our team
owners
heidi stephens-rabman - artist/business owner
heidi has spent her entire professional career in the arts. she received her Bachelor of fine arts at the college of ceramics at alfred university and continued her education at the School for Visual Arts, Parsons School of Design and The Realist Drawing Academy in New Mexico with Gary Faigin. After moving to NYC, she worked ten years + for two of the largest Fortune 500 companies in NYC as Art Director and Design Director. During that time Heidi also honed her ceramic skills as a student of master ceramic artists, painted, exhibited in numerous venues where she sold her paintings. other than owning the studio and throwing pots in her spare time her hobbies are painting designer bags, sketching and tennis.
louis rabman - business owner
born in england and raised in south africa and israel, louis is an international star. After serving four years in the Israeli army, he immigrated to the U.S.A. where he continued his education and career. Louis has spent his entire professional life in finance, helping to grow small businesses. currently, louis has ventured into the vending machine business and is taking over long island as the vending king. louis married heidi, the couple and their three children moved to port washington which has been their home ever since.
CERAMIC INSTRUCTORS
laura badke - ceramic instructor
I used to collect pottery because I always loved the shapes and glazes. I decided one day to take a class and I haven’t turned back since.” Starting her pottery journey in 2010. Graduated from NYIT with BFA. As a graphic designer, she combines her talent of design to translate in her ceramic work.Merging design and ceramics creating bodies of work that tell a story. Her love is Raku horsehair firing, but also loves to experiment with layered slips and texture. Laura worked as the ceramics studio manager at the Art league of LI and also helped teach classes. Her work has been published in LI Living Magazine, and was on display at various galleries on Long Island. Lauras teaches from beginner to advanced, helping her students find their voice in clay.She also teaches Horsehair firing workshops here at Haven.
amy booth - ceramic instructor
Amy has been working with clay for many years. She earned a BFA in Ceramics at the California College of the Arts in Oakland and a Master’s Degree in TESOL from New York University. Amy taught ESL at Weber Middle School in Port Washington for 20 years. after retiring in 2020, she began teaching wheel pottery at Haven. She also teaches wheel pottery at The Manes Center at the Nassau County Museum of Art in Roslyn Harbor. She continues to make pottery and enjoys taking part in local farmers markets.
patricia bridges - ceramic instructor
Artist and Educator, Patricia Bridges is a full-time studio potter. She has been working in clay for over two decades. Bridges sells and exhibits her work in the US. Bridges first formal ceramic training was through the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. She studied ceramics through college, apprenticed for several well-established studio potters in Massachusetts, and maintained a studio of her own. Bridges is a longtime resident of Port Washington and small business owner (Bridges Pottery) with a deep commitment to community. Patricia has been teaching at Haven for over a decade and brings a plethora of ceramic knowledge and a passion for teaching that her students love. “My teaching philosophy is to provide each student with the information, tools, and techniques so they can further explore and advance their ceramics journey.” See Patricia’s work on her website at bridgespottery.com and on Instagram @bridgespottery
rachel dove - ceramic instructor
Rachel is a multidisciplinary artist with a focus in ceramics and textiles. Originally from the Midwest, Rachel has been working with clay since childhood. She received her BFA from the Columbus College of Art & Design and MFA from the University of Tennessee. Rachel has exhibited regionally in juried and invitational exhibitions. Her ceramic work incorporates functional and sculptural methods, alternative firing techniques, and surface design embellishments. Rachel serves as an Adjunct Instructor who teaches foundational art and design courses at Suffolk Community College. She also teaches beginner to advance hand-building and wheel throwing classes along with guided textile workshops. Besides sharing her knowledge and excitement for art making, Rachel’s passion is helping students grow their artistry and creative voice. When teaching, she expresses themes such as craftsmanship, form and function, experimentation, and creativity to inspire and investigate the student’s own creative potential.
jen sommer - ceramic instructor
jen sommer is a working ceramic artist and graphic designer from Oakdale, NY. She graduated from SUNY New Paltz in 2014 with a BS Degree, with a duel concentration in ceramics and graphic design. When not playing with clay, Jenn enjoys drawing, gardening, and exploring long island!
danni campero - ceramics/tech guru/clay girl
daniella studied at queens college where she was first introduced to ceramics. she has worked on hand building and wheel thrown projects; both functional and sculptural. daniella has also interned at queens college as a studio technician, a profession she has continued to pursue.
FINE ARTs INSTRUCTORS
marvin arevalo - art instructor/accelerated art
Marvin Arevalo (aka Kiwi) is a New York artist interested in portraits, abstract, and a touch of Macabre. With series titled Franken-Kiwi, All My Friends Are Monsters, When Villains Win, and Deathtopia. He blends classic monsters with bright abstract forms and with a new series titled Season of the Witch, expects his oeuvre to expand exponentially.
