About The Staff

 
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Lynne DeBeer; owner

It all started when...

I was old enough to hold a crayon, scissors, paper and explore backyard haunts.  My early creative and fantastical adventures in the basement included building cities out of cardboard, designing names and nametags for my friends, creating the big fort, painting masterpieces, creating and delivering circus festivals to raise money in the neighborhood and organizing everything that could be organized but didn't need it.  With a lot of gratitude for my loving grandfather who drove me everywhere, I started taking art classes at 7 years old and have not stopped since.  My early private studios with Henri Senneur and classes at the Art Students League of NYC and Pratt University gave me the confidence to move on to earn a BA at Skidmore College and pursue further studies at the Vermont Studio Center, Bennington College and UMASS Dartmouth in printingmaking, bookmaking and painting.    A 40 year career in graphics, art directing and design gave me food, clothing and shelter; while I always pursued my advocation of painting, teaching and volunteering as board member at museums, art schools and art agencies.  

I have been an arts administrator (museum), fine arts consultant (Dumont Landis-NYC) and have worked with youth and artists for over 30 years to develop and market their work.  I am currently experiencing the joy of teaching visual art and design part time at Sophia Academy (an independent middle school for low income girls) in Providence RI as well as assisting this institution in developing and executing an arts expansion plan to include music, dance, theater, visual technology and design.

My personal work as well as student work can be found in the gallery.  My Resume follows which includes my professional, publishing and community work.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

  • Painting – watercolor, oil, acrylic
  • Drawing – graphite, colored pencil, pastel, wax crayons
  • Printmaking – mono-printing with/without press
  • Book Design, Papermaking
  • Sculpture, Pottery
  • Media Arts including videography, graphic design and website building
  • Technical Skills: Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), ACT, Publisher, Photoshop, and Illustrator
  •  RI Curriculum Development and Professional Training for RI teachers in accordance with RI Standards

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

VISUAL ART AND DESIGN TEACHER & ARTS EXPANSION COORDINATOR, SOPHIA ACADEMY  2011-present

Part-time arts visual art and design classroom teacher and arts administrator at this independent middle school for low income girls in Providence, RI.

TEACHING ARTIST – COMMUNITY BASED 1995-present; Rhode Island & Vermont

Teach community based classes since 1995 in all areas listed above; combined with collaborative experiences; e.g. inviting visiting artists to share techniques, museum visits, critique groups, etc.  Brought specialized classes to Vermont and Rhode Island Classrooms.  Currently teaching classes at Portsmouth Art Guild and Inside/Out Studios in Rhode Island.

RI ARTS LEARNING NETWORK Program Development

Marketing Communications

2005 to present

  • Held responsible for branding, designing, and executing programs under statewide initiative including Arts Passport, Arts Map, and community toolkit to further promote Arts Education advocacy in Rhode Island communities (www.riartslearning.net)

  • Accounted for grant writing and raising funds worth more than $300,000 annually to support implementation of major statewide arts education policy initiative. Funds include RI Foundation, Kennedy Center, National Endowment for the Arts and Dana Foundation.

RI ALLIANCE FOR ARTS EDUCATION Executive Director

2005 to 2016

  • Organized and managed this advocacy based non-profit; 4 years as paid, 4 years as volunteer Director

  • Obtained program grants from Kennedy Center (National Partner) to facilitate projects.  Project grants provided the professional development for RI arts educators to use statewide standards in all art forms and delivered advocacy initiatives.

  • Coordinated and delivered annual Rhode Island youth arts events, such as PS2009, Statewide Music Honors Recital Concert, and a film festival called “GiveMe5"

CHAFFEE CENTER FOR THE VISUAL ARTS Executive Director

1992-1996

  • Curated and delivered over 10 exhibitions annually; 2 educational, 1 statewide student exhibition and 7 themed exhibitions with 2D & 3D artists.

  • Moved educational program to downtown studio spaces and collaborated with schools to design and deliver interdisciplinary classes, programming and summer camp

  • Offered and taught a wide range of youth and adult art programs to include color theory, watercolor, painting, clay, website design and many more.  

LYNNE & COMPANY (STRATEGIC MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS) PRINCIPAL/OWNER 2002-2014

  • Acquired and serviced over 30 clients (10 ongoing for 5 years) ranging in size from National non-profit to $50 million corporate divisions.

  • Designed highly creative solutions to meet clients’ program and strategy objectives

  • Provided effective, efficient project management services with a “laser beam” focus on client objectives and budget.

  • Worked with clients to research and identify brand experience and develop/execute brand/rebrand strategies

  • Developed and launched six new retail manufacturing products

  • Client list:  Swarovski Crystal, Webster Bank, Citizens Bank, Textron, RI Arts Learning Network, RI Arts Council, GiveMe5 Student Film Festival, Hunt Yachts

VT DIVISION OF HISTORIC PRESENTATION Educational Consultant

Curriculum Design

  • Published book, travelling educational kit, interactive on-site exhibition and curriculum for RI schools, Grades 5-8 using arts and Mt. Independence site to teach architecture, geography, history of American Revolution and 18th century life.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts: 1991, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY

 (Coursework-75% completion) Master of Arts: 1998  University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS/HONORS

Board of Directors, Newport County Mental Health Community Center  

Management Team / Marketing Communications, Rhode Island Arts Learning Network; 2004-present

Licensed foster parent, State of RI Department of Child & Family Services

Board of Directors,  Rhode Island Alliance for Arts Education 2004-2005

 

Member, Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education; 1995-present

Member, Marine Marketing Association; 2003-present

Mentor, Vermont Foundation; 1991-1998

Board Member, Mt. Independence Historic Site (Vermont) 1997-1998

Board Member / Executive Director, Vermont Alliance for Arts Education 1992-1998

Board Member, Project Advance Cambodia 2009-2010

Member, Providence Chamber of Commerce

Vermont State Award for Outstanding Citizens in Arts: 1998

PUBLICATIONS

  • Marching to the Mount, Teacher & Student Resource guide for teaching 18th century American history and the American Revolution.  (game & book)