THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE PASSION
PRESIDENT
Jo-Anne Oucharek
TREASURER
Marike MacDonald
Marike MacDonald is a professional artist born and raised in South Western Ontario. Her early years involved the discovery of meadows, woodlands, farm and animal life. She showed an early propensity for drawing and longed to paint. Family resources would not allow it. After graduating from high school, she enrolled in a Fine Arts Program at Humber College where she discovered Canadian art and the Group of Seven in addition to receiving instruction in life drawing, painting (finally!), sculpture, and printmaking. Since art school, her artist training has been augmented by courses by various art professionals.
Marike seeks to create works of art to share and stimulate others to an awareness of the preciousness and beauty within our world. Underscoring this yearning is her faith in God and the knowledge that whatever she creates is but the dimmest reflection of the natural world.
For thirty years, Marike resided in Muskoka and was particularly inspired by the beauty of the lakes and forests of central and northern Ontario; the very landscape that had inspired the Group of Seven and countless other artists. Currently, living in south western Alberta, her current inspirations are the big sky and the grandness of the nearby mountains. She loves painting en plein air. She creates out of her home studio in Cochrane and she paints using oils or acrylic paints. Her work was been featured in the July 2019 issue of the Muskoka Life magazine, and in the October 2020 issue of Arabella. Marike is represented by the Eclipse Gallery in Huntsville, Ontario and in the Route 22 Collective Gallery in Cochrane, Alberta.
FUNDRAISING
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.
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Kelly Zeeb
With a diverse background spanning arts, business, and education, Kelly Zeeb brings a unique blend of creativity and operational expertise to Route 22. She holds a Fine Arts diploma with a concentration in Illustration from Emily Carr University, complementing her practical experience as both a visual artist and arts administrator.
Before joining the gallery, she spent eight years as a production accountant in the oil and gas sector, earning her CAPPA Accounting Certificate. Following that, she founded and ran a successful music studio for a decade, where she developed a deep appreciation for community-driven creative spaces.
Since joining Route 22 as Operations Manager, Kelly has played a key role in streamlining internal processes and supporting the gallery’s mission to connect people with art in meaningful and accessible ways. She is also an award-winning artist whose work reflects her passion for inclusion and accessibility in the arts.
Kelly is committed to creating environments where creativity can flourish and believes in the transformative power of the arts to build strong, inclusive communities.
GALLERY MANAGER
Lindsay Corbet
Born and raised in Okotoks, Alberta, Lindsay has developed a strong passion for the arts early in life. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, majoring in New Media, from the University of Lethbridge, where she also interned at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery (SAAG). Lindsay began her professional journey in the not-for-profit arts sector in 2009 as an Art Instructor at the Leighton Education Centre, sharing her love for art with students of all ages.
In 2011, she joined the Leighton Art Centre (LAC) as the Manager of Gallery Sales, Programming, Events, and Volunteers. Her role soon expanded as she took on the responsibilities of Manager of Exhibitions, Events, and Volunteers, where she curated numerous exhibitions across diverse disciplines and mediums. Notably, she oversaw significant outdoor installations and played a key role in organizing annual outdoor art festivals and fundraising gala dinners, showcasing the exceptional talent of local artists. Lindsay’s leadership and dedication to volunteer management were crucial to the success of these events.
Lindsay actively pursued partnerships with local arts organizations, leading to large-scale outdoor musical performances and collaborative projects such as “Come Paint Alberta.” This initiative brought together the Route 22 Artists Collective and esteemed institutions like the Whyte Museum and the Rosebud Arts Collective.
Her commitment to the arts community deepened when she joined the Calgary Stampede Art Gallery committee in 2015, eventually serving as Co-Chair from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, she became a Secretary board member of the Okotoks Arts Council and served on the Artpoint Gallery & Studios Society board. In these roles, Lindsay has allocated grant funding to support local arts organizations and initiatives, reinforcing her dedication to enriching the artistic landscape of her region. Through her diverse experiences, Lindsay continues to inspire and connect artists and communities.
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 the founder of Route 22 Artist Collective Ltd, the long term success of this organization is a priority and passion both professionally and personally.
I have strong roots in this community, having been born and raised in the rural Cochrane area and graduating from Cochrane High School. 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 (two daughters) with my husband in Banff. I worked several years for, and then managed private commercial 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, painter, experimentalist) and have recently been honoured to create two permanent, monumental public art installations for the Town of Cochrane.
I have a deep love for this place and the incredible natural landscape that we call home. My ‘other’ passion and job is managing our small mixed farm and raising our flock of Black Welsh Sheep just outside of Cochrane.
Route 22 was founded to address the need in Cochrane for a permanent visual arts presence and professional arts opportunities. It has evolved from dream to reality over the past 5 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 for 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.
Vice President
Jonathan Tonietto
Jonathon Tonietto is the Vice President of Route 22, where he brings a unique blend of technical expertise, creative insight, and a deep personal connection to the transformative power of art. With degrees in Environmental Science and Materials Engineering, and currently training as an apprentice electrician, Jonathon approaches both leadership and artistic practice with curiosity, discipline, and a problem-solving mindset.
