.svg)
.svg)
Meet the Candidates
Nominees for President of the Board of Control
It is my great honor and pleasure to be nominated as President of the Board of Control. As I look forward to the League’s 150th anniversary, the Board will be focusing on what is necessary to move the League forward toward this illustrious celebration. From repairing our crown jewel, 215 West 57th, to bringing our archives and collection online, we are committed to shining a light on this most important historic institution in the next three years. Thank you for your confidence in me as I enter my sixth term, and I look forward to very exciting times ahead.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Vice President Nominated by Men
Having spent time as a student, monitor and Board member I want to give back to this incredibly historic institution. The League has given me artistic instruction, a mentor, inspiration and the experience of a rich artistic tradition. I serve on other boards and have extensive experience interacting with investment advisors, city planners, corporate representatives, and other board members. I suggest and respect new ideas while thinking of the broader history and intention of an organization’s founders, respecting the past while forging a new future to cement the work that will propel the League to 150 years and beyond.
The League is on the precipice of really amazing things ahead: our 150th Anniversary, improvements to the building, and an ever expanding cadre of involved and successful alumni, instructors and students! The board has to work with all these people in mind.
As an artist making monumental figurative steel sculptures for city governments, sculpture parks, and even the NFL, I have the unique perspective as someone who knows what the students of the League need as artists and what the board, staff and instructors of the institution needs as an organization. Balancing these concerns is what is vital to the work of the board and the League.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Vice President Nominated by Women
.jpeg)
When I first came to the League to study sculpture 8 years ago, I was simply looking for somewhere to pursue my recently awakened love for working with clay. I soon gave up my legal career to devote myself full-time to sculpture.
Four years ago, I volunteered for the Board’s Constitutional Reform Committee. The League had become not only a place to take classes, but a community to me, and I wanted to give back to this beloved institution. I’ve continued to do so – I’ve been on the Board for the past three years (currently, as Vice President), during which time I’ve been active on numerous committees.
The League is poised to enter its 150th Anniversary year, and to embark on a long overdue project to repair its landmarked building. Over the past year, the Board has been gearing up for these exciting events. In addition, we are launching a capital campaign that will enable us to raise the funds needed to ensure that the League will have the financial stability it needs to survive as a provider of arts education to all for the next 150 years.
I’m proud of the work I’ve done for the League over the past 4 years and look forward to continuing to do my part to bring these plans to fruition.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Nominees for Board Membership (2 Year Term)
Jon Greenfield is a political and media specialist currently in his first term as a member of the Board of Control. Jon brings over a decade of experience in community engagement, capital campaigns, and non-profit governance to the board. Jon’s fundraising acumen proved critical to the league securing $4.3 million in government grants for building renovations and upgrades. At the League, Jon studies oil painting and regularly organizes plein air sessions in the city with fellow members. He is also presently the only U.S. citizen enrolled in the master copyist program at the Prado Museum in Madrid, Spain.
Click above to read candidate bio.
.jpeg)
My interest in the Board of Control is inspired by ‘giving back’ to the League. For drawing, with Gregg Kreutz, Costa Vavagiakis, Sherry Camhy and Stephen Walker. For painting with Sharon Sprung, last year and this year.
The BOC Finance Committee was the right match for deep experience with non-profit accounting & budgeting. I am Chair of this Committee. My professional experience was as Director of Finance in a number of non-profits. At the Child Care Fund ($45 million), I was responsible for budgeting, accounting, Trustee reporting, and was Master of Ceremonies at annual meetings.
I have CPA and law degrees, and am an accredited mediator for Part 137 of the State of New York. As a trained communicator, I care about improved relations among the membership, instructors, models, administration and the Board of Control.
This year, I believe I can be even more effective on the Finance Committee.
Click above to read candidate bio.
I started at the League as a full time student in 1981, with David Leffel, Robert Beverly Hale and Ted Seth Jacobs. I attended 3 years full time (2 classes/5 days) and then regularly for another few years. I'm a Life Member and back again full time after a career as creative technology manager, interactive media programmer/producer and non-profit executive at the 4A's (American Association of Advertising Agencies). My artistic interests span Rembrandt to Pollack to Cecily Brown in painting and more generally a passionate inquiry into how the visual arts create meaning for people in the 21st century. My relationship with the Art Students League has been one of the most important of my life. As a member of the Board of Control I hope to contribute what I've learned as a technology executive and artist to help the league thrive the future.
Click above to read candidate bio.
I am a retired architect and now, full time painter. I have been taking classes at the League continuously since 2011. I originally started with Rick Brosen’s night watercolor class and have studied with many of the League’s instructors in water based media.
