ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – November 18, 2024
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
New Studio Inauguration Party
Calling all ceramicists and art lovers!
Join us for a celebration of creativity and community in Marin’s new hub for ceramics. Enjoy live music, explore our space, and discover what the excitement is all about – we can’t wait to see you there!
https://www.cacm.studio/program-events
ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – October 21, 2024
Present: Chris Johnson, Julie Taber, April Zilber, Sally Jackson (recorder), Jan Schachter, Ren Lee, Vicki Gunter, Lee Middleman, Babara Prodaniuk, Tamara Danoyan, Iver Hennig, Trudy Chiddix, Emil Yanos, Cheryl Costantini Absent: Mari Emori, Susie Rubenstein, Scott Jennings, Sonja Hinrichsen Guests: Sean Alcala, Piper Christine
The meeting began at 5:15 pm
Welcome (Chris)
Monthly Treasurer’s Report (Julie)
As of the end of September, we have $133,000 in bank accounts and about $3000 in PayPal. Revenue was low last month, as is usual at this time of year. Our next significant income will come in December when we collect membership dues.
Preliminary 2025 Budget (Julie)
Julie presented a preliminary budget for 2025, based closely on a combination of the YTD actuals and budget for 2024. She asks that each committee review their income and expenses and let her know if changes need to be made. She will be presenting a final budget for board approval at the December meeting.
ACGA’s CERF+ Fundraiser Update (Julie)
Our fundraising effort on behalf of Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF+) has gathered $3600 in donations from our members. CERF+ will use the donation to help artists affected by Hurricane Helene and other disasters. Thank you to all who responded. Donations can also be made directly to CERF+.
Regional Exhibition “Above Board” Update (Ren)
“Above Board”, a month-long exhibition in Fresno organized by ACGA, Clay Hand Studio, and the San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association, opened on October 3 with a well-attended reception. Feedback on the show has been excellent. Ren proposed that we donate $100 of our net revenue to the show’s host, Clay Hand Studio, to use as scholarship money. The board approved this unanimously (14 yes, 0 no).
Festival 2024 Report (April)
April presented a sales summary of the 2024 Clay and Glass Festival in Palo Alto. Sales for 124 artists totalled $427,437, with average sales of $3447. The top seller took in $14,990. These numbers, while lower than 2023, are within range of many past years. The board discussed how to gather more detailed data each year on items sold. Ren proposed that if our sellers who use Square or another digital sales tool would upload their sales activity into a Google spreadsheet (with no personal info), we could quantify sales by price points and sales per day of event. Because sales are a major point of the festival, measuring and quantifying key data to help artists make decisions about what to make and bring, and how to price their work, are central to the festival’s success. Ren emphasized that just because we have not tracked it in the past does not obviate the importance of figuring out how to do it going forward.
Fall Jury Update (Chris)
The most recent jury application deadline was October 15. A report of the jurors’ decisions will be made at our November meeting.
Proposal for Use of Contribution Made by James Meyer (Julie)
ACGA member James Meyer has pledged an annual donation of $1000 to be used as the board sees fit. Julie proposed that it be used as scholarships for emerging artists, particularly black/indigenous/people of color (BIPOC) artists under 30, who might not otherwise join ACGA or pay the jurying fee and the festival booth fee. Ren suggested that a committee form to seek ways to identify these artists.
Decision not to Seek Reelection(Trudy)
Trudy Chiddix will step down from the board at the end of this year. She has committed many years of service to ACGA, especially as a board member, and will remain a member. We are grateful to her for her service and for hosting many board meetings with dinner at her home in San Francisco.
Nominations for New Board Members 2025 (Chris)
There will be three open spots on the board at the end of the year. It’s time to recruit nominees for the ballot that will be mailed to our members in December.
All-Member Meeting 2025 (Sally)
Sally has contacted the Palo Alto Art Center to discuss reserving the meeting room for our next All-Member Meeting in January. The board noted that last year’s hybrid meeting was plagued by technical issues when we tried to use an Owl. The current plan is to have an in-person meeting at the Palo Alto Art Center that will include a Zoom connection to bring in those who want to attend virtually. We encourage virtual attendees to gather in their locales to share company, food, and participation in the meeting.
Proposed Code of Conduct (Emil)
Emil presented a Code of Conduct borrowed from a clay studio in San Francisco. Some of its details do not apply to ACGA, but the board agreed that in a shortened form it will be an important addition to our website. We will edit it and then discuss how to make sure that members acknowledge it when they pay their dues.
The meeting ended at 6:50 pm
Next Meeting: 5:15pm, November 18, 2024, via Zoom
HABITATS
Abrams Claghorn Gallery
1251 Solano Ave, Albany CA 94706
“…every living thing calls the earth home. According to the dictionary, a habitat is “the natural home or environment of a plant, animal, or other organism….Biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) things exist together to form a habitat, where flora and fauna live side by side in a symbiotic effort to survive.
