Our Instructors
At the Denton Maker Center, our instructors are makers, artists, and professionals who are passionate about sharing their craft. Each instructor brings their own experience, creative perspective, and hands-on expertise to the classroom, creating a welcoming environment where students of all skills can learn, experiment, and grow.
Whether you’re trying something new or refining your skills, our instructors are here to guide and inspire you every step of the way!
Metalsmithing • Jewelry • Enameling
James Thurman
James Thurman is a professor in the College of Visual Arts and Design at the University of North Texas, where he is the Program Coordinator of Metalsmithing and Jewelry. He received his M.F.A. in Metalsmithing from the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Bloomfield Hills, Minnesota, and his B.F.A. in Sculpture from Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A two-time Fulbright Specialist Scholar, he worked in Istanbul, Turkey, with Kadir Has University in 2012 and the Glass Furnace Foundation in 2016.
A prolific and highly active studio artist for over 20 years, his work has been included in hundreds of national and international curated and juried exhibitions and numerous solo exhibitions. In addition to the exhibition of his work, James regularly lectures and gives workshops about his work and the unique technical aspects of his studio production, including a laminated composite material he developed, “Thurmanite.”
Digital fabrication continues to evolve as a major aspect of his research and teaching since completing his Machinist Certification in 1995. Beyond utilization in his own studio production, Thurman has incorporated digital fabrication into his teaching for more than 15 years, including a unique online studio-based course in 2012. As coordinator of the North Texas Digital Fabrication Group, he facilitates regular group meetings and an annual symposium.
Umut Demirgüç Thurman
Umut Demirgüç Thurman is a metalsmith and enamelist. She works internationally, teaching and regularly exhibiting her work. Currently, she is teaching jewelry and metalsmithing at the University of North Texas while coordinating workshops at the Denton Maker Center.
She received her MFA from the University of North Texas in Metalsmithing and Jewelry in 2005, and BFA from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, Turkey in Textile and Fashion Design in 1997.
Sarah Loch-Test
Sarah Loch-Test grew up in Ohio and studied at Kent State and East Carolina universities, where she embraced the art of enameling.
She currently works as the Metalsmithing & Jewelry Technician at the University of North Texas. Her work has been exhibited regionally and nationally, and is in the Enamel Foundation’s permanent collection, the Arkansas Museum of Fine Art, the Crocker Museum and the Yale University Art Gallery.
Kaki Crowell-Hilde
Kaki Crowell-Hilde taught for twenty years in the North Texas area and then transitioned into the jewelry business for a decade before retiring.
She has an MFA from University of North Texas in Fibers and another MFA from East Tennessee State University in Metalsmithing and Jewelry. She also has Machine Tool Technology/CNC Certification, Gemstone and Diamond Certification through DCA, and CAD/CAM Jewelry Certification from the Gemological Institute of America.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts is currently a student at the University of North Texas studying to earn a Bachelors in Studio Art. When not in class or working, she enjoys time with her friends, her family, and her pets.
Photography
Lora O’Shaughnessy
Lora is a Denton based photographer, book artist, zine maker, and doll enthusiast. She has a deep love for historical photographic processes, narrative world building, niche research topics, and finding ways to share those interests with others.
Her current work focuses on explorations of self through external research and repackaging those ideas into portable interactive experiences.
When not in the darkroom, she can be found taking instant photos with her boyfriend and cat.
2D •Mixed Media
Donna C. Vaux
I am a mixed media miniature artist who uses upcycled items I find at thrift and antique stores to create realistic-looking miniature scenes.
Creating dioramas is a fun, challenging, and imaginative way for me to express my artistic abilities through many different means, such as sculpting, painting, building, drawing, printing, and repurposing items.
Linda Hilterbrandt
Crystal Nelson
As a mixed media artist and retired art educator, Crystal enjoys experimenting and exploring new materials and techniques. Her love of mark-making and surface design is evident in her bold and graphic mixed media paintings, prints, and collage work. She also loves creating assemblage work using discarded and forgotten items to create “new” narratives.
Before returning to school for her B.F.A. in printmaking and painting she studied commercial art with an emphasis on package design and typography. Her work is still heavily influenced by her love of design. Crystal’s work tells a story through line, shape, color and often vintage papers and objects. She has been teaching and facilitating workshops and classes for over 20 years covering a variety of topics, techniques and media.
E.H. Kalish
Orion Fern
Orion Fern is the two-time award-winning artist of ‘THE FOX WHO BECAME A GIRL’ a queer fairy tale comic written by Chloe Bear that has been supported by The Greater Denton Arts Council and the Comics Advocacy Group.
