Association of Clay and Glass Artists of California

Letter From the President

2012-01-27T07:20:00.000-08:00

A new year, a new day. My resolution this year is easy, cause I had the same resolution last year: less thinking, more doing. While less thinking may sound like a bad thing, especially when you're doing something like talking or driving, less thinking is actually doing your mind a favor. My thinking is mostly about two things: what I should have done in the past, and what I want to do in the future. Focusing on being in the moment and what I can do right now is my new year resolution.

This dovetails nicely with my goals for the ACGA. Just in case you didn't know, I was overwhelmingly voted in as your president for another 2-year term. It's true no one ran against me, so a landslide was the forgone conclusion. Victory is sweet, let me tell you. With two more years to go, I want to do a better job helping guide the ACGA, and that means more of the "doing" thing. My goal, in a nutshell, is to make ACGA membership something recognizably and tangibly beneficial to all its members, such as creating more access to resources like marketing support and networking with peers. Also, I notice whenever ACGA members get together, they just love talking shop, hanging out, and brainstorming together. I want to create more opportunities for member events that are free, fun, and provide occasions to get together and... do something!

At the recent annual retreat we made a list of ideas to help achieve this goal, and you can read my report below to get more details. The next day I thought of a fun event the help our members with Facebook networking, called "Liking Me, Liking You" which Erin McGuiness and I are going to host on Thursday, March 1. Again, please read details below to participate in person or virtually.

Finally, we have a new member to welcome the Board of Directors, Kathy Pallie. I want to extend a warm welcome to Kathy, and encourage our members to check out her work right here.

I hope everyone has a healthy and happy 2012.

Whitney

Report from the Annual Retreat

2012-01-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

This is a brief summary of the goals and ideas outlined during our retreat.

Putting up videos of members on the ACGA website and Facebook page. The videos could be demonstrations, studio tours, interviews, etc.
Set aside and area at the Clay and Glass Festival for showing the work of brand-new ACGA members.
Working on outreach through schools and education. Being a mentor. Legitimizing art making as a real job.
Hiring a professional for ACGA's social media and membership development.
Promote member Open Studios during the holiday months with an email blast to customers.
Develop the ACGA customer email list, especially during the Clay and Glass Festival and other exhibitions.
Developing partnerships with clay and glass related businesses.
Get together more often!

Do any of these ideas get you excited? Have an idea of your own that you think could enhance your experience with being a member of the ACGA? Post your comments here.

Letter from the President

2011-12-19T15:36:00.000-08:00

The end of the year drains away like sand in an hourglass. It's hard to think past the all-encompassing holidays, but there is life beyond December. First and foremost, the annual ACGA Board Retreat has been scheduled for Saturday, January 7, from 10 am to 4 pm in Oakland. Please see retreat details in this newsletter to get more details. The retreat is a great opportunity to meet and mingle with your ACGA colleagues, discuss important issues affecting the membership, and also, get a free lunch. I just love free lunch.

A good retreat is a lively retreat with a full house, so I invite all members, exhibiting and associate, to attend and contribute their ideas and thoughts. ACGA is a volunteer organization, and we cannot improve or make the ACGA more relevant to you life if we don't know what you're thinking. So don't be shy! Some topics on this year's roster will cover membership development through schools and workshops, online marketing and media, and creating a Bay Area wide open studio tour of member studios. Do any of these topics get you thinking or perk your interest? If so, be sure to RSVP, bring your notebook and pen, and prepare to participate!

I wish everyone a sane and pleasant holiday, and a very happy new year.

Whitney

Letter From the President

2011-11-22T08:50:00.001-08:00

What are you grateful for? This is the question at this time of year. I was thinking about this as I was pushing my way through the grocery store trying to shop for Thanksgiving dinner. The buzz in the air was tense, if not downright hostile around the meat counter, where I picked up a tag that was 18 numbers away from being called. I looked around at the people surrounding me and noticed my body was showing physical signs of panic: shallow breathing, fluttery heartbeat, stomach tightening, my face pulling into a tight ball of frustration. I thought, "Why don't these people go home so I can shop in peace?" I know people were looking at me and thinking the exact same thing.

Melting down in the grocery store while trying to pick up a turkey suddenly seemed like the worst kind of holiday cliche: Woman Having Holiday Nervous Breakdown in Public. Why, exactly, did I need to shop in peace? I live in Oakland. Shopping in peace is for people who live somewhere else. Why was it a big deal to wait 10 minutes for one of the harried meat counter people finally get to my number? What is the point of getting all upset because I can't have what I think I want-- a world emptied of people getting in the way-- which is impossible to have anyway?

These thoughts, which I pondered while waiting my turn at the turkey counter, led me to this: It's not all about gratitude. I have a lot to be grateful for, but that doesn't help me in moments like this. It's also about being of service to other people. Helping others is something the has some action to it, movement, and focus. Giving people your time and attention is the most valuable thing all of us have to give. Whether that's volunteering your time at a non-profit or showing more patience and kindness to annoying people getting in the way in the grocery store, taking the time to help other people get through life is a contribution almost all of us can make, every day, in every interaction we have. I'm working on it.

I hope everybody had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with edible food, annoying people we could practice being patient with, and also, people we love and care about.

Whitney

Letter from the President

2011-11-03T08:59:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I have to write a president's letter that is not about studio practice or creative philosophy, but tends to some straight up ACGA business. This is one of those times! What's on my mind right now is gathering up some willing and warm bodies who are interested in serving as board members. Why serve? Because the only thing that keeps our sweet little organization humming along are the people who take the time to make it happen. We need voices from our group to help decide how to spend money, where to hold exhibits, what new projects we should undertake, and most of all, how we can improve. Being a board member is mostly about showing up once a month to our board meetings, paying attention, and caring about our glass and ceramic art community. Who can serve? Anyone who is an ACGA member, exhibiting or associate. Meetings are usually not an artist's favorite thing to do, but we try to make it painless by meeting for dinner beforehand, and keeping the meetings focused, and occasionally hosting at different locales. Thinking about it? Give me a call or send me an email so I can talk you into it!

Some other news: I'm happy to announce that Forrest Lesch-Middleton has agreed to step in as ACGA's new vice-president after Cynthia Siegel recently stepped down. I want to thank Cynthia for her sure-footed and practical point of view, which I deeply appreciated when I needed her opinion or advice. You may have caught Forrest's beautiful work on the cover of Ceramics Monthly magazine recently. It's an honor to be working with Forrest, and I hope you will take a moment to check out Forrest's work at flmceramics.com http://www.flmceramics.com/FLM_ceramics/Welcome.html.

