10/19/26 ACGA Board Meeting

    • Present: Sean Alcala, Barbara Prodaniuk, Iver Hennig, Vicki Gunter, Britt Jensen, Pierre Bounaud, Tamara Danoyan, Julie Taber, Piper Christine, Mari Emori, Jan Schachter, April Zilber, Chris Johnson, Susie Rubenstein, Ren Lee, Emil Yanos, Lee Middleman
    • Absent: Cheryl Costantini
  • Guests: Lindsay Lansdale, Chloe Kobernuss, Amanda Klimek, Diana Greenleaf, Taka Unno, Dan Osorio, Janet Wolf
  • The meeting began at 5:15 PM and ended at 7 PM.

Welcome (Mari) 

  • Mari welcomed everyone and several board members shared shows they will be involved in
    • April was invited to be in a show at the Palo Alto Art Center next fall about women in Glass
    • Emil is doing a show, “Of People & Earth,” in partnership with a portraiture painter at Eppeson Gallery
    • Vicki has been invited to show at the NY2CA gallery in 2027 

Guest Intros (Mari) 

  • Lindsay Langsdale – Lindsay is based in San Francisco and works in clay, creating pieces with knit-like textures. She owns Brick & Mortar Studio and recently took on the role of General Manager at Ruby’s Studio. She also has a long background in textiles, printmaking, and illustration.
  • Chloe Kobernuss – Chloe is based in San Francisco and works in clay. She part-time manages Uncle Paul’s, a mid-fire studio in North Beach, and teaches at the Pottery Studio in the Mission. She also created ClayMade, an app that helps ceramic artists track their work.
  • Taka Unno – Taka recently moved from San Francisco to Berkeley and now works out of a home studio. He primarily makes functional pots using soda firing. After three decades in tech, Taka left the industry and is interested in becoming more involved in the arts community. 
  • Amanda Klimek – Amanda is a ceramic artist based in San Francisco who is excited about building a stronger ceramics community. She brings strengths in project management, logistics, and attention to detail. 
  • Diana Greenleaf – Diana creates sculptural cats in playful, acrobatic poses. She uses terra sigillata finishes and has recently begun exploring burnishing and graphite powder for surface finishing. She has been involved with ACGA for many years and has participated in the festival for the past two years, which she loves for the inspiration and creative energy it provides. She is interested in helping with the exhibition committee and has previously participated in ACGA exhibitions.
  • Dan Osorio – Dan primarily makes wheel-thrown porcelain pieces with illustrative decoration. After moving to Palm Springs last year, he found inspiration in the desert and has been developing cactus-inspired work. He is becoming involved in the local arts community, connecting with gallery owners, and recently joined Kiki Clay Club. Dan previously worked as a project manager in tech and enjoys social media and creative work. He is considering getting involved in social media for ACGA.
  • Janet Wolf – Janet is a ceramic artist whose work features surface decoration and sgraffito. She is currently exploring sculptural coil-built pots. Janet serves on the board of the New Museum Los Gatos and chairs the Arts Committee in Los Altos. She is mindful of balancing her existing commitments and may be interested in helping with jurying or exhibitions.

Board Recruitment (Mari/Britt)

  • Mari announced that she will be stepping down as President at the end of this year. The board will be looking for new energy and leadership for the coming year.
  • Britt has expressed willingness to step into the role of President.
  • With this transition, the board will need to find a new Secretary and Vice President. Traditionally, the Vice President steps into the President role at the end of the President’s term.
  • There will be five open positions on the board next year.

Festival Jury (Tamara/Britt)

  • There were 43 submissions, of which 15 were accepted. All accepted applicants work in clay; only one glass artist applied.
  • Ren asked Tamara to send information about the accepted artists so she could preview their work in the newsletter.
  • Mari asked that the list of accepted artists be sent to April and Emil to update membership records.
  • Tamara raised the question of whether jurors could be exempt from festival volunteer jobs, noting that the number of applicants (and the time required to review them) continues to grow. 
    • April felt the festival could manage juror commitments within the existing volunteer job structure. She noted that the issue was also raised last year, but the group did not reach a consensus.
    • Ren reiterated her position that artists should not be universally required to volunteer for festival jobs. However, she supports allowing jurors to opt out of festival jobs if the general volunteer policy remains in place.
      • Mari noted that Ren had raised this issue previously. Last year, the festival allowed members to pay to opt out of jobs, and Messenger Events hired additional staff. April emphasized that the policy needs to be reassessed.
      • The Festival Committee will continue discussing festival jobs.
    • Mari clarified that jurors are specifically invited rather than selected through an open call, so any exemption would not be publicly advertised as an exchange or benefit of applying. Jurors would continue to be invited individually.
    • Jan agreed that serving on the jury requires a significant time commitment and that exempting jurors from festival jobs would be appropriate. However, she emphasized that member volunteering is an important part of the community, beyond simply saving money. Lee agreed with Jan’s perspective.
    • Lee moved that jury service count as a festival job for the following year. Susie seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.

Festival Report (April/Piper)

  • The Festival Committee took a break last month and will resume meeting this Thursday. There are no new updates to report.
  • Piper is still waiting for one person to submit receipts for reimbursement totaling approximately $200.
  • Piper shared a report on Festival sales data with the board via email. The board will review it in more detail at next month’s meeting.

