Board Meeting

ACGA All-Member Meeting Minutes – January 20, 2024

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

The meeting began at 10:00 a.m.

Welcome (Mari Emori)

We welcomed three new ACGA board members: Scott Jennings, Tamara Danoyan, and Julie Taber, who is now our general treasurer.  Board members re-elected for another two-year term were Lee Middleman, Chris Johnson, Ren Lee, Susie Rubenstein, Jan Schachter, April Zilber, Trudy Chiddix, Cheryl Costantini, and Sally Jackson.

This meeting will be recorded.  Any questions that we don’t have time for during the meeting should be entered into the chat.  They will be answered by email after the meeting.

Election of Officers (Lee Middleman)

The following board members were elected as officers:

President: Mari Emori

Vice-President: Chris Johnson

Treasurer: Julie Taber

Secretary: Sally Jackson

Resolutions related to ACGA’s Financial Accounts (April Zilber)

April led voting on two resolutions, both of which passed.

  1. The Board voted to remove Forrest Lesch-Middelton and approve Julie Taber to have full access to our Bank of America accounts (passed).
  2. The Board voted to approve Julie Taber and Sally Jackson as authorized users with full access to our Fidelity account (passed).

All-Member Meeting Welcome (Mari Emori)

Mari, starting her second year as ACGA President, extended her thanks to the Board for all its work and accomplishments.  She looks forward to leading the organization to become more inclusive, more robust, and more relevant to artists and others involved in clay and glass throughout California.  She also announced the election results and thanked April Zilber for 20 years of service as ACGA’s treasurer.  Julie Taber is now our general treasurer, and April will continue as the festival treasurer reporting to Julie.

Artist Studio Tours

Iver Hennig (Santa Cruz), Chris Johnson (Davenport), and Barbara Prodaniuk (Truckee) each gave a 5-minute video tour of their studios.

Membership Updates (Emil Yanos)

The membership renewal process this year has been plagued with glitches related to our website. Emil, April, and our website manager Pam Carpenter have been working tirelessly to try to fix the problems.  At this time last year, we had 345 members.  This year we have 277 members who have renewed.  Emil will continue working to get the remaining artists on board if they choose to renew.

Festival Jury Update (Chris Johnson)

Last fall we juried in nine new artists.  The next jurying will be announced in February and those accepted will be notified in time to apply for festival booths.  Chris has worked hard to make sure that jurors write constructive, anonymous comments to our applicants, especially to those who are rejected.  Chris noted that we would like to get more applications from glass artists; Lee suggested contacting glass studios.  He is currently seeking jurors for the next jurying.  Contact him if you are a festival-eligible artist and are interested in being a juror.

Newsletter Overview & Social Media Strategies (Ren Lee)

The Communications Committee (Ren, Cheryl Costantini, and Susie Rubenstein) have been working to reach more people through our newsletter and social media posts.  Our newsletter is delivered online through MailChimp to 5500 addresses. We also have a calendar where members can post information about upcoming shows, exhibitions, and other events.  Newsletter content has improved greatly with articles about our members, their work, and interesting topics in clay and glass.  About half of the recipients open the newsletter.  Data analytics show that the “Events” button on our website gets more clicks than any other link, so Ren encouraged all members to post their events and engage with our digital audience.  We have 15,000 followers on Instagram and Ren is researching ways to increase the number of people who see our posts.  Short videos (1-1.5 minutes long) are an excellent way to catch people’s attention.  Tag your IG posts and videos with “@theacga” and Ren will repost as much content as she can on our IG feed.

Treasurer’s Report (April Zilber)

April introduced Julie Taber as the new General Treasurer for ACGA. Julie is a clay artist with an excellent background in accounting for nonprofits.  April will continue as the Festival Treasurer and will report to Julie.

As of December 31, 2023, our assets were $116,086.  Our net income last year was almost nine times what we expected and budgeted for.  The total net income was $25,000, a high number for us.  Total sales for the Clay and Glass Festival in July were an impressive $478,000 for 110 artists.  Five artists sold in excess of $12,000; six made less than $1000.

