Meet the Instructors

We are pleased to announce the line-up of great instructors we have in place for you.

Please check back often for updates and news.

Richard Snowberg

    Richard Snowberg began performing as a magician. He turned to clowning in 1975 creating Snowflake, his whiteface character. His wife Jan, and sons, David and Eric, were also involved in clown performances. They successfully performed at fairs, festivals, and corporate events.

  Richard was an associate professor in Information Technology at the University of Wisconsin in LaCrosse. (He retired in 2000.) He began teaching magic and clown classes through the college's evening continuing education program. This led to the creation of U-W Clown Camp© in 1981. Over the years this has grown into the world's oldest and largest clown training program.

    When Richard began clowning, there was little educational literature available so he began writing his own books for his classes. He has written Clowning For Children, Clowning Wherever We Can, Just For Laughs Clown Routines, The Clown in You - A Basic Textbook, and The Caring Clowns. The Caring Clowns is considered the definitive text on clowning in hospitals which Richard makes his specialty.

    Richard was the first education director of the World Clown Association, and held that office for several years. He eventually became President of the WCA in 1987. He was instrumental in starting the WCA Bo Dino Scholarship Program, which was the first one in existence. Since then, he has started the Mark Anthony Scholarship Fund, and a Canadian scholarship fund has been named in his honor. Richard is the World Clown Association 2002-2003 President. He is the second person to serve as WCA President for two different terms.

    Richard helped bridge the gap between American and European clowns by inviting European clowns to teach at the U-W Clown Camp©. In 2000, Clowns from Japan were added to the U-W Clown Camp Staff©.

    In 1989, he organized the World Clown Summit in Dalkeith, Scotland. At the Summit clowns from around the world gathered for a week of discussion and performance.

    In 1991, Richard was the chairman of the World Clown Association Convention held in Bognoir Regis, England. This was the first convention by a major U.S. clown organization to be held outside of the continental United States.

    In 1993, Richard was an American delegate to the World Clown Congress in Sweden.

    Richard's contributions to clowning include being involved in the establishment of the Wishland Pony Express, a local wish granting organization for chronically and terminally ill youngsters in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The organization is supported by donations from clowns. He has been on the Wishland Pony Express board of directors from the beginning.

    Richard has inspired many of today's clown leaders either directly or through the U-W Clown Camp©. Many of his efforts are behind the scenes where few know of his direct involvement.

    Richard is a 1999 Inductee into the International Clown Hall Of Fame.

    The last Clown Camp American program he is hosting will be held in June of 2009. Following the conclusion of this program his plans are only to offer programs outside of the United States, or regional three day programs within the U.S.

Rich Snowberg’s Caring Clown All Day Workshop

This workshop will take participants through a daylong immersion in caring clowning. Some of the questions that will be addressed and answered are:

• How can a single clown impact a nursing home or hospital?
• How can a group of clowns impact a nursing home or hospital?
• Is it better to work alone as a caring clown or with a partner or group?
• What is needed or required to be most acceptable as a hospital clown?
• How can I gain access to working in my local hospital? Or Why can’t I get permission to clown at my hospital?
• What type of character should a caring clown choose?
• Where can I get new information on the field of caring clowning?
• I am not a comfortable performer, so can I still be a caring clown?
• What can I use to facilitate my caring clowning?
• What about payment vs. non-paid services in hospitals and nursing homes? Is it possible to get paid for caring clown work?
• Are there organizations that can assist me in some way?
• Are specific performance skills required, or can I use some that I already possess?
• Are there specific steps to follow in ones growth in being a successful caring clown?
• Can you describe some model programs?
• Can caring clowns work in hospice facilities, women’s shelters, jails, or prisons?

    All of the above questions will be addressed through lecture, media presentations, and demonstrations. The afternoon session will include Richard applying his personal makeup as he discusses the different opportunities, and sometimes limitations, that our faces and bodies provide. He will dress in his personal caring clown wardrobe and share stories as well as demonstrate some of the techniques he employs as a caring clown. Sharing simple props, and actually doing routines with the props will illustrate their impact. He will also show some techniques that he does not use, because he realizes that not all props or routines will fit each clowns personality or style of work.

Oscar Munoz
www.oscarmunoz.com

    Oscar Munoz, award winning illusionist and humorist, has spellbound audiences with his multi-facetted talents. Throughout the United States, Korea, Japan, and Mexico, Oscar has presented his special brand of comedy magic to the delight of adults and children of all ages. In July 1999, Oscar used a portion of his show to win 1st place in the International Brotherhood of Magicians' competition. In addition he was awarded the highly prestigious Gold Cups, an award of excellence. Oscar is much sought after convention performer.

Friday pre-convention class
Oscar will work with all the participants on children’s magic. He will be working with kid friendly effects. He will use ropes, cards, coins and other effects that are directed toward entertaining children of all ages.

Weekend Lectures and Show

Friday Night
Oscar will be preforming his ususal stage show for us and group of local kids. Having children in the audience make this worthwhile and more effective. This will also provide us an insite to him and his work and give you an opportunity to create questions on "a how to level" for his Saturday lectures. Everyone will get the most out of it if the kids are present. Once the set is over, the kids will be ushered out.

Saturday Lecture
Oscar will be taking a very different approach in this lecture. He will be applying improvisation techniques to developing a trick into a real magic effect. Basically he will be asking the participants to take a basic magic trick and work on how to improve it making it pack small and play big. We did not talk about this idea on the phone, but if the session participant were to bring a trick they are working on to the session then the group could help that person develop the trick.