Starting in 2020 I was on the Board of Control and Chair of the Building Committee for about 3 years. During that time we completed repairs from the flood, reconfigured the front office, rehabilitated and repaired the existing HVAC system, renovated the elevators and initiated the assessment of the facades, skylights and roofs that has resulted in the more major work currently being considered.
My architectural career includes renovation of Institutional, Educational and Landmarked Buildings. Combined with my tenure at the League and history with the Board of Control the President and incumbent Building Chair suggested I come back onto the Board to help oversee and support the on-going work. I am happy to offer my services and believe wholeheartedly in the League and its mission.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Rekindling my passion for the arts through the League has profoundly enriched my life. To give back, I humbly ask for your vote to serve our community. My campaign platform focuses on lowering membership and tuition fees, and expanding our community base to achieve broader enrollment.
With dual MBAs in Accounting and Finance, and Strategic Management, coupled with over 30 years of governance experience in the investment industry, I bring a wealth of expertise to the board level. My extensive interactions with both for-profit and non-profit boards have honed my skills in strategic oversight and governance. Throughout my career, I have been a staunch advocate for transparency and accountability.
Over the past five years, my interactions with members from diverse demographics have given me a deep understanding of their needs. In addition to painting, I also perform in improv shows, which has also provided me with firsthand insight into the challenges artists face. These varied experiences have equipped me with a unique perspective that I believe is essential for the Board to effectively reflect and serve our diverse membership.
My goal is to maintain the organization’s tradition of affordable fees by expanding revenue channels, securing funding, spending wisely, and, last but not least, boosting enrollment by broadening our membership base, all while respecting our legacy.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Nominees for Board Membership (1 Year Term)
It has been a privilege to serve on the Board of Control for the last three years, working to help the League meet the needs of the artists it serves. For the past year, I also chaired the committee working with the staff and ASL members to prepare for our 150th anniversary in 2025 and would appreciate the opportunity to continue this work for another year.
Before joining the BoC, I helped update the ASL Constitution and By-Laws. I also helped several instructors create successful online classes during the pandemic. Now I monitor and support classes both on-line and in-person.
The League has changed significantly since my first introduction in the 1980’s, when I studied with, among others, Mario Cooper, Barbara Adrian and Robert Beverly Hale. After retiring, I returned to the League studying with Frank O’Cain, Naomi Campbell, Doug Safranek, Sherry Camhy, Costa Vavaglakis, Tim Clark, Robert Cenedella, and others both online and in studio. Between times at the League, I raised my daughter and held senior marketing, planning, and compliance positions at Citigroup, both domestic and international.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Madhu Powar Gargi is an abstract artist who has attended the League since 2017. Madhu is Founder and President, of The New City Children’s Holiday Party, Inc., a 501c3 non profit organization dedicated to bringing the joys of the holidays to the homeless children of NYC. She is also a Board Member of the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Madhu is an experienced builder and a corporate lawyer for the part 35 years. She believes that with all its resources the League can become one of the premier institutions in the world of art with an iconic building and continue providing its exemplary educational opportunities to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Click above to read candidate bio.
My journey with the League began in January 2010 with a Sunday morning class taught by Nicki Orbach in my mid-twenties, and I've been in love ever since. From Charles Hinman to Landfeld to Winiarski to most recently Poons, I have traversed the halls and course catalog. I first learned about the Art Students League through a mentor while working as one of the few minority women on the American Stock Exchange. The League quickly became a refuge and served as both a creative haven and a source of inspiration, offering a vital counterbalance to the intensity of the corporate world. Even after I moved out of the city for a time, I've joined remote classes and watched with enthusiasm as the League has evolved, particularly through its enhanced online presence and innovative professional programming.
After years leading technology initiatives in the corporate sector, I'm taking a deliberate pause to deepen my commitment to the arts. My background in data analytics and corporate management, coupled with extensive experience guiding boards and management teams through periods of transition, positions me to contribute meaningfully to the League's continued evolution. I've successfully shepherded both emerging and established institutions through transformative periods - experience that could benefit the League's diverse community of students, members, instructors, and management teams.
The Art Students League stands as a beacon within the grand history of American Modern Art, and I would be honored to help advance its mission of providing accessible education to all who seek it. I'm particularly excited about the opportunity to help shape the League's future while preserving its rich legacy and ensuring it remains a vibrant force in arts education for generations to come.
Click above to read candidate bio.