Festival Update (April Zilber)

The Board approved an increased booth fee of $295 for 2024. Expenses continue to rise. The Board decided not to have the Artists Showcase this year; it is expensive and involves a lot of time and volunteers.  This frees up money to help pay for things like Clay for All, and it frees up the auditorium to use as a cooling station for visitors.

April is ready to train someone else to be the Festival Liaison.  Ideally this person would shadow her this year.  Email April at zilberglass@gmail.com if you are interested. Starting in 2024, the liaison will be paid $1000 for this work.  The next festival meeting is February 2nd.

Exhibitions (Jan Schachter)

Jan emphasized that our exhibitions happen because of participation from our artists. Any of our members can suggest or inquire about a gallery or other space.  We need this participation in order to make initial contacts and open doors.  Once the conversation starts, then we can generate a roadmap for an exhibition. There are currently three exhibitions in the works:

Benicia: Vicki Gunter is organizing a juried exhibition at the NY2CA Gallery in Benicia.  Prospective dates are September 4-October 5, 2025, and the show will be part of a commemoration of Robert Arneson and his legacy in the Funk Art movement. The call will include functional and sculptural clay and glass. Submitted work does not have to be Funk-inspired. Festivities will include an Arneson Award given by Pam Dixon, a well-known Benicia Funk artist and friend of Arneson’s widow.

Santa Cruz: Iver Hennig is working with Melissa Kreisa, owner of M.K. Contemporary Gallery in Santa Cruz, to organize a juried ACGA Exhibition there. Possible dates are late in 2024 or Spring 2025.

Fresno: Ren Lee, in partnership with the San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association (SJCGA), is working with Clay Hand Studio in Fresno to organize a juried exhibition in their gallery on October 3-31, 2024.  The show will be called “Above Board” and will feature all the things found on a table set for a meal, including dishes, decorations, candleholders, etc.  Entry will be open to members of the ACGA, the SJCGA, and Clay Hand Studio.  Prizes will be awarded to three entries.

The meeting adjourned at 12:10p.m.

By |2024-02-15T20:20:53-08:00February 15th, 2024|ACGA News, Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA All-Member Meeting Minutes – January 20, 2024

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2024

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

Welcome (Mari)

Treasurer’s Report (April)

Total assets as of December 31, 2023 were a healthy $116,086. Our total income for the year was $123,771, well over the amount we projected in our 2023 budget. Our net income was $20,607, almost 9 times more than we projected. This greatly helped ACGA recover from pandemic-related losses in 2020. The main contributor was the robust festival income.

2024 Budget Discussion (April)

April walked the Board through a draft of the Annual Budget that she had prepared ahead of the meeting. Our discussion then focused the items for which the numbers were uncertain, such as exhibitions income and expenses, various festival expenses, and costs of the newsletter, PR, and other promotional activities. Ultimately the Board voted to approve a 2024 budget that includes larger stipends for our newsletter editor and festival liaison, a slight increase in festival booth fees, and other adjustments deemed important.

ICEX Promotion (Lee)

This year, the International Ceramics Exchange (ICEX) will bring six distinguished Korean ceramic artists to SOMArts Main Gallery in San Francisco for a three-day event on March 29-31. Lee proposed that ACGA make a contribution to sponsor this event. We agreed to give $400 in exchange for an ad in the ICEX brochure. For details about how to attend ICEX 2024, which includes a reception, exhibition, demos, and presentations by the artists, visit Miki Shim-Rutter’s website (https://www.mikisr.com/icex) or follow Miki on Instagram @mikisr_ceramics.

 

Exhibitions: Fresno (Ren)

Ren is organizing an ACGA exhibition at Clay Hand Studios in Fresno, to be held October 3-31. The gallery will collect 10% of sales.

Exhibitions: Santa Cruz (Iver)

There is no new information about the proposed exhibition in Santa Cruz. The Board feels that the financial outlay requested by the gallery is beyond our budget at a time when we don’t know what the income or other expenses will be. We would like to delay this exhibition until we can be more certain of the details and better prepared to make this exhibition a success. Iver will ask the gallery if we might reserve space on the calendar for 2025.

