Vicki Thompson
Vicki is Steuben Arts Scene president and the president of Technessity, LLC. Her vision to expand access to the arts in Northeast Indiana has led her to form The Scene’s Board in order to enhance the culture in the area.
Shortly after college, Vicki learned to create stained glass windows and in the last 10 years, she has expanded to fused (warm) glass. She creates primarily for friends and family as well as her own inner peace. She has most recently completed courses in mosaics and has several projects in mind to begin soon.
Vicki has gained an appreciation for all the skills that contribute to a beautiful work of art. Both her knowledge and appreciation for all art has grown over the years, and Vicki’s admiration for artistic talent motivates her to develop her own talents while sharing with those that want to learn. Some of her favorite artists include musicians such as Acoustic Alchemy and Toto, art educator Betty Edwards and too many other artists to list.
Diane Stock
Diane is our Vice President. She is a teacher, artist, and real estate broker. Her love and passion for the arts began, and since has grown, when as a teacher she created artistic experiences for her elementary students in drama, creative writing, and hands-on artwork. Diane’s passion has carried over to today’s love for the surrounding arts and the excitement for the creation of an arts council in the Steuben County area.
Diane’s past teaching and real estate broker experiences have given her the opportunity to intermingle with many individuals of all ages and backgrounds. The creativity she has seen inspires her to pass on this enjoyment and offer the opportunity to experience creativity and joy through art. Diane’s personal goal is to enrich the lives of her community by helping to create an arts council to provide educational and live experiences to all ages.
In her free time, Diane enjoys acrylic and watercolor painting as well as calligraphy. She is also an avid reader, plays piano, and cooking for her family and friends.
Diane enjoys all forms of art, but she particularly enjoys piano music and admires musicians such as David Lantz, George Winston, and Jim Brickman.
Susie Freeman-John
Susie, an owner and partner at Freeman Jewelers, believes art brings people together and enriches the lives of all those that participate. As a board member and someone who appreciates the arts, Susie knows Angola is the perfect town to become known for its extensive venues for art and people. In her spare time, Susie enjoys painting. She says she’s not the best, but she loves the journey. Some of Susie’s favorite artists include some local artists such as Dr. Fred Doloresco, Tim Johnson and Joel Fremion from Fort Wayne, Indiana. In addition, she is inspired by sculptor Kristy Jo Beeber from Leo, musician Sir Paul McCartney, country singer and songwriter Chris Stapleton, the iconic Barbara Streisand, and many more. She could not think about her favorite artists without giving appreciation and recognition to her teacher Katie Appel.
Laurie Brandon
Laurie is an anesthesiologist who loves to find beauty in art. In addition to being in “love” with the community, the Steuben County lakes are very dear to her. Laurie believes that art enrichment is a way to celebrate the beauty around us. She enjoys music, literature, and musical theater. Laurie describes herself as having “very little spontaneous creativity” of her own. However, she is fascinated when she reads or hears works that define a feeling or experience that she has had herself, especially when it’s something she hadn’t previously considered or defined. She sees artistic expression as a way to bring a new depth of understanding to our human experiences and the world around us, which is really what art is about… the human experience. Laurie is excited about the prospect of creativity and talent being celebrated and displayed more in the lakes community. She sees a great value in complementing the beauty around the lakes with a community rich in the arts.
Lynne Liechty
Lynne Liechty started art classes at the age of 6 with the Toledo Art Museum. She was enrolled as
a result of drawing on her walls! She then studied at the Silvermine Academy of Art in Silvermine Connecticut at the young age of 14. From there, Lynne studied at Murray State University and was granted a summer scholarship from High School. She also participated in University of Kentucky summer classes as well as college courses. She was employed with the Chappelle Creative Service in Louisville Ky, which produced commercial art and design. She has participated in many art shows and has provided the Kentucky State Horse Park Gift Shop with limited edition pen and ink prints. Currently Lynne participates in juried art shows and commissions her art work.
June Julien
June is the Executive Director of the Steuben County Tourism Bureau and has been for many years. The visitor industry is significant in Steuben County and has an economic impact of $288 million annually.. June believes that the creative use of public space is important, not just to attract visitors, but to serve residents. June is passionate about placemaking and believes the arts are an integral part of any placemaking activity.
June holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from IU, as well as certifications in both community and economic development from Ball State University.
June is a fiber artist and enjoys working with different textiles.
Tim Newby
Tim has worked in the Angola market area for a total of 23 years. He has worked for Farmers State Bank as a business development officer for the past 21 years and have worked in banking for 32 years. Tim has been a volunteer with several different organizations over the years such as United Way and Junior Achievement as well as serving as a past President of the Angola Area Chamber of Commerce along with serving on several different committees within the Chamber. Currently, Tim is serving as the United Way Board Treasurer and also on the board of the Angola Area Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Amy who teaches high school biology and physics at West Noble High School and has two lovely girls, Katie and Maddie.
Nicole Lovett
Nicole Lovett is the vice president at Farmers State Bank, with more than 30 years in banking. She started her banking career at Fifth Third Bank in Toledo, Ohio then moved to Indiana in 1992. Nicole initially worked for The First National Bank of Fremont and in 2005 First National was acquired by Farmers State Bank. She has had different roles at the bank throughout her 30 year career here with most recent being Angola Branch Manager. Nicole has been married 27 years to her husband, Jon Lovett and they live on Jimmerson Lake. Nicole and Jon have three daughters, Jordan who is a NICU Nurse in Spokane Washington and twins Kirsten and Taylor. Kirsten is a Dental Hygienist at LaGrange Family Dentistry. Taylor is a RN and works at Parkview in Ortho Trauma. Nicole enjoys spending time with her family, on the lake, and traveling. Over the years, she have been involved in the community. In the past, she has served on Steuben County Council on Aging, Fremont Chamber, various committees for Fremont Community Schools, YMCA of Steuben County, and volunteered for Junior Achievement and the Steuben County 4H auction.