Letter from the President

2011-09-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

Plant, tend, harvest, repeat. This mantra was going through my head recently as I tore out the last of our summer beans, which were so prolific this year I had to spend a day canning dilly beans back in July, or face being totally overwhelmed by more beans than me or all of my friends could eat. I'm just learning how to garden in the past couple of seasons. After years of planting a bunch of stuff in my yard that quickly died of neglect, I finally figured out how plants thrived with a bit of attention and consistent watering. It's become my habit to check in on the garden daily and make sure everything is coming along, and I'm rewarded with flowers and good things to eat. In the winter, when the garden is basically fallow and rains take care of the plants that are there, I make plans for next year's garden, and always hope for better results.

Gardening is really not much different than being an artist and running a studio. You come up with your ideas, you run with them for a while and make work, you (hopefully) sell it off or place it in loving homes, and then you start all over again. Plant, tend, harvest, repeat.

Of course there is the fallow period, the time where you are ready for new things, new ideas, new work, but it's not quite there yet. If you're like me, and I tend to think I'm like most artists, I get a bit anxious when I'm in that fallow time. I start copying myself for lack of anything better to do, I question why I'm even an artist, and I have dark thoughts about my longevity as a creator. It's can be a challenging period of time, and I have no quick fixes. I try to feed my brain with inspiring art, get lots of sleep, and don't get too invested in any one thing I may be working on in the studio, but treat it all as practice until I find that vein of gold again. Practice is all we're doing anyway, nothing is really done or final in our work until we can simply no longer make it. What do you think?

Happy Fall!
Whitney

Letter From the President

2011-09-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

I want to say "thank you" to all of our exhibitors and support staff who participated in the Clay and Glass Festival in Rinconada Park this year. Special recognition goes to our Festival producer, Mary Lou Atkins who made the transition to the park seamless, and to our publicist, Sharon Poyner, who drummed up press attention for our group and individual members. Any remaining skepticism that they show would suffer from being in a new, temporary location was vanquished by strong sales for many exhibitors, and good attendance by our loyal customers. I think everyone agreed that the park was a wonderful place to hold the Festival, and many attendees did not even notice the new location!

So, what's next? As I'm writing this we are in the waning days of summer, which always brings mixed feelings of sadness and dread, a holdover from the many years of attending school and the loss of freedom it brought every September. Even to this day I cannot look at a yellow school bus without feeling anxiety. Maybe it's time for me to get over that. Now that I run my own life without much interference from outside authorities, September is a time to feel a renewed sense of energy after summer vacation. There is the holiday season coming up, which always holds promise for lots of sales and an opportunity to introduce the new work I've been rolling around in my brain. Then, there's also the recognition that I was just here, a year ago, and the holiday season is going to be over before I know it, as will the next year, and the year after that. Maybe that's what fall does to all of us. It reminds us that everything is temporary, even 12 years of school, time goes by so fast, and it's all going to be over before we know it. Dang, can I have just one more month of summer... please?

Letter from the President

2011-06-29T08:03:00.000-07:00

July is just a few days away, and for many exhibiting members of the ACGA, that means the Clay and Glass Festival. For me, the Festival is one of the most enjoyable shows I do every year. It's a time to re-connect with ACGA members who I otherwise do not see throughout the year, as well as some of my customers and collectors. I put on the best game face I have for the Festival: my best work, my best display, and hopefully, my best self.

The show also signals that high summer is here, which means some well-deserved time off from the everyday production at my studio. I've been thinking lately about how the American work ethic is so ingrained in me that I often burn myself out at the studio, so when vacation time rolls around I don't even want to think about clay. It often seems like I'm going from one extreme to the other, working so hard that I hurt my brain and well-being, to working not at all to recover. I'm thinking this approach lacks balance, that magical state of being I hear people talking about. Is your studio practice balanced? If so, what are your words of wisdom for achieving balance, if only temporarily? If not, what practices do you think would help you have a more balanced approach? I often hear "balance" as a prescription for many things that ail us in our modern, fast-paced Western culture. What do you think?

I hope to see you all the Festival!

Palo Alto Preview

2011-06-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a small sample of the amazing artwork to be seen at the Palo Alto Clay & Glass Festival. All of the pieces pictured here are from ACGA member artists who have shops on Etsy.com. Click on a piece you like and you will be taken to that artists shop on Etsy.

Letter from the President

2011-05-27T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's countdown time for the artists participating in the Clay and Glass Festival in Palo Alto this year. The Festival is my biggest retail show of the year, and I'm sure the same is true for many others. It is also the ACGA's largest source of revenue, which allows us to not only put on the show again next year, but do all the other things that we do to make the ACGA a viable and useful organization. Each member plays a vital role in making the show a success, by making fabulous work that people want to purchase year after year, and by promoting the show to your community and customers.

Promotion can get overwhelming, especially for artists who are busy being creative in their studios. I've put together a "Promotion To-Do Checklist" for artists to take some of the guesswork out of it, so you have a little bit of extra energy to actually get it done!

To do today: edit ACGA member web page with recent images and updated information.
June 1-7: send a "save the date" email to customers with a digital postcard, links to the ACGA website and your website.
Week of June 21: mail show postcard to customers.
June 14-21: Post the event to your Facebook page, along with an album of recent work.
June 27-July 1: send an email reminder to customers with your booth information and pertinent links.

A word about email: sending a regular email with lots of recipients will often wind up in people's "junk" mail. I strongly encourage you to check out many of email services that are available today so you can send out an email that is formatted for images and links, and will go straight to the inbox of recipients. You can also track who is opening your email! I've tried many of them, including Constant Contact, iContact, and Vertical Response. I use MadMimi, which I've found to be the most cost-effective and easiest to use for me. Most of these services offer the first month free, so take some time and check it out.

A final piece of business: in the ACGA's continuing quest to save money on printing costs and be more green, we've moved the Member Directory online. You can download it as a PDF if you want to keep it stored on your computer or even print it out, or simply log in to the ACGA website to access the member directory there. If you are now still receiving the newsletter in print form, we will be sending you a hard copy this time. But please be aware that member contact information is readily accessible by other registered ACGA members online now, and the ACGA "phonebook" is going the way of the Yellow Pages... onto the web!

