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The Siskiyou Arts Council (SAC) was established in 1972 as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, public benefit non-profit corporation which serves as the local arts planning and programming agency for Siskiyou County. SAC is authorized by the Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors to serve as the County's representative to the California Arts Council's State-Local Partnership Program.
The mission of the Siskiyou Arts Council is to value creativity, promote education and excite our community's particiation in the visual, performing and liteary arts.
The grass roots vision of the Siskiyou Arts Council spans three decades, from the mid 1970's through the present day, offering this county a wide range of art-related services and events.
The Board of Directors and volunteers of SAC believe that the vitality of local art and artists is an essential part of our community's growth, expression, and prosperity. Therefore, it is of great importance to support an effective Arts Council that enriches the quality of life for all residents of Siskiyou County.
The Board of Directors are volunteers, serving a two year term and directing the countywide activities and organizational health of the Siskiyou Arts Council. The public is always invited to attend monthly Board meetings on the first Thursday of each month at locations around Siskiyou County. Those interested in serving on the Board may submit a letter of interest, and are welcome to join at any time of the year.
SAC Board of Directors:
B. Ines Barnhart
Ines joined the board in July 2007, attracted by the opportunity to connect individuals and communities within the expansive realm of creativity expression. Ines landed in Mount Shasta in 2006 after traveling through North and South America as a freelance writer, photographer and musician. She has been active in creating management systems at the Buddha Belly Kitchen, and is responsible for coordinating events, and moving art through the gallery at the Village Oracle. She is an active participant in the Weed Arts Collaborative and the new ecofriendly Weed Rather Be Green. Ines is excited to see the continued development of a technologically literate, sustainable cultural ecosystem that is appreciated, supported and accessible to all Siskiyou County.
Jeanne Hough: Secretary
Born and raised in Siskiyou County, Jeanne is the Executive Director of STEP, Inc. and currently serves as a board member for the Weed Chamber of Commerce, Community Services Council, and the Bloodsource. She enjoys studying the Japanese culture and is taking Taiko Drum lessons. Jeanne and her husband, Mark, make their home in Weed. They have two sons, two grandsons, and a granddaughter.
Greg Messer, Board President and acting Treasurer
Mr. Messer is an accomplished businessman. He has held senior and executive management positions in a number of industries and major corporations. Currently, Mr. Messer is the Managing Partner of ExperShare, llc, a computer systems development firm with offices in Mt. Shasta, San Rafael, Alameda and Selby, North Carolina. In the Arts, Mr. Messer has been a trailing spouse for the past 16 years. His wife, Chris wears the pants in the family when it comes to Watercolor, Mixed Media, Acrylic and other new age art forms. Although not especially talented in the Arts, Mr. Messer brings creativity, business sense, and enthusiasm to the council.
Pamela Newman
Owner/publisher of North State Parent/Shasta Parent magazine, a monthly tabloid serving families in Tehama, Butte, Shasta and Siskiyou Counties since 1993. Active member of California Homeschool Network for eight years, former board member of Sierra-Cascade Girl Scouts. Currently working on The Siskiyou County Arts Bus project, has a strong desire to see arts programs developed throughout Siskiyou County to benefit children.
Bob Swanson, Vice President
Board member is a nationally known and published commercial & architectural photographer and fine art printer based in Siskiyou County and the San Francisco Bay Area at www.swansonimages.com. He has previously been on the Board of Directors of the Northern california Chapter of the American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP) and is currently an Advisor to that Board. For 5 years until 1994 he was also the Vice President of the San Francisco Alliance for the Mentally Ill (SFAMI) succesfully getting a bond issue passed to build a 25 million dollar locked mental hospital built there. Bob is a founder of the Weed Arts Collaborative, on the Weed Image Team Committee, the Siskiyou Artist and Gallery Association and a member of the Mount Shasta Chamber of Commerce. Bob has recognized the desparate need for improvement of arts education and arts awareness in our rural area and wants to see SAC become a driving force for the improvement of the counties cultural base and economic development.
Roxanne Radder Miller
Roxanne Miller, owner of Looking Glass Studio in Fort Jones, works in glass; Stained Glass, Fused Glass, Blown Glass and Mosaics. See her works on the Artists' Registry. Roxanne is currently the Treasurer of the Marble Rim Gallery, and an SAC board member since 2007.
SAC Staff:
Lauri Sturdivant: Executive Director
In October 2006, the Siskiyou Arts Council hired Lauri Sturdivant as its Executive Director. Sturdivant returned to Siskiyou County after residing in Point Reyes Station where she worked as the West Marin Public Waste Information Coordinator, recycle consultant to the County of Marin. She continued her worked as an artist with her own gallery while promoting the annual Junk Art Show, " Oh Rapture, It's Scrapture, On Tour." Sturdivant has used her extensive knowledge and experience in fundraising, group dynamics and government protocol and ersonnel/volunteer management to grow SAC. In addition to her part-time duties as Executive Director, Sturdivant teaches art classes with developmental disabilities.
Sturdivant is a graduate of Leadership Siskiyou County, and of the Ford Family Institues Leadership Class, and board president of the Siskiyou Opportunity Center. Sturdivant continues making recycled art and lives in Mt. Shasta. See her works on the Artists' Registry.