Huntsville is fortunate to be rich with visual artists who create and share inspiring works for others to enjoy. With new co-chairs at its helm, the Huntsville Art Society will continue to evolve its contributions to this thriving, creative community.
“We are excited to take on our new roles,” say incoming HAS co-chairs Sylvia Kerschl and Karen Cassian. “We have big shoes to fill and look forward to serving the art community with enthusiasm and a strong collaboration with the membership and the Town of Huntsville.” They and existing board members will be joined by a new secretary, Stephanie Aykroyd.
Since retiring from the airline industry 16 years ago, Karen has been involved in the Huntsville arts community as an artist, past president of the Huntsville Festival of the Arts, and co-host of Arts R Us at Hunters Bay Radio. She presently sits on the board of HFA where she is especially involved with their Fringe and Marché committees.
Sylvia is a visual artist who comes from a corporate background that involved creation of new departments and leadership of teams that will assist in taking on the responsibilities of co-chair. Sylvia has served on the HAS board for the past year and contributed to the successful Square Foot North fundraiser.
“Together we hope to strengthen the membership and bring forth a collaboration of ideas and incentives provided by all,” they add.
HAS is grateful to the former co-chairs and directors who are stepping down this year — Pam Carnochan, Pam MacKenzie, Helena Renwick, and Karen Thorn — for their many contributions to Huntsville’s art community.
Under the direction of Sylvia and Karen, HAS looks forward to the return of the Artists in the Schools program and other artful educational opportunities, as well as the continuation of exhibitions in the Partners Hall Gallery, the Canada Summit Centre, Huntsville Public Library, and Hospice Huntsville.
Up next in Partners Hall is the exhibition From the Collection of… featuring works from the private collections of local art lovers.
Exhibition curator Noreen Mitchell says that she “invited collectors to choose works that have a story to tell, with some personal meaning to them, and have importance in their collection. My goal is to highlight the role of the collector as a partner to art making and art appreciation, and to show others how art collecting can be satisfying and fun! At the same time, it helps to support a whole range of people — the artists — who look at and see the world slightly differently, and who enrich our lives greatly for bringing their perspective to our attention.”