Round But Square Studios
a process art studio
What is process art? The most basic explanation of process art is the focus on the process rather than the outcome. At Round But Square Studios, children are given the opportunity to explore creating art with less emphasis on the finished product. Without restrictions, we give children the experience to explore where they learn to think outside the box while gaining confidence in the process!
Meet the creative team!
Ashley O’Connor
Round But Square Studios has been a longtime dream of mine. My love for the arts began at an early age. I was blessed to have many wonderful artists – creative types – in my life, the greatest of these being my mom. She, an interior designer by trade, always provided a creative home environment filled with art supplies, fabric samples, and passion for design. As a child, I found self-confidence in art and in college I fell in love with photography and the desire to pursue a career in teaching. Today, I still fill my extra time with creative projects and teaching. My goal is to expose young and older guests to the fine arts, a variety of mediums, and other established artists in hopes that art will become their hobby and lifelong passion. I hope to inspire them to find their self-expression, creative potential, and ability to be seen and heard through artwork. I received a Masters in Teaching from the University of Virginia along with a Bachelors in Studio Art, with an emphasis in photography. I later received a Bachelors in Art Education from the University of South Alabama. I went on to start the photography program and teach art education for five years at St. Paul's Episcopal School. I then married and moved to New Orleans where I taught for another eight years at Louise S. McGehee, a private girls' school. Hurricane Katrina brought my family back to Mobile where we have resided since. With the children grown, I now have the time to live my dream.
Beth Smith
Beth is a retired High School Art teacher. After 34 years of teaching in Illinois, she decided to retire and move South to Mobile, Al. because of its warm weather and vibrant art community. Beth is a local professional face painter who loves watching face paint magically transform kids and adults into something different. Beth also has a passion for mixed media art as well as bookmaking. She teaches summer camp and classes at Round But Square Studios.
Mary Elizabeth Kimbrough
Mary Elizabeth Kimbrough is a native Alabamian living and working in Mobile. A graduate of Auburn University and the University of Illinois, Kimbrough has done post graduate work at Penland School in North Carolina, Loyola University in New Orleans, IDSVA in Portland, Maine, and Brown University. Her work is widely collected in both public and private collections in the United States, Japan, Bahrain, and Cyprus.
Her interests lie in using texture, gesture, pattern, and color in an open and spontaneous way. Subject matter comes from all aspects of Kimbrough's life, from the flora and fauna of Alabama, to her love of vintage imagery. Her images and designs have been used in commercial illustrations, advertising campaigns, and licensed by manufacturers. Mary Elizabeth has 40 years of experience teaching all ages in Illinois, Louisiana, and Alabama
Mary Bender Barnett
Tie-dye enthusiast and jewelry designer, Mary was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama and attended Hollins College where she received a BA in Studio Art. From silk screening to photography, mosaics, tie-dye to jewelry designer and maker, Mary loves it all! She recently completed two 10 week metal smithing courses in New Orleans and will go to Italy in May 2020 to continue her studies. Mary is a curious, life long creator and learner! Her creative company is “Mame,” the name given to her by family and friends.
Lisa Bunting Howard
Lisa Bunting Howard, a Birmingham native, was drawn to art as a young girl and has been hand building pottery for 15 years. She believes in the beauty of handmade objects and appreciates their dual roles of utility and decoration. Her pottery began as bright, primary colored pieces but has evolved into natural white creations, always with her signature flower. The flower was influenced by Lisa’s love of gardening and floral arranging, combining her two creative outlets. Lisa teaches children and adult clay classes at the Studio and co-teaches bi-monthly with Ashley O’Connor for L’arche Mobile, a community of people with physical and intellectual disabilities.
Elizabeth Wethington
Our awesome Studio Assistant, Elizabeth is from North Alabama. She is a junior at the University of South Alabama, majoring in International Relations. She is a very active member of Alpha Omicron Pi and is currently studying for the LSAT. Elizabeth enjoys painting, reading, hanging with friends, and going to the beach in her free time. She loves art and people! Working at Round But Square Studios has given Elizabeth a place to enjoy both.
Greer Helmsing
A native Mobilian and self taught baker, Greer concentrates mainly on decorated sugar cookies. She is the sole owner and baker of GMH Bakes; Mobile’s best sugar cookies! As a former elementary school teacher, Greer absolutely loves teaching cookie classes at Round But Square Studios to all ages. Greer also partners with the studio for cookie decorating birthday parties.
Colleen Terrell Comer
Colleen lives and works in Mobile, AL and received her BFA from Auburn University. She is currently an MFA candidate at the School of Visual Arts in NYC. Her work has been included in shows at the Mobile Museum of Fine Art, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and most recently at the SVA Flatiron Gallery in NYC. She is represented in Mobile by Sophiella Gallery.
Lauren Gould
Lauren moved to Mobile last year from Charleston, South Carolina and works as a K-4 assistant at UMS-Wright Preparatory School. She attended Sewanee where she studied french and art history. Lauren’s passion for painting and children lead her to the studio where she has been teaching summer art camps for kids ages 4 and up.
Margaret crane andres
Margaret was born and raised in Mobile and just moved back home after years spent in Charleston, Nashville, and Atlanta! After studying Art at College of Charleston and then getting a MAT in Art Education from SCAD, Margaret has taught art classes for the past 15 years in various settings.
Inspired by nature, other artists and the amazing imaginations of children, she finds that beauty and creativity can be expressed through many different mediums when given the space to do so. In most recent years, Margaret was Artist in Residence at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, helping children of all ages cope with the hospital, distract themselves from pain and fight away boredom while sick. She loves to be a part of providing art as a way for all to express themselves, connect with others and gain confidence they never knew they had. Providing a positive environment full of color and fun art materials is what she aims to do so that each child can walk away proud and excited to share what they are capable of creating! She cannot wait to see all that is created with time together in the studio at Round but Square!
Kristina Spivey
Kristina was born in birmingham, al and moved to mobile to pursue her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood and elementary education. she has always had a deep love for art and finds joy in making things “pretty”. she grew up in a family of artists. her mother and father owned an art gallery which afforded her the opportunity to be exposed various artists and styles of art from all over the world.
she is excited about partnering with round but square and merging her love for art and her love for teaching.
Mary Claire Sikes
Mary Claire is a native Mobilian who graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Early Childhood Education. She has been teaching kindergarten in Spanish Fort at Rockwell Elementary for 11 years. Rockwell is a Discipline Based Arts Education school that incorporates music, art, theater and dance into their curriculum through two different units a year. Some of these units have included: America in the 1950’s, 1960’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, Eric Carle, Monet, George Rodrigue and many more. For the last three years she has taught and lead her own STEAM Camp alongside her sister who is also a teacher. Mary Claire is excited for a fun summer of art at Round But Square.
Caitlin O’Malley
Caitlin was born and raised in Mobile. She graduated from the University of South Alabama with a BS in Early Childhood Studies and is currently in the MBA program at Spring Hill College. For the past 7 years, Caitlin has worked at St. Paul’s Early Education Center in several different roles and is currently teaching yoga, music, art, and more as the 2K Specials teacher! She is thrilled to begin creating in the studio with some tiny hands this summer!
Ginnylu Howard
Ginnylu is a rising senior at St. Paul’s. She has a passion for anything creative especially photography! Ginnylu loves kids of all ages! She has been an assistant for many years and is looking forward to teaching classes and being the summer studio manger!