As most of you know, our third show will be held April 29th-30th with an opening party on Friday the 28th. 99% of your questions can be answered by reading the minutes from the March meeting (taken by the very capable Autumn Kegley). We’re getting pretty good at this show stuff now, aren’t we?

I love that our group is growing and yet still informal.The only real rule we have for being in a show is attendance at two meetings prior to the show in question. Of course, our next show is in August and so that means that there are only three meetings between the April show and the August show. Just a little something to keep in mind in the upcoming months. Also, we still get to have the entire week for our show - which is great because in coincides with some other cool community offerings. Just keep in mind that we will still need to make sure that someone is there for the entire show. This groups runs on lots of volunteer power, and it takes all of us to make it work. The next show will, of course, be up for discussion at the May meeting. Which, by the way, will feature Donna Watson as our guest speaker.

Just a couple of notes in brief:

Kathleen Johnson is spearheading the volunteer lists for all of the various show tasks. Bill Butler is again working on the layout for the show. Be sure to fill out your inventory lists. Don’t forget about our Umbrella Auction!

I’m wishing you all good luck at the spring show!

A creek ran through my parent’s back yard where I grew up and we were a 10 minute walk from the beach. Summers were spent in the San Juan Islands at our cabin on Orcas Island. When not fishing, we were investigating the coves and beaches in our aluminum skiff. It is no wonder as an adult I cherish and want to document the beautiful Northwest.

"Images relating to nature and personal history resonate in my work. Whether I am working figuratively or graphically my work reflects the Pacific Northwest landscape and navigates between lamenting and celebrating our natural world.

"My recent work reflects that hope with pure shape and line in its simplest form. Color is sneaking into my work giving spark to the bold elements.

"I am curious to push the art of print making by using the classic techniques in untraditional ways and accepting the accidents as my own magic. The tools and scavenged printing surfaces become just as important as the finished piece. I include images such as maps, wallpaper and wood from my history as well.

ArtistsConnect March 25th 2006 Meeting Minutes

Co-chaired by Darlene Lucas and C.C. Leonard

Sue Robertson began our meeting with an overview of the progress on a planned "Autumn Equinox Studio Tour" to be held over the weekend of September 23rd and 24th. Any ArtistsConnect members interested in joining this tour should contact Sue Robertson to be added to the participant list. There will be a meeting of tour artists on April 15th at 10 am at ArtWorks. The studio tour will be held within the Edmonds Bowl/Meadowdale area. If you don't have a studio in that region - it's ok. Sue will be working to pair outside area artists with a host studio. You don't necessarily have to have a "studio" setup to consider joining the tour, either - your garage, living room, or a tent booth in your yard are all good stand-ins for this event.

Mona Fairbanks talked next about the Art Umbrellas which will be a featured part of our April group show. A group of ArtistsConnect members have each taken a basic white umbrella and given it personal creative vitality. These decorated umbrellas will be distributed to local businesses to be displayed for a few weeks in advance of our April group show. They will serve as a playful and eye-catching advertisment for the show, and will be available to art patrons via silent auction. The umbrellas will have a $50.00 buyout, and the silent auction begins during the Friday night Preview Party (hopefully most, if not all of them will be sold at the party).

Kathleen Johnson presented our group with the results of much hard labor (on her part and the remainder of the advertising committee). Thanks to a donation from the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation, the printing costs for display posters, postcards, and flyers (about $750.00) was covered. Large, full-color display posters which featured examples of the range of artwork to be shown were distributed after the meeting to members who agreed to post them prominently around the area. A quantity of color postcards and flyers were also distributed - extras will be available at ArtWorks if you need them. Please send out postcards to your mailing list 2-3 weeks in advance of the show, and put out the leaflets for general distribution no more than 2 weeks before the show. Ann Wood has receipts with the names and addresses of those who made large purchases at the October show - contact her if you sold a major work to get the purchaser information for your mailing list. During the show weekend we will have a second batch of leaflets available to have our friends and children distribute around town... do what we can to reach new arts patrons in the area!

Volunteer positions during the show were discussed next:

* Greeter - Ask visitors to sign the mailing list/explain umbrella auction/encourage them to vote for the People's Choice.

* Set-up/Take down

* Sales Desk

* Food & Drink - Bring something tasty, exciting, and non-alcoholic for the party.

* Artist in Action - Demonstrate your work.

