Welcome, New Instructors!

This summer we welcome three new instructors and can’t wait for you to meet them. They bring an abundance of knowledge and experience from the worlds of fashion, theater, ceramics, and boating.

GregRobin Smith

GregRobin began his journey with Shakespeare in high school when he saw a Star Trek episode featuring an interstellar Shakespearean troupe, changing the course of his life forever. After achieving a BA in Theatre at Eastern Washington University, he settled in Seattle to seek fortune and fame.

Always an educator, GregRobin founded, “A Knight’s Tour,” bringing interactive classes in Medieval history to schools all over the Puget Sound. Now, as managing director of the Washington Shakespearean Festival, he continues to teach with his interactive touring program and performance-based classes in Bellingham, Mt. Vernon, Seattle, and online for the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

He has written over 3,000 sonnets, as well as a book on Shakespeare’s writing techniques that includes an original five act Shakespearean style comedy. He is also a public speaker, a musician, ​Renaissance Faire performer, and performs as Benjamin Franklin for non-profit organization fundraisers across the country.

Read about The Magic of Shakespeare.

Gabe Virgen

Gabe is an emerging artist working and teaching from his private studio in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA. He received his education in ceramics from Western Washington University in 2019 and shortly after pursued a degree in architecture.  After moving to Seattle in 2020, Gabe opened RAIN Ceramics.

He is passionate about exploring new techniques and materials, constantly pushing the boundaries of traditional pottery to create stunning and original pieces. Gabriel's work has been featured in various exhibitions and has garnered attention from both collectors and art enthusiasts alike.

Gabe's teaching style is characterized by its inclusivity, hands-on approach, and emphasis on creative exploration.

Read about Ceramics: Pottery Wheel Basics.

Adelia Boyar

Adelia likes to say she, “came up through the hosepipe,” learning to be on the water by working on it. From kayaking the intercostal waterways on the East Coast, to transiting the Panama Canal, she is now Captain of the Maritime Instructor, the Seattle Maritime Academy's training vessel.

Most of her professional experience has been on the West Coast from Panama to Alaska, where she has spent extensive time on the local Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Columbia River (her favorite).&

As a chief mate on small cruise ships, she loved teaching her crew mates all about safety equipment and drills. Currently, Adelia volunteers on a tall ship teaching people how to sail, and recently set up a nonprofit in Bellingham to help get people onto the water.

Read about Adelia's upcoming class Knots & Brews.

Philip Estrada

Philip is a working professional in the fashion industry here in Seattle. Graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BFA/Fashion Design, he started his career in New York City in the Fall of 2005, lucky to land a job as an assistant designer soon after moving there.

Philip spent eleven years working his way up through the ranks employed by brands such as Jordache, U.S. Polo Association, and Express. He moved to Seattle in 2016, to breathe a little fresh air, and secured a design position at a local brand with an international presence, Zumiez.

He now manages the men’s design team, while also designing their denim products. Even though his career has been focused on mass market designing, he holds a special place in his heart for couture and costuming. This gives him excuses to work in his favorite materials: sequins, beads and rhinestones.

Although Philip is not a new instructor with Continuing Education, he only teaches once a year, so we wanted to give everyone a chance to meet him! 

Learn about Fashion Illustration.