More from Etsy

2011-05-22T09:25:00.000-07:00

Here is another collection of beautiful work by ACGA members who have a shop on Etsy. Many of these artists will also be at the upcoming Palo Alto Clay & Glass Festival, July 9 and 10, at Rinconada Park in Palo Alto. For details visit www.clayglassfestival.com
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ACGA on Etsy

2011-04-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

ACGA is now on Etsy, an on-line marketplace for things handmade. Here is a curated list, or Etsy Treasury, of work by some of our members.

Letter from the President

2011-04-20T08:57:00.000-07:00

When news of the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami reached our shores, I think many Californians felt an instant connection with what the Japanese people were going through, as well as a shared sense of dread of our own vulnerability and fault lines. I experienced the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake near the epicenter in downtown Santa Cruz, and while the experience devastated my 19 year-old sense of immortality, it also brought to light some basic truths: we all live fragile lives, everything can be taken away in a moment, and nothing stays the same. There are practical ways to respond, with earthquake preparation and emergency plans, but the bottom line is all we really have is each other in times of crisis. And maybe, a three-day supply of water and canned beans.

I went to Japan for a residency in 2007 and was so gratified to be in a country where pottery is respected as a fine art. My former host, Ryoji Matsumiya, runs a production pottery along with his many other artistic and business endeavors. Thankfully, his business was only superficially affected by the earthquake, and he and his staff immediately jumped into the relief efforts by pledging 15,000 handmade cups to the people who have lost everything. You can read about what they are doing and see their progress right here.

For me, I get overwhelmed by these disasters. The need is so large and I feel so small, and I always wonder about donating to big charities where the cost of their overhead can eat up so much of the donation. I was directed to the Mashiko Potters Fund by another ACGA member, where money is being raised by a gallery in Boston and sent directly to a group of artists in Japan to help them rebuild their kilns and pottery. I felt that my contribution, while small, was going to people who really needed every dollar, and would put it to immediate use. Perhaps more of our members know of other places to donate, where the money goes directly to those in need? If so, please post it on our Facebook page to help spread the word.

Letter from the President

2011-04-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Marketing has been on my mind lately. I've been running some numbers for my business and realizing it's time to shake off the winter doldrums and bump things up a bit. Marketing is a word I dislike, because I do not want to "market" my work, I just want the world to see how beautiful my pottery is and buy it without me having to shill. I think it's not unusual for artists to have an aversion to marketing because of its connotations and connection to the "marketplace" when we would rather float above the dirty business of commerce and focus on creating works of art. But let's get real: unless you plan to give away all of your work -- or store it in a massive warehouse for eternity-- if you are making art, you probably want to sell it if for no other reason than to get it out of your studio so you can make more. If you want to sell, you have to think about marketing. But how can we, as artists, pursue marketing in a way that makes us feel like it is reflecting our work, our values, and our creativity?

One of the things to think about is developing your "story" as an artist. It's the story of who you are and what your work represents in the world. I think we are all aware that traditional advertising and marketing is no longer what hooks us anymore, it's too boring, it doesn't stand out. What stands out is the personal, the authentic, the tale of how things came to be. This is the real meat of what interests buyers, what makes them want to make that move to spending actual money on a piece of your work. Your story is speaking to them and they want that tale told, over and over again, in the form of your artwork in their home.

Telling your story is an art in itself, and takes time, work, and refinement to get it just right. Have you thought about what your story is? Have you put it down an paper and read it over to see if it is a compelling story that really tells your customers about you? I'm sure most of us need a little help in this department, so I've posted some handy links to get you started and motivated:

Make Amazing Art, Be Authentic, Tell Your Stories, and the Art Will Sell

Art Marketing is Conversation

You Need a Marketing Story

The Art & Business of Crafting Your Online Self

Many of these posts have more helpful links, so put aside a few hours for some reading, writing and inspiration, and tell us your story!

letter from the president: facebook

2011-02-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

I don't mean to put you on the spot, but do you like us? I mean really really "like" us? The quotation marks might be a tip off to some of you that I'm referring to the "like" feature on Facebook. Did you know the ACGA has a Facebook fan page? Not many do, because the last time I checked, we only had 133 fans. For an organization with over 500 members, so few fans tells me we have some work to do on the fan page.

If you have a Facebook profile already, please look us up at facebook.com/ClayandGlass and hit that "like" button! Once you "like" us, you can post on the ACGA wall, and I invite you to do so. What's appropriate for the ACGA fan page? Basically, anything related to clay and glass, especially the activities of our members. Are you having an open studio or have you recently updated your website? Post it to the wall. Any clay or glass related links you find interesting including exhibit opportunities, technique articles, or artist profiles can easily be shared with others by posting it to the wall. If you have some new work you are excited about, upload the images to our wall and invite comments!

Do you have a facebook page? If you do, please "like" us right away, and then invite all of your friends to like us!

letter from the president

2011-01-28T15:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of our members! A fresh years means some new people on our Board of Directors. We have three new Board Members to welcome, Forrest Lesch Middelton, Guangzhen "Po" Zhou, and Jean Cherie. I am always gratified to have new people on the Board, and I hope these three are as excited as I am to have them contributing to the running of our organization.

If you missed our annual ACGA retreat on February 9, there were many topics discussed concerning the future of our organization. As president, my primary interest in the ACGA is making it a viable, supportive organization for clay and glass artists practicing their craft, now and in the future. The ACGA can only do all that it does by ensuring a dependable flow of revenue that helps to support our activities. We have several revenue sources, the primary ones being membership dues and the sales from the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival. While the PACGF continues to be a successful show in many ways, as seen by the high-quality work shown and continued steady attendance by patrons and fans, the hard fact is we are steadily losing ground in revenue. This is due to rising costs and lower sales gross, a deadly combination. To mitigate some of the losses, the Board voted on a small booth fee hike of $25. I feel strongly that this increase is necessary to alleviate some of the financial pressures of putting on the Festival. We have not increased the booth fee in seven years, and many on the Board felt it was time. We all dislike raising booth fees for any reason, and I want our members to know that we are cutting costs where it is possible to avoid putting more debt burden on our members in the future.

