Julie Rosenthale

Julie Rosenthale has been making art since her grandfather, a prolific painter, gave her a set of canvases and paint when she was a little child. She majored in Art History/Fine Art at Emory University, where she received her B.A., and was a member of the Stipe Society of Scholars for the creative arts, and recipient of the Stipe Creative Arts Honor for her work in ceramic sculpture.  In 2004, Julie earned a M.A.T. from The College of New Jersey in Elementary Education and is a NJ-certified elementary teacher.  She taught art for five years in a preschool in Princeton, as well as in the summer program at the Arts Council of Princeton.

Art Sparks is an environment in which artists can explore and create using a variety of art media, all within the spirit of a no-pressure approach, learning to reflect about the art-making process, embracing “mistakes” as a chance for learning and discovery, and most of all - joy!

Julie opened the Art Sparks Studio in Hopewell Borough in 2012.   She loves the process of discoveries made by experimenting with materials, and is ever-amazed by the creative and inspiring approaches to art that she learns from her students.

Meta Arnold

Meta Dunkly Arnold has been teaching in the mixed media arts classes at Art Sparks since the studio's opening in 2012, pivoting from her first career teaching literature. From 2015-2020 Meta was the founding Arts Specialist at Painted Oak Nature School, creating a program grounded in the natural environment and the Reggio Emilia approach. She continues to value hands-on skills, loose parts, recycled materials, and student choice. Meta also offers classes for children and adults at the West Windsor Arts Center, where she frequently shows her work. She has exhibited recently at the Arts Council of Princeton, Studio Montclair, the Monmouth Museum, AOY in Yardley, and River Arts in Damariscotta, Maine. Meta’s own artwork is primarily found-object assemblage, with kinetic and interactive elements— opening doors and LED lights— that invite the viewer to participate in her imaginative small worlds. She sees art-making as a treasure hunt to discover hidden beauty in the world around us.