Janet Rattigan Riley has been a beloved private art teacher in Newmarket NH for children ages 4-18 for the past 30 years. A countless number of students have continued with Janet’s classes for close to ten years, with the record being 13 yrs! Classes are kept small so she can make a personal connection with each student. She insists on a supportive and respectful studio where all students feel welcome to try new things and find their unique way to express themselves through their art. When she opened THE ART ROOM in 2018, she started with 24 students whom previously had come to her home studio. Within six months, THE ART ROOM had 70 students and has continued to grow and become a happy space for so many young artists!

Born and raised in Beverly Massachusetts, Janet graduated with a BFA degree from Montserrat College of Art. She moved to Newmarket NH and while raising 2 children, taught a variety of art classes within the community as well as in her home studio.  She has continued to take workshops with portrait and landscape artists for her own artistic growth. When she can find time, Janet enjoys painting gardens, children, and scenes from every day life. Her work is realistic towards impressionistic, in styles she so admires of Mary Cassatt, Edward Henry Potthast and John Singer Sargent. With her 2 children now successfully launched, Janet lives in Newmarket with her precious dog and often THE ART ROOM mascot, Smudge.

Samantha Applegate is a full-time art teacher at the Barrington Elementary School. With her Masters degree in Art Education from UNH, she has also been teaching classes and Summer Camps at THE ART ROOM for over five years. Sam has built up a devoted following and THE ART ROOM is lucky to have her here!