Rhonda Hamilton Joins NRCA Board

    Artist Rhonda Hamilton, owner of Just Funki Handcrafted Wearable Art, has joined the Board of Directors of The New Rochelle Council on the Arts for 2012-2013. The NRCA also elected its officers: President Judith Weber, Vice Presidents Theresa Kump Leghorn and Linda Tarrant-Reid, Secretary Angela Derecas Taylor and Treasurer Billie Tucker. In addition, the Board of Directors also recently voted to add two new members to its Advisory Board, art director and President of the New Rochelle Art Association Jesse Sanchez and entrepreneur Eric Woodlin, President of Incoming Tide Entertainment LLC.

     Hamilton says she joined the NRCA Board because “I love the city of New Rochelle, and am very interested in seeing it grow and develop culturally as well as economically. I believe the arts are the heartbeat of this great city, and I would like to contribute my time and skills to assist in implementing ideas that will help New Rochelle become known as the SOHO of Westchester for art!  I believe we can do it!”

     In addition to the Executive committee, NRCA’s Board of Directors includes Chris Arena, Barbara Bock,  Laura Falb, Diane Flagello, Martha Gutierrez-Valencia, Lynn Green, Irene Pastarnack, David Patterson, Katrina Rhein and Beth Willensky. NRCA’s Board of Advisors includes Joanne Bartoli, Michael Dandry, Linda Kelly Fauci, Ivar Hyden, Rosemary McLaughlin, Madeline Peters, Carol Ann Samela, Leah Sills and Bill Zimmerman. Thea Eichler is NRCA’s Founding Member Emeritus.

      The New Rochelle Council on the Arts was created by the New Rochelle City Council in 1975 to stimulate and encourage the study and presentation of the performing and fine arts; for 38 years NRCA has worked to fulfill that mission by sponsoring art exhibitions, theatrical productions, dance recitals, film screenings, lectures, and concert series as well as signature events like ArtsFest and the Sound Shore Shakespeare Festival. In addition, NRCA has facilitated collaboration among arts organizations, sponsored public art, and helped build relationships between the arts, the business community and city government, and the NRCA website www.newrochellearts.org has become major resource for artists and art lovers – the  “go-to” place for information about the arts. Membership in NRCA is open to artists and non-artists alike, with members receiving a quarterly newsletter, special discounts and invitations to networking events and studio tours. For more information visit NRCA on the web at www.newrochellearts.org.