Bill Butler has taken the lead for Set-up/Take-down. Because of a scheduled Edmonds Arts Festival volunteer meeting, we will not be able to set up the show on Wednesday April 26th. Bill Butler will be at ArtWorks bright and early - 8 am - on Thursday April 27th to begin putting up the display panels and rearranging the space for artists to begin bringing in their work and hanging later that day. Artists participating in the show can bring their work in from 10 am - 4:30 pm on Thursday, and from 10 am - 2 pm on Friday. Please contact Ken Smith at ArtWorks if you need to arrange another time to hang your work. Also, we may have a reduced number of artists participating in this show due to prior engagements. So... bring extra work just in case we have the space to fill. Currently, plan on hanging your original work in a 4' x 4' space (half a panel) just as at the October show - you may bring as many prints/greeting cards as you wish to supplement this. Consider leaving one or two extra original works in the ArtWorks office, in case of sales during the show.

When we reach the show's end, please be available to help with the take-down of your work , or send someone to do this for you. It makes guests uncomfortable if you begin this early or hover with your packing materials - so be patient and wait until 4 - 4:15 to begin take-down. If everyone pitches in, the cleanup should proceed as smoothly and swiftly as it did after our last show.

Mary Ann Case is the Sales Desk volunteer coordinator. Friday night the Edmonds Arts Festival Foundation will have their own volunteers to cover the sales, so the artists can focus on party guests and promoting their work. Saturday and Sunday we will need to fill the Sales Desk positions ourselves.

Autumn Kegley is coordinating the Artists in Action. Please contact her if you can fill one of the remaining 3 slots - 2 are available Saturday morning from 10 am - 1 pm, and 1 slot is available Sunday morning from 10 am - 1 pm. She will put together a schedule which will be available at the front desk, where Greeters can direct visitors to the back classroom to see artists at work. Demonstrating provides an exciting insight into the creative process, and gives arts patrons an elevated sense of respect and understanding for your work. E-mail Autumn at Fallenleaves_design@yahoo.com if you are interested in sharing your process with the public.

Mona Fairbanks is the Food Coordinator - basically she asks only that you bring whatever tasty finger-food or non-alcoholic beverage you can to the Preview Party Friday evening. She will preside over the layout and arrangement of the spread for our guests.

Inventory Sheets - Please fill these out before you bring your work to ArtWorks for hanging. Ann Wood and other Foundation volunteers will be entering everything into the computer to help keep track of sales during the show. All of your work needs to be clearly labeled (with the reference ID from your Inventory Sheets) to help keep things simple and straighforward at the sales desk. There are 2 types of Inventory Sheets this year - one for your original/unique work, and one for multiple items such as greeting cards/prints. If you need copies of either of these, contact Ken Smith at ArtWorks.

We discussed whether or not to have music at the Preview Party, and the general consensus appeared to be in favor of no music. However, we may be able to locate one or two musicians for our August show. With the warmer weather, we should be able to open the overhead doors and have them set up outside to provide ambiance without becoming overwhelming within the closed space.

Our A-boards have been cut and primed, and will be ready to go well before the show.

Barb Childs read out our direct and punchy press release for the April show. She will be sending it out to local papers several weeks in advance. If you know of any small publications she might not have contact information for, please e-mail these to her. Artists who are decorating auction umbrellas should also e-mail her photos of these to submit along with the press releases.

In other news - several opportunities to display our work in the area were announced:

Manya at Kindred Circle Gallery in Edmonds, is seeking "new blood" for the Third Thursday Artwalks in Edmonds. Contact her at Kindred Circle - you'll need to provide a few photos of your recent work as well as an artist's bio/statement. Having these on hand helps Manya to pair artists with host businesses for the Artwalk.

Ken Smith at ArtWorks would like to schedule rotating shows of local artists work on the two walls along either side of the main classroom. Contact him with your proposals.

Fred Wong is the Cultural Supervisor coordinating display spaces available to artists at the Lynnwood Library, Lynnwood Convention Center, and the Alderwood Mall (they have a hallway display space available for 3 month periods - charging no commission).

Laurie Piper will be in charge of the Junior Exhibit at this year's Edmonds Arts Festival. Another ArtistsConnect member, Marsha Lippert will be one of the jurors. Laurie is seeking volunteers to host the junior exhibits during the festival period - and help with coordinating the jurying process.

Currently, our next show is scheduled for the week of August 13th - 21st, which overlaps with the Taste of Edmonds festival. We would need to provide a full cast of volunteers to host the show and work the sales desk during the proposed extension of hours. That Thursday evening there is already a class scheduled in the back classroom, which we would have to reserve space for.