Acquisitions at AMOCA for its Permanent Collection (Trudy)

Trudy explained that the Acquisitions Committee at the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA) in Pomona, CA, occasionally selects pieces for its permanent collection from work appearing in the museum’s juried and invitational shows. The committee does not otherwise seek applications from artists who want to add their work to the museum. However, AMOCA’s gift shop is sometimes looking for new work to sell.

Agenda for All-Member Meeting (Mari)

Mari received feedback on her recent draft of the agenda for the hybrid All-Member Meeting on January 20.

All-Member Meeting: Saturday, January 20, 10am-noon

Online via Zoom & Live in the Meeting Room at the Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto, CA

 

Date of Next Board Meeting: TBD

 

By |2024-02-05T17:53:09-08:00February 5th, 2024|Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board Meeting Minutes: January 8, 2024

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – December 11, 2023

Present: Mari Emori, April Zilber, Emil Yanos, Iver Henning, Chris Johnson, Jan Schachter, Cheryl Costantini, Lee Middleman, Ren Lee, Trudy Chiddix, Julie Taber, Vicky Gunter, Susie Rubenstein, Barbara Prodaniuk, Joe Battiato, Sonja Hinrichsen (recorder)   Absent: Sally Jackson

Welcome (Mari)

Mari reported that on December 5th, ACGA hosted a lively evening presentation at the Palo Alto Art Center featuring officials from the 13th International Ceramics Festival in Mino, Japan (www.icfmino.com/english/). This triennial festival includes a juried exhibition of ceramics from all over the world. Application is free and the deadline is January 31, 2024. Exhibition dates are October 18-November 17, 2024.

Treasurer’s Report (April)

As of the end of November, our net profit for the year is $11,413.32. Less than half of the budget estimate for membership dues has come in so far; April expects more income from renewals in December. We spent $75 using social media to promote the spring and fall juries.

Exhibitions Report (Iver, Jan)

Iver has been in conversation with MK Contemporary Gallery in Santa Cruz about the possibility of a two-month clay and glass show. The gallery has recently requested a substantial financial contribution from ACGA. The Board discussed the pros and cons of spending this money, and whether part or all of it might be recovered. Some on the Board felt that losing money is imprudent, and that we need more information to decide if this show would benefit our members. Others felt that we should pursue this exhibition as an opportunity to promote the ACGA and local clay and glass artists. All agreed that we need more information about who covers the costs of show-related things like publicity, promotion, etc. Changing from a two-month show to one month would save money. Iver will continue his conversation with the gallery with these points in mind.

Preliminary Budget and Communications Proposal (April)

The Board discussed a proposal to pay a higher monthly stipend to our newsletter editor, and an occasional honorarium for those authoring newsletter articles. We also discussed budgeting a stipend for whomever is posting on social media. Ren pointed out that these added costs would use most or all of our yearly profit, so that other expenses would have to pay for themselves some other way. Due to several undecided expense items (mostly related to Exhibitions and Communications), the Board decided to postpone voting on the budget until our next Board meeting in January.

 ACGA Board Nominations Update

As of this meeting there are two nominees for election to ACGA’s Board of Directors: Tamara Danoyan (clay) and Julie Taber (clay). Those eligible for re-election are Trudy Chiddix (clay), Cheryl Costantini (clay), Sally Jackson (clay), Chris Johnson (glass), Ren Lee (clay), Susie Rubenstein (clay), Jan Schachter (clay), April Zilber (glass), and Lee Middleman (clay). The ballot will be sent out in early January.

Longtime Board Member Joe Battiato is stepping down as his term ends. We extend our deep appreciation for Joe’s many contributions over the years, and wish him the best. Thank you, Joe, we’ll see you at the festival!

 Membership (Emil)

Our membership year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31. The Board discussed how to handle membership fees paid as part of the March and October juries, or those paid at some other point during the year. The Board agreed that those paying in October should receive membership status through the following year. The Board also settled on a $20 refund to those joining in June or later.

A glitch in our website has made General Membership renewal unavailable on some browsers. Our website manager Pam Carpenter has tried unsuccessfully to fix this. Emil is thinking about asking members to send checks in the mail.

