and instilling a healing confidence to everyone she works with. You will never find a bigger cheerleader for your child. 

Channe’l also loves watching Doctor Who with her family, playing boards games, and drinking coffee. 

Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Sadie has always had a passion for art ever since she was little.  Her journey has allowed her to be a part of many pop-ups around Baton Rouge as a self-taught artist. She is proficient in both acrylic and oil paintings, digital art, and many other art mediums.

She was a youth coordinator and teacher for her past church and volunteered in Los Angeles where she studied at YWAM Art and Discipleship Training School. Here, she used her love of art and people to connect with the people of LA and was able to create her first ever art mural. She also worked under the famous artists, Iris Scott and Mark Carter. 

Sadie is eager to make the most of her career here at Art Academy and will become one of our weekly class teachers. When she isn't working, she is either furthering her  freelance artist career or spending time with her friends, family, church and her cat, Benjamin. She loves nature, art, video games and animals.  

Creativity, imagination and a desire to learn were things that were ingrained in Haley ever since she was little. Inspired by the teachers and artists in her own family, she felt like it was always in her future to pursue something that would allow her to explore what brought her joy and teach others how to use art to do the same. As the oldest of 8 siblings and a mom of two, Haley felt like this is what she's trained for her entire life. She finally got to experience her dream in 2019 when she began teaching in a Montessori setting. 

Self-expression, stories behind the artists, the diversity, the light bulb moments in her students, the freedom, FUN and unity that teaching art brings to the classroom are the reasons Haley loves her classroom! Outside of Art Academy, Haley is an accountant at John H Carter. She loves running, eating Chinese food, belting Broadway tunes around the house and traveling with her family.

Samantha has always had a love for arts and crafts. As a child she would collect any and all “how to” books that allowed her to tap into her creative side. Her books ranged from how to make balloon animals to how to fold origami. Any project that allowed her to create something fun and learn new skills was how she would spend her time. As she got older, she would find ways to share her love for art with others. Sam volunteered as camp craft lady for many years at her summer church camp. She would also serve with her mom during her girl scout years helping younger troops of girls with different art projects.

As an adult, Sam has developed a love for drawing and painting. Her absolute favorite painting is Van Gogh’s Starry Night. She likes to recreate this painting any opportunity she gets, like during a pumpkin or egg decorating contest, and even on a sports coat for a Halloween costume. Recently, she has had the opportunity again to share this love of art and painting with kids and adults in her community through the Art Academy. She loves people, and she loves helping others find their own love for art. Sam feels that helping our customers along the creative process and seeing them proud of what they created is what makes this place and this job so wonderful.

Samantha is also a registered nurse at Woman’s Hospital. She is a mom of 4 very active boys, and if she is not in the art studio or the hospital, you will probably find her on the ball field cheering on her kiddos. Even though she is a boy mom, Samantha loves everything girly, rainbow and sparkly, and anything related to Disney is her jam.

Traditional classroom methods were always a challenge for Brylie when she was in school. She would have to find creative ways to make learning meaningful and fun by utilizing hands on, picture clues, and creating songs to memorize her school work. 

She would spend her free time playing Bass Guitar and saxophone and serving in the Children’s Ministry at her local church.

She is married and rocking life as a boy mom who loves all things Jesus, music, Disney, and Marvel. She enjoys scrapbooking, participating in Cookie Decorating classes, vacationing with her family, and hanging out by the pool. Presently, Brylie is a receptionist/secretary in the office at Highway 44 Paint, Body, and Towing as well as an Assistant at Art Academy. ‘ART’ we glad to welcome Brylie to our team!

Destiny’s passion for art began at a young age, and by middle school, she knew she wanted to be a teacher. She pursued this dream by majoring in Studio Arts with a concentration in K-12 Art Education at East Texas A&M. It was during her college years that Destiny discovered her love for 3D art, particularly working with heavy machinery like table saws and MIG welders in the sculpture labs.

Destiny spent countless hours in the sculpture and ceramic studios, constantly refining her techniques and immersing herself in the creative process. She took full advantage of the 24-hour studio access, allowing her to create whenever inspiration struck. She became a sculpture lab monitor, helping others while continuously perfecting her own skills.

After graduating with her BFA in December 2023, Destiny was hired at Lake Elementary, where she was eager to help reintroduce the school’s art program. She brings enthusiasm and dedication to her role, finding joy in every aspect of teaching. For Destiny, going to work every day is a true privilege, as she gets to share her love for art with her students.

In the summer of 2024, Destiny discovered Art Academy, a vibrant community of artists and educators who share her passion for both art and teaching. There, she found a supportive group of like-minded individuals, and she is proud to say that she’s found her artistic home and will remain a part of the academy for years to come.

For Destiny, art is more than a career—it’s her calling. Her mission is to inspire her students to explore their own creativity and express themselves through art, just as she has throughout her own journey.