ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – May 19, 2025
Present: Mari Emori, Sally Jackson (recorder), Julie Taber, April Zilber, Piper Christine, Cheryl Costantini, Susie Rubenstein, Barbara Prodaniuk, Scott Jennings, Jan Schachter, Tamara Danoyan, Vicki Gunter, Iver Hennig, Sean Free Alcala, Ren Lee, Emil Yanos   Absent: Chris Johnson, Lee Middleman    Guest: Diana Greenleaf
The meeting began at 5:15 p.m.
 Welcome (Mari)
Arts of Fire Exhibition (Vicki)
The deadline to submit entries to Arts of Fire is May 21. To date there are 36 complete entries and several more pending. Most of the entries are clay rather than glass. When the jurors have made their selections, Vicki will coordinate carpooling for delivery to the NY2CA Gallery in Benicia. The gallery might need to borrow some of ACGA’s pedestals for the show. Jan commented on the excellent publicity for this call.
Santa Cruz Exhibition (Iver)
Iver and fellow artist Carlos Dye have written a successful proposal for an exhibition of clay and glass at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History.  Museum curator Marla Novo has blocked September 26, 2026 – February 27, 2027 for this show, which will accommodate around 20 invited artists and 40 juried artists. It will also include a pop-up sale of work by accepted artists in the museum’s gift shop. It may be necessary to use some of ACGA’s pedestals stored in Santa Clara. ACGA will assist in organizing the exhibition, but all artists in California will be eligible to apply to the Call for Entries.
Financial Report (Julie)
Our total current assets are $163,863, higher than this time last year. Year-to-date income is $20,000 more than we budgeted, and expenses are slightly over. The large pool of applicants for the last jury and the high number of booth applications for the festival have boosted our bank balances.
Zoom Orientation for Festival-Eligible Artists (Cheryl)
Around 20 artists attended the virtual orientation that Cheryl and Susie presented on Zoom on May 4th. The hour-long event went well, with good discussions and sharing of information. Participants appreciated the document that Cheryl and Susie had put together. Cheryl thinks that this orientation should be held annually. ACGA artist Diana Greenleaf, who had originally suggested the gathering, reported that it was very useful. Suggestions made by artists during the presentation have been passed on to April.
Jury Discussion (Mari)
The next window to apply for festival eligibility will be September 1-30, 2025. The jurors’ decisions will be announced in October. The Board discussed pros and cons of having two juries per year (fall and spring) as opposed to only one (fall). One jurying in the fall is simpler and gives all artists equal chance to sign up for the festival when booth applications open in January.  The Board also discussed whether to limit the number of applicants for juries, since the last cohort was unusually large (44 applicants). Additionally, the protocol for sharing jurors’ comments with applicants needs improvement, especially when the comments are negative. These topics will be discussed further at our next Board Meeting.
Festival Report (April)
The Clay & Glass Festival is fully booked. Waitlisted artists have all been admitted. Cancellations are still possible, but even so it will be a robust show. April is still working on matching artists with volunteer jobs. Some jobs formerly assigned to volunteers will be done by paid staff. April is still looking to fill the paid slot for staffing the CERF+ booth.
The meeting adjourned at 6:30 p.m.
Next Meeting: 5:15 p.m., June 16, 2025 via Zoom
Brent SRC Slab Roller For ASale
It good working order. These sell for $1500 new, I would like $500 OBO
email me at jtceramics@mindspring,com
Startup Art Fair: Created for Artists by Artists
I first heard about the Startup Art Fair in 2017. I don’t know when it started—possibly in 2015, but since then, the fair has expanded from San Francisco to Houston and Los Angeles. I didn’t know much about it, only that artists took over the Hotel del Sol in San Francisco and transformed their rooms into their own personal gallery spaces. I applied in 2020 but a week after being accepted, the country went into lockdown and the fair was cancelled. In early 2025 I was excited to learn of the fair’s return to San Francisco in April. I applied and was accepted. Â
The Startup Art Fair was developed by Artist Ray Beldner to give independent artists the opportunity to take control of their careers and connect directly with collectors and curators in an intimate boutique hotel setting. The three day event, running concurrently with the San Francisco Art Fair, attracts visitors already in the area who are interested in art.
