About our instructors
Our Paint & Sip Instructor: Rhonda Merritt
Coming from an artistic family, its been a natural etension of a lifelong love of the arts, that I have been studying and practicing art my whole life. I’m an Ohio State Graduate where art was a minor and Social History a major.
I was the Co-Director of a mental health recovery center where I taught a therapeutic art group called Coffee and Canvas. I have participated in Art Shows at the Mr. Vernon Schnirmeier Gallery and displayed my work for 4 years in the Art of Recovery annual shows. I was commissioned to paint a portrait for the City of Richmond Heights of the Father of Black History.
I presently have a face painting business, where I can bring smiles as I paint on the “Living Canvases”.
I love sharing my gift with others, young and old and as a member of the Christian Disciples family I am looking forward to opening up a space where others can learn as they paint and craft with art materials.
Our Barn Quilt Painting Instructor: Bonnie Stewart
Bonnie Stewart
Barn Quilt Artist & Instructor
Bonnie Stewart is a longtime Monroe County resident with a deep passion for art and craftsmanship. For many years, she worked with acrylics and oils on canvas, but everything changed when she discovered Barn Quilt painting in 2021. After taking her first class, she was instantly hooked.
Since then, Bonnie has created over 200 barn quilts in a wide range of sizes and styles. What began as gifts and custom pieces for family and friends quickly grew into something more—eventually inspiring her to open her Etsy shop, “Monroe Wood-n-Glass,” where she sells her hand-painted barn quilts and occasionally showcases her stained-glass work as well.
Bonnie finds Barn Quilt painting to be both challenging and incredibly rewarding, and she loves showing others how enjoyable and creative this craft can be. Her goal as an instructor is to help students discover that designing and painting barn quilts isn’t just a class—it’s a hobby they can take home and continue to enjoy for years to come.