Portsmouth Arts Guild Announces New Executive Team!

The Portsmouth Arts Guild is pleased to announce their new 2012-2013 Executive Team!  Madeline M. Ruiz, President, Jennifer
Sunderland, Vice President, Cindy Killavey, Secretary, & JR Lynch,
Treasurer.

Madeline Ruiz earned her BA in Art
History from Dartmouth College.  From
there, she continued on to earn a Master’s degree in Art History with a special
focus in Latin American art and architecture at the University of Texas at Austin.  During her time in Austin, she had the
privilege to work side by side with the leading scholar in the field of Latin
American art, Jacqueline Barnitz, as well as then-curator of Latin American
art, Gabriel Perez-Barreiro, of the prestigious Jack S. Blanton Museum of Art.  Under Mr. Perez-Barreiro’s mentoring,
Madeline had the opportunity to work closely with artists from all over Latin
America and help with exhibitions and the development of the Blanton Museum’s
world-renowned collection of Latin American art.

From
Austin, Madeline took her passion for art to Orange County, CA where she worked
at the premier arts organization in southern California, Laguna Beach’s
Festival of Arts.  Taking a lead role in
marketing, advertising and public relations, Madeline worked to build the Festival
of Arts brand within the region, and beyond.

In
2008, Madeline and her husband decided to move back to New England in order to
be closer to family, and to raise their children in the idyllic landscape of
Aquidneck Island, a place dear to Madeline’s heart since spending her childhood
summers here with her family.

Madeline
joined the Portsmouth Arts Guild early in 2012 and was quickly nominated to the
presidency by her fellow board members. 
Madeline’s vision for the Guild is to expand membership to include young
families and young adults, increase sales, and continue with the Guild’s
tradition of quality exhibitions and community support for the arts.  She is also a member of the Portsmouth Arts
and Culture Committee, a town committee of local residents working to establish
an arts center in the town of Portsmouth.

Jennifer Sunderland, Portsmouth Arts
Guild Vice-President has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Guild
since August 2011.  Jennifer is currently
the Executive Director of the Four Corners Arts Center in Tiverton, RI a
position that she has held since 2006. 
She also produces annual Arts & Artisan Fairs and Festivals in the
Newport County area and is the sole proprietor of a small business,
Sunderland’s Studio which specializes in artistic floral design, floral and
nature portraiture, as well as flower inspired wedding and event details.

In
2010, Jennifer joined the Portsmouth Arts & Culture Committee an
organization appointed by the Town of Portsmouth to come up with a viable business
plan and location for a Center for the Arts in Portsmouth, RI.  She was appointed Vice Chair of the committee
in October 2011. 

A graduate of the University of Rhode Island in 2005, she holds a Bachelor of
Arts in Art History and Studio Art & Design as well as an Associate in Fine
Arts from the Community College of Rhode Island which was awarded in 1999.  Jennifer lives in Portsmouth, RI with her
husband and two daughters.

Cindy Killavey is an actress,
storyteller and voice talent. She is co-founder of the Portsmouth Community
Theater. Cindy holds a degree in Psychology from Roger Williams College.

She
trained at the Hartford Conservatory in Connecticut taking classes in jazz,
ballet and character dance, acting, musical theater and voice. Cindy has taught
for the Newport Children's Theater and is a Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
roster artist. She is a teaching artist for the Connecticut Storytelling
Center, participating in their "play in a day" program at elementary
schools in the state. Cindy also can be found on stage at the Newport Playhouse
& Cabaret Restaurant where she will be in their holiday show
"Greetings". Cindy resides in Portsmouth
with her husband, Jim.

JR Lynch is a hard driving
financial professional who does not understand “no” or “cannot”.  He is a critical thinker who attacks problems
with a “can do” attitude producing profitable effective solutions.  He has approached his career from a position
of loyalty, staying with American Dryer Corp. for 24 years before becoming a
Senior Consultant with Accounting Management Solutions, Inc.  

As
the CFO of American Dryer Corporation (equipment manufacturer), he operated
more like a CEO working closely with the President/sole stockholder to increase
revenue and profit. JR started his career as an Armor Officer in the US Army,
after graduating from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Business
Administration.  He was promoted to the
rank of Captain while serving in Vietnam. 
After leaving the US Army, he attained a MBA at Boston College while
working at First National Bank of Boston.

He
then moved to Maine to do cost accounting for one of the worlds premier sailing
yacht builders; Henry R. Hinckley and Company. 
Working for Henry Hinckley, he was ultimately promoted to Treasurer.  When Henry sold the company he moved to Rhode
Island and started his career at American Dryer.

JR thinks of his financial profession as who he is, rather than the work he
does.  This speaks to the passion he has
for making things happen in what ever he does. 
Black and white photography provides an exciting outlet for his creative
side.  He exhibits his work in Rhode
Island galleries.  He loves feeling the
wind on his face while sailing.  He and
his wife Sandy enjoy traveling to international destinations.

Supporting the new team are longstanding board members, Linda
Remington, Mary Ann Martin, Janet Dassau, JP Fernandez and Nancy Parker Wilson
and newer members Mark Nickel, Ronnie Newman and Shirley Lally.

Founded in January, 2003 The
Portsmouth Arts Guild is a federally approved 501 (c) 3 not for profit
organization that provides an opportunity for Portsmouth artists, and those of
surrounding communities, to exhibit their work and to learn from one another.
Its members include painters and printmakers, photographers and sculptors,
fiber artists and wood carvers, jewelers, craftspeople, performing artists and
art historians. Membership is open to all artists of any medium, discipline and
to all supporters of the arts. PAG is proud to provide a welcoming and nurturing
environment for the visual and performing arts and to promote the talents and
skills of artists of all ages and abilities, and contributes to the cultural
enrichment of the community through exhibitions, performances and education

In
2006, the Arts Guild formed a partnership with St. Paul's Episcopal Church in
Portsmouth for the use of its parish hall as a gallery, meeting place and arts
classroom. Currently, the Guild offers monthly exhibitions of work from both
members and non-members, March through December, as well as a varying number of
art classes and workshops.

The
Portsmouth Arts Guild Gallery is located at 2679 East Main Road, in Portsmouth,
RI.  The Gallery is open Friday, Saturday
and Sunday from 1-5 and offers high quality, inexpensive artwork produced by local
artists.  In addition to the various art
works that line the Gallery walls, the browse bin and note card rack also offer
pieces of artwork at every price range.