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Show ..- " v' 4 I - ' X b if . -Si. if,' v - I I ? 'V -I ' yff . . t, V . .. f .' . ' 'v.:. ........ . S: .1' ' ' CJ ' photo by Nan Chalat Corke Pepper, ECAC director, to resign Diane Balaban was elected by the full Kimball board to succeed Corke Pepper as Kimball Art Center director Wednesday night. Balaban was recommended for the position by Pepper. She will assume her new post on Jan.l. by Nan Chalat Corke Pepper announced to board members last night that she will be resigning her post as director of the Kimball Art Center as of January 1. Pepper reminded the board that when she accepted the position in January of 1981, she only committed to remain for two years. Now that the two years have passed, she said, she has met the" challenge set before her and is ready to move on. "It has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've ever had and I think it has been as successful as I could have wanted it to be," she said. "Corke brought the art center back from a very shaky financial situation to a strong organization," said KAC board chairman Rick Prince. "Her performance was above and beyond our wildest expectations. We are all sick to see her go." Pepper said that "after two years of working long and hard and concentrat-. ing steadily on the art center's well-being, well-being, I wonder if I have anything more to give. My strengths were important to the art center when I came, but as the center moves on to its next stage those qualities may not be as important." However, she said, she has become too emotionally involved with the center to leave without regard for its future. She has passed her recommendation for a replacement on to the board. In her letter of resignation, Pepper said that working for the self-support of the art center was her foremost goal, and achieving it is the reason the KAC has been successful while other nonprofit organizations have suffered from funding cutbacks. Although the center couldn't survive without the generous support of its members, Pepper said her philosophy of financial independence was the key to success. In the process of fulfilling this goal, Pepper said that her second goal, that of establishing a permanent art collection, now appears feasible. Funds are already being set aside to build an auditorium over the patio, she said. Plans for the building addition also call for a gallery to house the permanent collection, more classrooms class-rooms and much needed storage spate. "It is my hope that the new director and our present board will move that project to completion soon," her letter stated. Pepper's future plans include coordinating co-ordinating a private art show in Houston with Ruth Chalmers and "getting serious about my own artwork." Pepper has taken up watercolor painting and says "I want to get to be very good at it." She added that "watercolors used to be for little old ladies, but now it is loose and free." "Really, there are always lots of alternatives," Pepper said. "I may spend next summer in Sweden." But as much as she is looking forward to new challenges she said. "I will miss the camaraderie of the art center enormously. enor-mously. My best wishes go with the staff members and with the future of the KAC." |
