MEET THE CHEWELAH ARTS GUILD BOARD MEMBERS
President - Indigo Kennedy
I was born and raised in Alaska. In my twenties I decided to move out of state and started what would be over 15 years of exploring parts of the US. I have lived in several states and visited all but a handful on my travels. After several years in the Tennessee area I decided it was time to get back to the Pacific North West and through serendipity located a home for rent on Waitts Lake. I still remember the first time driving north on 395 and cresting the hill above the valley. It is one of my favorite views. I live in Chewelah now and have greatly enjoyed the small town with big dreams. Being part of a community that celebrates its citizens passions is something I have learned to appreciate after living many places where such support is hard to find.
As a quilter I have been an active member of Cabin Fever Quilt Guild of Southern Stevens County since 2013. I also had the opportunity to co-chair the committee that plans the annual Chewelah Quilt Show presented by the Art Guild starting in 2017. As someone who wants to support the arts and our community joining the Art Guild was an obvious decision. I have appreciated working with the Arts Guild and helping support our efforts to see our community flourish.
I was born and raised in Alaska. In my twenties I decided to move out of state and started what would be over 15 years of exploring parts of the US. I have lived in several states and visited all but a handful on my travels. After several years in the Tennessee area I decided it was time to get back to the Pacific North West and through serendipity located a home for rent on Waitts Lake. I still remember the first time driving north on 395 and cresting the hill above the valley. It is one of my favorite views. I live in Chewelah now and have greatly enjoyed the small town with big dreams. Being part of a community that celebrates its citizens passions is something I have learned to appreciate after living many places where such support is hard to find.
As a quilter I have been an active member of Cabin Fever Quilt Guild of Southern Stevens County since 2013. I also had the opportunity to co-chair the committee that plans the annual Chewelah Quilt Show presented by the Art Guild starting in 2017. As someone who wants to support the arts and our community joining the Art Guild was an obvious decision. I have appreciated working with the Arts Guild and helping support our efforts to see our community flourish.
Vice President- Traci Manley
I currently work as a tattoo artist creating custom pieces for my clients. I have been doing this for over 15 years, and I enjoy the combination of collaboration and puzzle solving that my work involves. I also enjoy working on independent creative projects such as painting, collage, graphic design, book illustration, jewelry design and metalsmithing.
I currently work as a tattoo artist creating custom pieces for my clients. I have been doing this for over 15 years, and I enjoy the combination of collaboration and puzzle solving that my work involves. I also enjoy working on independent creative projects such as painting, collage, graphic design, book illustration, jewelry design and metalsmithing.
Treasurer- Diane Evans
My name is Diane Evans. I have lived in Chewelah since December of 1979. I have been involved in the community, as a business owner and community volunteer, for over forty years. In 1999, I was asked to help form, along with a handful of others, what became, the Chewelah Arts Guild. All of us were motivated to create an organization with and for the artists in the community, to support the creative expressions of art that were already in existence, and to share in the vision of making the arts accessible to more people of the greater Chewelah Community.
Memorial Day weekend, 2000, the Chewelah Arts Guild partnered with the Chewelah Historical Society to present our first fundraiser in the Walt Goodman Historical Museum.
I choose to be actively involved in the Chewelah Arts Guild because I believe in its mission statement and am so proud that it has endured, slowly and with intention, making it a strong, viable, vibrant organization in Chewelah.
My name is Diane Evans. I have lived in Chewelah since December of 1979. I have been involved in the community, as a business owner and community volunteer, for over forty years. In 1999, I was asked to help form, along with a handful of others, what became, the Chewelah Arts Guild. All of us were motivated to create an organization with and for the artists in the community, to support the creative expressions of art that were already in existence, and to share in the vision of making the arts accessible to more people of the greater Chewelah Community.
Memorial Day weekend, 2000, the Chewelah Arts Guild partnered with the Chewelah Historical Society to present our first fundraiser in the Walt Goodman Historical Museum.
I choose to be actively involved in the Chewelah Arts Guild because I believe in its mission statement and am so proud that it has endured, slowly and with intention, making it a strong, viable, vibrant organization in Chewelah.
Secretary- Geno Ludwig
I was born and raised here in Chewelah, and I returned after graduating from EWU to begin my 48-year teaching career. I retired a couple of years ago, but I still do substitute teaching in the junior high and high school. I have also coached football, wrestling, and baseball. I have taught drawing classes as an elective middle school class. I also have been the sportswriter for the Chewelah Independent since my senior year of high school, with the exception of my years in college. I was rehired as soon as we moved back to Chewelah. I enjoy writing and doing historical research. I get to combine those two interests with the articles I write. Woodcraft painting is one of my hobbies. That has been my way to calm down and relax after an intense ballgame. I am not an artist, by any means, but I enjoy painting things that my wife Sharon cuts out of wood. Most of them are given away to my six children and my grandchildren. I am the president of Park Avenue Player, secretary of our Elders Quorum at church, and secretary of Kiwanis. I have also enjoyed being on the stage as an actor and singer, and I am a strong supporter of StageTime Theatre and PACA. Sharon and I were selected as Chewelah's Honored Citizens two year ago.