His art journey began while working on a project at McMaster university, titled “Why Has Graffiti in Hamilton Changed My Life?”. What began as a study of graffiti evolved into an immersive, experiential learning project that sparked his lifelong passion for art. Since then, art has been a meaningful and grounding force in Jonathon’s life. It has helped him navigate personal hardships and played a vital role in his journey to sobriety. His lived experience fuels his belief in the importance of accessible, inclusive art spaces that foster connection, healing, and self-expression. Jonathon’s art is uniquely his own, and his mission is to unleash creativity upon the world.
He joined the gallery in late 2023 and was elected Vice President in 2024. Jonathon was instrumental in the successful relocation of the gallery from its previous site to its current home—a major transition that expanded the organization’s visibility and community impact.
Outside of the gallery, Jonathon finds inspiration in nature, often hiking local trails with his fiancée and dog.
SECRETARY
Vivian Lee-Oxenham
Vivian joined Route 22 as a Support Member and soon after was elected to the Board of Directors as Secretary, where she has served for the past year.
In her professional life, Vivian worked in the High School and Community College systems for 35 years, most recently as a Professor of English Communications. Prior to entering academia, Vivian worked in the legal field and in the corporate world. After retiring from teaching, Vivian worked for three years as the Manager of a Performing Arts venue in Port Perry, Ontario.
In her personal life, Vivian spent many years in Community Theatre, initially as a singer, dancer, and eventually as an actor with leading roles in both musicals and dramas. She then spent a number of years directing musicals, comedies, and dramas, and is the recipient of a Best Director award in the Drama Category at the annual Theatre Festival of the Association of Community Theatres – Central Ontario (ACT-CO). During this time, Vivian served on the Board of Directors of ACT-CO working first as a member-at-large, then as Festival Chair, and finally as President. She was honoured with a Lifetime Membership “in recognition of her years of leadership, dedication, and commitment to ACT-CO” at their annual Festival Gala in 2000.
In 2018 Vivian and her husband, photographer Andrew Oxenham, and their wee dog Molly moved from Ontario to Cochrane, Alberta, to be near her son and his growing family.
Vivian’s love of creativity led her to painting, first in water colour, and now in oil. It is her hope that she will, one day soon, be represented at Route 22 as an artist, while continuing to serve as their Board Secretary.
DIRECTOR at LARGE
Susan Lindsay
Through various expressional forms of art, Susan has continued her journey of finding ways of communicating that life is meant for exploration. Starting with a degree in Fine Arts from the U of A, Susan studied the form and function of Art through Industrial Design, Residential Design and learned how to free up those linear lines into free form through Drawing classes. She created her own company, working as a Interior Designer, designing cabinets, childrens theme rooms, and office interiors. Susan went on and received her B.Ed degree from the U of C with an Art Specialization. She taught various subjects, always incorporating some sort of creative edge into her instruction.
Susan also acted, sang and danced with a large community theatre group that put on professional level shows such as Mama Mia (Tanya) and Chicago (June). She was also the stage designer for high school plays and encouraged students to join in by painting flys, and building props and costumes for large scale theatre shows such as Les Mis and Sound of Music held at the renowned Lougheed Centre. Through the Camrose Arts Society, she assisted with the art gallery shows in the halls of the Lougheed theatre, the yearly Art Walk that happened in town buildings for the public to view and purchase and the Art in the Park activities around mirror lake.
Currently, Susan refurbishes furniture, is learning encaustic art and has begun a new business of colour consultations for Cochrane and area homes. In her free time, she loves to create sculptures using found objects and incorporating them into animal-like characters which takes in her idea that art should be exploratory and fun. She believes if you aren’t playing around and discovering new methods, then what is art really all about?
With a history of on the Board of Directors for the Camrose Arts Society, Susan is hoping to be able to take her various experiences and creative drive and help to Route22 wherever she can.
GALLERY ASSISTANT
Katherine de Kok
I have the wonderful opportunity to be welcomed for the summer season here at Route 22 as Gallery Assistant, and I am excited to be a part of the team!
Having just completed my first year at the University of Alberta, I am currently in the process of obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. While studying human behaviour and mental processes, it’s interesting to see how the creation and experience of art and culture can have amazing influences on mental health and individual behaviour.
I spent my high school years completing, and thoroughly enjoying, art courses where I worked with various mediums, as well as learning the historical and technical components of creative art. I am mainly a crochet fiber artist, which I have been passionate about since my childhood years, although I love working with and trying out all sorts of mediums.
I was originally born in South Africa and, having lived there for the first nine years of my life, I made the big move with my immediate family all the way to Cochrane, Alberta. This town has since become my home and I’ve grown to have a deep love for the people within our ever-growing community.
It is a great honour to be working alongside those who are helping to grow a place for arts and culture within this community!