While I am on the subject of the Palo Alto show, I want to mention our publicist, Sharon Poynor, is always looking for fresh angles and stories to help get word to the public about our incredible artists, and you can help her by sending her your stories and ideas for publicity. What new and interesting work will you be bringing? What's special and different about you and your work? Answering these questions and sending your thoughts to Sharon will help her craft the best publicity possible. Even if you are not showing at Palo Alto, any fresh concept or idea for publicity is welcomed by our publicist, so please email her at sharon@poynorpr.com Someone mentioned at the retreat that it is easy to be lazy when it comes to publicity and assume that the ACGA has a handle on it. While we do the best we possibly can to publicize the the Palo Alto show, it is up to all of us as individuals to help contribute to the overall success of the show by communicating with our audience.

Ideas? Comments? Post them here!

ACGA Clay & Glass Exhibition Opening - January 22, 2011

2011-01-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

A large crowd of residents, artists and friends attended the opening of the ACGA Clay and Glass National Exhibition at the City of Brea Art Gallery on January 22nd. The gallery director, Christina Hasenberg, as well as the Brea Community Services manager, Emily Keller, commented on how pleased they were with the quality of work on display and the reaction of gallery patrons to it. Many attendees were overheard to say “it’s great to see three dimensional art in the gallery” and “the quality of this work is amazing”.

JURY STATEMENT FOR ACGA
Submitted by Jo Lauria, January 2011

It was both a pleasure and an honor to serve as the juror for the ACGA’s Clay and Glass National Competition. As I was reviewing the work in this competition, I felt that one of my primary judicial duties was to uphold and reaffirm the ACGA’s stated mission: to promote “high standards of craftsmanship and design in clay and glass.” This was the starting point, the bench mark, against which all entries would be evaluated. However, there were several other important factors that contributed to the decision-making process. I’d like to walk you through the “trail of thinking” that resulted in the selection of 81 exceptional objects.
More than 150 artists entered this competition and submitted over 400 works for consideration. Demographically, these artists represent twenty-eight states of the union, with a higher concentration of artists living in California (understandably as the ACGA is California-based). Clay works dominated the submissions, accounting for more than 80% of the entries. This is reflected in the final selection; a walk through the galleries will reveal that there are more works on display made of clay.

Sifting through the 400+ works brought to the surface several prevalent ideas and approaches that artists working in both fields of clay and glass found to be fertile ground. Some of the more engaging concepts and topics included: explorations of ornament and its genesis in the patterns of nature; the sculptural potential of the vessel; the emotive potency of narrative sculptures, whether stylized, abstracted or representational; the unapologetic celebration of Beauty and her twin, the Seductress of virtuosic technique; and investigations of presentation strategies--ranging from works strung on wires, scattered across walls, and perched on pillows and plinths. Overall, it was a feast for the eyes to see all the variations on a theme. As expected, the judging process was challenging as there were more worthy pieces submitted than could be accommodated in the gallery space. Ultimately it was the inventive use and deft handling of materials and techniques, combined with an imaginative approach to subject matter, which brought any one piece into focus.

I hope the selection of objects on exhibit here in the City of Brea Art Gallery—displayed beautifully in this stunning, light-filled space—provokes interest and stimulates discussion about what is current in the discourse on Craft and Makers. I think the artworks selected for the exhibition point to a very promising future for the fields of clay and glass.

The exhibition will be on view through March 4th. City of Brea Art Gallery, One Civic Center Circle, Brea CA, 714-990-7730, Wed. thru Sun., noon to 5 pm, Adults 2.00

www.breagallery.com

ACGA Clay & Glass Exhibition Opening

2011-01-15T08:14:00.000-08:00

Please join ACGA for the opening reception of the ACGA Clay & Glass National Juried Exhibition

Saturday, January 22nd, from 7 to 9 pm.

For this co-sponsored exhibition, ACGA and the City of Brea Art Gallery solicited and juried 400 fine art clay and glass entries from across the United States, selecting the 80 best artworks for the show. The juror, Jo Lauria, is a nationally recognized curator, historian and author specializing in contemporary crafts and decorative arts.

The Brea Art Gallery is located at the corner of Randolph Ave. and Birch St. at the Brea Civic & Cultural Center, Plaza Level. For more information, call 714-990-7730 or send an email to breagallery@cityofbrea.net. Gallery Hours: Wednesday through Sunday: 12-5 p.m. Closed: Monday, Tuesday and Holidays Admission: Adults – $2, Children under 12 – FREE

ACGA Clay & Glass National

2010-12-21T17:53:00.000-08:00

Kelly Berning, The Proportionist, Ceramic

The ACGA Clay and Glass National will open at the City of Brea Art Gallery January 22, 2011, with a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Congratulations to all of the artists whose artwork was accepted, and thank you to all who applied. Approximately 400 pieces were entered into the competition and 82 works were selected by the juror, Jo Lauria, to be displayed. The exhibition awards are:

First Place - Kelly Berning, Fallbrook, CA

Second Place - Bill Zarvis, Bethel Park, PA

Third Place - Julia Feld, San Jose, CA

Juror's Award - Gary Marsh, Novato, CA

All of the artists juried into the exhibition are:

Shannon Abac, Steve Allen, Sonia D. Barrios-Roman, Steve Belz, Kelly Berning, Trent Berning, David Bogus, Monica Chapon, A. Blair Clemo, Nan Coffin, Jim Connell, Annette Corcoran, Patrick S. Crabb, Jean Nunez Donegan, Luz Mack-Durini, Virginia Eckinger, Pamela Eisenmann, Gary Erickson, Julia Feld, Mark Goudy, Rowan Harrison, Bill Heiderich, Michael Hermann/Gina Lunn, David Hooker, John W. Hopkins, Stephen Horn, Christina Lynn Johnson, Tasha Kali, Shane M. Keena, Yumi Kiyose, Noriko Kuresumi, Heldegard Linggawidjaja, Mary Alison Lucas, Gary Marsh, Lynne Meade, Peter Meyer, Kate E. Nelson, Kevin Bradford Nierman, Beth Ozarow, Kathy Pallie, Peter Pincus, Tom Post, Barbara Prodaniuk, Charlene Doiron Reinhart, Michelle Rial, Liza Riddle, Gail Ritchie, Audrey Rosulek, Bethany Rusen, Jonnie Russell, Adrian Sandstrom, Carla Sarvis, Yoko Sekino-Bove, Jose Sierra, Amanda Small, Linda Smith, Aimee Sones, Penelope Comfort Starr, Kala Stein, Staria Stine, Wangling C. Stokes, Cheryl Tall, Charles Timm-Ballard, Kent Tool, Adam Waimon, James Wayne, Ian Winsemius, Cheryl Wolff, Fred Yokel, Bill Zarvis

