Over the past few months, we have been introducing you to the people who work here at the Norfolk Arts Center, sharing their stories, families, and passion for the arts. Now I think it’s time to introduce myself. My name is Elizabeth Meuret and I am the Membership and Marketing Coordinator here at the Arts Center. Though I’ve been here just a few months, my passion for the arts started when I was very young.

I was born and raised in Bellevue, Nebraska. Life was always crazy as I am the oldest of 7 kids. Below is a picture of me with my 3 sisters, and another of me with my 3 brothers!

My love of the arts started at age 4 when my mom signed me up for my first ballet class.  We did the bunny hop and my life was forever changed. Dance became an integral part of my life after that. When I was 13 I was in my first real show, the Nutcracker. Then in high school, I joined a local dance company through my high school. We performed at schools, Vala’s Pumpkin Patch, and more.

After high school, I attended Northwest Missouri State University. I stopped dancing when I was in college but my creative spirit took on a new medium – Film. I was a broadcast journalism major and through my classes started to make short films, music videos, and even hosted my own show showcasing student-made films.

After college, I got a job working for a missionary organization called FOCUS. They sent me to Wayne State College, where I learned I had a passion for sharing beauty with the people around me. It’s also where I met my now-husband, Patrick.

I worked at Wayne State for 4 years. My husband was accepted to Physical Therapy School through UNMC in Kearney, so I followed him there. The day I moved was also the day he proposed. I worked a couple of jobs in Kearney before landing at NTV working as a news producer.  That July my husband and I got married and that Christmas we found out we were expecting!

Our little girl came in August and a few months after that we moved to Norfolk where my husband began his clinical rotations.

I landed here at the Norfolk Arts Center. I love the idea of working at an art gallery and the NAC does much more! Here was a place where I could share my love for beauty and the truths that are often shared in art.

To me, art is a way to share our emotions that have no words, to express ourselves with a truly unique voice. The Norfolk Arts Center provides the opportunity to not only experience art, but also create it, to support it, and to become immersed in it. It gives people the opportunity to try new things and learn in new ways.

Whether you feel like you have artistic talent or not – every level of artist can find a home here. Just like I have! When you come to the NAC don’t be afraid to stop in and say hi! I would love to answer all of your membership questions!

In this month’s edition of Faces at the NAC we are going to help you get to know our very own David Gaster! When you come to the NAC you can see him working on technology or running sound and MCing First Friday!

Originally from a farm just outside of West Point, David grew up loving all things outdoors and often enjoyed building things! He went to college at Northeast Community College and studied business and welding. After he graduated he worked many construction jobs in the area. He met his now-wife, Kara, at the old Riverside Ballroom here in town (it has since burned down) and they were married in 1997!

  Some of you might recognize her from here at the NAC, but more on that in a minute! After they got married they moved to Omaha where David worked for the Nebraska Department of Roads.  In 2004 David started his own company called, “Gaster Constructions.” Shortly after this they decided to move back to Norfolk! Kara started working here as the Director, and David joined the Building and Grounds Committee for a few years before he joined the staff here at the NAC! Kara has since moved on to a new job, but likes to come back to visit!

During their move back to Norfolk, David and Kara found out they were pregnant with their first daughter, Gwen. Then a few years later her sister Annaka joined the family!

David has many hobbies from music (he got his start playing trumpet in the high school band), to drawing, and even archery. But what David loves most is learning something new! Which is something we find as a HUGE asset here at the NAC!

He loves working at the NAC but his favorite parts include First Friday’s Open Mic night and getting to meet the artists!

David is a huge believer that everyone has a creative streak in them from something small to a huge desire to create and perform. That is what he believes the NAC is for – giving people a creative outlet no matter how big or small the creative desire.

We are so blessed to have David here at the Art Center! When you come in and see him don’t be afraid to stop and say hi!

“Art is what we call…the thing an artist does.

It’s not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.

Art is not in the …eye of the beholder. It’s in the soul of the artist.”
― Seth Godin