 Date of Next Meeting: Monday, January 8, 2024, 5:30 p.m. via Zoom

 

 

 

By |2024-01-06T10:48:06-08:00January 6th, 2024|ACGA News, Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board Meeting Minutes – December 11, 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes (November 2023)

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes

Monday, November 13, 2023, via Zoom

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

The meeting commenced at 5:30 p.m.

Welcome (Mari)

Treasurer’s Report (April)

Total assets as of October 31 were $108,165.00. Final accounting for the 2023 Clay and Glass Festival shows net income of $25,135. Most income levels are higher than what we budgeted this year. Expenses are also a bit higher, but ACGA’s overall financial position is good. April presented two reports in addition to the usual three: an expanded Profit/Loss report for the year thus far, and the transaction detail report which lists each income and expense item for the month of October. The purpose was to provide more clarity and detail for those who want to see exactly where money is spent. April requested feedback from the Board as to which report is most useful. She also provided, per Lee’s request, a list of all income and expense categories with notes to help board members understand what is included in each line item. This list will be appended to every monthly report as an aid. April requested that feedback from Board members be sent by late November so she can make updates well before the December meeting.

Secretary’s certification of amended bylaws (April)

April is working on writing a valid certificate of amendment for a change in the bylaws. The amendments will reflect the new membership categories that ACGA instituted through a vote by the membership.

Communications (Cheryl)

The Communications Committee has been looking at analytics of ACGA’s newsletter to see who is receiving it and how many of those are reading it. The analytics show a strong response to the newsletter, with particular interest in stories about artists, organizations, experiences and clay and glass, and other entries with a narrative. The committee proposes that since the monthly newsletter is such an asset to ACGA, our

newsletter editor, Ren Lee, should receive more pay for her services. The committee will write a proposal stating what they feel the appropriate compensation should be.

ACGA-Sponsored Show in Santa Cruz, 2024 (Iver)

Iver is organizing an ACGA-sponsored show of clay and glass to be held next year at MK Contemporary Gallery in Santa Cruz. He has recruited a juror and will release a prospectus of the show in late December. All ACGA members are eligible as are clay and glass artists who live in Santa Cruz County. The call-for-entries will be publicized through the newsletter, flyers, emails, and social media. Iver will encourage Santa Cruz artists especially. The gallery usually only takes work that can be dropped off and picked up in person, but Iver will also designate a location to receive shipped work, store packaging, and return unsold work. The entry deadline will likely fall in mid-February. The show will run April 5 – June 1, 2024.

All-Member Meeting (Mari)

Mari asked for help exploring venues for the All-Member Meeting on January 27, 2024. She is particularly interested in finding out if we can hold a hybrid meeting with online and in-person participation. Some of us volunteered to look into this in our respective areas. We also recruited several Board Members to give short studio tours as part of the meeting.

Recruiting/Nominating New Board Members (Mari)

It is time to recruit nominees for ACGA’s Board of Directors. Those elected will serve a two-year term on the Board, participating in monthly meetings online. An announcement requesting nominations will appear in the December newsletter. The ballot will go out in early January and votes will be tallied by around January 18.

Jury Report (Chris)

The recent jurying wrapped up on November 12. Of 21 applicants, 8 were admitted for festival eligibility. Chris will send out letters as soon as he has all the jurors’ feedback.

Discuss Membership Extension for those joining in October (April and Emil)

The Board agreed that membership should be extended into the following year for those who join in October as part of the jurying. In other words, your membership fee paid late in 2023 will include all of 2024.

Date of Next Meeting: Monday, December 11, 2023 at 5:30 p.m.

By |2023-12-04T11:40:16-08:00December 4th, 2023|Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board Meeting Minutes (November 2023)

Board Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes

5:30 p.m., Monday, October 9, 2023 via Zoom

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

Welcome (Mari)

Treasurer’s Report (April)

April and Julie Taber proposed that ACGA accommodate two treasurers, one for general finances and one for the festival. The general treasurer would be an officer elected to the Board and would receive reports from the festival treasurer. Board members expressed approval of this model.

Current total assets as of September 30 are $110,579. Festival accounting is almost complete. At this time total festival income stands at $97,653 and total expenses are $70,480. After a few final bills are paid, net profit will be around $25,000. Strong sales at the festival this year place ACGA on a solid financial footing.