The City of Brea Art Gallery is located at One Civic Center Circle, Brea, California 92821. It is open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 5 p.m., $2 admission, exhibition closes March 4. Visit http://www.breagallery.com/

Bill Zarvis, Emerging Green, Glass

Julia Feld, The Bridge, Ceramic

Letter from the President: The ACGA Jury

2010-12-01T07:24:00.000-08:00

Before I became president of the ACGA, I was on the Board of Directors for many years. One of the many persistent, ongoing issues that are brought up from our members and from the Board itself is the jury system. Everybody knows jurying into the ACGA as an exhibiting member is a tough process. Prospective exhibiting members have to haul their work to San Francisco, hang out for a few hours while the jury considers their work, and then drive home late in the evening. It's trying, and nerve-wracking. Most people in any group of candidates do not get in. Many exhibiting ACGA members have had to jury two or three times to get in.

The jury's judgment about work is subjective, but it is not capricious. I've been on the jury several times over the years and I've always been impressed by the seriousness of purpose the jury members bring to the process. The ACGA's mission statement is to establish and maintain high standards of craftsmanship and design in clay and glass, and as the jury considers each person's work, that standard is held first and foremost in each juror's mind. Matters of personal taste are put aside as the work is evaluated. Long discussions ensue when the jury is split. Work is held and examined from different angles. Jurors step back and examine the body as a whole. And then, when everybody has had time to formulate and opinion about the work, there is a vote, and the majority rules.

Even with this careful process, there is no doubt that it is imperfect. Most members of the jury do not feel happy to turn away so many. I know as a former juror that I walk away from the process feeling a bit deflated that it is not perfect, worried that the people who get turned down will not be willing to try again. I think it is always worth a second or third shot, even more if it is important to you. But I hear from people, and I know that there are people out there who are not willing to go through the process again. I often wonder of there is a more perfect way to jury work, of making sure that people do not fall through the cracks.

I like to hear about people's experiences with the jury, whether good or bad. Members, both associate and exhibiting, should know that the jury process has been refined over the years and changes made in response to feedback. There are certain things that cannot change, we cannot lower the standard. But there are always tweaks that can be made, ways to make the jury process more perfect. What are your ideas?

Whitney

Letter from the President: Here we come Rinconada!

2010-10-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

I'm assuming everybody knows we are not holding the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival at the Art Center next year. If you didn't know that, well: we are not holding the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival at the Art Center next year! The Art Center will be undergoing some long-planned renovations and will be closed at the time of our show in 2011. We will be holding the 2011 Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival at Rinconada Park, conveniently located right across the street from Palo Alto. If you take a peek at Rinconada on a satellite map, the show will held in and around the tree covered area West of the Fire Station, and in the big tear-drop shaped grass area a bit north.

I am really excited about having our show at Rinconada Park. I walked the grounds last week with our promoter, Mary Lou Atkins, and other members of the PACG sub-committee, planning where and how booths would be arranged. I am happy to report that any fears I had about the park not being big enough or an otherwise inappropriate venue have been laid to rest. Mary Lou easily placed all of the booths, so there is no issue with some artists getting shut out due to space. We will not have an indoor area, but we will be renting a large tent and placing it on the cement splash pad that is tucked away in some trees just South and West of the Rinconada Pool for our artists who are usually in the Studio area. Being under a tent is not exactly the same as being indoors, so for those artists usually inside, please think about the potential problems you may have ahead of time and let us know what we can do to help create a solution.

The biggest problem with changing venues is educating our customers about the location of the new show so we don't lose potential sales. We are working closely with the staff at the Art Center on this issue and they will be helping us with volunteers to direct patrons, and of course we will have plainly visible signage to help people along across the street. Fortunately Rinconada is easily seen from the Art Center and a quick hop across Newell Road, so I think the confusion will be minimal.

The application for 2011 will be coming out soon. Please take the extra time you will need to thoroughly read the application and understand the adjustments everybody will have to make to participate in the show and make it go smoothly for all concerned.

Questions? Ideas? Concerns? Please write to me via email or post a comment under this article on our blog.

Exhibition Opportunities Source

2010-09-30T13:54:00.000-07:00

There is only a month to go until October 30th, the postmark deadline to enter the ACGA Clay & Glass National Juried Competition. Here are some things to think about before sending in your entry. If your work is to hang from the ceiling it should not exceed 40 pounds. All other work should not weigh more than 100 pounds, and not exceed 60 inches in any direction. Multi-section or segmented work is welcome. Work too fragile for public display should not be entered. For questions about the show email 2011acganational@gmail.com For a prospectus go to www.acga.net and look for a link on the right side of the homepage.

Looking for others places to show your work? Check out Art Opportunities Monthly. The ACGA National is listed there as well as many other competitions.
http://www.artopportunitiesmonthly.com

Letter from the President

2010-09-20T12:20:00.000-07:00

For the past three weeks, I've been traveling with my husband through Belgium and Holland, completely by bicycle. This is a trip we've been planning for over a year, and dreaming about for far longer. Since I've been spending hour after hour pedaling my bike, primarily in contemplative silence throughout the countryside, I've had plenty of time to think about the effects of travel and what it means to me.

When I was an adolescent and thinking about the way I wanted to live as an adult, I thought traveling the world would be one of my main priorities in life, and I could think of no other reason to work, except to earn enough money to travel. As I got old enough to start traveling, I realized that travel is actually quite taxing, and not always the transcendental experience I wanted it to be. While moments of wonderment and joy do happen, they are passing, like everything else. As I've been on this trip doing some of my favorite things in life-- bicycling, drinking the world's best beer, eating fried food, and hanging out with my husband-- I'm all too aware that I am unfortunately still me, and people are still people. While bicycling 35 km from Gent to Brugge in a downpour is a challenge, it's nothing compared to what goes on inside my own head.

I think it is a shared human experience to want to escape from ourselves, at least temporarily, and there are many ways to try and accomplish that. As we pedaled across endless canals in Holland on our way into Amsterdam, I realized that there are only a couple of things in life that work as an "escape hatch" for me, and one of them is creating pottery. Travel helps feed my curiosity and creative impulse to keep the engines turning, but creating art is my ultimate journey, my reason for being. I think many people in the ACGA share the same journey, and my question is: what feeds your artistic sensibilities? Are you doing the things you need to do to keep your art from just feeding on itself? These are questions every artist faces, I'd love to hear your answers.

