Letter from the President

 I really do not like rushing around.  It is a deep offense to my intrinsically lazy nature, which likes to take lots of breaks, stare off into space, run a little bit late, and basically take it easy.  Since it's April,  I've been hammered with deadlines, which challenges me.  There was the tax thing, and designing the Clay and Glass Festival postcard and poster, then writing this very letter.  Somehow I managed to bunch it all up so I had to finish all of these things on the same day.  It reminded me of those times when I was in high school, and I was such a procrastinator that I would go on homework and project sprees that would keep me up all night.  Fortunately now, no one can fail me, or send me to detention. They can only look at me very disapprovingly while I run late.  I don't get panicked about it, I just very methodically do what I can, and somehow --eventually-- it all gets done.

I think the idea of just doing what you can is important, because that's all any of us can do, and there's no point in feeling bad about what you can't do, or won't do anyway.  It's very easy to look around and feel that our efforts are inadequate, and the message often blasted by the culture is that we are inadequate, in a multitude of ways. The only way to get through it without being driven insane by the push to strive is to repeatedly commit to only doing what you can.  Over and over again, you just do what you can, knowing that is your best effort, and resisting the other storyline that you should be doing just a little more.  Really, there isn't time to do a little more, there's only time to do what we can.

Letter From the President

As I write this, we are experiencing an abrupt shift from 58 degree days to 70+ degree days.  This is what living in the Bay Area is really all about, wild fluctuations in weather and temperature.  While today I'm wearing shorts for the first time in several months, I have no doubt that it's too early to be thinking about packing away the merino wool sweaters and scarves.  It's still early in the year.  And this makes me feel optimistic and hopeful that not only is the best weather still ahead of me, so is the best of what the rest of the year has to offer.

I have one main reason to feel optimistic, and that is an upcoming ceramic residency I'll be doing in France.  That would be the South of France.  In June.  Let's just say that the pottery-making part of this residency is quickly becoming a side note in my mind.  Plotting all the things I plan to eat, see, and eat while I'm in France has completely taken over my life right now.  I've never been to France and so I've immersed myself in books about the contemporary French way of life and re-learning all the years of high school French I took 25 years ago.  It's difficult not to admire the French way of life, with its emphasis on every day pleasures, and taking the time to enjoy these pleasures with focus and a sense of well-being.  As an American who indulges in many American habits, like being "busy" all the time, eating on the run, and multi-tasking, I look forward to having some of my routines changed as I participate in French life, and perhaps bring some French attitude back with me to the States

I hope others are feeling inspired as Spring emerges, breathing new life and giving us yet another opportunity to grow and change ourselves.

--Whitney

Letter From the President

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

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

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

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

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.