Festival Report (April)

The festival committee met via Zoom on Wednesday, October 4. Based on the artist surveys that have been returned, those planning next year’s festival will address such issues as booth layout and spacing, volunteer booth-sitter assignments, more shade for visitors, and other concerns. They will also explore having a QR code that links to a festival map for visitors who don’t pick up a paper map. Conversations with the Palo Alto Art Center about glass artists selling cannabis paraphernalia at the festival yielded significant regulatory hurdles as well as pushback from some Board members. As a result this option will not be considered.

Communications: Festival Website Performance & Digital Advertising (Ren)

Ren is using data analytics to see when ACGA’s website traffic increases. She can link the “bumps” in visitor numbers to promotional posts on social media (especially videos) as well as digital and traditional advertising. She emphasized that it takes time to translate this interest into actual sales, but the key is to post frequently and regularly year-round. 17,500 people are following ACGA on Instagram and Facebook. Sustained, consistent messages on these platforms will increase sales in the long term. Starting in January, we need more compelling posts from our artists to build interest in the festival.

Visit to the DeYoung Open & Dinner (Trudy)

Trudy would like to host the Board in San Francisco in November to see the DeYoung Open exhibition and meet for dinner at her home. She will propose a date.

Exhibitions Update: Fresno (Ren)

In October 2024 there will be a juried exhibition of work by ACGA artists and members of the San Joaquin Clay and Glass Association. Details about submitting work will be posted in the ACGA newsletter.

Jury Report (Chris)

At this time the applicant pool for the next jury deadline (October 15) is sparse. The deadline will be extended by two weeks and Ren will boost the announcement on social media. Chris has jurors lined up.

Expanding Volunteer Opportunities (Mari)

Mari suggested creating a link on our website for volunteer opportunities, and assigning the role of Volunteer Coordinator to one of our members.

Recruiting New Board Members (Mari)

It’s time to reach out to our membership to offer spots in the Board election early next year. All Board members are encouraged to contact and nominate anyone who would like a chance to determine future activities and opportunities for ACGA. Board meetings are conducted via Zoom on the second Monday of each month, 5:30-7:00 pm.

All-Member Meeting (Mari)

We are seeking leads on locations for a hybrid All-Member Meeting early next year. Board members will enquire at local libraries and other venues about using conference rooms with Owl technology (or something similar) to combine live and online participation.

ACGA Membership (Mari)

Many of our members need to update their profile pages. Sandy Feder will help Emil with this effort. Mari suggested that an interactive map of our member artists would be a useful tool for people who want to know where they can go to see or buy work that they like.

Next meeting: Monday, November 13, 2023, at 5:30pm, via Zoom

All Members Welcome

By |2023-11-08T17:04:06-08:00November 8th, 2023|Board Meeting|Comments Off on Board Meeting Minutes – October 9, 2023

ACGA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes: June 12, 2023

Agenda

Welcome (Mari)

Robert’s Rules of Order (Mari)

Communications (Susie)

Treasurer’s Report (April)

Festival Report (April)

Artist Demonstrations at the Festival (Joe)

Eligibility of Enamel Work in Festival (Emil)

Date of Next Meeting & Adjourn

The meeting began at 6 p.m. via Zoom

Present: Mari Emori, Cheryl Costantini, April Zilber, Lee Middleman, Emil Yanos, Trudy Chiddix, Joseph Battiato, Barbara Prodaniuk, Susie Rubenstein, Ren Lee, Chris Johnson, Vicki Gunter, Sonja Hinrichsen, Iver Hennig (recorder)

Absent: Sally Jackson, Jan Schachter

Guest: Julie Taber

Welcome (Mari)

This meeting’s timekeeper is Trudy C., stack taker is Barbara P., and substitute recorder is Iver H.

Robert’s Rules of Order (Mari E.)

Mari asked the Board to read and understand Robert’s Rules of Order so that our meetings will run more smoothly.

Communications (Susie R.) 

