SOBA Board Members
Karen Richards
President
Joy Walker
Vice President
Joy Walker moved to Bluffton from northern Wisconsin after retiring from a career in IT.
Looking for a creative outlet she began experimenting with watercolor painting.
Joy joined SOBA after receiving much encouragement and inspiration from it’s members. She hopes to encourage others to find happiness and fulfillment from leading a creative life as well.
Nancy Huson
Treasurer
I try to capture the beauty of my daily experiences with vibrant colors as I see them in nature’s light. It is my hope that I can visually communicate the happy and peaceful feelings of my experiences with the viewer.
I studied fine art and printmaking at Colgate University and further honed my craft at studios in Kansas City and through workshops with accomplished plein air artists Carol Douglas and Greg Barnes.
After a long career in corporate finance, I was able to resume painting full time in 2002. I have been a resident of Bluffton since 2008.
Nori Lucci
Secretary
A novice to the art world, I began dedicating time to my art after retiring from the corporate world. My first experience exhibiting was the SOBA Spring Fling 2025. Proudly, I sold my first piece. I have always been a doodler and a contributor to the arts; I never considered myself an artist. I lacked the confidence and experience to put myself out there. With encouragement from family and friends, I see in my paintings, the depth, the attention to detail, my confidence growing, As they say, if you love what you do, it’s not work!
Ann Hyde
Marketing and Community Relations Director
Ann is a native Virginian residing in Bluffton since 2016. Ann’s career was in advertising and marketing, where she worked as a graphic designer, web developer, and programmer. She was a small business owner for over twenty years.
Ann joined SOBA because of the dedicated volunteers and the gallery’s commitment to contribute to this beautiful community. She is an exhibiting SOBA member. She believes SOBA’s commitment to the visual arts in Bluffton makes it one of the top galleries in the Lowcountry.
Jean Silver
Art School Operations Director
I’m a self-taught mixed media artist and acrylic painter. I’ve always been creative, but I only learned to draw and make art after I retired and moved to South Carolina. As a perpetual student of the arts, I am committed to making the SOBA Art School the best it can be.
Pat Diemand
Gallery Display Director
Pat Diemand began her journey as an artist as a young child, guided by her desire and natural ability. She was a member of the Western New York Artists’ Group in Buffalo, NY and the WA Project for the Arts/Corcoran in Washington, DC.
Diemand’s work has appeared in a variety of exhibitions over the years, including the Albright Knox Sales/Rental Gallery, Buffalo, New York; the Artful Gifts Exhibition at Art Dialogue Gallery, Buffalo, NY; and the Cumberland Valley Artists’ Exhibition in Hagerstown, Md. Locally, her work can be seen at Alexander’s Restaurant in Palmetto Dunes. She also teaches the Summer Art Camp for kids at SOBA.
Terri King
Membership Director
Theresa King is a self-taught oil painter who infuses healing energy into each image. Her paintings give the viewer a sense of calmness, delighting all ages.
“I’ve always been ‘crafty’, even as a teenager. My mother used to laugh and say I was born creative because I would shade edges in my coloring books as a toddler.
I owned a used car lot in Toledo, OH until my husband’s illness required my constant care.
After he passed, I decided it was time for a change. I packed my car and drove along the east coast, stopping here and there until I hit Bluffton…it felt right. I’ve been here for 4 years, and I love everything about it.”
Cathy Thiem
Gallery Operations Director
Ever since she was a young girl, Catherine had a love of nature. Years later, after retirement from dental hygiene, she was able to rekindle that love of nature by capturing story-telling moments through the lens of her camera. Pretty soon, she was winning awards at the local and state level, as well as two International Exhibitions of Photography. After moving to the Lowcountry nine years ago, she was able to tap into her creative side and create eye-popping art that started with a simple photograph. As an active exhibiting member of SOBA, she got inspired by the artist members. She took classes at SOBA Art School and began experimenting with her photography by adding mixed media elements to her pieces. She loves that SOBA is a society where all levels of art skills are welcome and encouraged, and she finds tremendous support from the members there. She is excited to see where this adventure takes her art form. To see more, visit her website.