Westley Art Hodges is a native of New Orleans and resides in Chicago, IL, as of 2018. Westley serves as the Director of Music Ministries at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Evanston, IL. Before being at St. Mark’s, they served as Director of Music for The Annunciation of Our Lady Episcopal Church in Gurnee, IL, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Peoria, IL, St. Joseph’s Episcopal Church, McDonough, GA, St. Aiden’s Episcopal Church, Alpharetta GA, and St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, Long Beach, MS. Outside of church work, Westley performs as an accompanist and solo artist and teaches private music lessons to a studio of 24+ students. They are also the clarinetist for the professional Wind Quintet, Amethyst Winds (www.amethystwinds.com).
Westley earned their Associate of the Arts in Music Education at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, MS, studied Clarinet Performance at Delta State University, Cleveland, MS, earned a Bachelors of the Arts in Liberal Studies with a Minor in Women and Gender Studies at The University of Illinois Springfield and is currently completing a Masters of the Arts in Liberal and Integrative Studies with a focus in Women and Gender Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield.
Outside of work, Westley enjoys spending time with their fabulous husband Joseph and Daylie-Lark (Westley and Joseph’s black lab). Westley and Joseph are both Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band and Clarinet Choir members. Westley currently serves as the clarinet section leader for the symphonic band and director of the clarinet choir. At the end of the day, if you are looking for Westley and music is not involved, you will always be able to find them in the kitchen perfecting savory and dessert recipes and enjoying spending time outdoors hiking and camping.