WORKING STUDIO - Key Persons
Anna Catton has 20 plus years of involvement in theatrical and entertainment production. While her focus has been mostly theater props, she has a wide range of skills from high steel arena rigging and welding instructor to Art Direction and wardrobe alteration. She has worked with some great venues like: Glimmerglass Festival, The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Nickelodeon, The Young Vic Theatre in London, The International Spy Museum, and various Universities. From stage to screen and everything in between she can get it done. Anna is proud of her various experiences over the years and is always looking forward to the next challenge.
Casey is a Project Manager at Working Studio, and brings with her over 8 years of experience in the themed entertainment, children's interactive, and museum exhibits industries. After graduating the Art Academy of Cincinnati with a BFA in Visual Communications and a focus on sculpture, she started working at Sculpco in Cincinnati as a toy sculptor. While at Sculpco she developed her physical and digital sculpting skills. After a few years, she moved on to LifeFormations where she not only added her artistic talents, but also took on the role of Office Manager/Production Coordinator, managing over 20 + employees. She had a hand in nearly every project that came through the company, whether it was managing employees, coordinating projects, handling logistics, creating digital media, painting elements, researching materials, developing new techniques, or sculpting characters. She has successfully managed multiple simultaneous projects with clients such as Disney, Universal Studios, Fox, and Mattel. Now at Working Studio, Casey is able to focus her attention on creating educational, fun, thematic and interactive learning exhibits for children that encompass the art of play.
Bio coming Chad brings a wealth of experience from his tenure as General Manager at Scenic Solutions LLC, Inc., spanning seven years. With over 29 years in the entertainment industry, Chad's journey is a testament to his steadfast commitment. Throughout his career, he has held pivotal roles including Technical Director, Production Manager, and Operations Manager for esteemed organizations such as the Opera Theatre of Lucca in Italy, Ensemble Theatre of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and River City Scenic.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chad's dedication to community service shines through his active involvement in various Cincinnati and Finneytown committees. In 2017, he was elected by the community to serve a four-year term on the Finneytown Local Schools Board of Education, eventually assuming the role of President in 2021. During his tenure, Chad spearheaded the successful passage of a $28 million bond issue funding the construction of two new school buildings.
Chad's portfolio has an impressive array of clients including: Disney, Universal Studios, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian Cruise Line, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the JB Speed Art Museum, and the Cincinnati Art Museum. Notable mentions also include Cedar Fair Entertainment, Kings Island, and many more esteemed names in the industry.
Dan Myburgh is an autodidact, maker, & performing artist. A sculpture generalist in every sense of the word. He has working knowledge of fine art principles as well as a total grasp of the industrial production pipeline. Blending creative design and practical engineering, Dan strives to deliver beyond expectations with each project. 3D CAD & CAM tools have been his focal point in recent years, and with Working Studio, using those process' to deliver precision bespoke interactive spaces.
Emmanuelle is a designer and maker striving to inspire joy through design. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati DAAP with a BS in Industrial Design. Throughout her educational career, she worked in several industries including makerspaces, furniture, toy, and exhibits, honing skills in prototyping and design for fabrication. Her capstone was a game designed to make studying math more enjoyable, through which she developed skills in design strategy, user-centered research, and education. She found a passion for the museum industry through co-ops and a year spent on an exhibit fabrication team, and joined the WS team in Fall of 2024 with great enthusiasm. Outside of work, Emmanuelle teaches after-school algebra and geometry classes, and enjoys leatherworking, D&D, and collecting frog-shaped things.
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, Laura is no stranger to Ohio. She earned a BFA in Theatre Design and Production with a focus in Stage Management from the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music. Since graduating, her career as a stage manager and her love of travel has taken her all over the US and the world! Laura has worked on several Broadway and Off-Broadway shows, Broadway national tours, cruise ships, and she has also worked regionally at Florida Studio Theatre in Sarasota, Two River Theater in New Jersey, Gateway Playhouse on Long Island, Everyman Theatre in Baltimore, and Weston Theater Company in Vermont.
Laura is ecstatic to be back in Ohio again, and thrilled to be putting her stage management skills to use as a Project Manager for Working Studio!
Martin Simon is a dedicated craftsman at Working Studio, where he combines his artistic vision with technical skill to create unique, handcrafted pieces. With a background as a balloon twister, Martin has developed a keen eye for design and a passion for transforming materials into whimsical creations. His experience in balloon artistry has honed his ability to think creatively and execute intricate details, skills he now applies to a broader range of crafts.
