Neas, Alma
Alma Neas Nelson Cassel
I've been painting, drawing, designing, sculpting, photographing, and jewelry-making ever since graduation from LAHS. I attended Moore College of Art and graduated with a BFA in Painting in 1960. I started teaching as a permanent long-term substitute art teacher at Gratz HS in Philadelphia in January, 1961, and consequently took education courses at Temple in 1963.
By 1967 I had my MFA in Painting from Tyler School of Art, Temple. I had so many graduate credits that my salary was equivalent to that of a teacher with a doctorate degree. (I had many student teachers from Temple and Moore; they paid me off with free graduate credits). At various times I taught art to grades 5 through 12, college classes at Moore College of Art, and adult night courses. I retired after 36 years of teaching in 1997.
I married my favorite former professor, Leonard Nelson in 1963. We lived in center-city Philadelphia for 24 years when a yearning to garden in the earth, rather than in containers, took us to Berwyn, PA. We resided there from 1985. I was widowed in 1993 after being married for 30 years. I met and marrried a widowed, avid golfer named Henry Cassel in1996. In January of this year we moved into a 55+ retirement community, Hershey's Mill in West Chester, PA.
Henry gave me my love of the game of golf (and my only regret in life--that I didn't take it up before age 58) along with three children, seven grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. We enjoyed 8 years together before his death in May. By the way, golf cuts into studio time, unfortunately.
You can reach me at 1719 Yardley Drive, West Chester, PA 19380.
(610) 431-3094. alartma@comcast.net.
I look forward to seeing everyone next autumn.
Ciao!