Our Mission

The Shine House inspires people to imagine, discover, and connect through programs and experiences in the creative arts.

Our Vision

The vision of The Shine House is to empower the community to celebrate its differences through creative expression and increase a sense of belonging and acceptance of all individuals.

Our Values

Compassion: Within these community walls and beyond, we feel it is vital to have compassion. Compassion for ourselves and others, as well as the will to help one another in times of need.

Encourage: Encouraging others builds hope and strength. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed.

Balance: Balance of work and play, experimentation and skilled, self care and care for others.

Respect: Valuing others opinions and art, acceptance and embracing others differences.

Kindness: Kindness in words, actions, and thoughts.

Empower: The ability to lift each other up is a gift. As you grow, I grow, and our community will grow.

  • Compassion 100% 100%
  • Encourage 100% 100%
  • Balance 100% 100%
  • Respect 100% 100%
  • Kindness 100% 100%
  • Empower 100% 100%

About the Shine House

The Shine House is a nonprofit community arts center located in the heart of downtown Somerset.  Our goal is to provide the community instruction in a variety of visual art forms: painting, drawing, sculpture, mixed media, and object art.

We currently have five certified yoga instructors to lead and educate the community in body movement and relaxation art forms: yoga, meditation, and breathe work

This creative educational space has been developed with inclusion in mind.

The Shine House idea grew from the vision of a place where all would feel welcome. All would be welcome regardless of age, educational level, ability, disability, artistic knowledge, current or past life situation. This vision sparked a partnership with Chris and Tina George and ABA, Applied Behavioral advancements. Chris and Tina George believe in people and their community. Through this partnership the Shine House has branched our relationships with the Adult Training Centers in our area. Meeting people through these centers has been a gift.

Get to Know Us

Tara Helser

Tara Helser

Executive Director

Tara Helser studied the art of Printmaking and graduated with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.

She is influenced by many artists but favors Paul Klee and Henry Matisse. She relates heavily to their use of shape, line, and color.

A mother of five children, Tara has continued to expand and pursue her education in the Arts and in Teaching. Through her private studio she has empowered pupils both privately and in group sessions, to explore and develop their own creative talents.

Tara has a background in dance. She studied jazz and tap for ten years and was a member of The Lancaster Ballet Company in Lancaster, Ohio. It is this love of dance that encouraged her love of movement. She is now a certified teacher in yoga and pilates, having trained under the beautiful and talented Jenny Williams of Someret, Kentucky.

Excited and motivated to share her knowledge in the fields of visual arts and movement with her community, Tara is also very eager to learn from her community.   She sees The Shine House as the great facilitator for both!

Iris VanHook

Iris VanHook

Operations Director

Iris VanHook graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s in General Psychology at Eastern Kentucky University.

Art has been a part of her life since she was a young girl. Her mother (Tara Helser) filled their home with art supplies and many variations of visual arts. She is most practiced in ceramic arts and loves nothing more then handbuilding scupltures.

Iris wants to use her degree to help those find ways to heal from traumas and lifes many expriences. She firmly believes that the arts and working with your hands can be very healing. It can calm a racing mind and quickened heart.

She is excited and motivated to take what she has learned from life and school to enrich the Somerset community. Iris has always had a passion for helping people and making everyone feel like they belong. That is exactly what she hopes to do at The Shine House.

Emma Bane

Emma Bane

Art Assistant

Emma Bane is a senior at Southwestern High School and is taking classes at Somerset Community College. She plans on majoring in Psychology.

She had art inspiration everywhere growing up. Her mom (Tara Helser) encouraged her to constantly practice art when she was younger. She enjoys drawing and painting.

Emma loves working with others and helping people express themselves through various art forms. She is very excited to teach others new art processes.

Get to Know Our Board

Hala Ayyash

Board Chair

 

Ali Hicks

Treasurer

Amanda Southard

Secretary

Emily Edwards

Board Member

Tara Helser

Executive Director