artNEST

Every person is born an artist. Creative intuition and incredible instincts to problem solve and efficiently navigate the world are a child’s survival.

At artNEST® Studios, we embrace these instincts and give children limitless possibilities to express themselves.
Our goal is for children to never deny their creative mind, to explore it even further and continue to give the world the best version of themselves.

artNEST® Studios is a nurturing, non-competitive, non-judgmental environment where class size is limited so each student receives individual attention. Our age appropriate classes for “grown-up and me” and independent kids age two to preteen focus on the basics of visual arts and challenge inventiveness, problem solving and imagination. We offer a varied arts program including painting, drawing, collaging, book making, photography, jewelry making, fashion and more.

MEET OUR
ARTISTS

Our goal is for children to never deny their creative mind, to explore it even further and continue to give the world the best version of themselves.

5+

Years of Experience

STEPHANIE SCIANNA PITTS

ARTIST + OWNER

Art and music were an everyday part of Stephanie’s life growing up. She graduated college with a degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis on painting and photography. Soon after, she acquired her teaching certification and taught Art Education at a Miami, FL Elementary School. Education became her passion. After 6 years, she moved back to NYC to work for The Princeton Review, overseeing multiple afterschool programs.

Stephanie then moved on to School of Rock where she was able to couple her experience and love of education with her passion for the Arts. As Director of Franchise Operations, Stephanie assisted franchisees with successful business practices, implementation of curriculum and had a hand in ensuring that over 20,000 kids around the world learned “how to rock on stage and in life”.

Stephanie currently resides in Delray Beach, FL with her husband and two little boys. She has consulted with various educational non-profits in the area and now presents you with artNEST® Studio. Bringing together her passion for all art forms and inspiring the artist in others, she hopes to ignite the creative souls of the children in the community.

COSIMO SCIANNA

ARTIST + OWNER

Cosimo has enjoyed a long and successful career as designer, illustrator, conceptual photographer, commercial director/cameraman, and artist/photographer.

A graduate of the New York City High School of Art and Design, Cosimo has won nearly every major advertising award for excellence. His debut book is entitled, "Times Square: Celebrating the New Millennium." (Watson-Guptill).

He has lectured throughout the world and has been published widely. He is a long-standing member of the Directors Guild of America, IATSE, AICP, Getty Images, ASMP and the Society of Illustrators.

He has been an instructor at the School of Visual Arts, was involved for many years in the internship program of New York City mentoring many of today’s successful photographers and filmmakers. His work has been widely exhibited in galleries throughout the United States.

Cosimo presently sits on the Board of the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park in Boca Raton and looks forward to continuing to nurture young artists.

www.cosimoscianna.com

EMILY HOLTBY

MANAGER ARTNEST® - DELRAY + BOCA

Emily is endlessly curious and full of big ideas (if not always impossible ones) and enjoys a challenge. She is excited to introduce you to artNEST’s culture of freedom to create and celebration of uniqueness.

Emily found herself at artNEST® Studios after a career in high energy creative youth hospitality. She has sailed the oceans, hosted game shows, slid down the tallest slides, and tested out the gooiest slimes.

She spent time studying fashion, ceramics and travel & tourism before joining a cruise line for a summer job (that lasted 5 years). She has called South Florida home since 2012, but is still Canadian from Eh to Zed.

When not in the studio, you can catch her with her cheesehead husband and glitter obsessed 5 yr old trying out new messy play ideas. Emily enjoys spending time with her 2 retired speed noodles, thrifting and cooking up new recipes.

Create the things you wished existed!

COLLEEN USPENSKY

ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR

Colleen is extremely passionate about using art and dance as a tool to spread kindness and joy to all walks of life. With her degree in Dance Education from the University of Northern Colorado, she has developed and customized social dance curriculum throughout the midwest, US and Europe.

For the past 10 years, Colleen has worked extensively in the Chicago art education sector where she brought social dance programming to Chicago Public Schools which served thousands of students all over the city. She is excited to join the artNEST® team to spread more joy to the community through art. Her greatest achievement is her little family made up of her husband and dance partner, two amazing kids and a very special doodle.

WYETH OLMSTED

STUDIO COORDINATOR - DELRAY

Bright colors, eccentric shapes, and playful designs have attracted Wyeth since before she was of the age of our Little Monsters. Throughout her life she has used art as a form of self-expression, exploration, and personal development. With a degree in Art and Communications, she has utilized a variety of different mediums including printmaking, embroidery, watercolor, photography, and digital media. Her art focuses on using lighthearted, amusing motifs and vibrant color palettes that spark both the artist and the viewers’ imagination. Wyeth has found art to be an incredibly therapeutic tool for healing and growth and encourages experimentation and getting a little messy in her practice; exactly what she enjoys most about working in our studio with young artists.

Trading in the pine trees and snow of Vermont for the palm trees and waves of Florida, she joined artNEST® in 2021 and currently serves as Studio Coordinator of the Delray studio. Prior to artNEST™, Wyeth has been working with children for the past 7 years in a variety of capacities ranging from preschools to summer camps as well as being a nanny.

When Wyeth isn’t creating, you can find her roller skating or biking to the beach. She currently lives in Delray Beach with her bunny, Willa.

NANCY MCGOWAN

STUDIO COORDINATOR - BOCA

Nancy is a true artist from the inside out. From the day she could hold a pencil she started drawing. Her love of Art isn’t limited to just Visual Arts, she has a deep passion for all types of music and other Art forms.

Her Art career started with characterchures, then she found a niche in fashion illustration where she would illustrate for magazines. This led her to jobs as a makeup artist, party planner and custom artwork freelancer. To say she had her hand in many different artforms is an understatement. Nancy can literally make ANYTHING! She has always had dreams of being a Disney Imagineer which is reflected very much in her own artwork.

She now brings her talents to artNEST® where she combines her passion for the Arts with her love of kids and teaching.

Nancy was born and raised in Boca Raton, FL and resides with her husband. When not at artNEST™, you can find her either at the beach, Disney World or creating!

LET’S GET MESSY!