Learn more about our staff.
Kathryn Lovinsky
Executive Director
athryn has served as the Executive Director of Grass Roots Art & Community Effort (G.R.A.C.E.) since 2015. She now serves as the Executive Director for the merged Rural ARTS Collaborative. Kathryn has a background in studio art and psychology, receiving a Master’s Degree in Art Therapy from The George Washington University, in Washington, D.C. Kathryn is a rostered mental health counselor with the State of Vermont as well as an artist. Kathryn grew up in the Northeast Kingdom and moved back in 2015, and now lives in Hardwick with her husband and twin sons.
Kathy Stark
Artistic Director
Kathy Stark studied art in New York City at the Art Students League, the New School, and the Printmaking Workshop. She received a Bachelor of Arts from New York University and a Masters Degree in Special Education from Adelphi University. Kathy is a professional artist who exhibits extensively. She is represented in New York City by the SOHO20 Gallery. Kathy has been with GRACE since 2000.
Janet Van Fleet
Workshop Leader
Janet Van Fleet is a self-taught Cabot, Vermont artist who works primarily with found materials. She grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago, then went on to earn a B.A. in Psychology. She received an M.A. in Education while she was teaching in the Montpelier public schools. Van Fleet is a founder of Studio Place Arts (SPA), a three-story community center for the visual arts in Barre, Vermont, where her studio is located, and works as a curator and writer on the arts in addition to her own art practice. For more information visit: www.janetvanfleet.com
Marcie Vallette
Workshop Leader
Marcie Vallette, BFA; M. Ed.; LPN. Marcie Vallette works for several non-profit organizations as an educator, a nurse, and a graphic artist. She is also a fine artist, who exhibits regionally. An active interest in contemplative practice informs all of her work, personal and professional, and she has been a student of Basic Mindfulness as well as a facilitator (teaching meditation skills) for several years. She has a BFA from Montserrat College of Visual Art, and an M. Ed. from Johnson State College. In the early 90’s she spent three years living at the Vermont Studio Center studying with nationally known artists. A number of years later, she went to VT Technical College for a one-year program to prepare for a state licensure in Nursing in order to be of more help to people. She considers herself a life-long learner. She says, “I love to combine my interests and experiences in art, education, and in the helping fields, and it is a pleasure to share what I know.”