Upon acceptance, each artist selects a room (at varying rates) which will become their exhibit space. All existing furniture in the room must remain. Some artists choose to flip up their beds, buttressing them against the wall, and store other furniture in the bathroom or closet. These are good options if you don’t plan on spending the nights in the space. I brought in ProPanel walls to display my work, since the recommended 3M Command strips would not support my ceramic wall sculptures.
There is a food and a drink vendor on-site for the duration of the fair, along with various performances, including music and dance. This helps create a festive environment, which encourages visitors to stay and see all 60+ artists. Â
The fair is a ticketed event, limiting the amount of walk-in visitors, but it is marketed to art professionals attending the San Francisco Art Fair to discover and buy art. I found a wide variety of visitors including art students, families, and many representing industries that support the arts. Â
Ray uses his experience as an artist to lead his team to organize and facilitate the process for participants. They are available prior to the fair if any questions or concerns arise. Helpful emails go out to artists alerting them of timelines and other pertinent information for a successful event. If you are considering this as a selling option, its a good idea to visit the actual event. Look for announcements near at the beginning of the year or go to startupartfair.com and get on their mailing list.
Yountville Art, Sip & Stroll
May 17, 2025
11 am to 5 pm
ART:Â Enjoy over 70 juried Artists, including four ACGA Artists; Leo Peck, Karen Winograde, Daniel Wooddell, and Emil Yanos; proudly showcasing their fine art, sculptures, ceramics, photography, jewelry, live music, and more at this free art event.
SIP: Taste wines from over 20 of our fantastic local Wineries and Tasting Rooms with the purchase of a Tasting Package.
STROLL: The event is spread out between two sites in the center of Town. While you saunter, local food vendors will be located throughout the event with delicious food available for purchase or make reservations to dine at one of our fabulous Yountville restaurants.
The 2025 National Feats of Clay Art Show and Competition
Art League of Lincoln
April 25th – June 29th
580 Sixth Street, Lincoln CA
The internationally renowned clay competition was founded by local ceramicist Ray Gonzales in 1987 and was held annually through 2011 at the Gladding McBean Clay Factory. In 2024 the exhibit was rekindled regionally, and in 2025 the competition is now national.
Rhonda Willers, juror, renowned ceramic visual artist, educator, and author selected 48 out of 330 works. ACGA artists included in the selection are Pierre Bounaud, Deborah Bridges, Diana Greenleaf, Susie Rubenstein, and Emil Yanos.
First Place went to Kansas City artist Casey Whittier for “year After Year”. She formed beads using clay sourced from her backyard. Using weaving techniques she created a “tapestry”.
A merit award was given to Deborah Bridges for “Such a Graceless Age”.
The Art of Form: Perspectives from the West
May 17 – June 15, 2025
Sausalito Center for the Arts
750 Bridgeway
Sausalito, CAÂ Â 94965
Opening reception Saturday May 17th, 5 – 7:30.
The Sausalito Center for the Arts, in collaboration with the National Sculpture Society (NSS), presents The Art of Form: Perspectives from The West, a juried sculpture exhibition showcasing contemporary works from 40 accomplished sculptors across the western United States, features 57 works selected from over 100 submissions includes ACGA artists Jane Grimm and Emil Yanos.
This dynamic exhibition celebrates the power and presence of sculpture—its dimensionality, tactile appeal, and ability to transform space. Jurors include celebrated sculptors Paige Bradley and Rod Zullo, both NSS Fellows, along with SCA Executive Director Shiva Pakdel. The exhibit emphasizes traditional craftsmanship and natural inspiration, a hallmark of NSS’s 130-year mission to promote excellence in sculpture.
A $1,000 Best of Show award, sponsored by the Fantasy Fountain Fund, will be granted to one artist during the run of the show.
Set against the scenic backdrop of the San Francisco Bay, Sausalito offers the perfect setting for this immersive art experience. The Sausalito Center for the Arts provides an expansive, accessible venue where form and creativity come to life.
Visitors are invited to explore sculpture in its fullest expression—from classical techniques to bold contemporary statements—in this landmark West Coast exhibit.
