Jessica Jecmen is a Managing Director at Accenture and Executive Director of the Accenture Foundation. She is an active volunteer in her community. She is the Second Vice President of the Joffrey Women’s Board in Chicago and has previously Co-Chaired their Annual Luncheon and served as First Vice President. She also serves Gamma Phi Beta on as a Vice President on their International Council. She has served in leadership roles in the Junior League of Kane & DuPage Counties and Harrison Street School PTO.

Jessica has a deep love of the arts, specifically dance. She grew up dancing, inspired and encouraged by her mother, who was also a dancer. Many of Jessica’s extended family are artists in various mediums and she loves encouraging artists of all ages to develop their passion.

Jessica lives with her husband, Dave, and two children, Leo, and Eva, in Geneva.

Contact Jessica at president@waterstreetstudios.org

Gianna Bisogni is the Events and Marketing Manager. She comes to Water Street with 10 years of experience in customer service and hospitality, managing hair salons in the Fox Valley area. Gianna has loved art since she was a small child attending art fairs and classes with her mom and siblings. Her passion for creating was re-awakened taking ceramics courses at Water Street Studios where she later became a clay lab subscriber. She also loves learning about and collecting plants, maintaining a collection of rare house plants and a yearly vegetable garden. Gianna’s favorite thing to do in the clay lab is throw on the wheel, and her favorite plant from her collection is the Philodendron Silver Stripe.

Contact Gianna at events@waterstreetstudios.org

Rosalie White’s journey with art began in childhood, fueled by a curiosity to create with found objects and materials from around the house. This passion deepened during her studies at Columbia College Chicago, where unconventional perspectives helped shape her artistic vision.

After pursuing a parallel career in education as teacher and school administration, Rosalie retired in 2021, fully embracing her identity as an artist.

Now, as a resident artist and instructor at Water Street, Rosalie dedicates herself to both creating and teaching. She takes immense joy in sharing the transformative magic of art with students of all ages, fostering a space where creativity flourishes without limits.

Her work is known for its vibrant use of color and textural depth, often exploring themes of memory, nature, and human connection.

Her work has been featured in regional publications, solo and group exhibitions throughout Chicagoland and received the 2024 West Chicago’s Art Banner People Choice award.

Contact Rose at artschool@waterstreetstudios.org

Kim Peterson serves as the bookkeeper for Water Street Studios. She comes to WSS with energy and passion around supporting small businesses and non- profits. Kim has a diverse background as an Accounting Management, Office Manager and in Relationship Building. She is an active supporter of Mooseheart Child City through her membership in the Batavia Moose Club.

Her artistic creativity consists of holiday projects, home projects and gifts for others while having a great respect for all the artists at our studio. She has a daughter that resides in Virginia (formerly of Iowa City) with 3 amazing Granddaughters that are the focal point of her everyday - Lillian who loves her clay classes and free form drawing, Identical Twins Olivia & Elaina, each expressing themselves through storytelling, creative imagination and most recently, painting.

Kim is an advocate for adopting pets from a local shelter, having fostered several litters of kittens and pups. She is a firm believer that all children can express their thoughts and expressions through art when given the opportunity.

Contact Kim at registration@waterstreetstudios.org

Erin took several 2D classes at Water Street Studios before taking her first wheel throwing class in 2022. She instantly fell in love with ceramics and working with three dimensional forms. She became a Clay Lab member after a few months to deepen her knowledge of ceramics, as well as learn more about the workings of a community studio. Her favorite part about being a member of the Clay Lab is the comradery and being inspired by the talent and creativity of all the other members. She enjoys looking for new challenges to broaden her skills throwing on the wheel and perfecting the finish of her pieces.

Contact Erin at claylab@waterstreetstudios.org

With a deep-rooted passion for both marketing and the visual arts, Lauren brings a unique blend of creativity, strategy, and technical expertise to the role of Marketing Manager at Water Street Studios. With a background in marketing and a specific focus on photography, Lauren has honed the ability to craft compelling visual narratives that engage audiences and drive meaningful connections.

A creative designer and digital strategist, Lauren combines artistic vision with a keen understanding of online platforms, using cutting-edge tools to develop immersive online experiences that enhance brand presence. Known for a creative eye that marries aesthetic value with results-driven strategies, Lauren is passionate about helping artists, brands, and businesses connect with their audiences in innovative ways.

At the intersection of creativity and strategy, Lauren thrives on blending the visual language of art with marketing techniques to deliver impactful results. You can reach Lauren at marketing@waterstreetstudios.org.

Steve Sherrell is a career painter from the Chicago school of art. He was raised in Indiana but moved to the Chicago area to finish his education at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a BFA and MFA in Painting and Drawing. His early influence was his father who was a painter and window dresser for a large department store. As a boy he was exposed to Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, Pop Art, American Realism and the decorative arts. His training at the School of the Art Institute was with Ray Yoshida and Whitney Halstead, who introduced him to studio practices that he has utilized since he graduated. He is a retired Professor of Art from Joliet Junior College.

He is currently the Director of Exhibitions at Water Street Studios in Batavia, Illinois and founder of the Water Street Studios Artist’s Collective.

Contact Steve at ssherrel69@gmail.com

Caitlin Palagi is an artist and instructor, who believes in the process of intuitive art – in finding our creative voices by trusting in our minds and bodies. Her growth as an artist occurred when she began leaning into her creativity and stopped analyzing it.

Caitlin grew up Irish dancing, painting, crafting, sewing, and teaching those around her, spreading her joy for the arts.

Caitlin studied studio art at Saint Xavier University and holds a B.S. in Psychology She previously worked in research and software sales, working for some of the world’s largest software corporations during her tenure. The juxtaposition of coming from such an analytical background to stepping back into her original creative roots has brought her joy in process art.

Caitlin is known for her whimsical acrylics, emotive oils, and resourceful mixed media work, exploring themes of daily life, chronic illness, and humanity.

She is passionate about her local arts community and gives back through her art in support of mental well-being and neurodiversity, working with local mental health and neuro-affirming groups to bring intuitive art and sensory experiences to children and adults. You can contact Caitlin at gallery@waterstreetstudios.org

Mark is a Batavia resident and sculptor/metal smith. He was a resident artist at Water Street from 2016-2023 when he moved across the river to a bigger space. You’ll still see Mark around the studio in a maintenance role, helping care for our historic building.

Contact Mark at markadams2667@yahoo.com