ACGA National

2010-09-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that the entry deadline for ACGA's first national juried competition is only two months away, with an October 30th postmark. This competition is open to all US artists who create handmade clay and glass artwork. You do not need to join ACGA to enter. The show will take place January 22 through March 4, 2011, at the City of Brea Art Gallery in southern California near Los Angeles.

ACGA members and City of Brea residents are entitled to a discounted entry fee. They can enter three pieces for the entry price of two ($25), or enter two pieces for the price of one ($15). An entry of just one piece will not be discounted.

It is a good idea to have your artwork professionally photographed. Entries must be submitted on a CD, at 300 dpi, no longer that 6 inches, and jpg format. In the San Francisco area I can recommend J. Jones as a photographer, 415-773-8784. In Los Angeles I like K&M Photography, 310-306-7574, www.kmdigitalphoto.com, ask for Tim. Most photographers will resize your images and put them on a CD for a small extra fee.

Go to www.acga.net for a link to the prospectus. Email questions to 2011ACGAnational@gmail.com

Letter From the President

2010-08-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone who showed their work at the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival had a good show and even better sales, though I know some people did not. As I'm sure many already guessed, our sales were down this year. It is easy to explain it by saying it's the economy or maybe even World Cup! But I happen to think there are any factors at work when it comes to whether or not people buy at any given show, and the economy is just one factor.

Two weeks after Palo Alto, I did another show at Fort Mason called the Renegade Craft Fair. The Renegade Fair is a very different show from Palo Alto in that it highlights "indie craft and design," a term that is partially a code word for the next generation of young, emerging craftspeople and artists. Despite the differences between Palo Alto and Renegade, I couldn't help but compare certain aspects of the two shows. While Palo Alto caters to a sophisticated and educated buyer/collector, the Renegade largely brings in the 20 and 30-somethings, younger people who are just starting to establish homes and families, and are very interested in buying handmade and local.

The Renegade crowd doesn't have the big bucks that we see in Palo Alto, but what the two audiences have in common are a serious dedication to connecting to artists and learning to appreciate handcrafted items. It made me think about how many of our audience members at Palo Alto are getting older, and not as interested in collecting anymore as they retire and move into smaller homes and a different phase of life. Even many of our exhibiting members are getting older and to be frank, I do not see the next generation of clay and glass artists replacing them in our exhibiting membership. Where will that leave the ACGA in another 15 years?

As your "next generation" president, one of my interests is bringing in the next group of emerging artists and buyers to our association. But I can't do it by myself. Paying dues and showing up once at year at Palo Alto isn't enough to keep the ACGA relevant and interesting. I need members with ideas, energy, and a dedication to being active within our community. Come to a board meeting to pitch an idea, mentor a younger artist through the jury process, write an article for the newsletter. These are just a couple of things any member can do to keep the juices flowing, both for ourselves and our future. What do you think?

Letter from the President

2010-06-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

The Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival is almost here, and I hope you are feeling the anticipation and excitement. I'm a little jaded when it comes to "craft shows", but I think the Palo Alto show is special and I look forward to it every year. I love Palo Alto for two reasons: I get to hang out with my favorite clay and glass pals and sell side by side with them, and the audience at Palo Alto are just as high quality as the work you see there. If only every show had customers like the Palo Alto show: people who love clay and glass, who are interested and educated about the medium, and are willing to spend the money supporting the artists whose work they love.

"Educating the customer" is a common theme when artists are learning how to sell and market their work, and thinking of clever ways to do that without feeling like a used car salesman can be a challenge to artists. I used to be a big fan of the "mellow sell" which comes down to, "You like it? Then buy it. You don't like it? Don't buy it." Not a lot of room there to tell the story of my work and get people interested in what I do. But educating the audience is key to creating a smart and appreciative customer, people who will not only buy from you, but buy from other artists. Creating a culture of buying handmade, locally crafted art is essential for our future as makers and artists.

As I've become more comfortable selling my work, I've gotten better at engaging the potential customers who walk in to my booth, and educating them about the what and how of my work. I have my own style and way of doing it which is still reflects my mellow approach, but my goal is to make sure that if the person can manage to resist buying a piece of my work, they are going to walk out of my booth with a shred of new knowledge about ceramics. This year, I'm going to create fresh postcards that have more than just a pretty picture on them, but also some words about my story as an artist, part of my education campaign. A high quality audience takes maintenance, so take some time to think about your own ways of educating your customers before Palo Alto, or any show you may be doing this summer.

See you in Palo Alto!

J. Jones Photography at the Palo Alto Festival

2010-06-17T18:56:00.000-07:00

As you may or may not have heard, Hap Sakwa will no longer be available to photograph artist's work at the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival this year. We will miss Hap and his photography skills. We will have available a new photographer on hand this year, J. Jones. J. has many years of experience photographing artist's work, including clay and glass. He is already the go-to man for many ACGA members already! Please take a look at some of the images below to get the flavor of J.'s style. If you wish to have your work photographed at the Festival, please call J. at 415-773-8784 for an appointment. He will be on hand in the Palo Alto Art Center Friday afternoon through Sunday.

J.'s rates are $22 per view, digital only. He will give you a CD of your work or put your work on your own flash drive when you pick up your pieces. CD's are an extra $5, but you can avoid this charge if you bring your own CD.

Exciting Juror for the ACGA Clay and Glass National Juried Competition

2010-06-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

The juror for the upcoming ACGA Clay & Glass National is independent curator, historian and author Jo Lauria. Ms. Lauria is the recent author of Craft in America: Celebrating Two Centuries of Artists and Objects. This book accompanies Craft in America, the PBS television series, as well as the traveling exhibition of the same name, which is also curated by Ms. Lauria. She is the author of Color and Fire: Defining Moments in Studio Ceramics, 1950 – 2000; and is a former curator of decorative arts with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

ACGA is excited to have Ms. Lauria as the juror of our first national competition. Her knowledge and expertise should combine to create a stimulating survey of current American glass and ceramics. This is an excellent opportunity for artists to have their work seen by a nationally known curator, so now is the time to think about the type of work you would like to submit. Go to www.acga.net and scroll to the right side of the homepage for the prospectus, and remember, entries are due October 30th.

