Board Members 2023-2024

BRENDA POKORNY 

PRESIDENT and SATELLITE GALLERIES COORDINATOR

Brenda Pokorny is a mosaic artist in Mooresville, NC. She received a BFA from Miami University, with a concentration in textile design, and began her career in the design studio of the largest wallpaper manufacturer in the US. After 5 years there, and 10 years managing her own textile design business, she started playing around with mosaic, and was an instant convert. 

Brenda finds inspiration in gardens and nature, mazes, labyrinths, and mandalas. These interests have taken her around the globe exploring gardens, hedge mazes, labyrinths, gothic and renaissance cathedrals, and the mosaics of the ancient Greek and Roman worlds. 

Brenda's goal in creating mosaics is to produce art that adds beauty and brings joy. She hopes to have more opportunities to create large-scale public artworks that can involve communities in their creation, and can beautify spaces enjoyed by everyone.

CATHERINE CRANE

TREASURER 

Catherine Crane received her MBA from St Joseph’s University and completed a Post MBA program in Global Business Leadership at the Wharton School of Business.  She is also an RN and holds a BS from Rutger’s University. She practiced as a critical care registered nurse and then joined the pharmaceutical industry leading worldwide clinical drug development programs in multiple therapeutic areas. 

Catherine moved to Mooresville from NJ in 2018 and enjoys all of the wonderful people and the arts, culture and nature programs the area has to offer.

Catherine enjoys the crossroads between art and science. She is an art enthusiast and has taken classes in oil painting and mixed media.  She has a passion for art and believes art is a fundamental human need that sustains us. She believes art communicates both, multi-dimensionally and viscerally and dramatically impacts how we relate to the world around us. 

Her favorite quote from Albert Einstein, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science”

Catherine is excited to contribute her business and analytical skills and her passion for art to support the continued growth and future vision of Mooresville Arts.

VAL MACE 

BOARD SECRETARY

Val Mace was raised in Fort Lauderdale and took a vacation with friends to North Carolina in 1982. She  moved to Mooresville in 1983, never looked back and raised two sons here. After 38 years she still loves being a resident of  Mooresville. 

Val worked for Southern Bell/Bellsouth/ATT until 2014. Her last position was as Project Manager II, handling some of their largest customers across the US. She loved it as it was always changing and certainly challenging. 

Since retirement, Val and her husband have traveled and welcomed two grandchildren into the family. She started painting "on a  whim" with tElie Bou Zeidan, at Studio Elie. Vale loves to paint and has been painting in acrylic and oil ever since learning techniques from Ms. Zeidan.

GIUSTINO CAPODILUPO 

BOARD MEMBER and DEVELOPMENT CHAIR

Giustino retired from the legal profession and moved to Mooresville in August of 2020 from Connecticut. Both of his daughters live in the Connecticut and Boston area. He has been involved in the performance arts arena and, over the years, has served on the Boards of Directors for numerous organizations in the New England area. 

Giustino is an avid art collector and has had a lifelong interest in the creation of fine art. As a result he became acquainted with Mooresville Arts and began, what has become, a passion for the creation of fine art. 

With his legal acumen and work in the management of performing arts and other organizations, Giustino is excited to contribute his analytical skills, business knowledge and love of art toward the management and future growth of Mooresville Arts. 

DIXON HANDSHAW 

BOARD MEMBER and EDUCATION CHAIR

Dixon Handshaw is a photographic educator based in Mooresville, NC. He spent 35 years of his career as a learning and performance consultant as president of his own company, Handshaw, Inc. Before that he earned his living as a professional photographer. Now he is combining those two experiences to teach fine art photography in both digital and film formats. His favorite aspect of

teaching is inspiring students to find personal expression through the lens of a camera.

Dixon currently serves as an adjunct instructor in photography at Catawba Valley Community College. He serves as the chair of the Education Committee at Mooresville Arts where he also teaches photography. He has a BFA in photography from Alfred University and a MS in Instructional Systems

Technology from Indiana University. He served on the Board of Directors for The Light Factory in Charlotte, NC and chaired their Education Committee where he also served as an instructor and designer of courses. He served on the Board of Directors at the Carolina Raptor Center in Charlotte,

NC, where he designed and taught a course in Bird and Wildlife Photography. He has been passionate about photography since he was 14. 

BRENDA KADLECIK 

BOARD MEMBER and VOLUNTEER/EVENTS COORDINATOR

Brenda Kadlecik was born in New Jersey and raised in Winston Salem, NC. She attended UNC Greensboro  and earned two separate Bachelor of Science degrees in Interior Architecture and Human Development and Family Studies.  

Brenda became a member of Mooresville Arts in 2015 as she was in search of a place to display and sell her artwork. She enjoys painting flowers, nature scenes and abstract in both watercolor and acrylic. As a member, she soon found that the organization is a supportive environment of artists, members, and patrons. 

