Divertimenti Leaders

Bil Buhler (Pottery Tour & Workshop) was born and raised in central Idaho. He received his Masters degree from DU in Computer Science, when he first fell in love with Denver. He lived in Seattle and Chicago before moving to Denver twenty plus years ago. After retiring from computer programming his avocation as a potter became a primary focus. He thinks he should have made that switch much sooner because he’s having so much fun with his creations.

Diane Carrick (Yes, You Can Draw!) taught junior high school art classes for eight years in Ohio. She has published poetry in Windows to the Soul, and her art work and articles about art have appeared in 5280 and elsewhere. She enjoys taking Academy classes and teaching art to small groups in her home. She’s currently in the process of writing her life story as she charges on to another adventure.





Bridge nut and art groupie Sally Kneser (Intermediate Bridge Review, Learn to Facilitate) is always ready to learn something new and help teach others. “I love to learn, and it’s so much more fun with friends around.” Sally is a Life Master in bridge and enjoys explaining the basics to others. As the Academy’s Director, Sally tackles operational and tactical issues in running the nonprofit. While volunteering with the Junior League, Sally chaired several committees, including the Facilitators. When not enjoying herself at the bridge table, she attends two book clubs and stops to smell roses in her gardens.

Before founding The Lab, Adam Lerner (Belmar Lab Field Trip) was the Master Teacher for modern and contemporary art at the Denver Art Museum. Prior to coming to Colorado in 2001, he was the curator of the Contemporary Museum, Baltimore. He received his doctorate from the Johns Hopkins University and his masters from Cambridge University and he was a Fellow at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (1997-8). Since the early 1990s, Lerner’s scholarship has focused on the relationship between art and the public. Lerner co-edited the book Reimagining the Nation including his own essay on nineteenth century sculpture and French nationalism. He wrote his dissertation on early twentieth century American monuments, emphasizing the career of Gutzon Borglum, the sculptor of Mount Rushmore.

Larry Matten (Chess: Beginners & Intermediate) started teaching chess three years ago when his Rotary club volunteered to help Englewood Elementary School students learn the game. Rotary is sometimes like the military. Larry volunteered without realizing that he was to become the chess teacher and the chess program. Teaching and explaining the basics of chess to 9-11 year olds was an experience that Larry loved. He arranged for interschool tournaments and organized a traveling trophy to go to the victor. Although not the best player, Larry has learned the rules and strategies by teaching them. He has had a lot of fun, teaching "youngsters" and looks forward to even more fun teaching “oldsters”. Larry is a retired professor (Plant Biology from Southern Illinois University) and a retired lawyer (specializing in Elder Law).

Patricia Palmer (Express Yourself with Art) grew up in the Arkansas Delta, attended college at the U. of Arkansas, majoring in art and English, and then moved to Denver last August to be near family. In Arkansas she taught public school art briefly. Then she taught both painting and drawing for adults and children at the Arkansas Art Museum. As a producing artist, she has entered and won purchase prizes in several juried shows including Small Works on Paper and Emerging Artists at the U of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Her work is in the permanent collections of the U. of Arkansas, Pine Bluff, and the Fort Smith Convention Center. She works mainly in pastel and acrylic with an expressive style, whether representational or non-representational. She loves to teach and especially enjoys helping others learn to see the beauty in our world and ourselves with awe and wonder and to express that beauty in an honest and personal way.

Lynne Pettyjohn (Intermediate Bridge Review) came from Akron, Ohio to attend the University of Colorado. She graduated from CU and then became a high school English teacher. Her stamina is confirmed by the fact that she taught English in the Denver Public Schools for 32 years. After retiring she joined the Assistance League of Denver which is a nonprofit volunteer organization. Her hobbies include bridge, gardening, golf, and hiking.

Dr. Kaycie Rosen, (Food as Medicine) owner of the Golden Naturopathic Clinic, LLC, is a Naturopathic Doctor who focuses on providing comprehensive, holistic care to her patients. Dr. Rosen received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her medical schooling at Bastyr University in Washington state. Before starting the Golden Clinic, she worked in Anchorage, Alaska doing primary care medicine. She specializes in blood sugar and cholesterol regulation, autoimmune disease, hormone balancing, and head and neck disorders. The Clinic is in downtown Golden, and can be reached at 303.273.0866, or online at http://www.goldenholisticmedicine.com