News from our TLP President

Our intrepid Director/President, Theresa Gates Kuhr has
decided to step down from her long time position, below is her resignation letter.
We all wish her the best!!


To the Tiger Lily Press Executive Committee, Board Members and members,

The time has come for me to step down as President of Tiger Lily Press.  After 18 years as Co-Director, Director and most recently, President, and an estimated 13,000 plus volunteer hours, I am no longer able to give my sole dedication to the position as a volunteer.  My husband, Dave’s, company has been bought out and our future is now uncertain.  Dave has whole heartily supported the countless hours and energy that I have put in to sustaining Tiger Lily, however, I can no longer ask him to bear the financial burden for our family on his own and I will have to look for opportunities to contribute monetarily.

Since my initial days running the press at the Art Academy in the early nineties, just after graduate school, then accepting the Co-Director’s role in late 1998, I have had the honor of seeing Tiger Lily in four locations, helped execute three moves, from The Art Academy to Butterfield, Butterfield to the Dunham Arts Building, and Dunham Arts building to the Dunham Schoolhouse.  I have seen two presses go; the letterpress and the litho press at the AAC, and three presses arrive;  the small etching press, the Vandercook proof press and “Bonnie”.  Along with the other wonderful artist volunteers I have helped facilitate many exhibitions, probably twenty-plus, had the joy of celebrating the 30 year anniversary, the advent of the Print and Calendar Sale, initiated the first round table discussions with the Ohio Print Coops in Massillon in 2009, fostered relationships with the five local universities, organized the Next Generation event to encourage college students, worked on the MAPC conference committee in 1998, co-managed the visiting artists, Ha Dong Chul and Ha Won’s tour in 2002 and the Ohio Print Gathering in 2013, developed the Working Artist Program in 2012, and just started the beginnings of the student internship program.   I have completely enjoyed teaching classes, running the press’s administrative duties and socializing and getting to know the printmakers and arts organizations of our area.

It is with great difficulty that I leave the position. Tiger Lily has helped define me as a person and has been the catalyst for keeping my art alive while raising four children.  It helped me keep my sanity, taught my girls that you can’t let go of your passions, and the importance of having life outside of motherhood.  It gave great purpose to countless days, offered two opportunities to exhibit abroad in Korea and Germany, and landed me a dream 5-week residency in Germany.  I have gained many important relationships with artists and arts advocates in our city, state and beyond thanks to Tiger Lily Press.

I will finish the 2015 year off as President and attend the 2016 annual meeting to hand off the job to the next President.  I would like to stay on and work under Jan Thomas with the education committee to help develop its programs and continue teaching TLP classes.

Much gratitude and hope for the future of Tiger Lily.

Theresa Gates Kuhr