We found ourselves in frequent conversations with local artists about, “What is not working in Savannah’s art scene?”
Common themes emerged …
“We need to promote Savannah as an arts destination.”
“As artists we’d love more opportunities to network and share resources.”
“Imagine the influence we can have as a unified voice of Savannah artists!”
These informal conversations turned into formal meetings, which led to drafting of mission and vision statements, and here we are today, asking for Savannah artists’ input and participation.
The current board of ARC Savannah, comprised of artists and arts advocates alike, is as follows:
Christen Higgins Clougherty, Ph.D. – Clougherty has over 15 years experience as an arts administrator and non-profit executive including the co-founding of Thundersmith Industries, Inc., a non-profit performance art
company. Currently she serves as Fine Arts faculty at Savannah State University and Executive Director of Nobis Project, Inc., a non-profit educational organization. Her education includes: PhD in creative-process theory experiential education, and global citizenship from the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; MA in Fiber Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design; BA from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Arts Administration. Clougherty is also the wife of the local Savannah artist, W. Gerome Temple.
Daniel E. Smith – Board President - Full time studio artist. Following an early career in teaching, Smith received his MFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design and became a full time artist in 1999. Smith also studied in China at the Central Academy of Art and Design in Beijing. Presently, Smith’s work is in collections in Australia, Aruba, Antigua, Canada, China, England, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and throughout the USA including the Telfair Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia where 12 paintings are included in the permanent collection.
Gale Steves - After a successful career in magazine publishing in New York, Gale moved with her husband, Philip Perrone, to Savannah in 2011. She has been involved with community activities here ever since. She organized the Artists and Artisans Tour, sponsored by the Downtown Neighborhood Association and ARC Savannah, which brings local artists to the attention of residents on an annual basis. She spearheaded the creation of an Art Gallery Map of Greater Savannah, which will be the beginning of ARC’s goal of making Savannah an arts destination.
Marlene B. Seidman - Marlene currently teaches at Savannah Sate University in the areas of Fine Arts and Humanities, including courses in Photography, Color & Composition, and Book Arts. Upon completion of her MFA at Visual Studies Workshop in association with SUNY Brockport, she served as the Business Manager of the nonprofit organization and publication Afterimage, The Journal of Media Arts and Cultural Criticism. She also holds a M.Ed in Creative Arts in Learning from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, which emphasized training in multicultural education and a BFA from SUNY at Buffalo, in photography with a minor in English. In her own work, she is focused on the relationship between media literacy and artistic practice. Through photographic artists’ books, and mixed-media installations she works to express theories of race, cultural history, and systems of representation as a way to give voice to personal narratives and enhance an understanding of collective experiences.
John Tegley - John recently relocated to downtown Savannah from Southern New Jersey. .He paints mainly with acrylics and pastels, creating abstracts and impressionistic work based on color theory and inspired by the waterways and Low Country landscapes. His paintings have been juried into major regional shows in the Philadephia area including the Philadelphia Sketch Club, the Perkins Center for the Arts, and the Medford Art Center.
Jerome B. Meadows – Full time studio artist. A graduate with a BFA degree from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MFA degree from the University of Maryland, Meadows has been self-employed as a visual artist and public space designer since 1992. His works are located throughout the United States. Meadows' sculptural work for the Portsmouth, NH African Burying Ground was awarded a 2013 NEA Art Works Grant for “The creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence.” His academic background includes teaching positions and residencies at the University of Maryland, College Park, Howard University, the College of Charleston, Maryland Institute College of Art and a year long Fulbright Lecture Award to the National College of Art in Lahore, Pakistan, to name a few. He was also the recipient of a Fulbright-Hayes study tour of Pakistan, traveling throughout the country with other educators and artists while studying traditional crafts and processes.
Alexandra Chamberlain - Growing up in Indiana, Alexandra Chamberlain was brought to Savannah for her MA in Arts Administration at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Prior to moving to the south, Alexandra graduated from DePauw University with a BA in Art History and English Literature. Having experience in both museums and galleries, Alexandra has always loved working with artists of any medium, age, and proficiency. Alexandra serves as our Communications Coordinator, is the Exhibitions Director for Non-Fiction Gallery with Art Rise SAvannah, works as a Gallery Assistant in downtown Savannah, and is a freelance artist manager for local artists.
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