My background includes an education in law and I worked in both Family and Immigration Law. At a certain point, I left law and worked in Public Relations/Marketing. During this time many of my clientele were art galleries. I helped to establish one of the the first businesses in the Meat-Packing District of Manhattan that was not meat-packing, but an art gallery. After that, many different businesses began flocking to the neighborhood. I eventually began working in galleries in Soho then Chelsea. I have curated, consulted and worked as Director of several galleries.
From childhood I always visited museums and I lived in Paris as a teen and immersed myself in the art that seemed to exist everywhere there. Art became a lifelong interest. After I retired in 2019 I became a student at the Art Students League studying drawing and painting. The League has been an incredible creative outlet for me and a place to share with others our love of art. It is a special place and I was honored to have been chosen as a member of the Board of Control.
I presently serve on both the Development Committee and the 150th Anniversary Committee. If elected to serve I will bring all my passion and experience and knowledge to contribute to the continued development of this amazing school.
I need to mention that the best of me are my two sons and grandsons who inspire me in so many ways. I look forward to making a contribution to the League wherever I can.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Ariadne grew up in Montclair, New Jersey. She created since she was a child, where she frequently painted landscapes, including the Montclair Iris Gardens. Her inspiration came from her great-grandfather and uncles, who were iconographers for the Greek Orthodox church. In addition, her great-uncle, Anthony Velonis, a WPA artist, encouraged her to experiment with media and size, in an effort to add life to her work.
Ariadne has been an artist for the past 25 years working with various Media, including drawing, painting and sculpture. She graduated from the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art and studied with Peter Homitzky, Grigory Gurevich and James McGinley. In addition, she attended the Art Students' League of New York, where she studied with Peter Homitzky and Barney Hodes. Her cast, life-size figures and accomplished plein-air paintings have been displayed in galleries throughout the New York metropolitan area.
"I make art to express my feelings. As an artist, my intention is to take the beauty of the world and capture it on canvas. Moreover, my art provides an outlet for me to understand the culture in which we live. I give everyday visual experiences richness and movement, capturing a moment in time.”
Ariadne has exhibited in a variety of galleries and shows, which include: Wildlite of Highlands Touring Exhibit 2018, Hoboken Art Show 2017, Artists' Studio Tour ; Ringwood Manor Association of the Arts 2017, Annual Fall Open Juried Exhibition; Newark's Open Doors Art Festival 2017, "Facade" ; Ivanhoe Gallery 2015, Solo Show; Lena De Gangi Gallery 2014 "Series" ; Highlands' Festival at Waterloo Village 2014; New Century Artists Gallery, Chelsea, NY 2012, "Endurance" ; Saint Catherine Patron of the Arts Association 2012, Annual Juried Exhibition.
Permanent collections include: The Ringwood Public Library, Ringwood, NJ The Art Factory, Paterson NJ De Gangi Gallery, Totowa, NJ
Click above to read candidate bio.
I was born in Athens, Greece, to American parents and have resided in the US since an early age. I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and studied business and political philosophy at Lehigh University and Columbia Business School. Although a current resident of Manhattan, I spent many of my professional years abroad, particularly in Thailand, Japan, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Being overseas, combined with my wanderlust, has exposed me to art from all over the world, both modern and ancient. It was during the latter end of the pandemic when I began taking drawing classes at the Art Student League. I soon moved on to painting and sculpture. Having never studied art formally, creating art has become as enjoyable as witnessing.
I’d like to join the Board of the League for various reasons. Firstly, I would like to have a role in enhancing the League’s impact on the art community in New York and beyond through collaboration and advocacy. Secondly, by using my experience in finance, I would like to help ensure the League remains financially stable for the foreseeable future. Lastly, serving on the Board would allow me to contribute to the leadership team and advancement of the League’s mission- affordable art for all.
Click above to read candidate bio.
Ricardo Woo is a multidisciplinary artist born in São Paulo, Brazil, and currently based in New York City, where he works in the maintenance department at the Art Students League. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture and Urbanism from the University of São Paulo and a Master of Arts from New York University. In 1999, he founded Atelier Dragão Baiano in Belmonte, Brazil, dedicated to promoting workshops and art education for the local community.
Ricardo has collaborated on projects with notable figures such as Sol LeWitt, Richard Serra, and Donald Sultan, as well as esteemed institutions including MoMA, the New York Public Library, and Pace Prints. With over 30 years of experience, he has showcased his work in solo and group exhibitions across Brazil, the USA, Taiwan, Japan, Colombia, Italy, Austria, and the UAE.
As a painter, sculptor, installation artist, and ceramicist, Ricardo brings a unique perspective to the board, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to art and community engagement. His commitment to fostering artistic dialogue and collaboration makes him an invaluable asset to any organization dedicated to the arts.
Click above to read candidate bio.