5AM STUDIO ArtISTS
Maya Santangelo
Maya Santangelo is an artist originally from California. She has spent the last 25 years working as a muralist and fine art painter. She has traveled the world painting murals, working on projects in China, The Middle East, Japan, Mexico and all over the U.S.A. Maya has also painted artwork for celebrities (Dennis Quaid and Laura Dern) and for hotels, casinos, stores, restaurants and countless residential projects. Since 2001 she has painted murals and artwork for the Cheesecake Factory restaurant chain on a regular basis. Currently, she lives in Norwalk, CT, where she has painted murals for some of the local elementary schools and for the Norwalk Public Library. In the library she painted all the murals in the teen room and the Poetree themed mural in the stairwell on the bottom floor.Maya enjoys painting scenes from nature and portraits of people and animals. She is fascinated with light patterns and texture and is a lover of all things related to the sea. She has sold her fine art paintings at local shows and to private buyers
on the East and West coasts.
Maya's Contact info:
Instagram - @mayasstudio123
Email address: mayasantangelo@gmail.com
MAYA’S WORK
DEVAN MARKIEWICZ
Dmarxx Design
Dmarxx Design is a hand crafted leather bag company that was birthed and bottomed in Brooklyn, NY, now currently creating in Connecticut. Our bags illustrate where edginess meets elegance and are made for all to wear. The Canteen Clutch showcases Devan’s signature style: classic structures re-interpreted. Each Canteen Clutch is fashioned from 100% genuine leather with a super-soft feel. The exposed stitching is hand sewn with sturdy cord, adding both detail and durability. In addition, the unique self-closing feature transforms each bag, a fashion-meets-function accessory you never have to put down.
Devan Markiewicz, Owner + Designer is working towards officially being a "Sober Friendly Business", where she not only shares her personal Recovery journey of alcoholism and drug addiction throughout our company's social media platform but also hopes to one day employ others in the Recovery community to also hand sew our bags. Hand-sewing is an activity that helps Devan stay present in the moment, a therapeutic practice that helps keep her away from a drink or a drug. She heals through creatively expressing herself through each collections theme which can be reflected right down to color names and even textures and prints of our leathers she picks! Dmarxx Design has become a healthy creative outlet that continues to be a driving force behind Devan's success in remaining Clean + Sober.
Creative Goal Our signature Canteen Clutch the "Blackout Bag" A black on black design named as a nod to the pre sobriety days of our Owner Devan, who dreams of helping to break the stigma of addiction by marrying her story through her love of fashion and creative expression.
Devan’s Contact Info:
Instagram - @dmarxx
CAROLYN CHILDS
Carolyn Childs' artwork has drawn considerable attention within the contemporary art scene for its quiet power and emotional resonance. Her paintings evoke a profound sense of calm and mindfulness, inviting viewers into a serene, contemplative space. With themes rooted in tranquility, nature, and introspection, her work forges a deeply personal connection with its audience.
Carolyn specializes in encaustic painting, an ancient technique that involves fusing layers of beeswax, resin, and pigment with heat. Through masterful manipulation of temperature and tools, she creates luminous, multi-dimensional surfaces that reflect her meditative approach and attention to detail.
Her work has been exhibited in galleries and art spaces across the country and recognized for its distinctive voice and vision. Locally, Carolyn has been featured in The Darien Times, Geary Gallery, Fine Marine Art, The Faye & Ben Manger Gallery, and Double Exposure Boutique.
Based at the 5 AM Arts Collective in Norwalk, she continues to create pieces that encourage stillness, presence, and reflection, offering viewers not just an aesthetic experience but a moment of peace.
Carolyn Childs is a Connecticut native based in Darien, where she works as an artist and educator. A certified K–12 art teacher, she holds a BFA in Creative Arts Therapy and an MA in Art Education Leadership, with a focus on mindfulness and the healing arts.
Carolyn has taught art in a wide range of settings—from public and private schools to healthcare institutions—and brings a deep commitment to the therapeutic power of creative expression.
Recently, Carolyn has been leading encaustic workshops and facilitating art experiences at regional arts centers, including 5 AM Arts Studio, Carriage Barn Arts Center, the Rowayton Arts Center, Darien Arts Center, and the Darien Senior Center. Her studio practice is based at the 5 AM Arts Collective in Norwalk, where she continues to explore the intersections of art, mindfulness, and healing.
