Administrative Staff

  • person smiling

    Valeen Bhat; she/her/mrs

    FOUNDER & CEO

    Valeen received her BFA/MS in Art and Design Education, with a minor in Art History and a concentration in printmaking from Pratt Institute. After working at various educational facilities, including museums, early childhood education centers and community centers, she founded Private Picassos in the Spring of 2006. Her main goal was to create a process-oriented art program that valued skill building and exploration over the final product. Valeen crafts the core values and philosophy of Private Picassos, drawing inspiration from her education, experience, and background, especially the influence of her two artist parents. After 10 years of bringing art classes to children and adults throughout the Tri-State Area, Valeen created a home for Private Picassos at their first bricks and mortar Art Studio in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Since opening in the Fall of 2015, PP Art Studio has become a mainstay in the community, offering an engaging space for kids and adults to create art and memories side by side. Valeen lives in Brooklyn, NY with her husband and son and opened her second Private Picassos’ location in Clinton Hill Brooklyn in September 2024.

  • person sitting in front of a colorful mural

    Analina Berofsky; she/her

    STUDIO MANAGER & EVENTS/ADMIN COORDINATOR

    Analina was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is in pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, later mastering in Art Therapy. Analina believes that making Art is not only for Artist; Art is about being a thinker, it’s about having and sharing ideas, it encourages problem solving techniques and to communicate feelings. These are qualities that are important in all aspects of life. She reminds her students to try their best, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s beautiful because you made it! Analina welcomed her baby boy August 2021.

NYC Instructors

  • image of a person smiling

    Chelsea Bednar; she/her

    Chelsea is an artist and designer who’s worked within the creative field over the past decade. From private art studios to museums, she’s educated children and adults alike in hands-on arts related workshops and classes. Her work as a professional artist focus mainly on paintings, book binding, and mixed media arts.

  • a person smiling and sitting in front of a colorful mural

    Analina Berofsky; she/her

    Analina was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She is in pursuit of a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Special Education, later mastering in Art Therapy. Analina believes that making Art is not only for Artist; Art is about being a thinker, it’s about having and sharing ideas, it encourages problem solving techniques and to communicate feelings. These are qualities that are important in all aspects of life. She reminds her students to try their best, it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s beautiful because you made it! Analina welcomed her baby boy August 2021.

  • image of a person smiling

    Kristy Butler; she/they

    Kristy Butler is originally from Buffalo, New York and brings her love of learning and self expression to her teaching practice. A creative person with a range of interests, Kristy is a former professional dancer and textile studio manager. These varied experiences allow Kristy to approach teaching children with openness and curiosity. Kristy has an AAS in Illustration from Fashion Institute of Technology and her art practice is focused on using traditional media in a fun and playful way. Kristy has been working with children for over 15 years, through work as a nanny, ballet teacher, and, most recently, as a preschool teacher. She prides herself on providing a nurturing, safe, and collaborative presence in the classroom.

  • image of a person smiling

    Mary Escobar; she/her

    Mary Escobar originally hails from California, but has lived in NYC for over 10 years. In addition to her background in childcare and graphic design, she's maintained a robust personal art practice informed by her deeply held commitment to social justice. She works as a tutor and site coordinator for the CUNY Reading Corps Initiative, working with kindergarten - fourth grade striving readers in NYC public schools. Just one course from completion of her Bachelor's Degree in Childhood Education at Hunter College, she's passionate about the myriad ways art and literacy unlock our capacity for understanding and empathy for those around us.

  • Johanna Evans; she/her

    Johanna is a practicing artist and educator, living and working in Brooklyn. She holds an MFA in photography, video and related media from the School of Visual Arts, New York, and a BFA in photography and film from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston. She received her teaching certificate from Parsons School of Design, New York. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally, and she has been awarded artist residencies at programs in Berlin and New Mexico. Johanna’s art practice mirrors her teaching approach - one based in process, exploration and experimentation. Johanna has taught children of all ages at schools and after school programs throughout New York City. She is also a fan of doing big family art projects with her own three kids.

  • image of a person smiling with a dark background

    Ambrus Gerő; he/him

    Ambrus is an educator and visual artist who has provided hands-on classes in exhibitions focused on sustainability, summer camps, and even in a privately managed cave. His favorite crafts include candle-making, wall painting, and tie-dye. His work as a professional artist focuses on paintings and kinetic sculptures. Last year, he debuted his interactive kinetic sculpture named Flying Cacao."

  • image of a person with a white hat on

    Harlow Halberg; they/he

    Harlow is a non-binary musician and multidisciplinary artist specializing in illustration, painting, and digital art, and always ready to take on a new medium! They were born and raised in California, and have lived in Brooklyn since 2016. His art, generally featuring colorful landscapes or characters of expansive gender identities, has been featured in a few galleries in Brooklyn including The Living Gallery and the gallery space in C'mon Everybody. They are primarily self-taught as an artist, and love to collaborate with other artists and create with whatever is available. As a teacher they are very driven by the interests of each student, and hope to help foster individual creativity and love for art in its boundless forms.