Brenda's involvement with Mooresville Arts has included volunteering as a docent, helping with special events and opportunities, being a member of the board as secretary and recently as event coordinator. "It is rewarding to see the positive impact on artists, our youth and the community as the organization continues to grow." 

Brenda presently lives in Mooresville with her husband Michael, and two teens, Thomas and Sarah.

GINA MARQUES 

BOARD MEMBER and MEMBERSHIP COORDINATOR

Gina Marques is originally from Massachusetts and has now lived in the Lake Norman area of NC since 2005. She has explored many art forms from 2D and 3D mediums, to performance arts like music and dance. Photography, ceramics, and acrylic painting are what she practices most. 

Currently she paints commissioned pieces from pet portraits to landscapes, and collaborates with her husband on projects including pottery, woodworking, and 3D printing. 

In 2014 She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Carolina University, with a concentration in studio art, and an emphasis in photography. Around this time is when she started becoming involved with Mooresville Arts by entering work into shows and becoming a member.

Over the years she became more involved by volunteering to help with exhibits and events and eventually chairing the Annual Photography Show. She has now been the photography show chairperson since 2018. Gina took on the role of MA Membership Director in 2020

CHRISTOPHER MCINTOSH

BOARD MEMBER and BUILDING/GROUNDS CHAIR

Chris was born and raised in Michigan. He studied commercial art and has been an artist since he can remember. For the last 25 years, Chris has worked in home remodeling, construction and maintenance. He moved to North Carolina in 2008 and became a Mooresville resident in 2010. 

Chris made his way to Mooresville Arts by another artist who invited him to join an exhibition. Since that time he has volunteered on numerous projects, served as vice president in 2012 and then as president shortly thereafter. 

Chris is the chair of the Building & Grounds Committee and was the construction leader on the Warehouse to Center Gallery Renovation Project in 2018-19. He continues to serve as a board member.

His artwork is inspired by boldly colored landscape images. He mentally processes those images and transforms them into abstract versions using mixed media. Chris uses oil as the prominent medium as well as some silver, copper and gold leaf, drywall compound, resin and acrylics. 

CELESTE BADR 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Originally from Southcentral Michigan, Celeste Badr moved to North Carolina in 2006 and became a resident of Mooresville in 2014.

Celeste worked in higher education advancement for 25 years. Her experience includes strategic planning, fundraising, educational and alumni program management, marketing and public relations. She holds a MPA in Nonprofit Leadership & Management and a BA in Public Relations.

Celeste enjoys quilting and embroidering along with photography and other "artsy" adventures. She lives in Mooresville with her husband, Hef, two little dogs and Larry the Cat. Together they have four children and two grandchildren. They enjoy traveling to visit family and friends whenever they get the chance. 

JENNY DONAGHY

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT

Jenny grew up in the suburbs of Houston, TX  and briefly attended Texas A&M. She spent many vacations visiting family in NC and  developed a strong attachment to the area. Jenny transferred from the big university to the Catawba College in Salisbury, NC where she graduated with  bachelor of arts degrees in Communication Arts and Business. 

Jenny spent 23 years working in the Recycling side of the Paper and Packaging Industry where her work took her all over the eastern and Midwest U.S. In 2019, she left the corporate world to pursue a happier work-life balance, became a real estate broker in the Lake Norman area, and  started a small furniture consignment business. 

Jenny also found time to explore her long buried creative side and began up-cycling and re-selling vintage furniture as well as exploring painting with colorful acrylics. 

Jenny's husband, Scott, owns an IT company which helps companies all over NC and SC. 

They raised our daughter, Devin, in Mooresville where she graduated from Lake Norman High School, is a now an ECU college grad, and works and lives in uptown Charlotte.

"I am excited to work for and support such a dynamic and creative organization as Mooresville Arts. Can't wait to see it flourish."

JESSICA DEHART 

INTERIM GRANTS MANAGER and GALLERY CHAIR

Jessica DeHart grew up in southwestern Virginia, with her parents and two brothers. She attended Roanoke College and graduated in 2006 with a B.A. in Art, with a concentration in painting and drawing, and a Minor in Art History.

After college, Jessica relocated to North Carolina where she worked full-time while still studying and pursuing her art.

In 2009, Jessica was able to venture into her art full-time and also moved to Mooresville where she soon became a Member of Mooresville Arts. Throughout the years, she has become more involved with the organization, from coordinating life drawing sessions to chairing exhibits to serving on the Board of Directors for eight years. She enjoys being a part of the local arts organization and the Mooresville community. 

Jessica’s art focuses on painting and drawing, and her preferred subject matter is portraiture; her work has been featured in many exhibits and she has also received national recognition for her work.  She lives with her partner, Billy and their animals - Toby, Elon & Grayson.