Shelley Rugg received her MFA in Drawing and Painting in 1991 and became a pivotal part of Long Beach’s art scene. In addition to exhibiting her work, Shelley was instrumental in growing a Long Beach event called the 4th Street Fair through her involvement with a non-profit called Artists Reaching Kids.

Shelley worked for 15 years at a Fine Arts program for adults with developmental disabilities called Hope University, where she became the Artistic Director. Meanwhile, she worked on City of LA grant-supported projects with youth. She then became involved with an artist group called FLOOD, and developed an annual art event called SoundWalk. Shelley was also hired by the Arts Council of Long Beach to represent the arts in every parade in Long Beach for 2 years.

Now in West Marin, Shelley is thrilled by her role as the Executive Director of Gallery Route One and is excited to imagine the future for GRO and its programs. She is very pleased to have a supportive Board surrounding her as she works to increase the professionalism and reach of Gallery Route One.

Pamela Blotner is an East Bay artist, educator and curator whose sculptures and drawings reflect on humankind’s relationship to nature, animals, calamity and healing.

Her early experience as a sculptor/illustrator, creating animal habitats, interpretative signs and paintings for endangered and breeding animal populations at the Houston Zoo, left a lasting impression. This, and later experiences as an illustrator and mission specialist for Physicians for Human Rights, Human Rights Watch and the UC Berkeley Human Rights Center, combined to help set her creative course and influence her aesthetic and practice.

Pamela’s art has been exhibited in Europe, Asia, Africa, and throughout the US. She has taught at a number of universities, including the University of Chicago, University of Maryland, Tufts University, USF, CCA, and the SFAI. From 1997-2018, she taught sculpture at Pixar University of Pixar Animation Studios. In 2017, Pamela was appointed a U.S. Arts Envoy to Myanmar. That same year, she joined the GRO Board of Directors and, since 2020, she has served its Vice President.

www.pamelablotner.com

Rob Corder has been a practicing, professional artist for many decades often associated with education.

He studied printmaking and painting as an undergrad and first taught art at an elementary Montessori school in the bay area. A year later he moved to Los Angeles to begin a career in graphic design and illustration. Rob eventually moved back to San Francisco where he worked as a Creative Manager and Art Director in Marketing for three decades. He taught illustration and drawing at the Academy of Art University every semester for more than a decade.

Rob and his wife Lonna own a private pre-school in the Presidio in San Francisco, since 2016, where he creates the graphics and branding.

He recently completed five public painting projects near their home in Danville and in Dublin. Rob also works three days a week at SFMOMA since they reopened in 2016.

instagram: @rocor335 | flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/rocor | website: robcorder.com

Katherine Bruce Hanson will always feel at home within the natural landscape of Marin County. She grew up in the county and returned as an adult to raise her daughter and build her own family. Early on, Katherine was taught by her parents to appreciate nature, to explore the arts, to develop a love of learning, and to recognize the importance of giving back.

Presently, Katherine teaches art to students, kindergarten through 5th grade, at Strawberry Point Elementary School in Mill Valley. She holds a BFA in Visual Design with a minor in Art History. Kathrine also has a MA in teaching. She finds sharing her love for the arts with children, while assisting them in nurturing their own creativity, to be deeply satisfying.

Katherine is proud to work with and learn from the team that is Gallery Route One. As a board member she has the opportunity to support this non-profit by giving back to a community she loves, while promoting her passion for the arts.

Sarah Myer’s love for art has been a lifelong pursuit, beginning in childhood and continuing to shape her path today. Originally from the UK, she earned her undergraduate degree in Art & Aesthetics from the University of Wales.

Seeking to expand her artistic horizons, she ventured to the US and completed her M.F.A. in Painting & Drawing at Ohio State University.

Currently, Sarah shares her passion for art as an art teacher at Presidio Hill School in San Francisco, where she instructs Kindergarten through 8th grade. In addition to her teaching role, Sarah serves on the board of the Community Land Trust of West Marin (CLAM).

Driven by her deep appreciation for art, Sarah is excited to collaborate with fellow board members at Gallery Route One. She is eager to contribute to the support of emerging and established artists, promote GRO Community Outreach Programs, and ensure that art remains accessible to all individuals.

sarahmyersart.wixsite.com

Cindy Ohama was born in Illinois. Cindy was awarded a scholarship to an art camp at age 13, and her lifelong love of art was born. She moved to West Marin in 1976, living in Inverness for 41 years before moving to Olema.

Because of her deep love of our community, her second passion has been to serve non-profits. She is among the founders of three in West Marin, including the Coastal Health Alliance and the West Marin Fund, as well as the now national non-profit Planet Walk.

Cindy’s area of expertise is business consulting, and she has served on the boards of five non-profit organizations as treasurer, and serves on the finance committee of two more. Her longest service has been with Gallery Route One. She has also enjoyed working with many small businesses and individual artists in West Marin.

Celine Underwood grew up in West Marin forging a deep connection with the land and a passion for community. As an artisan and entrepreneur, Celine has over 20 years of experience leading an iconic and successful local company focusing on People, Planet, and Prosperity.

Before selling her company in 2022, Celine guided a team of 20 employees, oversaw all operational, financial and organizational decisions, and provided the community with a welcoming environment for social connection and a sense of belonging. She is an avid supporter of West Marin non-profits and has served on the board of The Coastal Health Alliance, and a member of West Marin Standing Together.

Celine credits Gallery Route One’s Artist in the Schools Program and Visiting Artist Program for inspiring her own art practice.

Celine is excited to collaborate with the GRO family to further develop its community outreach programs, and ensure its mission to ‘inspire people to experience the world in different ways’ reaches diverse audiences.

Margo Wixsom was born and raised in Rochester, NY. She grew up in a triangulation amidst the George Eastman House, Museum and Science Center, and Memorial Art Gallery, shaping a lifelong love for art, science, and photography.

She discovered she was a landscape artist on a cross country trip in 1996 using a Polaroid pocket camera and purchasing her first zoom lens for a used Nikon camera to document her travels. Completing an MEd in Art Education and MA in English Literature, she expanded her passion for image and words through 32 years of teaching Art, Drafting, Art History, Graphic Design, AP Art, Environmental Art, Photography, English, and ESL.

Travel continues to be a passion in her retirement as she transitions to a career in writing and illustration. Inverness for Margo is a daily walk through paradise, as she explors bay, ocean, forests, and meadow environments. She is grateful to be in a community that supports the arts for local students and adults. She supports this essential work through Gallery Route One, currently as a board member.