Jennifer Yang

Jennifer discovered SORA after graduating from NYU where she studied English Literature, Psychology, and Creative Writing. She will be graduating from SORA in summer 2010 after completing the 4 year atelier program. SORA has taught Jennifer about composition harmony, color theory, value perception, and human anatomy. She is currently working on a large creative piece as her graduating thesis.

3rd Year Students:

Karen Becker

Karen is a native Chicagoan with a BFA from the University of Michigan School of Art. She has been working as a freelance graphic designer for approximately 15 years and is excited to be returning to her roots in fine art. She has many varied interests that include bookbinding, beading, photography, and politics. When she is not working or studying, Karen travels, visits museums, volunteers as a Chicago Greeter and on her condo's Green Committee.

Sally Fama Cochrane

Sally is an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago (class of 2011), where she is majoring in the history and philosophy of science. She is particularly interested in historical theories of perception, psychology, and optics, but also has a soft spot for art history. She graduated high school from the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in 2006 as a Junior to spend what would have been her Senior year studying full-time at SORA, and has been attending part-time since starting college.

Debra Davis

Peter Hamm

Peter decided to pursue atelier studies after he found inspiration in a beautiful painting seen at the Boston Museum of Fine Art. After he encountered the same painting in the Charles Bargue Drawing Course book, he went online in search of more information and came across a website devoted to classical realism. "The website recommended schools that taught in this tradition, and that is how I discovered the School of Representational Art. Without SORA, I would not be half the artist that I am today." Peter is also currently completing a MAT in Art Education at Columbia College.

Shawn Minogue

Shawn is a 53 year old, self employed business man. He started his art career five years ago when he signed up for classes at the Art Institute. Although he had no prior art experience, he enjoyed taking these part time classes for two years. When looking to expand his art skills, one of his Art Institute teachers suggested SORA. He has been a part time student at SORA for 2 years and has come to enjoy all the challenges and experiences this school brings to him.

3rd Year Students:

Christina Caruso

Christina has been painting and drawing from the age of ten. She grew up in a very big and creative family and is a twin. Before coming to SORA, Christina had not attended any art programs or classes. A lot of what she learned was on her own. She did not want to go to a mainstream school because she wanted to focus on mastering drawing or painting. She has found SORA to be the perfect school for her. Now she is in her second year at SORA.

Lara Marshal

Lara Marshall graduated from Pellissippi State Technical Community College in Knoxville, TN, and also complete courses from the Academy of Art College. She spent some time working as a graphic designer in Tennessee before moving to Chicago in 2008 to attend SORA.

1st Year Students:

Kristin Abhalter

Kristin Abhalter recently moved to Chicago from Minneapolis to continue pursuits in design and painting for theatre and to study at SORA. She found the classical methods of drawing and painting through studying Victorian scene painting at the University of Minnesota, where she earned an MFA in technical theatre after earning a BA in theatre design and anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis. She believes in the transformative powers of art.

Charlie Critchelow

Born in the small rural town of Hardinsburg, KY, Charlie attended college at the University of Kentucky and graduated with a BS in Economics and BA in Finance. After school he worked for Fidelity Investments for 4 years as a Financial Representative. "It was the time between graduating high school and the end of my first job out of school that my interests in art really began to grow. After several years of trying to teach myself how to draw and paint realistically, I decided to study at an atelier". In 2004 he moved to Lafayette Indiana to study at the Lafayette Atelier. He was a part-time student there for five years. "Over my time studying in Lafayette I realized that I wanted to continue my education and try to become a serious artist. After looking at many schools across the country I decided on SORA". In the fall of 2009 he moved to Chicago and began full-time study at SORA.

Matt Greene

Matt Greene hails from Cleveland, OH, and came to SORA after studying with professional portrait artist Bill Kufahl for several years. Finding a need for a change in his studies, he looked at different ateliers around the country and finally decided on SORA for the quality of the student and teachers work, and also the opportunity to learn about composition. He is currently a first year student.

Kathleen Harkins

Kathleen Harkins grew up in St. Louis, Missouri. She was homeschooled before attending Saint Louis University, where she earned a B.A. in Fine Arts, with a minor in Art History. After graduation, she spent a year working, but decided to return to school when she discovered the atelier system.