Staff

Director, CAROLYN WEST

Carolyn was born in Stratford, a small town in Connecticut, during the 1950’s. She spent many of her childhood hours with her “buddy and best friend” her grandfather, inventor and designer of the Schick injector razor and all around inventor and artist. They would drive around the beautiful Connecticut countryside sketching landscapes, lovely colonial homes, flower gardens and the like. He always encouraged her to develop her own artistic talent because he too was very creative.
At age 12 Carolyn was enrolled in the Famous Artists School in Westport Connecticut to study commercial art for three years, of which the famous American artist Norman Rockwell, was a faculty member. Carolyn majored in art throughout her college years in California, selling her work in various galleries up and down the California coast. In 1976 she studied for a year at a small school of art in Negril Jamaica.
After a short stint at Fairfield University in Connecticut where Carolyn was awarded a large number of credits from their art department, she imagined, planned and opened The Little Red School of Art and Music in Stratford teaching and helping thousands of children in the last 20 years.
Carolyn continues to create art and her work has been or can be seen  in various galleries and art spaces, including;
Kasper Gallery - Morges, Switzerland
Connecticut Bank and Trust - Hartford, CT (private collection)
Gallery of Fine Prints - Bridgeport, CT
The Art Scene - Charleston, SC
ERA Gallery - NY, NY
Gilded Lily Gallery - Milford, CT
Picture Perfect - New Canaan, CT
Art Room - San Francisco, CA
Silvermine Art Gallery -
Norwalk, CT

Private commissions and freelance clients include;
Gordon Frazer Gallery and Card Co. - Newtown, CT
New York Art Review - NY, NY
Greenpeace - Santa Cruz, CA
Audubon Society - Norwalk, CT
CR Gibson Cards - Norwalk, CT
Hallmark Cards - Kansas City, MO
MBI Danbury Mint - Norwalk, CT
Milford Bank - Milford, CT

Introducing our new voice teacher, Caitlin Fenton!

Caitlin is a senior at Bunnell High School and has an award-winning powerhouse voice. She is an AP and honors student, the president of Bunnell's drama club "Bunnell S.T.A.G.E.," and she is enrolled in Music Theory and Select Choir. In the past, Caitlin was the vice president of "Bunnell S.T.A.G.E.," enrolled in Theatre and Advanced Theatre, and she landed the most memorable roles in several plays and musicals. Some of these roles include Sebastian AND the voice of Ursula in The Little Mermaid, Paulette Bonafonté in Legally Blonde, and Patti Quince in Midsummer/Jersey! As a musical theatre student, Caitlin understands the importance of proper vocal health and vocal training. She is honored to have been given the opportunity to teach and is thrilled to become a part of The Little Red School of Art and Music family! -- Caitlin P. Fenton

Theresa Manus

Born and raised in Stratford, CT, Theresa Manus has been a certified art teacher for grades K-12 for over 15 years in public, private, and extra-curricular school settings. She holds a BS in Art Education from Southern Connecticut State University and a MA in Special Education with a certification cross-endorsement for grades K-12 from the University of St. Joseph’s. Her passion for art began at a very early age and she was encouraged by family to follow her dreams of becoming an artist and teacher. Theresa owned and operated a freelance business where she worked on special projects such as: commissioned paintings, painting on glass, book illustration, and jewelry engraving. The hub of her private business was a shop at Captain’s Cove Seaport. Throughout her life Theresa has always sought new and exciting ways to create and share art. As a hobby she has learned to play various instruments such as: piano, trumpet, and clarinet. She has been a teacher and counselor for The Little Red School of Art and Music for many years and continues to be an asset to the program.

Jeremy Shulick

Drums, percussion, guitar & bass
Jeremy is a professional musician, music teacher, organic farmer, and woodworker from Bethany, CT. He has been teaching music for over 20 years and attended WCSU for music education. “As art and music programs are slowly disappearing from our public schools, it’s our responsibility to share these bits of culture with the world of tomorrow.”

Melanie Wargo

Melanie Wargo is a former student of the Little Red School and has returned to reach future artists. In addition to her love of teaching art she also uses painting as a form of nonverbal communication when teaching inner city youths as a speech pathologist.