Our festival publicist, Kathy Bentaieb, has provided a marketing plan summarizing tasks completed and tasks ahead. These include ads in appropriate newsletters and local papers, posts on social media, notifications to our mailing list, a postcard design, and promotional materials for artists to send out to their own mailing lists. There will also be pitches to local TV stations as well as more social media reels featuring festival artists. Board members suggested that we all use a consistent subject line in our communications about the festival. There was also a request for more specifics about how money for publicity is being spent.

Treasurer’s Report (April)

April asked for permission to give Julie Taber, who will be taking over as Treasurer, viewing and downloading privileges for the the Bank of America and PayPal accounts so she can practice preparing reports this year. A vote was taken and the motion passed at 6:25 pm. April reviewed the April and May 2023 financial reports. Cheryl asked if we were looking into banking options to maximize interest rates.

Festival Report (April)  April is waiting to hear from Annie about the cost for security. Booth and volunteer assignments for festival artists have been sent. There are now 111 artists signed up to show at the festival; 18 are showing for the first time. “New Artist” booth signs will be provided to these new artists. It was proposed that next year ACGA retain $20 for administrative expenses from artists who request a booth fee refund. The motion passed at 6:40 pm.

Clay for All is back this year. ACGA volunteers and staff working in this area must make sure that cleanup is thorough, as this has been a concern in the past. It was proposed that a QR code be displayed to make it easier to sign up for our mailing list, and that the information table not have new members volunteering there. A motion to invite Cobb Mountain Art and Ecology to have a sales booth at the festival passed after our Board meeting in May. Cobb Mountain has accepted the invitation for this year’s festival. Bagels and donuts for artists will return to the festival this year. The Artist Party only has a $500 budget, so there will probably be a BYO component.

Artist Demonstrations at the Festival (Joe B.)

Demos will be held on the lawn this year. We’ll need a pottery wheel and a table. One demo spot on Saturday remains to be filled.

Eligibility of Enamel Work in the Clay & Glass Festival (Emil Y.)

The Board considered whether ACGA might allow enamel artists to apply for festival eligibility. Enamel, which is powdered glass fused to a metal backing, does incorporate glass and heat but has not been considered for acceptance in the past. Here are the main points of the discussion:

Glass must be the primary feature. Does the work focus on the chemistry of the glasswork? How much metal is showing? What aspects of the work attract attention?

Which cohort of ACGA should be involved in setting new precedents like this? Should it be the Board of Directors, or the entire membership? Clay and glass will remain our primary focus, but as ACGA evolves and grows, we must emphasize inclusivity and open-mindedness. In the coming weeks, the board will consider the issues, do research, and try to come to a consensus at our August board meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 7:47 pm.

Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m., Monday, August 14, 2023 via Zoom

By |2023-06-29T09:17:04-07:00June 29th, 2023|Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board of Directors Meeting Minutes: June 12, 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes, May 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes

Monday, May 8, 2023 via Zoom

Present: Mari Emori (President), April Zilber (Treasurer), Sally Jackson (Secretary), Chris Johnson, Jan Schachter, Trudy Chiddix, Iver Hennig, Sonja Hinrichsen, Barbara Prodaniuk, Joe Battiato, Susie Rubenstein, Ren Lee, Emil Yanos, Vicki Gunter, Cheryl Costantini, Lee Middleman

The meeting commenced at 5:30 p.m.

Welcome (Mari)

Treasurer’s Report (April)

This month’s report is a draft prepared by April while our bookkeeper is away. A final report will be presented to the Board in June. As of April 30, our total assets are $113,967. For the year-to-date through April, we have received $40,739 in income and paid $22,581 in expenses. Festival expenses will continue to mount in the coming weeks. Our 2022 taxes have been filed and fees paid.

Clarify and Vote on April Board Meeting Minutes (Sally)

The April Board Meeting minutes have been modified to address further comments about our discussion on the range of clay and glass work to accept for jurying. The edited minutes have been approved.

Artist-of-the-Month (Emil)

Emil has received feedback from the Board about how to choose our Artist-of-the-Month. After a long discussion, we agreed to call this slot “Member Spotlight” and to require that applicants include information about themselves and their career story in their application. Emil is responsible for reviewing the applications and will reach out to other Board members for input. In coming months he will feature artists who have recently juried in.