  • image of a person with trees behind them

    Clementine Martinez; she/her

    Clementine is an illustrator and print maker born in NYC and currently living in Brooklyn. After graduating from Pratt, she worked on a variety of illustration projects in the public art, children's book, and editorial fields. She now studies lithography at the Art Students League of New York. Clementine enjoys the unexpected surprises of printmaking, experiencing them as a collaboration between the artist and the medium itself. It is this excitement found in the art making process that she hopes to share with others.

  • person smiling at the camera

    Catherine Massa; she/her

    Catherine is an illustrator based in both Brooklyn and Connecticut. She received a BFA in Communications Design (Illustration emphasis) with a Creative Writing minor from Pratt Institute. She currently works as an extracurricular art instructor at various schools across New York City and has exhibited and sold work at MoCCA Arts Fest, FlameCon, and Queen B Coffee Company. In her personal work, Catherine primarily specializes in digital painting, heavily emphasizing storytelling at the heart of what she makes.

  • image of a person with pink hair

    Angel Morales; he/they

    Angel is a painter based in Brooklyn, New York. After studying Fine Art at the Fashion Institute of Technology, they noticed a lack of focused creative space outside of the usual college environment. He created a program that brought fine arts workshops to community spaces across all five boroughs. Angel developed a malleable teaching style that encourages artists at every skill level to create their best work. Angel presents thoughtful and challenging projects to their students often inspired by contemporary artwork. Anyone can make a masterpiece- students are encouraged to stay curious, find value in their mistakes, and keep making art!

  • Celeste Morton; she/her

    Celeste Morton lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. She received her BFA in Film Theory from the University of Vermont, her Post- baccalaureate from School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her MFA in painting from the University of Delaware in 2018. Her work has been shown in Philadelphia at Automat, in Texas at Galleri Urbane and Martha’s Contemporary, and throughout Chicago, Brooklyn, and NYC. In 2020, she participated in Azule Residency in North Carolina and is the recipient of the 2022 SU CASA artist in residence.

  • Milo Oconnell; she/they

    Milo O’Connell Is an interdisciplinary Artist and Teacher pursuing a dual enrollment BFA/MA in Dramatic arts and arts management at The New School College Of Performing Arts. She loves working with young artists and has been teaching visual art for 8 years, with a focus on mixed media exploration. She believes in the unshakeable power of art and silliness.

  • Nay Roland; she/they

    Nayvine is an artist, designer, & philanthropist born and raised in Kansas City Missouri, but has lived in more than 4 states and 3 countries. She studied fashion design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco and is currently freelance designing and styling in New York City. She enjoys traveling, making music, dancing & going on adventures!! She likes using her time to incorporate art in every aspect of her life. She has experience program directing and teaching art to children of special needs, and enjoys spreading awareness to that community. She believes art is the force of all that is alive, everyone & everything is art.

  • person with glasses smiling

    Victoria Russo; she/her

    Victoria is an artist based in NJ and NY. She is currently receiving a BFA in Fine Art and Art History, while working on her own freelance projects. Victoria has over 7 years experience working in childcare and fostering meaningful and educational relationships with kids and families. Her background in care giving and art inspires her to develop a career in art education to encourage creativity and imagination throughout a child’s life. Outside of art, Victoria enjoys watching tv, reading, and spending time with her dog!

  • Tyeonna Swift; she/her

    Photo and bio coming soon!

Westchester Instructor

Samara Sussman

Samara is a professional artist and certified art educator from Scarsdale, NY who loves working in the visual arts with children and adults. She has lead drawing, painting, collage making, printmaking and sculpture programs in the NYC public school system, Midchester Jewish Center, Camp Mohawk Country Day School, Hudson Valley Center for Contemporary Art, Vanderbilt YMCA, Art Farm in the City and Studio in a School. She holds a Master's degree in Fine Art in Painting from Pratt Institute, a Bachelor's degree from SUNY Purchase in Fine Art, and a Bachelor's degree from SUNY Purchase in Languages (Hebrew and Spanish).

Virtual Instructors

  • photo of  person smiling

    Phebe Campsey; she/her/ms

    Since 2006, Phebe Campsey has been teaching art in NYC and the Hamptons privately with both individuals and groups ranging in ages 2 and up. Art has been an important part of her life since the age of 3 and she is passionate about sharing her life long love of art making with others! Her background in Fine Art is informed from her extensive studies in a variety of media and interest in both historic and contemporary artists. She received her BFA from School of Visual Arts and continued on to receive her MPS in Creative Arts Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute. Her post-Master’s work has further informed her practice of attending to the individual needs of each person she works with and emphasizes her approach to reinforce creative problem solving skills and other ways in which the arts can offer opportunities for personal growth.