PRESIDENT
Denise Smith
I consider it a great honour to hold the position of President within the Collective, where I have the privilege to collaborate alongside a remarkable Board and Executive Director.
From a corporate standpoint, my extensive experience as a business owner and entrepreneur spans over three decades, providing me with a wealth of knowledge and insights. Furthermore, my past involvement as a Board Member in various organizations, notably ISACA, an international professional association focused on governance, training, and certifications, has allowed me to play a significant role in shaping and advocating for best practices in governance, audit, risk management, privacy, and accountability within the realm of information management and technology. This expertise can be effectively utilized by Route 22.
Beyond my professional endeavours, I harbour a profound passion for art and have honed my skills as a self-taught artist. I express my creativity through two primary
mediums: photography and painting. These artistic pursuits enable me to explore the realms of imagination and convey my thoughts in visually captivating way
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Lara Kruger
It is a pleasure and an honour to serve Route 22 and the incredible Cochrane and area arts community in my role as Executive Director. As past president and co-founder of Route 22 Artist Collective Ltd, the long term success of this organization is a priority and passion both professionally and personally.
I was born and raised in Cochrane and have strong roots in this community. My fine arts education was taken in Calgary (ACAD) and New Brunswick (Mount Allison University) before moving back to the Bow Valley and starting my family in Banff. I worked several years for, and then managed private galleries in Banff and Canmore before relocating back to the rural Cochrane area and working further in management in the non-profit sector. I am a practicing professional artist (sculptor and painter) and have long seen a gap in Cochrane for a permanent visual arts presence and professional arts opportunities. Route 22 was founded to address this need. It has evolved from dream to reality over the past three years thanks to all of the dedicated member artists and the support of our wider community. The future looks very bright for Route 22 and the arts in Cochrane and it is a privilege to be helping to shape and grow a permanent place for arts and culture in our community.
Board Member – Vice President
Jonanthan Tonietto
My name is Toni (Jonathon Tonietto) and I am a Visionary Art Engineer. It all started when I graduated from Materials Science and Engineering and Society. During my Engineering Society Capstone Inquiry in 2016: Why has Graffiti in Hamilton Changed my Life? This inquiry started as “Why there is negative stigma around graffiti?” and expanded to one of experiential learning.
Through studying graffiti, I ended up starting to understand the nuances of painting. I began to purchase art supplies and to this day I have continued my lifelong learning of art. I have taken it upon myself to study new techniques as well as attend workshops, I have studied with internationally renown artists including Amanda Sage and Chris Dyer
As Bob Ross once said, “we don’t make mistakes, we have happy accidents”.
GALLERY DIRECTOR
Malann Klassen
Artist, Student at AUArts (Drawing Major, Ceramics Minor), Gallery Director (Route 22).
As an artist, Malann’s inspiration is her physical and emotional interaction with the world. Her first love is drawing. Fine felt pen on a fresh sheet of 110lb crisp snow-white paper is so inviting and terrifying. Malann’s illustrative and collage work combines new and used images of her own and from found paper, transforming various lines to create
history, birthing young lines that sometimes fade and sometimes stay for a lifetime. Revealed throughout Malann’s art, marks appear to hit the surface like rapid fire, energizing the page as if it’s alive and about to envelop you and in other places so subtle you must move in close to see it as though it is whispering, “Come closer,” so it can jump into your body and take up residence. She enjoys the challenge of finding space for the narrative while combining the precious with the mundane.
Malann’s practice also extends into ceramics, which allows her to connect to the earth and provides another medium for her illustrative mark-making. Overall, Malann’s artistic style constantly evolves while staying consistent and authentic in her relationship with
the material and the subjects. Whether through drawing, painting, sculpture, or ceramics, Malann strives to create thought-provoking and aesthetic pieces.
Program, Learning & Development Manager
Pamela O’Brien
Pam is a psychology major, published poet, musician, hobby photographer, pasta enthusiast, experienced educator and lifelong advocate for the arts. Born and raised in rural Southern Alberta where she currently resides with her two daughters. Pam is particularly passionate about empowering youth and cultivating community – the more creatively, the better!
Marketing & Events Manager
Lindsay Corbet
Born and raised in Okotoks AB, Lindsay earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in New Media, from the University of Lethbridge and interned at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG) in 2011. She began her career in the not-for-profit arts community by becoming an Art Instructor at the Leighton Education Centre in 2009. Lindsay then became the Manager of Gallery Sales, Programming, Events & Volunteers at the Leighton Art Centre (LAC) in 2011.
She went on to be the Manager of Exhibitions, Events and Volunteers for the LAC. During her tenure, Lindsay curated numerous exhibitions encompassing a diverse range of disciplines and mediums, including outdoor installations. Additionally, she successfully orchestrated annual outdoor art festivals and fundraising gala dinners. These events showcased the remarkable talent of local artists and relied on the hard work of dedicated volunteers that Lindsay had the privilege of managing and working along side during her twelve years at the LAC.
Lindsay also sought partnerships with local arts organizations, leading to large-scale outdoor musical performances, and collaborations such as Come Paint Alberta, partnering with Route 22 Artists Collective and esteemed Alberta establishments: the Whyte Museum; Rosebud Arts
Collective; and Coutts Centre.
Moreover, Lindsay’s dedication to cultivating art connections extended to joining the Calgary Stampede Art Gallery committee in 2015, assuming the role of Co-Chair from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, Lindsay joined the Okotoks Arts Council in 2019, serving as a Secretary board member, allocating grant funding to local arts organizations and artist initiatives.
Board Member – Fundraising Director
Kristen Thorogood
Board Member – Secretary
Vivian Lee-Oxenham
Vivian taught for 35 years in the Community College system teaching Business Administration and Office Administration courses. At the same time, her involvement outside of the classroom
included serving on the Board of Directors for a number of organizations. She has also served as the Manager of a Performing Arts venue. This experience has made her a prime candidate to take on the role of Secretary on the Route 22 Board of Directors.
Vivian’s involvement in the Arts was not initially as a visual artist, but in the performing arts scene where she has had leading roles in a dozen or so plays and has directed several productions including musicals for live theatre. Her sojourn into the visual arts began a few years ago when she took to painting in watercolour, and she continues to this day but now works in oils.
Vivian joined Route 22 in 2023 as a Support Member. The dynamic, professional, and friendly vibe that she experiences each time she is in the Gallery 22 space is something she wishes to be part of for a long time.