Allentown, PA (West End)

Peter & Andrea Nation

Peter and Andrea are the proud owners of the first CAC in Pennsylvania, which will be located in Allentown. They are the parents of seven children, a granddaughter, and their fur baby.

The journey as owners of the CAC franchise emanated from Peter, who had a significant career change and wanted to make a greater impact within their community, particularly amongst youth. Both Peter and Andrea have a love for visual arts, and Peter has been a closet artist himself. They have one daughter graduating with a bachelor’s degree in film and animation. They believe she could have significantly benefited from a program like CAC when she was younger. She was growing up in a house full of athletes, and while she participated, it wasn’t until they found her some art lessons that she developed a stronger sense of herself. She was more confident and came to life in a very different way. They knew their situation was not unique and saw the opportunity to present the CAC program to children in their community.

After his time in the United States Marine Corps, Peter has worked in technology for his entire career and left corporate America as a director and project manager of a leading sports league last year. He has always had a passion for working with youth and has coached and supported his children’s athletic commitments in this capacity. He has always enjoyed mentoring youth and has been able to teach youth in the children’s ministry at their local assembly for the past 19 years. He is also an active member of the men’s ministry.

Art has been an interest of Peter’s, and he has collected pieces from his international travels for work over the years.

Andrea was exposed to the arts as a child and appreciates the ability to express oneself through art.

A devoted mother and wife for almost 35 years, Andrea is a licensed minister in their church and has a private mental health practice servicing women, children, and families. Over the years, she has seen the impact of art as a therapeutic intervention for her clients.

Together, they see the benefits associated with a year-long art curriculum that will nurture new artists and support naturally gifted artists as they become the future of art in our society.

Tammie Partridge

Tammie Partridge is a graduate of Tyler School of Art where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing with a certification to teach K-12 Art. She studied painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, and Italian in Rome, Italy, and traveled extensively between semesters. While there, she built a 32″ pinhole camera and walked on the roof of the Pantheon! She received her graduate degree in Art Education from Kutztown University and continued her education at Googleworks, The University of the Arts, and Art Center West in Georgia.

Tammie’s professional career includes 28 years of teaching art at both the secondary and primary levels for Northampton Area School District, where she taught innovative lessons in drawing, painting, sculpture, graphic design, clay, fibers, and photography.  She was also an art educator at Porter Academy in Georgia for 6 years. Additionally, Tammie has taught art lessons for over 2 decades.

Tammie is a practicing professional artist and has exhibited and sold her raku and horsehair pottery worldwide. She enjoys traveling and spending time with her family and friends. She is excited to inspire and guide young minds, helping them discover the joy of art while mastering a multitude of creative techniques.

Molly Troxel

Molly is an accomplished art educator with a diverse background. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in the Humanities from East Stroudsburg University, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She also received a Bachelor of Science in Art Education from Kutztown University. Her teacher training took place at Crewe Alsager College, a comprehensive school in England near Liverpool. After returning home, she taught art in the Bethlehem Area Schools for many years. Throughout her career, Molly has created numerous portraits in various media. She also enjoys studying the impact of technology on art and is well-versed in art history and many different art forms. Above all, she enjoys teaching art to people of all ages, especially young people and children.

Cynthia Connolly

Cynthia is a creative art teacher who loves helping children and adults explore their imaginations through art. With a background in Art Therapy and Fine Arts from Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA, and the School of Visual Arts in NYC, she believes that everyone is an artist with a unique way of seeing the world.
Throughout her career, she has developed and facilitated art and recreation programs in schools, day programs, and community organizations. Her experience working with children and adults, with varying abilities and ages,
has shaped her compassionate and adaptive teaching style.
Cynthia has a personal love of painting and drawing in a variety of media, clay sculpture, and crafts. She enjoys sharing these mediums with her students to inspire creativity, and to foster an appreciation of art as a form of self-expression and discovery.