Meet the Team

At Thistle & Rabbit, our teachers are the heart of everything we do. Meet Miranda and Andrew, whose shared love of the arts inspires a nurturing childcare environment where young children can explore, create, and grow with curiosity and joy.

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  • Founder, Collaborative teacher, & Atelierista

    Miranda brings over fifteen years of experience in early childhood care, along with 21 early childhood education credits in subjects like infant and toddler curriculum and art education and an associate teacher certification. A lifelong artist, her creative work spans oil painting, watercolor, digital illustration, rug making, screen printing, and stamp carving. She brings this rich background into the studio, curating open-ended, process-focused art experiences that nurture children’s confidence, creativity, and sense of wonder.

A man with long hair and a beard wearing a Cleveland Browns t-shirt and a blue helmet riding a bicycle with a young child with blonde hair, wearing a green helmet, sitting in a child seat at the back of the bike.

  • Music Educator, Collaborative Teacher, & Private Instructor

    Andrew, a UCSD graduate with a degree in theatre, has been playing guitar for nearly thirty years. Since graduating in 2017 he has been teaching music and theatre, and performing, in the San Diego community. With his background in performing arts, trauma informed care, and healing-centered learning, he brings a unique perspective to the educational process. He has worked as a teaching artist for many local schools and theatre groups such as:  Imagine a local theatre company focused on youth theater programs that educate and build community, and Kalabash a private music, theatre, and art school in La Jolla.

    At Thistle & Rabbit, he leads the music immersion program, guiding young children in exploring rhythm, melody, and musical storytelling.

    He also offers private lessons for older students through our sister program, Bramble & Bloom.

Family of three in a flower field, with a man carrying a young girl on his shoulders, holding hands with a pregnant woman, under a cloudy sky.