after one of its senior board members resigned -- just two weeks after being re-elected.

Art dealer Nicholas Lusher threw in the towel at a board meeting of the Bermuda Society of Arts last week.

Also last week a newly appointed Society curator also quit -- on the same day she was due to start work at the gallery.

A rift has developed between Society members following the dismissal of curator Nancy Acton, who is now taking legal action against the organisation.

Two weeks ago a rebel facton stood for election to the board at the society's Annual General Meeting. Mr. Lusher was re-elected on the same night.

The alternative group won two of the eleven seats after claiming the Society was badly run. The rebels were also protesting at Ms Acton's dismissal, which they said was unfair and immoral.

Mr. Lusher, who has sat on the board for the last two years, declined to comment on the reasons for his shock decision: "I have worked closely with the Society for the past two years and if I were to have resigned in three months time it would have been a greater hindrance.

"I wanted to give it a stab but it's very difficult to give any reasons for the resignation. There are some things that need ironing out but it's a new board and a new chapter.'' But rumours that a second board member had also resigned have finally been quashed.

Artist Betsey Mulderig, elected to the board for the first time at the AGM, told The Royal Gazette that she was still a member and had no plans to step down.

"I have been sick and that's why I didn't go to the last meeting but I am still a board member -- as far as I know,'' Ms Mulderig said.

When asked how she thought Mr. Lusher's resignation would effect the running of the charity she said: "I am too new to the role to have any understanding of the set-up but I would have thought that anyone who runs their own gallery would have been a great help.'' Society president Bruce Stuart refused to admit that the Society was now in turmoil.

"We had somebody lined up but then something else came up,'' he said referring to the curator vacancy.

"But it's not a problem and the place is still open.

"I'm sad that Nick (Lusher) has left but I know he's got a lot of other pressing matters going on.'' A replacement board member will be selected after the Easter break and the Society is now looking at applications for a second replacement curator.