Mary Beth Sasso, Teaching Artist & Mentor 

Mary Beth Sasso

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"My art is a personal journey in which I see the beauty of life whether in a person, animal, place, or thing. I am so grateful for my gift."

Mary Beth Sasso specializes in pastel portraits of both people and animals capturing the true nature and personality of each subject. 

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Ms. Sasso was born in Connecticut and as a young child exhibited a strong talent in all areas of art with a natural ability to draw. As a teenager, she began studying under the mentorship of nationally and internationally known Master Pastelist, Claudia Post, www.claudiapost.com, and for the next 7 years was her teaching assistant during her summers off from school.​

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Ms. Sasso attended Paier College of Art and received a B.A. in Graphic Design from Central Connecticut State University and went on to have a successful career as a graphic designer for over 30+ years. In 2008 Ms. Sasso reconnected once again with Ms. Post and returned full-time to her fine art roots with exhibits at various galleries in Connecticut along with teaching teens and adults in Connecticut schools and private studios.

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She is an Adjunct Faculty of Art at Santa Rosa Junior College successfully teaching ages 14-98 yrs beginner level pastel painting and basic drawing skills in addition to teaching private classes and commissions. 

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Ms. Sasso is also a Certified Teaching Artist at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, which partners with John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. As a CTA of LBC’s arts integration residencies, Ms. Sasso brings art to the classroom leading students through six interactive sessions combining an art form and another academic content area to dive deeper into learning. In addition to her credentials as a Teaching Artist, Ms. Sasso is certified in Addressing Trauma through the Arts.

Art has comforted and helped many students young and old to help them navigate through the trauma of the fires, loss, and now COVID. For the few hours working and immersing themselves in creating art the experience allows them to be in a safe and peaceful place to forget for a while about the negative events in their lives. I find the most rewarding aspect of teaching is the joy I see in my students' beaming faces of pride when they have successfully completed a beautiful piece of art for the first time in their life. It warms my heart!​ When creating I’m in the zone where I find peace albeit for a short time but it’s very healing so that is what I want to teach others to experience. 

In addition, she also taught art for Sebastopol Center for the Arts Summer Arts Camp and Petaluma Arts Center.

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Most recently she became an RYT200 Yoga Teacher. "My passion for art and yoga will enable me to offer workshops combining art and yoga for the mind, body, and spirit. A truly meditative and creative experience.”

Memberships

Pastel Society of the West Coast

Board Member, Chair of Society Awards

www.pswc.ws

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Petaluma Arts Center

www.petalumaartscenter.org

Creative Sonoma

www.creativesonoma.org

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts 
www.lutherburbankcenter.org

Sebastopol Center for the Arts 

www.sebarts.org