Festival eligibility & resident artist programs (Mari, Sally)

Mari was recently in conversation with the director of a resident artist program in ceramics. He asked if he and the group of artists living and working there could have a sales booth at the Clay & Glass Festival. The Board discussed the pros and cons of including this type of well-established program with a changing roster of artists each year. Sally will draft a proposal for Board members to review and comment on.

Festival eligibility and glass artists from a wider community (Chris)

There was further discussion clarifying our policy about stained glass art and modification by heat in both clay and glass. The Board also discussed the possibility that artists who make cannabis paraphernalia might apply for the festival. The Board will check with the Palo Alto Art Center to see if there is a policy addressing this.

The meeting adjourned at 7:08 p.m.

Next Meeting: Monday, June 12, 2023, at 5:30 pm via Zoom.

Board Members will receive the Zoom link with the Agenda.

By |2023-06-07T17:45:06-07:00June 7th, 2023|ACGA News, Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board Meeting Minutes, May 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes: April 2023

ACGA Board Meeting Minutes

April 10, 2023 via Zoom

Present: Mari Emori (president), April Zilber (treasurer), Sally Jackson (secretary), Joe Battiato, Chris Johnson, Lee Middleman, Cheryl Costantini, Emil Yanos, Iver Hennig, Trudy Chiddix, Vicki Gunter, Sonja Hinrichsen, Jan Schachter, Susie Rubenstein, Ren Lee, Barbara Prodaniuk

The meeting commenced at 5:30 p.m.

Welcome (Mari)

The new newsletter goes out to our general mailing list of 5000+ names. If members don’t renew, we’ll switch them to this mailing list so that they still receive the newsletter.

Treasurer’s Report (April)

Total assets as of March 30 were $116,911. We’ve received 34% of our budgeted income for the year. We discussed whether to modify how we handle some of our investment money in order maximize returns. April will look into current options, including CDs.

Festival Report (April)

The volunteer sign-up form for festival artists will go out soon. Postcard design is underway. We currently have 105 artists signed up for the show. Ren would like everyone to submit photos of last year’s festival, especially photos that show happy customers, sales in progress, booths, and so on (no milling crowds). The website will begin to highlight and update festival information with help from our publicist Kathy Maug.

Communications (Susie)

Please continue to submit material to the newsletter and the calendar. A link to the calendar will be added to the newsletter. Interviews with artists like the one in the April 2023 newsletter will continue to give ACGA a more public face. Emphasis will alternate between ceramics and glass. Posts on Instagram will do more as far as spreading news, information, and announcements. Tag the ACGA (#theacga, @theacga) in your posts and Ren will repost them. We now have 14,000 followers on Instagram.

Zoom Access (April)

We are in the process of working out a way for some board members to have access to the Zoom account for board meetings and committee meetings. Meetings would have to be scheduled so that they don’t overlap.

Jury (Chris)

We’ve received 23 applications for the current jurying. Discussion focused on whether to modify a long-standing “modified by heat” rule for clay and glass artists; this rule excludes stained-glass artists from festival eligibility. The Board voted 15-1 to accept applications from stained-glass artists, effective immediately. Jurors will evaluate the work using the same strict artistic criteria as applied to other types of submissions.

Storage Unit (April)

There are storage units in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara that are less expensive than our unit in Berkeley. April will pick a location and a convenient date this month for moving everything, and she’ll recruit volunteers to help.

Exhibitions (Jan, Susie)

We’re still working on trying to set up a future exhibition with Benicia Arts.

In Santa Cruz, we’re working with the gallery Curated by the Sea to organize an exhibition that will open in early April 2024 and will run for several weeks.

Susie is exploring the possibility of an exhibition at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut, CA.

Artist-of-the-Month (Emil)

Emil is working out a protocol for choosing the Artist-of-the-Month for our website, and asked that we email him our ideas by the end of the month. We agree that this feature should highlight both established artists and emerging artists.

The meeting adjourned at 7:15 p.m.

Next Meeting: 5:30 p.m., Monday, May 8, 2023 via Zoom

All are welcome!

By |2023-05-09T20:23:33-07:00May 9th, 2023|Board Meeting|Comments Off on ACGA Board Meeting Minutes: April 2023
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