A Founding Member’s Impact
A founding member of WESTAF, Louise Tester served as vice-chair from 1973-1977. As an abstract expressionist painter and artist herself, she encouraged her local community in Yuma, Arizona to embrace the arts and the impact art can have. She worked closely with the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the assemblage of the Hopi Indian children’s art exhibition, which then toured around the country.
In 1963, Tester opened the Yuma Fine Arts Association and served as its first director. She then moved on to direct the Arizona Commission on the Arts and Humanities, obtaining the funding needed for many programs across the state.
She received the 1977 Distinguished Achievement Award from Arizona State University, College of Fine Arts. In 1982, she was honored with the Governor’s Arts Award for her long service and contributions to the arts.