Board / Members

DIRECTORS

Art League RI is governed by a Board of Directors and managed by an Executive Director. Board members serve three-year terms and are elected at the annual meeting held each year in June.

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PRESIDENT

Ruth Clegg is an Elected Artist member of Art League RI and is a professional photographer with over 40 years of art and business experience. A 1977 graduate of the University of Rhode Island with a degree in Fine Arts Ruth concentrated in the area of printmaking, primarily lithography and photography. Ruth maintains a home studio and a studio in the Fleur de Lys at the Providence Art Club. In addition, Ruth taught photography and multimedia at the Rocky Hill School. Ruth currently educates professional photographers within her professional organizations. Ruth has received numerous professional awards and degrees (Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsman). Ruth’s photography, painting and printmaking has been juried and exhibited nationally and is in many private collections. Ruth is Past President of the Professional Photographers’ Association of New England and Rhode Island and the Junior League of Rhode Island. Board experience includes: Professional Photographers’ Associations of RI and NE, Art League Rhode Island, Community Prep School, St. Mary’s Home for Children, The Art Connection RI, the Providence Art Club, Junior League of RI and the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce. Ruth is a 1998 graduate of Leadership RI (Sigma Class). Ruth is a member of the Professional Photographers’ Associations of RI, NE and America, View arts Center, Art League Rhode Island, Providence Art Club, South County Art Association, Jamestown Art Center and the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce.

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TREASURER

Keith Prue picked up his first camera at age fourteen in England where he was born and raised. He is a substantially self-taught artist, attending workshops in the USA and overseas with internationally acclaimed master photographer Ernesto Bazan, and studying for two years with the late Ben Lifson, one of the world’s most prominent photography writers and critics.

Exhibiting online and showing in group exhibitions in the USA and Mexico, his photographs are held in private collections in the USA, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, UK and France. Keith is an Elected Artist Gallery Member, and an Exhibiting Member of the RI Center for Photographic Arts.

Keith has owned and managed real estate in RI since 2002, and sits on the board of a 169 unit condominium complex. Prior to real estate, Keith, a UK Chartered Accountant, enjoyed a 24 year career in finance, the last 20 years with PwC where he was a partner specializing in corporate finance and valuations. Keith worked and lived in Poland for nine years and served on the Polish PwC board for three years. Prior to that he worked and lived in New Zealand for four years and also Zambia. He is an extensive traveler having visited more than 50 countries.

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SECRETARY

Rachel Brask Hutchinson is a painter and graphic designer. She has been an active member of Art League RI’s committees since 2012. Rachel has been accepted to art residencies at the Truro Center for the Arts Castle Hill at Edgewood Farm and the Golden Apple Art Residency in Maine. Rachel earned her B.A. of Art at Houghton College. Her background is in graphic design, education, programming and communications for nonprofits. She is also a member of the Pawtucket Arts Collaborative, East Providence Arts Council and the Seekonk Artist Network. She has exhibited locally and regionally and teaches art classes in addition to her own graphic design and painting practice.

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DIRECTOR

Kenneth Steinkamp is a Westerly, RI based visual artist. An elected artist since 2013, he has chaired and co-chaired various exhibitions and gallery committees and served on several arts organization boards. He received his BA in Art Education from University of Northern Iowa and an MA in Studio Arts from University of Wisconsin–Madison. An Army veteran, he served as photographer and photo lab technician for the White House Communications Agency. He taught in the Madison Public Schools where he worked with Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s director on a community flag project that still flies today. Formerly a flight attendant, he traveled extensively throughout the United States and Europe. His award-winning work has been exhibited regionally and nationally and is in private and corporate collections in the US and Europe.

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DIRECTOR

Jen Ferry is an artist, muralist, art instructor and graphic designer. With more than 20 years of experience in the design business, she has worked at Boston and Providence advertising agencies and, more recently, as an independent contractor. As a self-taught artist, she has been accepted into juried shows in Rhode Island and Connecticut. Jen supports local charities, including Easter Seals of Rhode Island and the Welcome House of South County, by donating pieces to art auctions. As an art instructor, she teaches painting at the South Kingstown Guild and South County Art Association. Her murals are seen in both commercial and residential spaces. She has her BA in Journalism from Arizona State University. Jen is also an Assistant Director at South County Art Association, and a Past President of Art League RI.

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Ellen Matesanz brings to her role a broad background with expertise in art education, medical business management, and higher education administration. As a former Art League RI Board member (2016 -2018), Ellen works in partnership with the current Board of Directors, performing a key role in the operations, management and strategic planning of Art League RI. Early in her career, she was a secondary education art teacher at Coyle & Cassidy High School in Taunton, MA. A career shift brought her to Brown University where she served as Administrative Director for the Dean of Biology and Medicine, and for the past 15 years continued to serve in leadership roles in both for-profit and non-profit medical group practices, hospitals and medical foundations. Ellen earned a Master of Health Administration from Simmons College, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Rhode Island, and a Bachelor’s degree in Art/Art History from Rhode Island College.

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ELECTED ARTIST MEMBERS

Elected Artists are artists whose work meets the visual arts standards of Art League RI. Elected Artist status is granted through a credentialed jury process. You’ll find the works of these Elected Artist Members throughout Rhode Island.

+honorary member.  ALRI members have recognized these individuals by electing them as Honorary Members. Honorary Members have contributed to the field of visual arts either through outstanding artistic creativity or through exceptional leadership. Their achievements have national or international influence, have advanced the mission and vision of ALRI, and promoted the integrity of visual arts professional practices.
*founding member
#deceased

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ARTIST AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS

Members join ALRI as supporters and participants in the visual arts. Membership is open to anyone. Many Members are artists. Along with Elected Artists, Members are instrumental in their service on ALRI’s committees and may serve on the ALRI Board.