As a form of ‘ARTivism’ (a term coined by his art hero Keith Haring), he runs Ovaettr Art & Zine Distro making informative zines that help the world! Orion believes in the act of self-publishing as a path to liberating the self and he is eager to share how to do that with the world.
Fibers
Ally Hardick
Hello, I’m Ally! I’ve been an artist my entire life, self taught in multiple mediums, currently obsessed with Tie Dye techniques. I also paint and crochet and am an avid organic gardener.
Glass
Aaron Tate
Robin Huttash
Robin Huttash is a diverse artist who loves to work with glass, paints, clay and mixed media. Her artwork reflects her love of nature and vivid color as well as some of her favorite items in life: Volkswagens and old automobiles, flowers, landscapes, and abstracts.
With a BS in the educational field and a Masters in Land and Resource Management she taught science classes in public school in Denton and Art classes and Workshops at her Art studio and Gallery, A Creative Art STUDIO, in the downtown area of Denton, Texas.
Printmaking
Christine Adame
Christine Adame is an inter-media artist from Laredo, Texas. Her artwork is built from layered processes—including drawing, fibers, digital fabrication, book arts, and printmaking.
Christine earned her B.S. in Architectural Studies from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. in Intermedia Studio from The University of Texas at Arlington, and currently teaches visual art at Texas Woman’s University.
Wood
Crystal Garrett
My name is Crystal and I am currently studying art history at the University of North Texas. I’ve been wood burning a little over 10 years.
I have tried to carve out my own unique style with a blend of wood burning and Japanese wood block printing. I am happy to introduce pyrography to anyone who would like to learn this diverse and unique tool for their artist tool kit.
Leather
Audon Archibald
While originally getting into the craft in the hopes of making cool cosplay gear, Audon found somewhat surprisingly that his true passion in crafting is making purses for his grandma. And maybe his mother, if she’s nice to him.
When he isn’t crafting or playing board games at the D20 tavern, he works as a data analyst for a university, but that’s far less interesting than craft time, rest assured.
Art & Science
Teran Nickells
Teran Nickells is a chemist from Denton, Texas who currently works as a quality control analyst in Ft. Worth.
While he has always had a mind for STEM, he also has a deep appreciation for art and the mechanisms by which it is achieved. Teran looks to teach about chemistry and how it is used to create artistic mediums as well as art itself.
Seminars
Annette Becker, Ph.D.
Art HistoryAnnette Becker is an arts educator and dress historian. Her research focuses on modern dress, textiles, and fashion, with a focus on American cultural history. She holds an MA in Art History and a Ph.D. in History from the University of North Texas.
Professionally, she serves as the director of the UNT Texas Fashion Collection, where she curates exhibitions, leads academic programming, and advocates for the importance of fashion, design, and art in everyone’s lives.
Megan Bryan, Ph.D.
Art HistoryMegan Bryan, PhD, was born and raised in Germany, and received her university education, including her doctorate, from the University of York in the UK.
She wrote her thesis on 19th century vampire literature, which has been an obsession of hers ever since watching "Horror of Dracula" at 15 years old. She has written five novels, as well as numerous essays, articles, and short stories on Victorians, villains, and vampires, and enjoys lecturing on these topics.
Ufuk Demirgüç, Ph.D.
Architectural HistoryUfuk Demirgüç, (PhD, Istanbul Technical University) is an architect, architectural historian, and researcher. She took part in many exhibitions and research projects on Istanbul and architecture.
She currently works as an independent researcher and teaches History of Architecture and Basic Design at various universities in Istanbul.
Aslihan Erkmen, Ph.D.
Art HistoryAslihan Erkmen (Ph.D., Istanbul Technical University) is an Associate Professor of Art History at Istanbul Technical University.
Her main research interests include Islamic book arts, illustrated manuscripts, traditional arts and crafts, and intangible cultural heritage. She also practices the traditional arts of marbled paper and paper filigree
Ezgi Demirel
Life CoachEzgi is an engineer and a certified coach, working at the intersection of structure and human experience. She designs reflective workshops that help people reconnect with themselves and move into action. Creating meaningful impact in people’s lives is her main motivation!
Asuman Kafaoğlu-Büke
LiteratureAsuman Kafaoğlu-Büke graduated from the Philosophy Department at California State University, Long Beach. Worked as a lecturer at ODTÜ, then at the Bogaziçi University Philosophy Department. She made translations from English (John Updike and Vikram Seth novels). Wrote weekly literature criticism at national newspapers for over 30 years. Teaches creative writing and still works as a literary critic.