Carolyn’s Contact Info
Instagram - @art.B.L.I.S.S
Email address: Carolyn.p.childs@gmail.com
CAROLYN’S WORK
Karen Schlansky
Karen Schlansky is a multidisciplinary artist whose vibrant, abstract paintings balance structure and spontaneity. Her intuitive mark-making process allows her to explore movement, energy, and emotion through flowing forms, expressive lines, and bold color. While she has studied classical painting, abstraction remains her true passion, offering her the freedom to experiment and evolve.
Schlansky holds a degree from Skidmore College and a Fine Arts Appraisal Certificate from NYU. She has studied at the Art Students League, 92Y, and attended masterclasses with renowned artists. Her deep appreciation for composition and color initially led her into the world of Asian art, where she spent 25 years curating and importing works for private collectors and institutions. Her expertise was recognized in The New York Times and other publications, establishing her as a champion of an often-overlooked art form.
After years of acquiring and studying art, Schlansky turned to painting—and hasn’t stopped since. For over 15 years, her work has been featured in juried exhibitions across Fairfield County, Stamford, Greenwich, and New York City. Her paintings have been highlighted in Westchester and Greenwich publications and are part of private collections, including those of prominent real estate developers, investment bankers, and designers.
Schlansky is a juried member of the Connecticut Women’s Artists Association and the Artist Collective of Westport. She has been affiliated with the St. Philip Artists’ Guild, the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield, the Ridgefield Guild of Artists, and the Carriage Barn Arts Center in New Canaan. Previously, she served for eight years on the board of the Fleming Museum, where she was part of the acquisitions committee.
Currently, she works out of her studios in Norwalk and New York City, continually pushing the boundaries of her artistic expression.
Karen's Contact Info:
Instagram - @schlanart
Website: Karenschlansky.com
KAREN’S WORK
Virginia Juliano
Virginia Juliano is both a left and right brainer. By day, she's a strategic marketing consultant with an MBA who helps creative and healing focused businesses expand and transform. And she’s also an artist. Over the last 20+ years she would work on her painting and photography in a tiny corner of her home office whenever she could, but she always dreamed of a dedicated space to create art. Now, she's very happy to say that it’s finally a reality and is thrilled to be a part of the 5AM Studio Family. Painting mostly in acrylics, Virginia enjoys reinterpreting the landscape and still life photos that she takes into almost dream-like versions – what she likes to call an “abstract impressionist style.”
Virginia's Contact Info:
Website: Virginiajuliano.com
Email: virginia@virginiajuliano.com
Instagram: @virginia_juliano
LinkedIn
VIRGINIA’S WORK
Elisa Groglio
Elisa Groglio works in a variety of media, and is not afraid to mix both traditional and digital methods. She holds a BFA in Illustration from Pratt Institute and an MA in Art Education from the College of New Rochelle. Besides being an active painter, exhibiting artist, illustrator and graphic designer she is also an award winning art educator teaching at the high school and college levels.
She explores a wide variety of subject matter in various media and can be recognized by her distinctive signature line and bold, expressive use of color and composition.In 2016, Elisa received the Mayor's Award for Excellence in Arts and Culture from the City of Denver.
Elisa is currently exhibiting her work in Stamford and Norwalk, CT and is a member of 5AM Studios and Stamford Art Association. Former member of Loft Artist Association, and former studio artist and exhibiting member at Denver Art Society from 2014-2023.
Elisa’S Work
Katie Sprules
Katie Sprules is a multidisciplinary artist whose creative journey bridges the worlds of fine art, education, and culinary design. She holds a BFA in Art Education and Studio Art, with a concentration in sculpture, from the University of Arizona. Her early career was rooted in arts education, teaching K–8 students in Phoenix, Arizona, while actively exhibiting her work at Red Dog Gallery in Downtown Phoenix and online at UGallery.com.
In 2010, a cross-country move to New York City prompted a bold shift in her artistic path. Embracing her passion for craftsmanship and design, Katie earned a certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education. She completed an internship with world-renowned cake artist Colette Peters, and soon after launched her own business, Katherine Sprules Cake Design, in Downtown Brooklyn. Her sculptural cake work—renowned for its intricate fondant techniques and lifelike sugar flowers—garnered national attention, with features in New York Magazine, Brides Magazine, Good Morning America, and The Food Network.
Katie’s edible art also found a niche in film and television, working alongside prop master Jose Pavon to create specialty cakes and desserts for hit productions, including HBO’s Girls and Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
KATIE’S WORK
