The Tarble Fine Arts Center chose a new director to take over for Michael Watts, who retired after working at Tarble for 29 years.  Rehema Barber, current director of the Figure One of campus art center at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will be taking her position as director of Tarble June 15.

Barber said when she visited the school she was impressed at how involved students were with the museum.

“I love how involved the Eastern student are because it shows people how dedicated they are to their art and in their future in art,” she said.

Even though the schedule for the upcoming school year has been planned out, Barber said she still has plans for the arts center that involves the students.

“As I have said the students are involved with the Tarble, but I want them to even more involved,” she said.  “I want them to have more of their art shows there and I want them to visit it more.  They could get a lot from studying the artist’s work that is displayed, such as inspiration.  It is just something that will help them in their future as artists.”

She said coming to Tarble will be a new challenge for her and she is ready for what the art center has for her.

“I have worked at many different museums and at centers around the world and I am still excited to be starting something new in Charleston,” Barber said.

She said there is much she is excited to learn from while working at Tarble — not only from students, but from the faculty and staff of Eastern as well.

She said she knows the current staff of the arts center has worked along Watts for years now and she knows they have a lot of advice to offer her.

“I am looking forward to working with the faculty and staff at Tarble because I know they will help me with the new environment and with any ideas they have for the museum,” she said.

Barber said she is looking forward to see not only herself grow but the actual center as well.

“I want to take what I have learned from my experiences in different art centers and apply them to Tarble,” she said.  “I am excited to see the renovations to the Tarble as well.  It should help the students, both from Eastern and the community, to learn about art.”

Barber said when she accepted the position she already had plans ready for the arts center. The plans are to help everyone who steps into the museum grow as a person.

“I am happy to be given this opportunity to work with new students and artists,” Barber said.  “I hope to learn from students as much as they learn at Eastern.”

Stephanie White can be reached at 581-2812 or at sewhite2@eiu.edu