SOBA Board Members

For more information or to contact our board members call 843-757-6586

Karen Richards

President

Formerly from Southampton, then Warwick NY, Karen Richards moved to Bluffton, SC in 2021. She is a retired educator. Prior to taking on the president’s duties she was active in the SOBA community. “Volunteering has allowed me to get to know a very welcoming and talented group of artists”.

With nature as her inspiration, Karen Richards’ paints in a style varying from impressionistic realism to abstraction. Combining her love of nature and concern for the environment with her passion to create, Karen regularly donates a portion of her sales to local and national environmental organizations.

Trisha Vollmer

Vice President

Trish recently relocated from Colorado. She began her artistic journey in 2009 with a goal to hold an art show. Her work, primarily abstract acrylic painting, reflects a deep inspiration from nature and her surroundings. As a colorist, she delights in exploring vibrant hues and dynamic forms.
After a fulfilling career teaching 4th grade and art classes, she is thrilled to join SOBA as a board member, where she’s been warmly welcomed by a community of talented and generous volunteers.

She enjoys sketching, playing guitar, ukulele, making music, reading, and exploring the great outdoors. She was previously involved with the Rainforest Art Project in San Diego and Swallow Hill in Denver. She looks forward to contributing to the vibrant artistic community at SOBA.

Jeanne Francisco

Treasurer

Jeanne Francisco and her husband, Bill, recently moved into the Lowcountry via Keuka Lake, NY and Siesta Key, FL. Jeanne got involved with SOBA through the many great classes she took (and still takes) at The SOBA Art School located next door to the gallery. Although she loves dabbling in any creative endeavor, she has focused in on oil painting as the perfect mindful pastime. She serves on the board to help support the efforts and talents of local artists.

Cathy Thiem

Secretary

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.

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.

Barbara Pecce

Art School Operations Director

Barbara Pecce is a watercolor artist and teacher who has recently moved to South Carolina from Puerto Rico. During the 47 years she and her family lived in San Juan, she was a founding member and long time president of the Asociacion de Acuarelistas de Puerto Rico. She also taught watercolor at the Lisa de Arte in Old San Juan and at the Museo de Arte.
Barbara is now an active member of the Society of Bluffton Artists ( SOBA) and currently volunteers as Education and Workshop Coordinator at the SOBA Art School.

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.

Marianne Thatcher

Membership Director

Marianne’s love for creativity began in childhood, exploring both art and the world around her. This passion led her to Emmanuel College in Boston, MA, where she earned a BFA in Studio Art and minored in art history. Her expertise in color and design propelled her into a successful career in the home furnishings industry, where she held key management roles in Training and ECommerce for a major East Coast retailer.
Now painting the landscapes of Lowcountry South Carolina, Marianne is embarking on a new artistic journey. As Director of Membership, her goal is to welcome and guide new artists into the gallery, fostering a warm and inclusive environment.

Jan Urbanic

Staffing Director

Jan is a retired executive assistant from a large corporation in Ohio. She taught ceramics and China painting from home for many years; attended classes at Cleveland Museum of Art and fell in love with it. Jan is past president of the Art Club at Sun City and enjoys painting the people, birds, and scenery of the Lowcountry.

Carol Dombrowski

Gallery Operations Director

I am married and I have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. I had no art training until I retired and moved to Sun City. Grateful to have found a new colorful hobby as well as a great gallery to display my art.

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