Marvin Arevalo studies art at the State University of New York at Oswego, The New York Empire State University, and the Long Island University of New York formally known as C.W Post. Currently working on his 12th series of artwork, Marvin is also tutoring privately remotely to local Nassau and Queens residents.
lauren brue - art instructor/mixed media
art has always been a passion for lauren, currently lauren teaches our mixed media classes on saturday morning to our junior budding artist. she loves drawing portraits, painting, and designing jewelry. she has sold many of her hand-crafted jewelry pieces in local stores and fairs. she received her masters in childhood education from cw post with additional certifications in early childhood and students with disabilities.
amanda curtis - art instructor/tween/teen wheel
Amanda is a mixed media artist, potterer, and youth art instructor, she currently is our top instructor for tween/teen pottery classes. her work covers a broad range of mediums from hand-painted acrylic on thrifted denim to embroidered painted canvases with macramé fringe. As a graduate of Cornell University (’19) with degrees in environmental science and development sociology, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of natural and man-made environments – a curiosity often explored through the subject matter of her pieces. Amanda joined haven art studio to learn how to make planters for her many plant babies and mugs for her coffee addiction…but quickly found her home here at the studio working with haven’s young artists. Inspired by the impact of her own teachers, amanda embraces her opportunity as an instructor to encourage her students to gain confidence in themselves, their skills as artists and their own creativity.
judy doyle - art instructor/mixed media
A long time resident of Port Washington (since the early 80s), Judy lives with her husband,Patrick, and her dog and cat (their children are grown).She retired from the world of finance 15 years ago and traded her NYSE Broker’s License for a Real Estate License. She enjoys helping others sell and buy homes and enjoys the creative side of staging a home, as well. Her heart will always be in the arts: visual and performance. She is actively involved in the community performing in local theatre groups (acting, singing and set design), raising money for various charities. At Haven, Judy mostly conducts multi-media classes and birthday parties for children, She is all-in body, mind, and soul and has fully transitioned from the corporate world to the world of art.
briana parrino - art instructor/art history & drawing/painting
Briana Parrino received her Bachelor’s in Visual Art Education from SUNY New Paltz and her Master’s in Creative Art Therapy and Counseling from Hofstra University. She currently teaches 4th through 8th grade in Queens. Briana combines her love of art making and self-expression to ensure her students always feel comfortable and safe in her classes. She strives to have her students learn about a variety of artists, art periods and art techniques while simultaneously expressing their thoughts and feelings into their artwork. In her free time, Briana enjoys drawing and painting however she loves to experiment with 3D sculpture and ceramics as well.
olivia rapaccuilo - art instructor/ mixed media
Olivia grew up attending Haven Art classes and continued to take both studio and AP art in Weber and Schreiber. She has always been passionate about drawing and painting, specifically portraits. She cant wait to share her love of art with her students!
marshaun stapleton - art instructor/drawing/painting
As a teacher I give my students the confidence and skills to pursue their goals no matter what they may be. Each time students enters my classroom I will ask them to become active participants in their own learning. The skills that I use as the basis for each project are selected to help students navigate a life of learning and continual self improvement. Time management, planning, creativity,
communication, and critical thinking are all skills that allow us as individuals to exercise agency within our lives. As an art teacher I am in a unique position to help students see themselves as capable of accomplishing anything through the application of these aforementioned skills, which we will practice in a fun and interactive way. My classroom is a safe place for students to make the kind of art work they’ve always wanted to make as well the art they never thought they could make. I have learned as much as my students in the classroom, and with each project I design I also develop new skills. Being an artist has allowed me to take a more active role in my own life and I would like to give that gift to all of my students.
jen streim - fashionista/sewing instructor/interior design
jen attended Undergraduate at SUNY Oneonta where she received a Bachelor’s in Family and consumer science which back then was called HOME ECONOMICS. There she learned all my basics of sewing 101, draping design,etc.
in her Senior year’s transferred to Fashion Institute of Technology (F.I.T) & Spent 3 more years learning the Fashion , advertising and Toy industry. jen holds degrees in ADVERTISING DESIGN / FINE ART with a specialty in TOY DESIGN from FIT.
she worked for Mattel Toy Company and Fisher Price Toy company (which is one company) for over 24 years designing Plush soft toys such as ELMO, Cookie monster and Disney toys, including Mickey & Minnie Mouse , Winnie the Pooh as well as hundreds of plastic toys for Thomas the tank, dora the explorer ,shimmer and shine ,octonauts as well as nickelodeon branded toys. jen is a port mom that you may see teaching at Om sweet om yoga studio as a yoga instructor.