PRESIDENT

Lara Kruger

I am proud and honoured to be the inaugural president of the Route 22 Artist Collective Ltd Board and to serve this incredible community of local artists.
There is such a rich diversity of artists in our community and it is an absolute pleasure to be a part of building this Collective and our gallery space for the benefit of our artists and our wider community.

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.

I have long seen a gap in Cochrane for a permanent visual arts presence and professional arts opportunities and Route 22 is a project that I co-founded to address this need. It has evolved from dream to reality over the past couple of years thanks to many dedicated and wonderful people.

We have really seen this year just how vital the arts are to our mental health, peace of mind, and happiness as human beings and though it has been a difficult year, the timing has been oddly perfect to bring this project to life. We have already seen tremendous community support and I look forward to the bright future ahead for Route 22 and the visual arts in Cochrane and area.

SECRETARY

Anne McGilvary

Anne has over twenty years of experience in art groups, art events, solo shows, and galleries in Alberta and British Columbia. She has held key volunteer positions (Show Co-Ordinator, Workshop Chair, Education Chair) plus Executive roles with local art clubs and with the Federation of Canadian Artists. She has been an active member/artist at the Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery since its formation.

Anne McGilvary is a retired Education Specialist with post-secondary credentials from Laurentian University (B.A.), Queen’s University (B.Ed.) and York University (Specialist Certification) in Ontario, Canada.

The Route 22 Artist’s Collective Gallery plays a pivotal role in showcasing local artisan talent and in hosting educational programming and events.  Anne is pleased to serve as Secretary on the Board of Directors.

TREASURER

Wendi Forster

Wendi’s first introduction to the art community in Cochrane was when she joined the Cochrane Camera Club. She organized several photography shows and sales for the club over a two-year period and saw the need to have a professional gallery in Cochrane.

When asked to sit on the working committee of the Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery and then as Treasurer, on the Board of Route 22 Artist Collective Ltd, she welcomed the opportunity.

Wendi brings to the table a professional accounting designation along with a passion for photography. She is semi-retired and is honored to sit on the board to assist with the financial reporting of the Artist Collective.

DIRECTOR

Karen Chaisson

Karen Chaisson born in Banff, Alberta, raised in Southern Ontario, returned to her beloved Alberta to marry and raise a family. Karen brings a long history of Administrative & Management Experience as well as a Diploma in Cultural Arts and Management. She has been a practicing Professional Artist as well as managing Retail Galleries, for the past twenty-five years.

Karen and her family have been active members of the Cochrane community for twenty-three years.

Karen has also seen the need for a Community Arts presence and space over the years, both for the artists as well as the community itself. She is delighted and honored to be part of the long-awaited opportunity to help build, promote and sustain Route 22 Artist Collective Ltd.
She looks forward to being able to guide, participate and work alongside this great group of creative individuals.

LEADERSHIP TEAM CHAIR

Cindy Zampa

Cindy and her family moved to Cochrane in 1999. She first identified herself as an artist after joining the Foothills Art Club in Cochrane. Surrounded by other supportive creatives, Cindy gained the confidence to begin showing, then selling, her artwork.

After decades of teaching and counseling in a Calgary school district, Cindy was granted a sabbatical to pursue studies in art therapy. Working as an Art Therapist (Vancouver Art Therapy Institute), tremendous benefits were observed in sessions she offered at various schools throughout the district. This confirmed what Cindy already suspected based on her own life experience – art heals!

In retirement, Cindy has fully embraced the creative life. Always looking for new ways to build community connections and collaborate with other artists, Cindy was actively involved in the early planning stages of this artist’s collective, even before it established its identity as Route 22 Gallery.

Cindy is honoured and excited by the opportunity to work with fellow artists, as Chair of the Executive Leadership Team, bringing more beauty, art, cultural and educational experiences to the community.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH & SOCIAL MEDIA LEAD

Suzanne Goyetche

Suzanne was born in Bridgewater, NS, and moved to Cochrane in her senior years to be with family. East meets West, she quickly fell in love with the beauty of the foothills and the mountains, a true contrast from the oceans and sand beaches of her early years.

Suzanne has tried several mediums, she now works in professional coloured pencil painting which is a very meditative medium. She brings 30 years of skills as a Certified Tour Director to the group. The challenges of planning a perfect experience and being able to pivot to a new direction when plan A hits a roadblock, knowing how to listen to clients’ wants and needs, storytelling to make an itinerary interesting and captivating for the clients.

She is proud to be a member of Route 22 and looks forward to the challenges the Community Outreach will bring to the canvas.

FUNDRAISING & PROGRAMMING LEAD

Denise Smith

Denise brings to the gallery years of experience from her prior role as a business owner of an Information Technology and Management Consulting corporation.

As the Fundraiser Lead, Denise connects the Collective with opportunities to secure the necessary funding for growing a strong and vibrant arts community. As the Programming Lead she helps identify and build the infrastructure to offer visual-arts-related programs and opportunities for our members and the community.

Denise is semi-retired and is pleased to provide valuable insight, advice, and support as part of the executive team.