I was born and raised here in Chewelah, and I returned after graduating from EWU to begin my 48-year teaching career. I retired a couple of years ago, but I still do substitute teaching in the junior high and high school. I have also coached football, wrestling, and baseball. I have taught drawing classes as an elective middle school class. I also have been the sportswriter for the Chewelah Independent since my senior year of high school, with the exception of my years in college. I was rehired as soon as we moved back to Chewelah. I enjoy writing and doing historical research. I get to combine those two interests with the articles I write. Woodcraft painting is one of my hobbies. That has been my way to calm down and relax after an intense ballgame. I am not an artist, by any means, but I enjoy painting things that my wife Sharon cuts out of wood. Most of them are given away to my six children and my grandchildren. I am the president of Park Avenue Player, secretary of our Elders Quorum at church, and secretary of Kiwanis. I have also enjoyed being on the stage as an actor and singer, and I am a strong supporter of StageTime Theatre and PACA. Sharon and I were selected as Chewelah's Honored Citizens two year ago.
Board Member- Gail Churape
I have lived here in the beautiful Chewelah mountains since 1985 on land I purchased in 1976, when I first visited the area and fell in love with the natural beauty. I have supported the arts throughout my life doing a lot of work with my brother, Carl Smool, an artist from Seattle working on large installation pieces. I’ve always found that the Arts nourish and inspire us and I always tried to keep that in mind as I raised my children. Locally I got involved with Community Celebrations when I moved to Chewelah re-energizing the Children’s pavilion in 1986 when my daughter was just a baby. I was so happy when the Arts Guild took over that responsibility. I help with Stage Time Theater in the costume department and currently teach Art K-8 at Valley school. My students have benefited from the Arts Guild Rainbow Grants every year! I love all the ways the Arts Guild promotes and supports the Arts in Chewelah and am happy to be a part of the board of this busy organization.
I have lived here in the beautiful Chewelah mountains since 1985 on land I purchased in 1976, when I first visited the area and fell in love with the natural beauty. I have supported the arts throughout my life doing a lot of work with my brother, Carl Smool, an artist from Seattle working on large installation pieces. I’ve always found that the Arts nourish and inspire us and I always tried to keep that in mind as I raised my children. Locally I got involved with Community Celebrations when I moved to Chewelah re-energizing the Children’s pavilion in 1986 when my daughter was just a baby. I was so happy when the Arts Guild took over that responsibility. I help with Stage Time Theater in the costume department and currently teach Art K-8 at Valley school. My students have benefited from the Arts Guild Rainbow Grants every year! I love all the ways the Arts Guild promotes and supports the Arts in Chewelah and am happy to be a part of the board of this busy organization.
Board Member- Leslie Kristiansen
I spent much of my first year in college in the library paging through books of art. After completing each of my required assignments I'd treat myself to a new book. That interest has continued throughout my life and now that my children are grown and I've retired from teaching, I'm pleased to be involved in promoting and celebrating the arts through the Chewelah Arts Guild.
I spent much of my first year in college in the library paging through books of art. After completing each of my required assignments I'd treat myself to a new book. That interest has continued throughout my life and now that my children are grown and I've retired from teaching, I'm pleased to be involved in promoting and celebrating the arts through the Chewelah Arts Guild.
Board Member- Cynthia Sierchio
I was born and raised in Colville Washington. My grandparents homesteaded there in the late eighteen hundreds. I've lived in Chewelah since 1978 and have taught private piano lessons all of those years. I graduated from Whitworth University with a bachelors degree in music and a master's degree in education. I taught 4 years in the Valley School District, teaching K-5 general music and 7, 8, 9 band and choir. I taught 3 years at Chattaroy Elementary School, in the Riverside School District, K-4 general music. I then taught sixth grade for the past 13 years also in the Riverside School District, retiring two years ago. I am certified level III Orff Schulwerk. I currently have 21 private piano students and love the combination of being partly retired and teaching! Mike and I have been married 16 years. I have 2 children, 2 step children, and 7 grandchildren! I love living in Chewelah!
I was born and raised in Colville Washington. My grandparents homesteaded there in the late eighteen hundreds. I've lived in Chewelah since 1978 and have taught private piano lessons all of those years. I graduated from Whitworth University with a bachelors degree in music and a master's degree in education. I taught 4 years in the Valley School District, teaching K-5 general music and 7, 8, 9 band and choir. I taught 3 years at Chattaroy Elementary School, in the Riverside School District, K-4 general music. I then taught sixth grade for the past 13 years also in the Riverside School District, retiring two years ago. I am certified level III Orff Schulwerk. I currently have 21 private piano students and love the combination of being partly retired and teaching! Mike and I have been married 16 years. I have 2 children, 2 step children, and 7 grandchildren! I love living in Chewelah!
Board Member- Anita Talbott
My husband, Brian, and I moved to Chewelah in 1999. We had often remarked how charming Chewelah seemed as we passed through on trips to British Columbia and decided to move here after retiring in Spokane. We have never regretted it. We have raised three wonderful children who thankfully reside in Washington State and they have given us ten amazing grandchildren. My hobbies include reading, gardening, snow shoeing, hiking, fishing, painting, collaging, sewing and enjoying nature.
My husband, Brian, and I moved to Chewelah in 1999. We had often remarked how charming Chewelah seemed as we passed through on trips to British Columbia and decided to move here after retiring in Spokane. We have never regretted it. We have raised three wonderful children who thankfully reside in Washington State and they have given us ten amazing grandchildren. My hobbies include reading, gardening, snow shoeing, hiking, fishing, painting, collaging, sewing and enjoying nature.