Quarterly Meeting & Election
Wednesday, June 25, 2025 at 6:30 pm
Note: If you cannot attend the meeting, please complete (1) the enclosed proxy and (2) the ballot and return both to the P&C office. The proxy will be used for the purpose of achieving a quorum only. Completing just the proxy will not suffice for electing the new Board members. If you assign your proxy to another artist member, make sure that member will be attending the meeting.
If you are mailing the ballot and proxy, please write ELECTION on the lower left corner of the envelope. We will place all the mailed ballots in the ballot box, which is on the painting rack outside the office door. You may email ballots and proxies to fineart1012@sbcglobal.net. If you email them, please mail the originals to us as well. You may also drop off the ballot in person.
The meeting is on Wednesday, June 25, so please return the ballot and proxy as soon as possible if you will not be attending the meeting.
Please see the candidates’ biographies on the next four pages. We will be electing 4 officers and 3 directors. The officers are all running unopposed. There are 5 candidates for the 3 director spots.
Candidate Biographies
Officer – President
Stuart Fullerton
Stuart Fullerton is a long-time member of the Palette and Chisel and of the Plein Air Painters of Chicago. He is also a board member for the Oil Painters of America and is a signature member of both OPA and the American Impressionist Society.
Stuart has taught a Saturday afternoon drawing class at the P&C since 2012. As the P&C’s historian, Stuart has done extensive research on the history and past membership of the P&C. He has written a blog about the history of the P&C and has recorded two presentations about the P&C’s history. You can find those recordings on the P&C website.
Stuart has been on the board of directors for the P&C for many years and has served as President since 2023. During his presidency, Stuart has worked with our board to advance a number of items to bring the P&C forward: establishing a new web site, starting a quarterly newsletter, awarding more new scholarships, making public the amazing P&C logbook, and establishing the education and investment committees. Under his leadership, there has been a significant wave of new board members and many young artists have joined the P&C, bringing new energy, talent and ideas. The education committee has introduced very successful new workshop instructors to our membership and the investment committee has worked to ensure there is transparency and oversight for the P&C’s endowment. In addition, he has established a semi-annual speaker series to highlight the amazing history of the P&C.
Stuart has many more plans for the future of the P&C. Stuart Fullerton is a graduate of Harvard College and of Harvard Law School. He recently retired from a career as an Assistant United States Attorney in the U.S. Department of Justice.
Officer – Vice President
Lenin Delsol
Lenin Delsol studied at the American Academy of Art in Chicago in the early 1980s. He has been an artist member of the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts since the mid-1980s, where he teaches, serves on the board, and actively participates in and monitors various open studio sessions.
Dedicated to supporting fellow artists, Lenin regularly offers critiques and guidance upon request. While he is an avid draughtsman, his true passion lies in painting. His preferred media include watercolor, pastel, and oil. Currently, he owns and operates Envisionaire, Inc., a commercial art studio based in Chicago.
Officer – Treasurer
Alisa Kannett
I have experience serving on many profit, not-for-profit & HOA boards. I have served in an executive capacity on most of the boards I serve on. I make a living using communication skills to facilitate collaborative efforts with a strong emphasis on maintaining a budget. I believe in transparency. I strongly feel we need to ensure the legacy of the Palette & Chisel and maintain the integrity of this institution while embracing current available technologies and improving the experience. In the past two years, while serving on the board, I have assisted in transferring our endowment accounts from Morgan Stanley to Northern Trust, updating our website as well as implementing a new platform for class registration.
A LITTLE HISTORY
1992-Present
Principal Alisa Kannett Interiors
Designing residential interiors from the ground up while preserving the client’s budget.
1984-1991
Project manager Olympia & York
Responsible for all construction and budget in the residential units at 161 E. Chicago Ave.
1977-1983
Richmond, Manhoff and March
Project manager /Space Planner
Providing space planning, project management and interior design for several Chicago downtown companies.
I have been a member of the P&C for several years taking classes and attending open studios and I appreciate your consideration and vote to allow me to represent you.
Officer – Secretary
Cathy Buck
Cathy Buck has been a member of Palette and Chisel for over ten years. She has served on the board for the past few years as secretary and has really enjoyed being involved in the process of shaping the future of Palette and Chisel. She has enjoyed taking classes, participating in open studio, workshops and exhibits. She has a BA in Art from Elmhurst College and has continued her studies in art at Northern Illinois University, Palette and Chisel and various workshops. She has worked as an office and accounting manager, was an inclusion aid in the Kaneland School District and runs her family’s farm. Cathy Buck has worked with and been a member of various philanthropic organizations such as her local church, Kaneville Child Care Facility and The Mother’s Club of Geneva. She is married with two kids and thoroughly enjoys attending artistic functions and performances. She has participated in various shows outside of Palette and Chisel and has her work exhibited at Elmhurst Hospital.
