LYNNETTE ZANGHI BROWN - NORTH MARSHALL COUNTY

Lynnette is a self-taught artist who has worked in various art mediums since childhood, often coming up with concepts from her dreams. Previously from Fairhope, she and her husband Rusty moved to Scottsboro for retirement in 2022. Their retirement goals are to live peacefully, travel, and participate in art shows. Art is Lynnette’s therapy as she zones out while painting.

Lynnette creates commissioned work such as children and pet portraits. You can see her commissioned work on Facebook by searching “Dagmar Studio” which is her in-home studio named after her husband’s beloved 1955 Cadillac. Of course, these art pieces have already gone to their forever homes and are not available for the MVAC exhibit or for purchase. Lynnette’s highly creative artwork ranges from children’s book illustrations, multimedia jewelry, miniatures to large paintings. Her art continues to evolve as she puts all the creations in her head to canvas.

EMILY BUSBY - GUNTERSVILLE

Emily Busby makes pottery under the name of Em’s Pots. Her work is often found year-round in downtown Guntersville stores such as the Red Elephant Marketplace and at the annual Art on the Lake Festival in Guntersville, the Kentuck Arts & Crafts Festival in Northport, and the Moss Rock Festival in Hoover. 

Emily has also been a regular exhibitor during MVAC’s Holiday Art Markets in November-December each year. Emily says that encouragement from MVAC made her try out for Kentuck Art Festival in Northport, and now she’s exhibited during their huge October show for several years. \

Emily is a retired Nurse Practitioner who lives with her husband on a bluff overlooking the Guntersville River Bridge.

TRACY CONNER - GUNTERSVILLE

jOHN DERUMS -

GEORGIA MOUNTAIN AREA

A native of Columbus, GA, John moved to Georgia Mountain from Ft Myers, FL about nine years ago after retiring from the local Parks & Recreation Department as a supervisor.  He is married to Debbie, and has three children - Taylor of Greenville, SC; Jacob of Littleton, CO; and Megan of Los Angeles, CA. John's parents and older siblings immigrated from Latvia via Germany (where one sister was born), and then settled in Columbus, GA. However, John does not speak Latvian! A fun fact is that their family did not celebrate birthdays as much as "Name Day" - which is rumored to be a European tradition.

Since arriving in the Guntersville area, John volunteers at the Guntersville Museum guild as a docent and has played ukulele with the Ukesters for several years.  John is the creator/maintainer of the Ukesters website and created the entire digital presence for the recent Uketoberfest held at Civitan Park in 2024. John's interest in the arts is as an admirer although he dabbles in photography and videography, and of course ukulele playing as mentioned above.

The MVAC Board voted John onto the board during 2025, and now he’s up for election by the full MVAC membership for his first three-year term. He has been instrumental in securing a large screen TV for Art Forum presentations, speakers and antenna for music in the gallery, MVAC event photography, event tent for concerts, and so much more.

JENNIE MCBRIDE - GUNTERSVILLE

Jennie has been involved in some type of art her whole life. She is a writer and a visual artist as well as an amateur living room musician. She recently won the People’s Choice Award in an international memoir contest.

After moving to Guntersville in 1983, she began volunteering for Mountain Valley Arts Council and the Whole Backstage. She became assistant director of the MVAC in 1993 and was made director in 1997. Before retiring in 2005, the Council had grown from an annual budget of $34,000 to $87,000 and the membership had doubled. She wrote many successful grants during that period, but her proudest achievements were to introduce the area to local and visiting artists in the gallery and creating the Summer Concert series, the predecessor of the concerts we have today.

Jennie lives with her husband, Jim Goshorn, who is a metal sculptor.  She continues to write and is working on a book of personal essays and memoir pieces. She is a member of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany and volunteers for the Epiphany Outreach Ministry, the Guntersville Lion’s Club and the Guntersville Friends of the Library. She and Jim live with 3 cats and a dog and enjoy having numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

KIM KLUEGER - GUNTERSVILLE

Kim is the anchor of MVAC’s concerts program with six concerts in the spring series from April - May, a big 4th of July concert at Civitan Park, and six concerts in the fall series from September - October. She selects bands from all over North Alabama and a few from Tennessee.

She also spearheads Guntersville’s Christmas Parade each year. In her spare time (ha!), Kim is a realtor and real estate appraiser and enjoys her three granddaughters who are growing up in Guntersville.

HEATHER MCCANN - ALBERTVILLE

As a seasoned leader and organizer, Heather most recently served as president of the Guntersville Lions Club and concurrently manages her own organizing and furniture restoration business.

She was raised by two artistic parents, Jennie McBride and sculptor Jim Goshorn who live in Guntersville.

Heather has honed her ability to build robust communities with her extensive experience which spans 30 years in management and with her roles as a volunteer coordinator and event coordinator.

Heather collaborated with Alabama State Parks for 11 years surrounded by the natural splendor of North Alabama, which has gave her with invaluable insights for tourism marketing endeavors.

Heather’s unwavering commitment is to contribute positively to the well-being of my community.

SUSAN PERSALL - NORTH MARSHALL COUNTY

Susan Persall may be a retired realtor, but she’s a go-getter when it comes to organizing acrylic workshops, artist receptions, creative front window displays, and serving as Treasurer on MVAC’s board of directors. She continues to be a huge asset to MVAC and the arts community.

Susan and her husband Allan live on Lake Guntersville.

Paul Schultz - Guntersville

Paul Schultz is an ‘Army brat’ who lived all over the U.S. and overseas, graduated high school in Key West, Florida, moved to Indiana to go to college , then worked as a machinist and cook for 11 years, and finally graduated IU in 1988, and got married. Next came a move to New York City for journalism school. After graduation, Paul  worked at the Daily News in NYC for 26 years as an editor and writer in the features department, covering film, theater, food and books. He has also worked at the South Bend Tribune, Newsday and Scholastic.

After his wife retired, Paul and his wife moved to Guntersville, AL for nine months of the year where he plays in the First Baptist Church Pickers and the Ukesters. Paul really likes all aspects of the arts and has written some musicals that have been produced in South Bend, IN, Boston, and NYC, and he's an alum of the BMI Musical Theater Workshop.

JOHNNY SMITH - GUNTERSVILLE

Johnny Smith is the source of the unique nautical flag signs that can be found in restaurants, other businesses, homes, boathouses, and lakeside patios. His wife, Denise, is known for her custom-scented candles.

Johnny has served as vice president, but now he’s just a regular ole’ board member helping with receptions and concerts when he and Denise are not traveling.

MJ VENRICK - ALBERTVILLE

MJ (as in Mary Jane, a name she says she outgrew a long time ago) is an MVAC member, volunteer for receptions, and board member and exhibitor. Her artwork has been in the MVAC Member Wall Exhibits, the Probate Court exhibit, and the Lt. Governor’s office suite annual exhibit for three years. She is equally comfortable painting in realistic to abstract to illustration styles. MJ is also a master framer and contributed to a booklet of Framing Tips that MVAC sells for $15.

She has organized the MVAC gallery based on her expertise in retain art sales and art collectives and was the mastermind behind the 2025 renovation of the current gallery.

MJ enjoys fishing and currently live in Albertville with her husband Dave.