History & Evolution
Granite Guild roots begin in California on September 8, 1988 with the establishment of the Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation (MVCAF). The charitable foundation initially focused on the performing arts with the offering of theater-in-the-park events that became very popular. With the death of the founder, Rudy Sun, the foundation went into a hiatus. In December 2010, Rick Archer was spearheading an effort in the City of Moreno Valley to embrace the arts as an economic driver. Rick was offered to take control of the foundation and chart a new course. August 2011, Rick established the Vanguard Art Gallery where he recruited over 80 local artists of all genres to get involved. However, the Vanguard was not your typical gallery. Of course there were art exhibitions, sometimes featuring artists from all over the world. Rick took MVCAF into a broader community approach and began to address specific community needs and the disenfranchised.
MVCAF did the following:
- Art Auction to assist the victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing
- Regular food collections to assist the Salvation Army Food Bank
- Donated Christmas gifts to local children in need
- Empty Bowl Grant where over 70 artists transformed wooden bowls as a statement about hunger and homelessness. Recruited an independent Hollywood filmmaker to work with a local high school film program to produce a documentary on the Grant (see video on our other web site http://www.mvcaf.org). Auctioned bowls and raise $3000 which we donated to the Salvation Army to assist local homeless families.
- Boundaries Bashfest, an event to redefine the perception of disabilities funded by a National Endowment for the Arts grant.
- Project Rudolph, creating handmade Christmas ornaments and collecting candy to be sent to our active military serving overseas
- A Salute to Veterans, featuring military Veterans utilizing their art as a means of dealing with Post-Traumatic Disorder Syndrome
- Earth, Wind and Fire event where the band members did a workshop with junior high school music student, then did a jam session including the students
- Classical piano concert, free to the public
- Jazz piano duo concert, free to the public
- Just a sampling of a lot more
Rick’s wife, Barbara was diagnosed as being terminally-ill. He closed down the gallery and suspended activities in 2019 to spend quality time with her. Upon her death, he sold the house and spent time with family while determining what direction was best. In 2021, Rick met Shana. They married, bought their current home in Groveton and became permanent residents in April 2023. When Police Chief Pelletier requested Rick’s help in raising funds and purchasing backpacks and school supplies for all of the students of Kindergarten to 4th grade at SAU58, it became clear it was time to revamp MVCAF and take it in a new direction to help the people of Northumberland.
MVCAF was officially registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office and a DBA was created, henceforth known as Granite Guild. We are taking the vast experience we gained with MVCAF while in California and now applying it to making a difference here in Northumberland. Granite Guild will continue to evolve as it does its best to serve the variety of needs within our community.
Meet our Board of Directors
Our Board of Directors is dedicated to community service.
Rick Archer – President/CEO is originally a Rhode Island native and a founder of the Quonset Air Museum in 1991. He is a fine artist where his artwork is in the collections of a Presidential Library, and several Aviation Museums. Archer has over 45 years in the graphic design industry. Later he did technical writing before becoming Program Manager for a national Building Department Accreditation program. He took the reins of the Moreno Valley Cultural Arts Foundation in December 2010 and has reshaped it in ways to broadly serve the local community. Upon moving to Northumberland in 2023, he registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office and the Internal Revenue Service officially as a DBA; Granite Guild.
Clint Bramlett – Vice President is originally from Texas, then Connecticut before moving permanently to Northumberland. He is retired from the banking industry having previously worked for the United Nations Federal Credit Union in NYC, Citizens Bank in Warwick, RI, and Enfield Federal Credit Union in Connecticut where he was CEO.
Bramlett’s career journey provided the challenges and successes to which one in the executive banking industry is exposed. Banking provided the opportunity to meet the needs of consumers and businesses across America and with the United Nations Federal Credit Union; the globe.
By virtue of the nature of the banking business, legislation and regulations, Clint was able to “do good” within the communities where he worked. Providing staff, support and resources to make a difference to those who needed assistance. He created Northumberland Litter Gitters recruiting high school age kids for litter pickup and town beautification. Clint is uniquely qualified for providing support for his local community in Northumberland through joining the Granite Guild Board.
Shana Sigo – Treasurer is a paraprofessional with SAU58 at the Stratford Public School, Prior to that has worked as both a teacher and administrator with daycare centers in California that focus on special needs children. Sigo has broad experience working with children from pre-school to high school. She was responsible for development and implementation of a variety of programming, particularly creative projects.
Nick Demers – Secretary is a real estate professional agent working with the Caron Gateway Realty in Groveton. A life-long resident and graduate of Groveton High School, his two sons now attend schools within the SAU58 system. Demers has a history of community involvement and offers a valuable insight into the local culture and history of Northumberland, New Hampshire.
Nicole Starr Bauman – Ombudsman is a US Military Veteran, having served honorably in both United States Air Force and the Army National Guard, with three Army deployments in Afghanistan.
She is a noted expert in combat-related trauma, as a Life Coach, and has worked with war and rape victims, veterans/military, as well as businesses. She has been asked to speak in multiple institutions traveling to both conflict areas and third-world regions to teach and serve. She has worked with the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, helping deployed soldiers reintegrate back into society. She taught military Post Traumatic Stress Disorder training. Further, she has worked with military from different countries, and all her clients are by personal referrals.
The Human Caring Listening Techniques (HCLT), for which she is uniquely known, is generationally passed down and considered a successful tool for working with extreme stress cases. Due to that success, Nicole has been recently requested in the following countries: Rwanda (for genocide victims), Congo, India, Thailand and the US. She has worked with British soldiers for 8 years.
Starr Bauman is a proud mom, a scuba diver and is working on her pilot’s license.
Note: All Board Members are residents of Northumberland, New Hampshire. Jennifer Sherwin, Radio Talk Show host and John Meichowicz, Insurance Professional remain in an advisory capacity to the Granite Guild
Rick Archer
President, CEO
Clint Bramlett
Vice President
Shana Sigo
Interim Treasurer
Nick Demers Secretary
Nicole Starr Bauman Ombudsman