Department of Fine Arts

Biography:

Alec Powers is a full-time music faculty member at FTCC, teaching courses such as Music Appreciation, Music Theory, Aural Skills, Chorus, Class Piano, Applied Music and more. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in guitar performance from Campbell University and a master’s degree in music theory from East Carolina University. He has professional experience in music education, church music, and musical performance. He has won numerous awards for his scholarship and community engagement, to include East Carolina University’s Humanities and Fine Arts Master’s Thesis Award for his thesis “Symphony No. 2 ‘Symphony of Chorales’ By Lukas Foss – A Study in Collage and Musical Borrowing” and the Fayetteville Observer’s “40 Under 40” award. He spends much of his professional energy managing the music major at FTCC as well as a concert series organized by the FTCC Music Society that brings nationally and internationally acclaimed artists to FTCC. He loves specialty coffee (he roasts his own), reading (before kids when he used to have time), and music of all sorts (he is currently deep-diving into Kendrick Lamar, Igor Stravinsky, Jacob Collier and funk bands of the early 70’s)..

Biography:

With 26 years of experience in college teaching and 18 of those at FTCC, Dennis Johnson is a seasoned theatre professional who is passionate about shaping the next generation of performers and communicators. His work spans directing, acting, playwriting, scenic design, and more, allowing him to engage deeply with various aspects of theatre. He finds immense joy in mentoring students, guiding them as they develop creatively and gain confidence. Outside of academia, his interests include off-roading and camping, where he enjoys the adventure and tranquility of the outdoors. He is also an avid pickleball player, appreciating the sport’s combination of strategy and camaraderie. This balance of creative teaching and outdoor pursuits enriches his life and fuels his work, keeping him engaged and energized in both personal and professional spheres. The combination of theatre, teaching, and personal hobbies makes every day dynamic and fulfilling.

Biography:

Katharine Morrill is an instructor in the Fine Arts Department and is an exhibiting artist.  She has taught drawing, painting and watercolor at FTCC for 10+ years.  Katharine supervised the Mural Makers painting group and in 2022 introduced internationally acclaimed visiting artist Sherrill Roland to FTCC with a record-breaking crowd in attendance.  In 2024, Katharine earned recognition as a “40 Under 40” winner by the Fayetteville Observer in Cumberland County.

Katharine’s artwork has been published and exhibited nationally, in such venues as the Weatherspoon Art Museum in Greensboro, North Carolina, the Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, the Nelson Gallery in Virginia, The Hive Gallery in Boston, The Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, and the Southfirst Gallery in New York City. Her artwork can be viewed at www.kateymorrill.com.

Education:

Biography:

Dexter Morrill is an illustrator and sequential artist. After growing up with a steady diet of comics, cartoons and video games, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Studio Art from the University of New Hampshire and a Master’s Degree in Art + Design from North Carolina State University.  For over ten years, Dexter has been working with entertainment, publishing and commercial companies, such as: Retro World Expo, Old-School Gamer Magazine, On Being Human, Jimmy Dunn, Pat Contri, Norm the Gaming Historian and many more.

Dexter teaches visual art + design and is currently writing and illustrating a new series of children’s book highlighting significant moments in video game history.  His office is located within the English Department in Cumberland Hall (Room 378H).

Biography:

Katherine Herring is a theatre instructor at FTCC.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in theatre from Mars Hill University (2001), and a Master of Education in theatre education from UNC Greensboro (2012).  Prior to teaching at FTCC, Mrs. Herring taught high school theatre in Cumberland County Schools for 15 years.  At FTCC, Mrs. Herring specializes in teaching Theatre Appreciation, Acting, Stage Makeup, Voice for Performance, Storytelling, and Play Production.  In addition to teaching classes, Mrs. Herring enjoys directing productions with FTCC students, faculty/staff, and community members.  FTCC productions she has directed include Tartuffe, All My Sons, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Steel Magnolias, Peter & the Starcatcher, The Importance of Being Earnest, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Spring 2025).

Biography:

Jasen Thompson is a dedicated music educator and performer, currently serving as a Music Instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College. He teaches a wide range of courses in music and entertainment technologies, including Fundamentals of Music, Music Appreciation, Introduction to Jazz, Concert Band, Jazz/Pop Ensemble, and Intro to Entertainment.

Before joining FTCC, Jasen spent over a decade as Band Director at Lewis Chapel Middle School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, where he cultivated young musicians and led them to numerous achievements.

Jasen earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Fayetteville State University, where he studied saxophone under Timothy Chambers. He later pursued his passion for jazz with a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies Performance from North Carolina Central University, studying under Dr. Ira Wiggins.

As an active performer, Jasen has shared the stage with smooth jazz artists like George Freeman Jr., Minus2, Ace Livingston, Willie Bradley and Marcus Johnson. In addition to his work in jazz, he is also a sought-after wedding saxophonist, bringing his versatile style and experience to special occasions.

Education:

Biography:

Chima Enwere, a Nigerian-American, was born in California and raised in North Carolina. He holds a Master of Music in Keyboard Performance and Pedagogy from East Carolina University (ECU), where he studied piano, organ, and pedagogy with distinguished faculty. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music with a focus on Jazz & Commercial Music from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNCP), alongside a Certificate in Entrepreneurship.

Chima’s academic pursuits were supported by the Live Más Scholarship from the Taco Bell Foundation, which he received four times, and he has performed at Taco Bell corporate events, including opening for Katy Perry at the 2021 FRANMAC convention.

With over 20 years of experience, Chima has performed across various genres and settings, including solo piano, collaborative piano, and chamber music, in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Europe. He has also earned recognition, including an Honorable Mention at the Puerto Rico Center for Collaborative Piano International Competition in 2023. In 2024, he was a collaborative pianist at the Ávila International Music Festival in Spain.

Currently, Chima is an adjunct instructor and collaborative pianist at Fayetteville Technical Community College, as well as a music director and organist at a local church. He actively participates in the Fayetteville Piano Teachers’ Association and the Cumberland County Chapter of the North Carolina Symphony.

Outside of music, Chima indulges his wanderlust, having explored over 20 countries to date!

Biography:

Actor, Director, Playwright. NYC/Fayetteville – Adjunct. Current: Robyne is former Resident cast member/current Guest cast of the iconic off-broadway immersive SLEEP NO MORE in NYC, playing Hecate, PIB and Tiny Town. Last seen in TV/Film: Law and Order, A Man Called Otto, The Crowded Room, Apple TV, (2023), Gossip Girl reboot now streaming on HBO Max, and the Feature Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman opposite Tina Benko and starring Max Cassella. Recent Off Broadway at The York, The Mint, Project Y, Out of the Box, NYMF, Musicals Tonight!, The Chain and Sonnet Rep. Selected Regional: Matilda as Mrs Wormwood (Virginia Stage), The Dino Musical (The Arden), The Next Fairy Tale (Pittsburgh CLO) and more at www.robyneparrish.com. 2023: Steel Magnolias as Truvy at Pittsburgh Public Theatre, On Golden Pond at Caledonia at TTP, Mother in Ragtime at Flint Rep and Off Broadway in Shedding Load at 59E59. In 2022 at the Main Public as Loveday in the Victorian Ladies Detective Collective and Off Broadway in the world premiere of the play Strings Attached by Carole Bugge with Pulse Theatre at Theatre Row. Other: Opposite Richard Kind and Steve Guttenberg in Feature Help Me, Help You. Playwright with Dramatist Guild. UNCSA graduate. MFA Graduate candidate at Point Park University. Royal National Theatre. AEA/SAG-AFTRA. www.robyneparrish.com for more info! ID @RobyneParrish