Despite his success at Working Studio, Martin remains committed to furthering his expertise in balloon artistry and aspires to become a certified balloon artist. He believes that continuous learning and exploration are essential to artistic growth. Martin's enthusiasm for his craft and his drive to innovate make him a valuable asset to any creative endeavor.
Megan graduated from DAAP in the spring of 2023 with a degree in industrial design and a minor in fine arts. As a student, she developed a curiosity for multiple industries and was able to work doing traditional industrial design, product research, and app design. She has a passion for building and making with her hands. After working part-time with a carpenter and her student design career, she understands how important it is to know how an object is made so the design can come to fruition. One of her favorite parts of the design process is problem-solving and understanding how materials are used. Outside of work, she is passionate about DIY projects, sustainability, gardening, and ceramics.
Nicole Joy joins the Working Studio team as Project Manager, bringing nearly 20 years of experience from Cincinnati's vibrant arts community. A Cincinnati native, Nicole earned her Bachelor's degree in Art History from the University of Cincinnati and spent nearly a decade at the Cincinnati Art Museum, where she focused on the integration of education and technology. She later transitioned into the commercial art and auction sectors, including Cowan's & Hindman Auctions, where she managed live and online auctions across the country.
Nicole is dedicated to fostering meaningful connections and delivering successful client outcomes. As part of the Working Studio team, she looks forward to connecting new audiences to creative expression through art, education and technology.
With over 20 years experience as a Producer for commercial photography, Sarah has been the end-to-end leader on thousands of projects for clients including global brands, small businesses and everything in between. She loves being a part of the creative process and seeing a concept brought to life.
Sarah is a native to Greater Cincinnati and has a BA in Communications from the University of Cincinnati. She is a pop culture enthusiast and enjoys reading and crafting.
Scott has had three distinct periods throughout his career. After earning his BFA in Dimensional Illustration from the Columbus College of Art and Design, Scott moved to Los Angeles and started a career as a special effects artist. He refined his talents in sculpting, mold making, casting, and painting while creating props, costumes, prosthetic makeup appliances, and animatronic characters for movies and television.
After 8 years in the industry, he moved back to his hometown and began a new career in the exhibit and amusement industry as a design engineer, creating construction drawings for museum and trade show exhibits. He found his passion working in the Children's Museum and Science Center arena, creating interactive exhibits to engage visitors in unique ways while telling a story and educating the visitors.
After 10 years of working for a few different exhibit fabricators, Scott decided to refine his focus even further and combine his artistic and thematic background with his engineering and technical abilities that he enjoys. That is why, in 2006, he created Working Studio, a destination for anyone searching for a studio that loves to solve challenging problems in unique ways with a background in many different disciplines. While Scott is the President and founder of the company, he is also hands on in the day to day activities working as an engineer, sculptor, fabricator, programmer, and much more.
Sean spent the first 35 years of his life in the pacific northwest. After earning his bachelors degree in mathematics and masters degree in teaching, he began his career as a math educator. While teaching, Sean accidentally fell in love with fabrication. He quit his job, went to welding school, and spent five years as a metal fabricator, drafter, CNC operator, and project manager at a small fabrication company in Seattle, Wa. When his wife was hired at Cincinnati Children's Hospital he began looking for a place to work where he could combine his love for education, fabrication, and problem solving. Working Studio was the perfect fit!
Tara Calahan King, is an award winning illustrator, muralist, and designer. Recognized by the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and the School Library Journal, she is noted for her endearing characters and odd perspectives. With her 25 years of experience as an artist and creative, she continues to have her hands in spatial planning, and renovations of public spaces with hand painted murals and the design and fabrication of interactive sculptures, for children and adults. Her work can be found in children's books, amusement parks, museums, brochures, greeting cards, magazines, stationary products, wedding invitations, libraries, hospitals, television, and private commissions around the world.
A couple of her accolades include…
Her children's book title Enemy Pie, written by Derek Munson, has become a Reading Rainbow feature book, and was narrated by the Emmy award winning actor, Ed Harris. Tara is passionate about promoting art, literacy, and creativity. She was commended a Kentucky Colonel at the capital in 2010, by the Kentucky Governor, Steve Beshear, and State Representative, Susan Westrom, for her work in children's book illustration and her excellence in children's programming.
Her diverse rendering of styles and techniques with the use of various materials, in combination with her keen eye for detail and quality in craftsmanship, is a true reflection of her love for capturing, nurturing, and delivering a unique, colorful, and engaging experience for all ages.