Each of the five invited artists included in this exhibition address the theme of habitats with a unique lens. The core is a shared and passionate interest in nature. The artworks express wonder and awe at the earth’s beauty, its precious inhabitants, and the palpable environmental threats faced by us all.
As a whole, Habitats is a show that points to our home planet earth in all its complexity, featuring diverse visions of its astonishing, turbulent and resilient beauty. ” ~Curator/Juror Laura Abrams
LANDS AND SYMBIOTIC FUTURES online Exhibition
WEAD – Women Eco Artists Dialog
LANDS AND SYMBIOTIC FUTURES
Oct 3, 2024 to January 31, 2025
Online at WEAD’s Kunstmatrix Gallery
https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/en/exhibition/13409738/lands-and-symbiotic-futures
Human relationships with lands and soils are deep and complex, sometimes based on listening and reciprocity, sometimes scarred by exploitation and toxicity. From colonization, war, and industrial agriculture, to reciprocity, stewardship, and respect; from minute microbial life to vast landscapes; lands and soils reflect choices to live in unity with, or in subjugation of the natural world. Wead invited stories of land, soils and visions for the future, both ecological and cultural.
Jurors
Visual Arts juror: Maru Garcia, a Mexican, LA-based artist/chemist working across art + science + environment; and Poetry/short literature juror Kaylin Lemajeur, have announced their selections for this international online exhibition in WEAD’s Kunstmatrix gallery.
Forty seven WEAD member artists are included in this exhibition
ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – September 30, 2024 – via Zoom
PRESENT: Mari Emori, April Zilber, Chris Johnson, Sally Jackson, Jan Schachter, Lee Middleman, Trudy Chiddix, Emil Yanos, Tamara Danoyan, Susie Rubenstein, Barbara Prodaniuk, Cheryl Costantini, Scott Jennings, Iver Hennig, Julie Taber, Ren Lee
ABSENT: Sonja Hinrichsen, Vicki Gunter
GUEST: Piper Christine
The meeting began at 5:15 pm
Welcome (Mari)
Soon it will be time to nominate board members for the next two-year term, which starts in January 2025. Current board members whose terms are ending should let Mari know if they plan to run for another term. We should also be recruiting new board members from our membership for the December ballot.
The next jurying deadline in October will be publicized now on social media and through ACGA’s GoogleGroup.
Code of Conduct (Emil)
Emil proposed an official ACGA Code of Conduct to be included on our website. This code would serve as a guide for behavior and language in communications. It would also remind our members that we are a community that must work through problems in a civil and appropriate way. The Board expressed support for this proposal and discussed ways in which our members could acknowledge that they’ve read and agree to the code once it is made available.
Festival Report (April)
April reported that Reconciliation is complete for the 2024 Clay and Glass Festival. There are still a few payments due from artists, and a few who will receive payments. We have not received all festival bills yet, but overall this was a good year in terms of sales and revenue. The next Festival Committee meeting will address the possibility of adding wine and beer sales in 2025.
Exhibitions Update: “Above Board” in Fresno (Ren)
Ren thanked everyone who sent work to “Above Board”, the show that she has helped organize in Fresno. She especially thanked Mari, who drove all the Bay Area contributions to Fresno. The show features nearly 100 ceramic and glass pieces arranged in 16 place settings. We extend our sincere gratitude to Ren for all her work!
Financial Report (Julie)
As of the end of August, our total current assets equal $143,922.
Proposal: Remove Collaborative Membership & Redefine General Membership (Mari)
Mari proposed removing Collaborative Membership, thereby simplifying our membership into three categories: General, Student, and Sponsor. General Members would include a diverse array of individual artists (or their businesses), businesses, educators, collectors, art professionals, enthusiasts, etc. Discussion focused on several implications for this change in terms of dues payments and festival jurying. Do businesses larger than an individual pay General Membership dues and jury in as a business entity, or do the artists associated with a business jury in separately? What does festival eligibility look like for larger studios with employees? A committee of Board members, led by Jan, was appointed to work on the language that would specify the proposed changes and details. The Board voted to put these changes on the ballot in December for approval (or not) by our membership (15 yes, 1 abstention).
Festival Eligibility after Lapsed Dues (Emil)
When asked, Emil has forgiven lapsed dues payments on a one-time basis. There is however a policy to collect any past due membership dues if a lapsed member wants to apply for the festival. Emil tries to make sure that everyone gets multiple reminders when their memberships are about to expire. He also helps anyone who is having trouble renewing through our website.
Proposed use of $1000 annual gift to ACGA (Julie)
Julie has written a proposal for the use of a generous, ongoing gift from one of our members. She will send it to the Board via email and ask for comments.
The meeting adjourned at 7:07pm
Next Meeting: 5:15pm via Zoom on October 21, 2024
