UNION CITY, Ind. - Vicki Vardaman is in her second week as executive director of the Art Association of Randolph County (AARC) Inc.’s Arts Depot, 115 N. Howard St., here.

The Lynn, Ind., woman has entered contests at the Arts Depot’s art shows in the past few years and heard about the opening.

She was the second person to be considered after her predecessor Jan Roestamadji resigned.

“They had hired someone else for a short time, but her husband was transferred in his work, and they had to move away,” Vardaman said.

That worked out well for her.

“This is my dream job,” Vardaman said. “I’m very happy to be here with my art background…graphic arts, photoshop, sewing and folk art.”

She graduated last summer with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts and humanities from Indiana University East.

The single mother of three grown children and a grandmother to one, she had worked at York Casket in Lynn for 12 years before it went out of business.

“That’s when I finished my schooling,” she said. “I’m starting a new career at 54. I’m tickled to have this job. It’s perfect.”

As executive director, she will be in charge of a lot of different events the AARC sponsors, including a photography show, a high school show and a general arts show during Stateline Heritage Days.

“I will be working with high schools for art shows and I will probably reach out to elementaries,” she said. “I want to do that.”

Vardaman, who worked on the set of “HairSpray” for the civic theater in Richmond, said she is in charge of finding artists for functions at the depot.

“We have a new show every four to six weeks,” she said. “We will display our permanent collection of art works, including famous Union City artist Fredrick Polley’s, which are pen and pencils and etchings.”

The Arts Depot is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and also on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and she noted that the depot can be rented out for business meetings and such.

She will be among those busy working at the Arts Depot Gift Gallery open this holiday season through Dec. 15 during the aforementioned hours. Items that will be selling during this time include ceramics, knitted sweaters and scarves, baby and doll quilts, children’s furniture, jewelry, homemade doll furniture, homemade soaps, handmade cards, birdhouses, paints and prints made by local artists.

She urges AARC patrons and others to follow the Arts Depot on Facebook and Twitter or visit www.artsdepot.org