Sutton relishes new role as executive director of SACAP

By Karen Donato
Staff/Writer
    Barbara Sutton, a newcomer to Houlton has been named the new executive director for the Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts program replacing Audrey Zimmerman who had resigned earlier in the year.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photo/Karen Donato
NEW DIRECTOR — Barbara Sutton, right has been selected as the new executive director for the Southern Aroostook Cultural Arts Program. She is looking forward to hosting her first reception Friday, September 25 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Blue Moon Gallery located within Visions. The ‘Art of the Harvest’ opening will spotlight  potato harvesting memorabilia from the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum in Littleton. Jon Abbott in the background has been a summer volunteer at the store.
    Sutton is a native of Ohio and received her post secondary degree at Mary Baldwin College in Stanton, Va. She has 20 years of experience using her business degree with special emphasis on gallery management. Sutton and her husband, Matt, who is a United States Border Patrol agent moved here from Yuma, Ariz. with their two youngest sons, Jared and Joshua. Their older son, Justin is attending college back in Arizona.
    Sutton said that her husband spent most of last winter here, while she stayed in the Southwest so their sons could finish the school year. They arrived in Houlton in June, just in time to unpack and take part in the Fourth of July events, including Midnight Madness, where she first visited Visions, the store that is supported by the SACAP organization.
    “I subscribed to the Houlton Pioneer Times last January when I was still in Yuma, so I could learn more about the area and it would be more familiar to me when I arrived,” Sutton said. “That is where I first saw the ad for the position of executive director.”
    Sutton had also read several articles in the Times featuring the many events sponsored by SACAP that also peaked her interest.
    Before coming to Houlton, Sutton was the director of an adult education program and a non-profit organization in Yuma. She is very familiar with fund-raising and grant writing.
    Being new to the community, Sutton believes getting involved is a good way to meet people and make new friends. She is impressed with the wide variety of talent showcased at the store and is looking forward to adding more unique items in the future. Having traveled a lot during her lifetime, she has frequented many artistic venues, but feels that Visions really demonstrates the essence of the community offering a lot of interesting gift ideas that are unique to this area.
    SACP, a non-profit organization, with only one paid position and an all volunteer board has been instrumental in cultivating the artistic talents of many local residents since 1999. Prior to opening Visions, located at 66 Main Street in Houlton, they published an art directory listing local artists, artisans, cultural organizations and annual events. In 2002 they produced events to showcase local artists in order to raise funds to continue their work.
    In 2004, they moved into the former M.A. Clark clothing store and have been an outlet for artists to sell their unique creations. Located within the store is the Blue Moon Gallery that showcases a feature artist or subject matter at various times throughout the year.
    The current show is entitled, ‘The Art of the Harvest,’ lending itself to the potato harvest that is about to be in full swing. The Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum is the featured organization and will have items on display until Saturday, Oct. 24. There will be a special viewing and reception on Friday, Sept. 25 from 5 until 7 p.m. Stop by and recall your harvesting memories or learn about the history of the harvest in Maine.
    SACAP is a sponsor of ‘Arts Around the Square’; the student art show called, ‘Seeds of Creativity’, and many other events throughout the year. They also provide a scholarship for a local student majoring in art.
    Sutton is anxious to put her expertise to work and continue the mission of SACAP that includes, ‘fostering a flourishing arts community and creating an exciting cultural environment for the greater Houlton area’.  She is in hopes to spread the word about SACAP’s work throughout the state.
    “We are excited to have Barbara on board and look forward to the new ideas she has in mind for the organization, said president Bob Cowperthwaite. “The recent stimulus money from the federal government allowed us to be able to provide a salary for this position and if it hadn’t been available through a grant we received, we may not have been able to continue.”
    He also said that the shop has been very busy this summer and sales have been very impressive.
    Sutton began on Sept. 14 meeting with Cowperthwaite to discuss plans for monthly meetings with the board members.
    Other board members are, Joyce Fitzpatrick, vice-president; Dale Holden, secretary; Marilyn Carey, treasurer; Rachel Good, volunteer coordinator; David Loendorf, Esther Faulkner, Lani Lemerise, Iva Sussman, Jane Kuk and Ann Elliott.
    The members of the SACAP organization are looking forward to an exciting future and are very appreciative of the work that both Zimmerman and Susan J. York, past president had done to bring them to this point.    Put Visions on your list of places to shop and see the wide variety of gift ideas designed by your very creative friends and neighbors.