Promoting Community between Germans and Americans through Art - Founding the new Association: “Grafenwoehr’s Art Association”

by Renate Gradl

Book Author and

Freelance Journalist

"New Day" and at

"Oberpfalz ECHO"

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​​Christine Anne N. Fiala (second from left) was elected chairman of the Kunstverein "Grafenwoehr's Art Association.” 

The deputy is (from the right): Shannon Geraghty.  Judith Brown became the treasurer. Mayor Edgar Knobloch

conducted the election.  Photo: Renate Gradl

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Grafenwoehr. "Creative Art Fundamentals School and Studio,” or "CAF" for short, has been in existence since 2014, mainly for the Americans of the United States Army Garrison-Bavaria in Grafenwöhr, Vilseck and Netzaberg. Since 2017, CAF has been a permanent fixture on Alte Amberger Straße and teaches art to pupils from Germany, America and other countries here in Grafenwoehr.  But now another dream of Christine Anne (Chris) N. Fiala, known to pupils and parents alike as "Ms Chris", has come true with the founding of a visual arts association.

 

Chris, a naturalized American, has lived in Germany since 2001 to serve in the US Army. She moved to Grafenwoehr in 2011 and retired from the US Army Reserve in 2015 with permission to stay in Germany, but she does not speak German!  She says, “Art gives a voice with its own language and conversation to empower those who speak it with self-confidence, appreciation, originality, creative problem solving and joy - understand; create; enjoy!"

 

On 24 July, the new association was founded at CAF, the association's headquarters at Alte Amberger Straße 2.  Mayor Edgar Knobloch took charge of the proceedings and the elections.  The mayor first made sure that the members present approved the bylaws and then conducted the elections for the executive and auxiliary boards.  Most of the positions are now filled by German and American teachers, parents and artists, who will all work on a voluntary basis to help build up the association.  Chris was elected Chair, Shannon Geraghty was elected Vice Chair and Judith Brown was elected Treasurer.

 

Chris was born in Jamaica, West Indies, but grew up in New York since elementary school. A high-ranking officer (Colonel) in the US Army, Chris earned a Master's Degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College and a Master's Degree in Communication Arts with Honors and a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts / Art Education Summa Cum Laude from the New York Institute of Technology. She realized her dream of an art school at the age of 52 in Grafenwoehr during Retirement Workshops at Tower Barracks Base. Still inspired by the innovative interactions that occur when students express their creativity and develop their own appreciation for art, the now 62-year-old artist has taken another step to share her love of art and teaching.

 

”I have taught in classrooms from elementary school through college and continue to work with a variety of materials to both teach art and create my own work,” Chris said. Through CAF, Chris has combined the best of her artistic and military experiences. One example is the “Harry Potter Art Club,” which fuses technology, “magical” imagination and art.

 

The purpose of the new “Grafenwoehr’s Art Association” is to promote art education for students ages 2 to 99+ by encouraging creativity and self-expression through visual art activities based on German and American cultural interactions through art education.  “The artistic partnership between Germans and Americans is also very important,” says Chris. “And, although the requirements to incorporate the association have delayed the start of the annual summer program, it can now begin!  So from August 5-14, members and non-members can explore their artistic creation at the association in 27 different art camps (all materials included)”.  Information can be found at: https://www.caf-artlessons.org/de.

 

In 2019, her husband returned to the States for professional advancement. At that time, the artist was faced with the question of whether or not to accompany her husband there. Mayor Edgar Knobloch, tax consultant Bernd Hentzschel, her neighbor Gerhard Pappenberger, the customs officer at Tower Barracks Virgil Bauer and also the head military chaplain in 2019, Catholic Father Colonel Kopec, encouraged her to stay in Grafenwoehr. Their recognition of CAF's achievements and future potential took away her fear of staying in Germany without her husband, who is also her best friend. Together, they gave her the confidence to realize her dream over the years; a dream she hopes will benefit Grafenwoehr, her adopted home.

 

Her husband Otto continues to work as a strategic thinker for the NATO Allied Command Transformation and will join her in Grafenwoehr as soon as he has finished his work.

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