My Friend Chip
By Andrew Allen
Executive Director, Lake Wales Arts Council
8/13/2020
I remember my first day as the Executive Director of the Arts Council like it was yesterday. My first meeting of the day was with a local supporter who had a long history with the Lake Wales Arts Council. I was nervous, to say the least. I’d heard quite a bit about the man. He was a past president of the Lake Wales Arts Council, Chair of the Lake Wales Arts Festival (multiple times), and a former attorney who was well respected within our county. I remember wearing my best suit that day; this was a significant first impression that I had to nail if I wanted to move the Arts Council’s vision forward.
I heard the doorbell ring almost exactly when our meeting time was scheduled. He was punctual, which was expected due to his pedigree as an assistant district attorney. I smoothed my hair, straightened my tie, and made my way to the lobby door. I welcomed him in. He shook my hand, said, “Hello, you must be Andrew,” and gave me a Tupperware full of chocolate chip cookies. They are still the best chocolate chip cookies that I’ve ever had.
Chip immediately calmed my nerves with his welcoming smile and relaxed demeanor. We sat and talked for over an hour about the Lake Wales Arts Council. He was so generous with his knowledge of our beloved institution. I believe I learned more in that meeting than anything I read in my Arts Directing for Dummies handbook the month leading up to my first day of work. This first interaction set the tone for the next two and a half years.
He was always at our exhibit openings. Chip was supportive of our direction with exhibits but was also willing to let me know if things could be improved. He was never at a loss for words, even during the exhibit reception themselves. I would always receive a lovely email from him the following day, just letting me know that he enjoyed his time at the exhibit and looked forward to the next one. I know it was a simple gesture, but it gave me the confidence to continue on our path.
Chip was an integral part of the Citizens Bank & Trust Lake Wales Arts Festival. I chaired the festival for the first time in 2020. Chip was always there to ask the when, what, why, and how. I knew I might be going overboard with my goals when he would look at me with his chin tucked and eyebrows raised, usually accompanied by a “well…that’s certainly an idea.” He always claimed to be retired from working at the festival, but he would reach out every year and ask how he could participate. I couldn’t have chaired the 2020 Arts Festival without his wisdom and guidance.
As I write this and reflect on my relationship with Chip, it reminds me of how important he was to the Lake Wales Arts Council and community as a whole. He played a role in my life for just the past few years, but he has positively affected the lives of thousands in our great city during his lifetime. He was a model of community involvement and selfless service, and it was an honor to work with him at the Lake Wales Arts Council.
First, The Lake Wales Arts Council will be honoring him by naming our new yearly artist competition as the Chip Thullbery Invitational. We started the competition last year and received a tremendous amount of positive feedback, especially from Chip himself. The Chip Thullbery invitational will be an annual event that takes place every November and will feature visual artists from across Central Florida.
Secondly, The Lake Wales Arts Festival’s purchase prize program will now be known as the Chip Thullbery Purchase Prize Program. Chip was always a supporter of the Arts Festival and participated in the purchase prize program often. In addition to the purchase prize program, we will also present a special Thullbery Award to an artist of his family’s choosing at this year’s festival (February 20th, 2021).
I will always be grateful for the wisdom that Chip shared with me. I will miss our Bok Tower Gardens lunch meetings and marathon brainstorming phone calls. I will miss his calm presence in times of stress. I will miss my friend Chip.