Fashion Design

Faculty

Judy Boryczka
Fashion Design Dept Head

Ms. Boryczka has been teaching fashion design at VMCAD since 1978. Earning her degree from VMCAD, she is well-trained in the Haute Couture method of design. Ms. Boryczka has also worked in the Fashion Design industry throughout NE Ohio producing fashion shows, creating sample garments from sketches to finished pieces, and developing a swimwear line for Suits Me Fine in Maple Heights, Ohio. Ms. Boryczka has worked for big name companies like JoAnn Fabrics and is a member of Fashion Group International.

Mary Hargrave
Fashion Design Instructor, Sewing
Professional: Costume Designer

Ms. Hargrave has been trained in the Haute Couture method of design, earning her diploma from VMCAD in 1997.  She works in the costume department of a local theater doing costume build for their shows.  She says she loves theater and the creativity needed to design costumes for the stage.

Eileen Ptacek
Fashion Instructor (Textiles)

Ms. Ptacek utilizes her creativity, sewing and organizational skills to teach Fashion Merchandising and Family and Consumer Sciences to her students at VMCAD. Coming from teaching these skills to middle school and high school students, she enjoys the rapport she develops with all her students. Ms. Ptacek's skills include designing tailored garments, gowns and accessories all the way to putting together curtains, pillows, briefcases and iPod covers.

Art and General Studies

Patrick Melnick
Director of Art Studies

Any student will tell you that Mr. Melnick is one of the best! An art studies instructor, he teaches Anatomy and Figure Drawing, History of Art and Fashion Illustration. An instructor for more than 26 years, Mr. Melnick earned his Masters in Studio Arts from the University of Notre Dame. He's worked throughout Ohio and in Chicago teaching and working in art galleries.

Sally Heston
Art Fundamentals and Basic Color Theory

Ms. Heston has more than 30 years of teaching experience. She has art published in several books and exhibits much of her solo work in art galleries throughout Pennsylvania and NE Ohio. She's also a co-currator at the MD Garage Art Gallery in Cuyahoga Valley National Park and is President of the Board of Trustees of the Cuyahoga Valley Art Center in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Andrij Maday
Art Fundamentals and Color Theory

Mr. Maday is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He is the recipient of 12 awards, a Lewis Comfort Tiffany Foundation Grant among them. Mr. Maday has exhibited extensively in 33 solo and over 85 group exhibitions. His woodcuts, drawings, as well as paintings, both secular and ecclesiastical, may be found in numerous private and permanent collections in North America, Europe, and Australia. Specializing in custom site specific commissions, his work can be viewed at www.andrijmaday.com.

Keith Smith
Anatomy & Figure Drawing, Art Fundamentals and Color Theory

Mr. Smith is a graduate of VMCAD and holds an Associate Degree of Applied Business in Interior Design.  He serves on the board of the VMCAD foundation, and teaches the art fundamentals, color theory and anatomy & figure drawing courses.  He also teaches Intro to Interior Design and Anatomy & Figure Drawing for ID. Mr. Smith owns the fine art firm Esoteric Painting Design located in downtown Cleveland.  He specializes in faux painting techniques, and color consulting. 

Katherine Miracle
Small Business Mgmt, Advertising and Promotions, Salesmanship
Founder and Owner of Miracle Resources

Ms. Miracle is the founder and owner of Miracle Resources, a consulting, training and educational resource for businesses and non-profits.  She specializes in teaching her clients and her students about advertising, promotions, branding, public relations, marketing and revenue development.  Her clients include The Cleveland Clinic, The American Red Cross and Dunkin Donuts.

John Kenney
Photography

Mr. Kenney teaches still photography at VMCAD. He's worked for various news outlets including the National Press and Sports Illustrated. He's won more than 280 photography awards throughout his career and has work displayed in the Football Hall of Fame. He graduated from Capital University and was trained at the prestigious Rochester Institute of Technology in New York.

Wayne Pearsall
Business Law, Economics

Mr. Pearsall is a practicing Attorney with active licenses in both Ohio and Florida. He is a sole practitioner with an emphasis on Family Law, Criminal Law, Bankruptcy and Small Claims. He has also done Pro Bono work for Homeless Women's Shelters. But Mr. Pearsall also enjoys using his creative talents through photography and web design. He does photography for various VMCAD events and has created several websites for his other hobbies – baseball and research on Internet Law, publishing an online journal called the Cyberbug Law Journal.