Jenifer Pettigrew
www.cleotheclown.com

    Jenifer Pettigrew face painting artist has been painting the city of Guelph and surrounding areas since 1999 as her clown character Cleo the clown. The best job ever , she is the birthday child's special present every time she goes to a party!!

    With years of experience in the hair dressing and make up industry. A transition into face painting and glamour girl parties was a natural fit. The business of laughter and smiles is taken seriously with the use of only FDA approved face painting products by Snazaroo and Mehron's Paradise paints. Along with cosmetic grade glitters by Amerikan body art.

    Cleo the clown's pursuit is to create Miles Of Smiles everywhere she goes, one beautiful little face at a time.

    In 2007 Jenifer expanded her creative company to include Tutta Bella Henna designs. A henna designs company that caters to the art of henna belly designs for expectant moms.

Basics of Henna Design and Applications
with Tutta Bella Henna artist Jenifer Pettigrew

This 6 hour pre-convention class will cover many topics and with the small class size( maximum 12) there will be plenty of one-on-one question time and plenty of hands on practice time.
You need not bring a thing ,just your skin to practice on.
Each participant receives a starter Henna kit that includes:

• henna paste to practice with during the convention
• henna applicators
• henna workbook with sample designs
• after care information for your henna clients
  In class we will cover all the necessary topic to have you feeling confident in starting a henna business or add the service to your existing face and body painting company.

Class topics:

• Henna supplies & recipes to make your own paste
• Science of Henna and how it works
• the dangers of black henna
• how to make your own henna paste (yes we will be making henna paste in class)
• how to work with various applicators (cones & sKweEZie bottles)
• how to add to “sparkle” of gliding, crystals and bindi bling
• about aftercare
• henna resource information

Roberta Mandella
www.happyfacepainting.com

Winner of Snazaroo's "best of the best" 2007

   Roberta Mandella is a professional face and body artist from Worcester MA. A licenced hairstylist and make-up artist for 11years, Roberta began her face painting career by helping a friend at a local festival. She continues to educate herself and is constantly inspired by learning from some of the world's best face and body artists. Roberta is always willing to share what she knows with others. Her creative designs and fine detailed art work have won her numerous awards and recognition world wide.

   Roberta's new face painting book "Cheek to Cheek" is soon to be released by snazaroo US. She is looking forward to teaching her techniques and designs at up coming workshops & conventions across the country.

Pre-convention class details:

Perfecting Your Lines / Smooth Blending and Sponge Work

    Every good design has smooth blending and perfect lines. Learn how to use YOUR brand of make-up correctly. Roberta will work with each student one-on-one according to their specific needs. Learn to sponge a perfect base, blend colors together flawlessly, properly load your brush, make smooth and even lines, swirls and curls, teardrops, animal markings and more! (hands-on - bring your supplies!)

Class topics for Family Entertainers convention:

• Fast Faces: Simplified full face designs with WOW impact for large events.
• Rainbows and Split Cakes: How to make fast, pretty flowers, masks, snakes and more using split cakes!
• Cheek Art: step-by-step instruction on popular designs and techniques to help make cheek art a breeze!
• Focal Point, Highlighting and Shading: Learn why certain designs look better than others and how to place them on the face. Learn to make your full face designs appear more realistic with highlighting and shading techniques.

Katie Hunt

    Katie Hunt began face painting as a way to accompany her husband (Doug The Great – Entertainer) on his many gigs and give their daughter, Megan, a part-time income. Her interest in face painting quickly grew.

    As well as managing their entertainment business, Katie is a writer and speaker sharing her insights into the world of managing and marketing your entertainment business. Katie has been published in Face and Body Art International Magazine, FACE – The UK Face Painting Magazine, Laugh*Makers, the Funny Paper - a publication for family entertainers, and is currently a columnist for Illusion Magazine.

    Katie is one of only six Canadians to be certified by FACE. (This UK-based face painting organization strives to improve standards and raise the profile of face painting. Members have to pass a certification test in order to join and this is to ensure that all FACE Members have reached a set standard of speed and competence. )

    In 2004, Katie and her husband, Doug, were recipients of the Shining Stars Tourism Award for Tourism Ambassador, for Brantford, Ontario.

    In a life before her Face Paint Artist career, Katie achieved her certificate in Volunteer Management.

    Katie has been a presenter with the Face and Body Art International Convention in Orlando since 2003, (and San Francisco in 2004). In 2008 Katie taught at La FETE in New Orleans, the Family Entertainer's Convention, the Face and Body Art International Convention in Orlando, quickly by the Midwest Haunters/Midwest Fantasy Convention in Columbus Ohio.

    Writer, painter, presenter - Katie loves to share ideas and her love of this art form.

Pre-convention class details:

Learn how to build your
business in these challenging economic times.
(or How to make the world go 'WOW' about your business!")

    When the economy is a challenge, (like now) being the best artist won’t always get you the jobs, but being the best business person will. The most skillful or talented person may be overlooked while the people who can sell themselves are chosen.

     In this class Katie Hun t will instruct you on Investing in yourself, Strategies to keep the phone ringing and the emails coming, and Follow-through and building those relationships. Plus Katie will answer your specific questions and challenges.

     Zig Ziglar said: “If you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what you’ve been getting.” If you are ready for different results, better results, more profitable results, this is the class to help you grow your business…..even during these tough economic times!
This could be the most important class you’ll ever take!

Instructor: Katie Hunt