HOW IT STARTED

Communication among people of diverse backgrounds and work styles brings achievement. Art is a highly effective tool in such communication. Cutting across racial, social, educational, and economic barriers, art describes and interprets culture and civilization and defines time and place. Truly a universal language, art helps us make sense of a sometimes senseless world, and making art allows individuals—regardless of background, training, or skill-set—to use personal strengths to bridge understanding of others. Making art is problem-solving; it is analysis, evaluation, critical thinking—all set against a backdrop of creating something with one’s hands, in collaboration with others.

These values put ART FOR LUNCH in motion more than 10 years ago. In a corporate setting, colleagues—most with little or no experience in making art—gathered (over the noon hour) as Prudy Kohler guided them in learning art techniques and creating their own pieces. They watched and learned about each other’s approach to art making (i.e. problem-solving); they talked about what they were learning and what worked (i.e. evaluation; analysis; critical thinking); they discovered new ways to express thoughts (i.e. enhanced creativity). Colleagues from several divisions of the organization were communicating in new, effective ways. And there was laughter.

CLIENTS (selected list)

Administaff
Amgen
Applied Materials
Bank of the West
Blue Shield of California
BTW Consultants
California Closets, Inc.
California Council for the Humanities
Casey Family Programs
Charles Schwab
Club One
Davis Joint Unified School District
Hill Physicians Management Group
Homestead Technologies
Kaiser Permanente
Mellon Wealth Management
Onyx Pharmaceuticals
Partech International
Partnership Health Plan of California
Sausalito Parks and Recreation Dept.
Sierra Ventures
SRM Associates
Timbuk2
Womens Foundation

References available upon request.

PRUDY KOHLER, Founder & Instructorprudy

Team-building expert and practicing artist with major successes in many kinds and sizes of businesses and organizations, from start-ups to large corporate environments.

Experience includes:

  • Counseling to start-ups, including solicitation and dispersion of funding.
  • Oversight of program activities, including compliance issues; and acquiring and developing staff.
  • Creation of innovative, rigorous arts curriculum for San Francisco University High School (distinguished college preparatory school).
  • More than 20 years’ experience in hiring, leading, and managing staffs, consultants, students, and programs in higher education and arts organizations.
  • Oversight of budgets ranging from $50,000 to $12 million.
  • Facilitation of several institutional strategic planning processes.
  • Design and execution of celebrated international cultural exchange program.
  • Creation and administration of inventive, effective philanthropic grantmaking strategies and evaluation procedures.
  • Management of Boards of Directors and Board member of several nonprofits.
  • Strong reputation as studio arts teacher and more than 20 years in teaching art at all levels: kids to adults.
  • Practicing/exhibiting artist.
  • Enthusiasm for communicating the arts and their power.
  • Panel presenter for Northern California Grantmakers, Southern California Grantmakers, Foundation Center, Grantmakers in the Arts.
  • Leadership of leading lender to start-up arts organizations.
  • Collaborator on blue-ribbon Arts Planning Group for National Association of Independent Schools.
  • Test developer and reader for national College Board Advanced Placement Program.
  • Evaluator for accreditation of schools for Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
  • Volunteer in adult literacy programs.
  • Completion of Leadership San Francisco program, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.
  • Unbounded energy for working with groups.
  • Unflagging dependability.
  • Excellent sense of humor.
  • Speaking/writing fluency in French.


Education

M.A., Art History
Community College Teaching Credential (life)
Standard Secondary Teaching Credential; major: Art, minor: English
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
California State Graduate Fellowship

B.A., Art History
Pomona College, Claremont, CA
Junior year study in France; Walt Disney Foundation Scholarship; Mortar Board

Fulbright Fellowship, Amsterdam, summer 1988

Additional study at University of California, Fiberworks, Screen Process Academy, San Francisco Center for the Book


PRESS

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GALLERY – PRUDY’S WORK

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