The Smithers Art Gallery said farewell to Manager Nicole Chernish on Wednesday as she step down from the role.
A party was hosted for her that evening with several residents attending.
“It’s so bitter sweet,” said Chernish.
“The gallery’s in a really great place and so it feels comfortable and confident in where the gallery is headed.”
Since starting the role in 2018, she’s opening the artisan shop and Creation Station, and made the gallery a professional visual arts organization.
The biggest hurdle in that time was money.
“Prior to starting, [the gallery] had not been able to get BC Arts Council funding and in my time, we’ve not only been able to get program grants from them but also moved to a professional art gallery status which increases the amount of funding you can get from them,” said Chernish.
The gallery also announced Jenna Savage would be brought on as the new manager.
“It’s been excellent learning from Chernish. She’s going to leave a legacy and I’m excited to dig into that, what the board sees for the future, and what all the volunteers have put their time and effort into,” said Savage.
She is also hoping to continue growing the gallery from where Chernish left off and create partnerships throughout the community.
Having grown up in Smithers, Savage has visited the gallery with the first time being for a shirt silkscreen printing art camp.
“I think that kick starts youth into being creative and continue it into being able to do art in a professional place like the gallery,” she said.
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