ACGA Logo Use Guidelines & Workflow (Mari)

  • Logo usage: 
    • Mari raised the discussion about ACGA logo usage and asked for feedback on the documents sent to the board the previous week
    • Susie expressed concern that the Communications Committee could become responsible for handling logo approvals.
    • Mari clarified that members cannot use the ACGA logo to promote their own events. Logo use would apply only to events that ACGA co-hosts or co-sponsors, so the number of approvals each year should be limited.
    • The board will discuss logo usage as needed, and these decisions will not be made by the Communications Committee.
  • Logo format & design: 
    • Lee noted that including ACGA’s name with the logo is important, given the existence of other groups that use the ACGA acronym.
    • Ren noted that the lettering in the current logo is prominent, while the accompanying words are relatively small.
    • Britt raised the possibility of redesigning the logo.
    • Mari agreed that a redesign could be considered but emphasized that, in the meantime, the board needs to determine how best to work with the existing logo.
    • Vicki stressed the importance of having a logo that can be used flexibly across different formats and applications.
    • April explained that Fred designed the current logo many years ago to replace an even more unconventional design. The original intent was to create a logo that conveyed the handmade nature of the work, possibly around 15 years ago.
  • Decision: Table the discussion until next year and revisit the possibility of redesigning the logo.

Exhibitions 

Santa Cruz (Iver)

  • The exhibition is going well and continues to attract strong attendance.
  • A panel discussion featuring several artists in the exhibition will take place on Sunday, November 8, from 2–4 p.m.
  • First Fridays remain free, with the venue open until 8 p.m.

Sebastopol (Cheryl)

  • Cheryl was not in attendance.
  • Diana Greenleaf clarified that the exhibition reception will take place this Saturday, October 24, from 2–4 p.m.
  • Ren noted that the newsletter includes a comprehensive list of artists participating in the exhibition.

All-Member Meeting 2027 Planning (Mari) 

Meeting Format and Purpose

  • The all-member meeting takes place each January, with the board electing new officers at the beginning of the meeting.
  • Julie noted that last year’s meeting went more smoothly, but the hybrid format can still feel distracting.
  • Ren emphasized the importance of offering a Zoom option for ACGA as a statewide organization.
  • Lee appreciates the opportunity for members to gather in person once a year.
  • Britt proposed separating the formal Zoom meeting from an in-person social gathering or potluck. Mari agreed with this idea.
  • Ren expressed concern about using organizational funds for a gathering limited to the Bay Area.
  • April noted that if ACGA funds social gatherings, similar funding opportunities should be made available to other regions.
  • Dan emphasized that the meeting format and broader organizational activities need to feel inclusive for members across the state, particularly for those considering board involvement.
  • Mari asked what would make the all-member meeting more compelling and engaging for members.

Ideas for Making the Meeting More Engaging and Inclusive

  • Lindsay shared that Ruby’s Studio holds hybrid community meetings and empathized with the format struggle. She agreed that ACGA gatherings should not be exclusive to the Bay Area. She suggested that potlucks could be one option.
  • Diana said she would be more likely to attend an in-person gathering if it were held during the day, allowing her to avoid driving at night. She also suggested rotating gatherings among different Bay Area locations.
  • April clarified that ACGA’s agreement with the Palo Alto Art Center includes access to a meeting room several times a year. Public libraries could also be explored as potential meeting venues.
  • Vicki suggested sticking to a remote meeting, but creating a format that felt more inviting than a series of reports.
  • Julie highlighted that several essential components of the meeting are required by ACGA bylaws, including presenting the previous year’s financials and announcing the new officers.
  • Britt offered to help brainstorm ideas for the all-member meeting.
  • Ren suggested forming an All-Member Meeting Planning Committee to develop a proposal and bring it back to the board.

Regional Gatherings and Community Building

  • Ren noted that exhibitions provide valuable opportunities for members to socialize and suggested that social activities could be organized at the local or regional level.
  • Jan recalled that ACGA had previously tried organizing local regional gatherings, but they did not gain traction. She was unsure why the efforts had not succeeded.
  • Ren shared that ACGA held regional Zoom meetings during COVID, with an emphasis on sharing members’ current work.
  • Amanda shared her experience running company meetings and noted that hybrid meetings are difficult to execute well. She observed that hybrid formats can unintentionally create a divide between in-person and remote participants.
  • Amanda supported separating the formal all-member meeting from social gatherings so that all members could participate in the business meeting on equal footing, while allowing more energy to go toward regional meetups.

Key Dates 

  • The first board meeting of the year is scheduled for January 18.
  • Saturday, January 23, was proposed as a potential date for the all-member meeting.

Financial Report (Julie)

  • ACGA currently has approximately $173,000 in the bank. While this may seem like a substantial amount, the organization aims to maintain reserves equivalent to more than one year of expenses. With an annual budget of $140,000, current reserves are only slightly above the expected annual expenses.
  • Regular income is approximately $9,000 below budget, although many members renew their memberships in December, which is expected to help close the gap.
  • The festival budget was approximately $118,000, and actual revenue was $124,000, a surplus of $6,000 compared with the budget.
  • Net revenue was projected to be $8,000 but is currently approximately $16,000.
  • Ren asked about the source of the additional income. Julie clarified that the higher-than-projected net revenue reflects both the festival’s financial performance and expenditures coming in below budget. Together, these factors account for the difference between projected and actual net revenue.

Approving Meeting Notes (Britt)

  • Britt reminded board members responsible for presenting specific sections to review the meeting notes, make any necessary edits, and leave a comment in the document to indicate their approval.

Date of next meeting is November 16, 2026

Minutes prepared by Britt Jensen, ACGA Secretary.