April Shaffer

April is right at home with art and kids.  After majoring in Art in high school, April went on to major in Fashion Design at Kent State University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts.  Fashion drew April to New York City where she worked as an Assistant Designer for Dana Buchman.  But after three years April needed more trees, less people, and yearned to work with children. 

After making her way to Virginia with her husband, April worked at a before and after school program in Fredrick County, Virginia; a summer Day Camp, substitute taught, and taught preschool -- anything to work with kids!  In 2002, April was hired to teach Art at D.G. Cooley Elementary in Berryville, Virginia under the direction of Gale Bowman-Harlow.  Here she was finally able to combine her two passions — art and children.  April helped expand and enrich the art program at D.G. Cooley for two years before choosing to stay home with her newborn son. 

After becoming a full-time mom, April tries to find every opportunity to introduce art to her kids and their friends through art play dates and projects.  When asked if she would be interested in teaching an art class for little people for Opus Oaks she literally jumped at the opportunity.  

April and her husband, Stephen, have gorgeous property on the mountain in Clarke County, and are kept very busy by their two energetic boys, and two lovable black labs.