Our Team

Hi from Team Third Space!

Scroll on to meet our talented team of Creatives. Browse samples of their work, learn more about their creative practices, and check out what they’re up to outside of Third Space!

Brigid Ledger, Studio Art Instructor & Youth Workshop Instructor

  • STUDIO ART INSTRUCTOR, YOUTH ART INSTRUCTOR


    My name is Brigid Ledger, and I’m a local artist and educator originally from Hereford, Arizona.

    I recently graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona with a degree in Communication and a minor in Studio Art.

    Whether you're here to unwind, try something new, or simply play with materials; my goal is to create a space where people of all ages feel supported, inspired, and free to explore their creativity. I believe there’s room for everyone in the creative process.

    In my workshops, we experiment with different techniques, styles, and art media, while always making space for community connection and personal expression. I love introducing people to artists and movements from history while encouraging them to find and trust their own unique voice.

    Whether in a classroom or a community setting, I focus on building confidence through creative thinking and hands-on learning.

    Outside of teaching, I enjoy hiking with my dog Frances and hunting down the best food spots around Tucson.

    As someone who grew up in a small, close-knit town, I’m passionate about spaces where people feel seen, supported, and inspired—and I’m thrilled to be part of this one.

    Thanks for welcoming me into your community. I can’t wait to create with you!

Christa von Wald, Fiber Arts Instructor

  • FIBER ARTS INSTRUCTOR

    Christa is an experienced art educator with a strong background in teaching a wide variety of art mediums, from fiber arts and weaving to watercolor, with a focus incorporating nature.

    Christa is excited to share her passion for inspiring creativity and fostering artistic growth!

Roisin McDermott, Studio Art Instructor

  • DIRECTOR OF MOVEMENT & MINDFULNESS CLASSES

Sofía Gerhart, Founder & Lead Instructor

  • FOUNDER & CREATIVE LEAD

    Hi! I'm Sofía, founder of Third Space. 

    I'm a born-and-raised Tucsonan passionate about our city’s unique social fabric, and created Third Space as an answer to the pinch I felt as a young adult trying to make new friends in Tucson.

    At 21, I landed my first full-time office job. Without the social structure of school and fresh out of the pandemic, I realized I didn't know where or how to make new friends, and quickly let myself slip into an uncreative and antisocial weeknight routine. 

    In an attempt to remedy this, I started to search for a creative hobby to adopt and was disappointed to find few options for arts learning classes being held outside of my standard 9-5 workday. Where could I go to make new friends and learn new things as a person who was not a student or a retiree? 

    After hearing this sentiment echoed by many others and thinking back to my college learnings as a student of Anthropology, I found my answer and began to cultivate Third Space.

    There are plenty of us out here searching for each other-- we just need a place to meet! 

    My personal creative practice includes creative writing, journaling, scrapbooking, and recipe development. I am currently learning to sew, and working my way through the greatest films of all time according to BFI's Sight & Sound Poll.

    When not at Third Space, you can find me eating my way across Southern Arizona, cooking for friends, or at home with my partner Cole and our dogs Uma and Tillie. 

    Thank you for being here! 

Zoe McCormick, Book Club Instructor

  • BOOK CLUB INSTRUCTOR

    Zoe McCormick is an educator, creative, and garden-and-cats enthusiast from southeast Arizona.

    She has lived in Phoenix, Sierra Vista, Hereford, and is now settled permanently in Tucson, Arizona.

    Zoe earned her Bachelor's of Arts in English, Anthropology, and Theatre Arts from the University of Arizona in 2022. Shortly thereafter, she earned her Master's of Education in Secondary Education from the University of Arizona.

    She taught English at Flowing Wells High School and was an active member of the teachers' union from 2022-2025, and is now an academic advisor at the University of Arizona.

    If she's not face first in a book, you can find her hanging around her husband and two cats, puttering about in the garden, playing video games (variety is the spice of life), or composing poetry.

    Zoe’s work has been published in Unstrung Magazine (2015), and she is currently working on self-publishing her first chapterbook.

Zoey Plytas, Book Club Instructor

  • BOOK CLUB INSTRUCTOR

    My name is Zoey Plytas and I am a poet based in Tucson.

    I studied English and Creative Writing at the University of Arizona. My academic focuses are Latin American literature, contemporary poetics, and trauma theory. I completed two honors undergraduate theses exploring trauma in contemporary poetry.

    Although my main passion is poetry, I love reading and analyzing prose as well. I enjoy contemporary fiction and memoir, but occasionally I will get into a big history kick! Reading a wide range of literature is a big priority of mine and helps me to connect with a larger community of readers. 

    Since living in Tucson, I have tried to surround myself with creative communal spaces. I have been a member of the poetry group POG since 2021. This has allowed me to help facilitate public readings and bring many amazing poets to town.

    Working with Third Space Social Club helps me continue to make a diverse range of literature more accessible to the community through workshops, and I am excited to teach with them!

    My work can be found in Bullshit Lit's Third Anthology and is forthcoming in a future Sundress Publications anthology.

    I can be found on Twitter and Instagram @zoey.plytas. I am also a contributor for the blog The Twenty-Something Files.