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Ruth King, Associate Professor of Glass, manages both the Glass program at Â鶹ƵµÀ Western and the Mary Baker Emerick Art Studio.

She came to Â鶹ƵµÀ Western after a nine-year tenure as Artistic Director of Pilchuck Glass school where her artistic vision lead the nonprofit school firmly into the digital age with summer courses that combined glass with animation, 3D rendering and other new media.

At Pilchuck, Ruth also coordinated several residency programs and helped curate the annual gala auction and scholarship awards. Ruth has also taught in several renowned glass programs at Alfred University, Ohio State University, California College of the Arts and Rhode Island School of Design.

She received her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design and her BFA magna cum laude from Temple University’s Tyler School of Art in Philadelphia. Ruth has lectured, taught and demonstrated at conferences and schools all over the world.

Stephen is an interdisciplinary theatre and media artist who focuses on performance creation, dialect training, somatic engagement, immersive design, and storytelling. He has upheld a versatile career for over 10 years and continues to maintain a vibrant creative practice in both theatre and film. As a Certified Meisner Teacher through the globally based Meisner Institute, he interacts with theatre educators from all over the world. He also holds a Consent-Forward Artist Certificate from the Intimacy Directors and Coordinators organization.

Previously, Stephen was an adjunct instructor of theatre for Carroll College. For ten years, he performed with the Virginia City Players (a Melodrama and Vaudeville playhouse in southern Â鶹ƵµÀ). He has worked for companies such as the Post Playhouse, Myrna Loy Center, Helena Theatre Company, Grandstreet Theatre, Blue Slipper Theatre, Billings Studio Theatre, and Gateway Playhouse. Some of his prior work in film includes A24’s The Ballad of Lefty Brown, TEDx Carroll College, TEDx University of Â鶹ƵµÀ Western, and Laura, Lost winner of the 2016 ToHorror Film Festival in Italy. His recent short film Runaways premiered at the 2023 Wyoming International Film Festival. It was also selected for screening at the 307 International Film Festival, and South Carolina Underground Film Festival.

Stephen earned his Master of Fine Arts from Goddard College where he studied Interdisciplinary Arts. His praxis in performance creation explores the intersections of somatic engagement, social justice, feminism, disability, and trauma.
Outside of theatre, Stephen owns his own film production company called SederMedia LLC where he creates short films, corporate promotions, and other photography services.

Eva Mastandrea has taught art classes all over the world, including two trips with Semester at Sea and at Toyo University in Japan, where she taught calligraphy as part of a Fulbright Scholarship. She has also led semester long art trips to Italy and France.

Mastandrea has exhibited her own art in non-profit venues throughout the state of Â鶹ƵµÀ and has held artist residencies in the United States and abroad.

She currently teaches printmaking, painting, drawing and advanced studio courses at Â鶹ƵµÀ Western.

In addition to her teaching duties, Eva serves as the chair of the Mary Baker Emerick Trust which allocates scholarship funds for Â鶹ƵµÀ Western art students.