Present: Mari Emori, April Zilber, Sally Jackson (recorder), Jan Schachter, Lee Middleman, Scott Jennings, Vicki Gunter, Ren Lee, Barbara Prodaniuk, Sonja Hinrichsen, Tamara Danoyan, Emil Yanos, Julie Taber, Iver Hennig, Trudy Chiddix, Susie Rubenstein, Chris Johnson   Absent: Cheryl Costantini

Guests: Sean Alcala, Deb Sullivan, Diana Adams, Britt Jensen, Piper Christine

The meeting began at 5:15pm.

 

Welcome (Mari)

Mari introduced our guests, who spoke briefly about their work: Piper Christine (clay, Berkeley), Sean Alcala (glass, Salida), Deb Sullivan (clay, Alameda), Diana Adams (clay, Long Beach), and Britt Jensen (clay, San Jose).

Treasurer’s Report (Julie)

Total assets in our accounts were $125,200 as of October 31.  Total October expenses were $10,656.10 and total income was $2,376.18. Our gross profits to date ($122,000) are slightly above budget, and our expenses to date ($114,309.84) are almost exactly on budget.  Membership income will bump up in December when many members renew.

Exhibitions: “Above Board” Final Report (Ren)

Ren reported that “Above Board”, the exhibition that ACGA organized with Clay Hand Studio in Fresno, received 44 entries.  Revenue received from entries totalled $1540.  ACGA broke even after paying expenses.  Clay Hand Studio netted $79 after paying artist commissions for work that sold.

Festival Report (April)

April reported that the last checks due from festival artists have been received.  The Board discussed how to share final sale numbers with our membership, since this would not interest everyone.  April will send out an announcement with a link to the artists’ sales summary report.  She is still working on a budget for the 2025 festival.  The Festival Committee will meet on November 24.  April will be working closely with Messenger Events to remap the festival grounds.

Membership Proposal (Mari)

The Membership Committee presented a proposal to eliminate Collaborative Membership, effective February 1, 2025. Since this will involve a change in our bylaws, it needs to be voted on by our members.  This proposed change will be announced in early December and will be included on the January ballot along with our board member election.  A “Frequently Asked Questions” section will be added to our website, and updated as needed.  The Board voted unanimously (17 yes, 0 no) to approve the proposal (with slight edits requested) so that it can be submitted for consideration by our membership.

 

Handwork 2026

Craft in America has announced Handwork: Celebrating American Craft 2026, “a national semiquincentennial collaboration showcasing the importance of the handmade and celebrating the diversity of craft that defines America”. This initiative will generate craft-focused exhibitions, documentaries, digital resources, education programs, and more. Its organizers are seeking partnerships and participants for a wide-ranging, nationally advertised series of events in 2026. The Board agreed to explore ACGA’s best options for joining this initiative.

Code of Conduct (Emil)

Emil presented a concise Code of Conduct for ACGA members. It will be sent out through our GoogleGroup and will also be added to our website.  When members join or renew, they will be asked to acknowledge that they have read and understood the Code.  After discussion and slight edits, the Board voted unanimously (18 yes, 0 no) to accept the Code of Conduct.

Jury Report (Chris)

Our recent jury call received 15 applications.  The jury will meet later this week, and again the following week before announcing the results. The next application deadline will be March 15, 2025.

All-Member Meeting (Sally)

ACGA has reserved the Meeting Room at the Palo Alto Art Center for its All-Member Meeting on January 25, 2025.  In-person attendees will gather there.  The Board discussed how to make the meeting run smoothly if many are attending virtually.  We will work out the details in the coming weeks.

The meeting adjourned at 6:55pm

 

Next Meeting: December 16, 2024, via Zoom