Letter from the President

2010-05-23T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all ACGA members,

Spring is always a busy time of year for me and for any artist gearing up for summer shows and the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival. In the best case scenario, us artist types are inspired by the upcoming shows and are working hard creating our best work. But being an artist is an extremely challenging job, and finding inspiration can often be the most difficult aspect of our work.

I realized a long time ago that I am at my very happiest when my work is going well, and I'm at my lowest when my work is not going well, which usually translates into a lack of inspiration. Earlier this year I went through a few months of absolutely hating my work, and resisting the work that needs to be done on my production pieces, which pay the bills. While I was wallowing in my dark little place, I kept returning again and again to thoughts about what it means to be inspired, how you get inspired, and why inspiration is so elusive. I believe that one simply cannot be inspired to create all the time. In fact, it is essential to go through unproductive periods so your creative "well" can be replenished and you can fight your way back to that happy, inspired, productive place.

Still, knowing all of these things doesn't make the dry, uninspired periods any easier to suffer through. And there is no cure, other than to just get through it. Finally, after weeks of dragging around, I lit on an idea that made me excited to get into the studio, and I've been happily cooking along since. Here are a couple of things I came away with from this experience:

It's okay and normal to be uninspired at times, and being angry at yourself about it is a waste of energy.
Taking time away from the studio when things are not going well in there is a good thing.
Complaining to yourself and others about how uninspired you are is not helpful; doing something completely different with your creative energy is. (I took an 8-week writing class and a paper cutting workshop.)

I would love to hear from some of you how you deal with your own uninspired times and how you regained your creative flow. You can post your thoughts about this letter on the ACGA blog and share some of your ideas with other ACGA members. There's no sense in suffering if you can't gain a bit of wisdom from it and pass it along to others!

Letter from the President

2010-04-20T08:08:00.000-07:00

Hello ACGA members,

Don't let the weather fool you, summer is on its way, and with it the Palo Alto Clay and Glass Festival! It's not too early to start making plans to make this a successful show for yourself. Now is the time to start thinking about the exciting new work you would like to make, any changes you need to make to your booth set-up to make it more enticing and inviting, ordering business and post cards promoting your work, and planning your marketing campaign. And by marketing campaign, I mean sending out your postcards and emails to your customers and fans.

I've been known to send out postcards just a week ahead of time, which is probably not very effective in giving my customers time to clear the date and make a plan to go to the Palo Alto Festival. I've learned that planning is the best way to get myself to do things in a timely way, and yes, I learned that all by myself. Nowadays, I mark the dates on the calendar when the postcards and the email needs to go out. I add to my calendar any other thing that I need to do to prepare for Palo Alto, like repainting my display shelves, making special signage, ordering extra bags and tissue, and making sure my drape and curtains are not covered with spots and stains from whatever last event I dragged them to.

Next to making your best work, a beautiful booth design is probably one of the most effective ways to bring in new customers. A great booth with well-displayed work takes time and effort to create. If you aren't 100% comfortable with the way your booth is functioning, spend some time using your creativity to solve some of the issues, and don't be satisfied with the same old same old. Think about what you like to see in a booth, what draws you in, and apply some of that magic to your own space. The creativity that you apply to your clay or your glass can definitely be utilized in a 10' x 10' space. It's your space, you paid for it... make the most of it!

Whitney

Letter from the President

2010-03-31T18:29:00.000-07:00

Blogging, and Facebook and Twitter... oh my! This trifecta of social media has become ubiquitous in our culture over the past 18 months, and ACGA has joined in this networking revolution with our own Facebook Fan Page, a Twitter feed, as well as a regularly updated blog. While it may seem like a lot all of the sudden, it's actually just a first small step in making the ACGA a more easily accessible resource for our members.

So what can blogging and Facebook and Twitter (oh my!) do for you? While all three portals are going to be sources of new information for our members, the ACGA Blog is a great place where you can comment on posted topics and have your voice heard. There is also regularly updated bits of new information on shows opportunities, short member profiles, and of course, the letter from the President every month. The Facebook Fan Page is a great place for our members to post bits of their own news and useful links related to clay or glass. And our Twitter postings will have a lot of overlap from what you can already find on the blog and Facebook, so it's more useful for what you can find from the people we follow, such as the Archie Bray Foundation and Craft Magazine who are posting their own "tweets" and links.

So please, take some time to get familiar with the ACGA social media presence. Your participation and feedback is vital, so let your voice be heard... people are listening!

Whitney

SoCal Report - La Quinta Arts Festival

2010-03-15T17:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of ACGA members at the 2010 La Quinta Arts Festival in La Quinta, CA. They supplement the April SoCal Report in the ACGA newsletter. For more information about the festival, or for a link to the application, go to www.lqaf.com.

Chris Bing and Jan Wax have been exhibiting at the La Quinta Arts Festival for 15 years. They find the crowd to have traditional taste in artwork, which is not necessarily what you would expect in a desert community. Many people in the area come to La Quinta from Canada for the winter.

Cheryl Costantini and Mikio Matsumoto of Nichibe Pottery were first time exhibitors. They took a double booth and were very impressed with the quality of work at the show.

This is the third time at the LQAF for Michael Hermann and Gina Lunn. Their Venetian cane technique glass really sparkled in the desert sun. They believe that the high quality of artwork at the LQAF makes it the best show in southern California. But it can also create a little competition for sales.

Michael Adcock and wife Christine have shown at the LQAF many times and feel that it is always an honor to be selected.

ACGA Clay and Glass National Juried Competition - 2011

2010-03-10T20:46:00.000-08:00

The prospectus for the ACGA Clay and Glass National Juried Competition is now posted at www.acga.net On the homepage scroll to the right to find the link under the red announcement image of a glass blower and a potter. This competition is open to all US artists over the age of 18, with submissions being due the end of October.

The 6000 square foot City of Brea Art Gallery is the site of the exhibition. This beautiful, light filled gallery can accomodate approimately 100 artworks. Brea is located in Orange County, California, very near to Los Angeles. The show will open January 22, 2011 and will run through March 4th. All handmade clay and glass entries are welcome: sculptural, functional or decorative. Artists may enter up to three pieces.

