Heartland Art Club President Mary Drastal.
For five years, Heartland Art Club thrived under the devoted leadership of Mary Drastal. As she prepares to step down, Mary offers her perspective on what Heartland Art Club has meant to her.
By Kara Dicker
“That was their gift to me,” Mary Drastal says, with a twinkle in her eye, as she recalls her fateful birthday lunch in February 2020. There, at the Blue Duck restaurant in Maplewood, fellow Heartland Art Club founding members Jennifer Suits and Lisa Ober asked her, “after a nice meal, and maybe a glass of wine,” to become president of HAC.”
“Lisa and I, having been leading the organization on an ad hoc basis, saw Mary’s vision for Heartland and approached her about becoming president,” recalls Jennifer. “After thoughtful consideration, she agreed—and for the past five years, she has been a powerhouse of a leader.”
“I had long admired Mary for her personality and art,” says Lisa. “When she began volunteering at Heartland Art Club it became clear that her organization, experience, and disarming demeanor were her equally stellar qualities. How could we not attempt to enlist her to a greater role?”
Five years since Mary has been at the helm, the impact of her vision and leadership is evident in the non-profit’s growth, offerings, and reputation as a unique space where representational artists at all levels of development are encouraged and supported.
“I know I’ve worked very hard,” she says. “But I’ve gotten so much more in return for my investment. The people I’ve come in contact with have just been spectacular.”
Mary took on the president’s role as the COVID-19 pandemic was ramping up and everything else, including HAC, was shutting down. She and the seven-member steering committee used the time for visionary and strategic planning where they put together the financial prongs to move the non-profit forward as well as to develop workshops for the community. “We also looked at what we were offering the members for the privilege of their membership,” she says.
“Light Show,” by Mary Drastal.
Out of that work came the annual Members’ Showcase and the Group of Eight Gallery, which allows member artists to showcase not just one, but a body of their work. “It has been a great success,” she says of the Group of Eight’s rotating three-month exhibits. “I think it’s somewhat of a unique opportunity, and I think it’s extremely helpful for our artists.” Meanwhile, membership numbers have grown, and the steering committee has doubled.
“I’m proud of our development through the years, about how we’ve continued to add more and more to our organization,” she says. “The thing that I’m most proud of is the culture that we’ve built together.” For this Mary credits the high caliber of the steering committee members. “They approach their position of leadership in a very professional, passionate way. There’s a high level of expertise, and we have benefitted greatly from that.”
Early this year Mary announced she would be stepping down as president at the end of 2024. True to her style, Mary has carefully prepared HAC for the transition. Beginning in 2025 HAC will employ a shared leadership model until a permanent president is installed.
A retired art educator of 30 years, Mary’s passion for education resonates with all her work. Before becoming director, she served on HAC’s education committee, where she plans to re-join next year. Last summer she and HAC volunteer Stacey McAdams secured a grant through the Missouri Arts Council to offer an advanced placement art and design preparatory class for area high school students. It was the first educational program HAC held for young people. The two plan to offer the course again next year and develop a visiting artists program for area schools. Meanwhile, Mary looks forward to working with Daniel Fishback to continue attracting high level artists from the national level for the popular weekend workshop program.
Mary’s also a champion of HAC’s Business Saturday offerings. “They’ve been extremely helpful,” she says. “The people who attend those are given a video of the presentation. It’s a really nice way to learn new things about running an art business.”
Outside of HAC, Mary’s home studio is a busy place. “Currently, I’m sitting in my studio where I have seven or eight paintings going,” she says. “Plein air pretty much gets finished on site, but on my larger pieces it usually takes me several weeks to finish. With watercolor I work in layers, so they go on for a long time. I may have up to 20 layers in certain areas of a watercolor.”
As an artist who works in many media and genres, Mary describes the experience of painting as an intimate conversation. “There’s something really special that happens when I’m creating a painting,” she says. “It’s almost like we have a conversation until the conversation finally comes to an end and there’s a painting there.”
Like many area plein air and landscape artists, Mary is quick to praise the quality and abundance of St. Louis County and City parks. Among her favorite places are the Missouri Botanical Garden and Shaw Nature Reserve in Gray Summit. “I take my grandchildren out to Gray Summit to hike out there,” she says. “That’s just a wonderful place, and I love being there. The landscape brings me peace.”
Born and raised in Webster Groves, Mary grew up in a family that explored the country’s diverse terrain by motorcycle. It was at the University of New Mexico, in Albuquerque, where she spent her undergraduate years before returning to the St. Louis area. “I fell in love with the Midwest landscape again,” she says. “I’ve had a great love affair with the way we’re not as dramatic as mountains, mesas, canyons, and oceans. And, you know, I love a creek bed as well as anybody.”
As a life-long artist, educator, and leader, Mary emphasizes how important it is for her to be connected to an art community. “I want to live in an area that has a strong art system,” she says. “While we were developing Heartland that was very much on my mind. I am just very grateful to have had this five-year program, and I look forward to what we will be in the future.”