Directors
Jose Antonio “Tony” Bedolla
Jose Antonio Bedolla, known as “Tony,” has served as a director to the Palette & Chisel board for three years, a journey that has been filled with both challenging and gratifying experiences. He is eager to pursue new initiatives to foster the growth of the next generation of members while upholding the integrity and ensuring the legacy of the Palette and Chisel. It would be his honor to serve our members again for another three-year term.
Tony is an accomplished artist whose drawings have delighted many of us for years. He has taught workshops at the P&C and takes great joy in the privilege of mentoring fellow artists, helping them elevate their drawing abilities to a refined and advanced level.
Greg Dhuse
I began at the P&C in 2021 and immediately fell in love with the place and the community. Since then, Saturday morning open studio is the highlight of my week. Although I’ve been pursuing art for nearly a decade, I’m still very much a student and take classes in addition to attending open studio. This lead me to serve on the Education Committee, coordinating and monitoring Adrian Gottlieb’s recent workshop which sold out and raised over $4000. It remains challenging to offer this kind of special event without impacting open studios and, as a board member, I’d like to explore ways to minimize those disruptions.
By day, I’m a software engineer, so my technical background can come in handy. I’ve recently been looking at the building’s network and am preparing a proposal to upgrade WiFi speed and coverage. As part of the committee organizing the big celebration of Richard Schmid in October 2026, I’m excited to expand our reach by helping stream the event worldwide.
I’ve enjoyed getting involved beyond the brush and would love the opportunity to lend my time and expertise towards stewardship of the Palette and Chisel as a member of the board.
Bodo Stolczenberger
While earning his undergraduate degree in Painting and Drawing at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and employed full-time, Bodo Stolczenberger also monitored open studio sessions for a number of years as an Administrative Specialist at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and simultaneously at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, MIAD, as a Course Administrator for Community Figure Drawing.
Relocating to the Chicago area in 1997, Bodo landed employment with the Chicago Tribune and continued his artistic pursuit by becoming a member of the Palette & Chisel and eventually monitoring several open studios.
In addition to covering his own open studios, he contributed to covering other open studios as needed, assisted in the Palette’s Under $300 Art Shows, supervised outside private events held at the Palette, promoted the Palette during the CAC Open House events and organized the Palette’s 3 per year, all-day Drawing Marathons.
Select Milwaukee exhibitions include: Annual Student Art Competitions, Xerox Art Exhibition-hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, And The Art Cart Caper-hosted by the Milwaukee Art Museum.
Select Chicago exhibitions include: Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine, Around The Coyote, (2003-2009) and at the Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Arts, (Solo show and numerous group shows, 2002-present.)
Michael Van Zeyl
I would be honored to continue to serve the Palette & Chisel as a Director because of my passion and experience for making this the premier environment to create art from the live model. I have been an active Faculty Member and Board Member attending all Board meetings, Investment Committee meetings and Building Committee meetings. I am deeply involved with providing diagrams and spreadsheets for special projects. I approach each idea with a thoughtful objective, develop criteria for design and product recommendations and follow through with an execution plan for the best result.
I was recently involved in the new website redesign and actively review the investment account and have helped save over $10k in advisor fees and suggested money market funds that have earned over $15K/year income on the building account. If you have any questions or would like to hear about the special projects I am currently working on please feel free to email me at mail@michaelvanzeyl.com. To see my bio and amazing 20+ year professional art career check out my website www.michaelvanzeyl.com.
Ed Zawacki
I’ve been a member of the Palette for more than seven years and am continuously grateful for the opportunities it provides to practice and improve. Over the years, I’ve had numerous opportunities to volunteer and assist with events such as model marathons, stuffing envelopes, and clearance events.
Prior to retirement, I was the Chief Information Security Officer at UIC. In addition, I’m currently working part-time as a privacy and security consultant for a law firm that works with universities across the country. I love technology and look for ways to use it to improve operations. That’s why I took the initiative a couple years ago to help P&C automate the new member and model application processes.
In the last year, I’ve also worked with another non-profit to successfully apply for two operating expense grants.
I’m running for a seat on the board of directors because I value what I’ve seen at the Palette, yet I am also aware that there are issues that need to be addressed. A good Board should consist of members with diverse opinions and ideas. A healthy discussion of topics and directions makes an institution a better and stronger place.
I ask for your support and together we can continue to make the Palette an even better home away from home.
