Staff
Washington Studio School is run by a small but dedicated staff, Board of Directors, team of volunteers and work-study students.
Reem Bassous, Artistic Director and Head of Faculty
Reem@washingtonstudioschool.org
Reem Bassous received her BA from The Lebanese American University and her MFA from The George Washington University. She started teaching drawing and painting in 2001 at The George Washington University, taught at the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa for 9 years, and at Leeward Community College at the University of Hawaiʻi for 7 years. Bassous continues her journey in education as Artistic Director and Head of Faculty at the Washington Studio School, as of the fall of 2023. Bassous’ regional and national exhibitions include solo shows at the Honolulu Museum of Art, SBCAST Gallery in Santa Barbara, and the Washington Studio School Gallery, in Washington DC. Her work has been reviewed by various publications which include the Washington Post, Art Asia Pacific and Star Advertiser. Bassous’ work is in permanent collections which include the Honolulu Museum of Art and Shangri La Museum for Islamic Art, Culture and Design.
Madeleine Sargent, Managing Director
Madeleine@washingtonstudioschool.org
Madeleine is a painter, photographer, and arts professional with a background in non-profit and commercial art management. She graduated from Wesleyan University with honors as a Studio Art major, where she studied painting and photography. Madeleine is an active member of the DC arts community and is joining Washington Studio School from her role as Gallery Manager at Calloway Fine Art in Georgetown. Madeleine maintains an active studio practice and is engaged in the DC artistic network as a member of ArtTable. Making art accessible and sharing the arts through public programming is her passion.
Sheba Amante, Admin/Registrar/Model Coordinator
admin@washingtonstudioschool.org
Sheba initially worked with the Washington Studio School for over ten years as a figure model before joining the WSS administrative team. As the Admin/ Registrar and Model Coordinator, she provides essential support in day-to-day operations and coordinates model bookings for faculty members. When she is not engaged in her duties with Washington Studio School, she pursues creative work as a photographer and continues to be an active member of the DC Art Model Collective.
Rachael Bohlander, Communications Manager
communications@washingtonstudioschool.org
Rachael is a Washington D.C.-based mixed media artist with a focus on incorporating dimensionality into mixed media works formed through the combination of painterly gesture and geometric structure. Rachael received her MFA from the New York Studio School, after which she was the Artist in Residence at the New York Studio School’s post-graduate sculpture residency in DUMBO, Brooklyn. She also holds a BA from Washington University in St Louis and a JD from Tulane Law School. As a teaching artist, Rachael teaches mixed media, sculpture, and drawing at the Washington Studio School, and has served as a guest instructor and teaching assistant at the New York Studio School. Additionally, Rachael serves on the Editorial Board for the New York-based Sculpture Forum project. Her works have been included in solo and group shows in D.C. and the surrounding region, New York, and can be found in private collections throughout the U.S. and Canada.
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