Letter from the President

2010-03-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

Hello all ACGA members,

A little over a month ago, the Board hammered out the new 2010 ACGA budget for 2010. You’ll be happy to know that the ACGA budget is balanced and in good health. I am continually amazed that the ACGA keeps such a solid footing when it comes to our finances, and grateful to the members who make sure it stays that way. The ACGA Treasurer, April Zilber deserves much recognition for her hard work.. She certainly goes above and beyond the call of duty in making sure our money flows in the proper direction, and always has her finger on the pulse of our bank accounts. Thank you April!

This year we allocated more money to our website budget to continue to make improvements and keep it updated and fresh. Our website, now more than ever, is the “face” of ACGA and often the first stop for people who are interested in our organization. As ACGA members, you are entitled to a page on our site, which also can link to your other web pages. My own recent perusal through our ACGA website shows me that there are many members who have not yet set up their page, and other members who have set it up, but have not updated it in over a year! May I say, with head hanging low, that I am guilty of not keeping my own page updated.

All of us have busy lives, and may already have multiple portals on the web to keep track of. For myself, the ACGA site has been an afterthought, and I have not made it a priority to keep it current. But when I look at all the ACGA members have invested to get this website up and running, and keep it running, I realize it’s time to make my member page part of my regular online routine. If you have not set up your member page yet, make it a priority to do it this week. Email Candise Flippin for a username and password, and spend 30 minutes putting up your best images, an artist statement, and all of your contact information. I’m doing it, and I challenge you to do it too!

Visiting Korean Potters in Berkeley

2010-03-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

ACGA member Bob Pool will be hosting two Korean potters through March 28, Tae SongYong and Bang HoSik, at his home and studio as they make work for an upcoming show at Trax Gallery. Mr. Tae makes beautiful tea ware and Mr. Bang functional ware and large forms in stoneware and porcelain. Bob invites interested parties to stop by his Berkeley studio to have a cup of tea, watch these two artists work, and maybe even make some work of your own! This is a great opportunity to meet and work with internationally known potters in a casual and fun setting.

Bob Pool Pottery
547 8th St. #25, Berkeley (510) 599-7720

Jessie Cotkin: 1944-2010

2010-02-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

ACGA member Jessie Cotkin passed away on Saturday, February 6, 2010. She struggled
with overwhelming health issues for the past 10 years including advanced
rheumatoid arthritis and cardiac complications. Jessie died at home in her
sleep.

A member of ACGA since the early eighties, Jessie was proud of her
membership, and of the fine quality of craft that we represent. She served
on the Board of Directors for several years, and coordinated the jury for
about six years. Also during the eighties, she participated in the American
Craft Council shows, and became a member of the ACCI Coop Gallery in
Berkeley, of which she was still a current, exhibiting member. Jessie was a
member of the Berkeley Potters Guild for 25 years.

Jessie's work in clay was of functional porcelain. She worked with lusters
on the high-fired surface, and also did precise carving and inlay on some
pieces. She enjoyed producing dinnerware sets from special orders and used
subtly-colored Chun glazes to rim the glossy black backgrounds of plates,
bowls, and cups.

Jessie was born in the Bronx, New York on July 24, 1944. Her family moved to
Southern California in 1957. After becoming a second grade elementary school
teacher for several years, she discovered a passion for clay. She left the
security of a tenured, pensioned teaching position to make her way as a
potter. Her technical and historical knowledge of ceramics was impeccable.

Her indomitable spirit carried her through many difficult times.

Jessie is survived by her sister, Kalya, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her
brother, Spencer, in Minnesota.

--Margaret Grisz-Dow

ACGA Emeritus Member Nancy Yturriaga Adams

2010-02-06T13:20:00.000-08:00

I would not be where I am today without the help of ceramic artists with more experience who like to help out younger people. One of those people is nationally known clay artist and ACGA member Nancy Yturriaga Adams. The first time I met Nancy was at the Palo Alto Festival about 10 years ago. She came marching into my booth and bought a piece. I had no idea who she was until my neighbor said, "Do you know who just bought a piece from you? That was Nancy Adams!" I was suitably impressed and flattered.

Nancy was kind enough to take me under her wing. When some of my images were rejected from a website because of the poor quality, I was furious. How dare they say my images were poor! I paid good money for those slides! This was back when everything had to be shot as slides, and they did cost a pretty penny. Nancy looked at my slides and said calmly that they were, indeed, poor. Her opinion finally penetrated my fury and made me realize I needed to step it up a notch. Nancy sent me to Hap Sakwa, and I never was rejected on the basis if poor slide quality again.

Nancy and I spent more time drinking tea and talking about life than pottery, but to know I had such a heavy contender in my corner gave me a boost early in my career. Nancy now has her dream ranch in Applegate, Oregon, so our tea drinking and chatting is a rare and special occasion. Nancy was recently featured in her local paper, the Daily Courier, and there is a short video on her at their website. Check her out there!

letter from the President

2010-01-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

Dear ACGA members,
This is my first opportunity to say “hello” to everyone as your new ACGA president, having just taken over from Barbara Sebastian who has served as president for the past two years. A big “thank you” goes to Barbara, as well as to the ACGA members who gave me their vote of confidence to take over the president’s chair. Thank you. Having served on the ACGA Board of Directors for several terms, I knew that at some point I would step up to serve as President, and that time has come. I’m equal parts excited, intimidated, anxious, and ready.

My position as President represents new leadership on several fronts. When I juried in as an exhibiting member in my late 20’s, I was the youngest member of the ACGA. Over ten years later, I am now surrounded by other ACGA artists of my generation, and I am happy to see them showing at the Palo Alto Festival, serving on the Board, and taking part in the running of ACGA. This gradual handing over of the baton to the next generation is a necessary part of the ACGA continuing to remain relevant and serve our art community, now and in the future.

As your President, my aim is to usher in some changes to the ACGA, which I hope will promote our members and their work more widely and efficiently while creating an opportunity for all of us to participate more actively in this wonderful community we are all a part of. For starters, this “Letter From the President” will be posted in the new ACGA blog, and you can go there right now and give me your reactions, your ideas, and hopefully, your support. This blog has open comments, so all you need is an internet connection to say what’s on your mind.

While change is new and exciting, let’s all remember that it’s the steady hand of experience that keeps this ACGA ship sailing. The ACGA is a successful organization because of the time and dedication of a select few of its members, who have served faithfully—literally-- for decades. The passion of these members is what gives you amazing exhibiting and show opportunities, a website, reports from other parts of the world, and a balanced budget. My question for you is: What is your passion other than making your art? And how can that passion translate into continuing to make the ACGA totally fabulous?