ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
SATURDAY, MARCH 24, 2012
FORT ATKINSON PUBLIC LIBRARY
209 Merchants Avenue
10:30 – 11:30
GUEST SPEAKER
WAAC is privileged to have Tom Lidtke speak to our members and guests in the morning session of our annual meeting. Tom is the executive director of the Museum of Wisconsin Art in West Bend.
What is the Museum of Wisconsin Art? The easiest way to find out is to visit their website at wisconsinart.org/about/history.aspx, and read about its creation and development over the years. The museum recently broke ground for a striking new building on the banks of the Milwaukee River, which runs through West Bend.
Tom wants to personally introduce us to the museum and its goals, and will have informational packets for our members. It is quite certain that WAAC will become involved in the museum in many ways. Their exhibitions feature contemporary Wisconsin artists in small to medium-sized group shows, and they also showcase the work of ten contemporary Wisconsin artists in small, one month solo exhibitions as part of their “One from Wisconsin” series. The museum will also be looking for artists and craftspeople to supply their gift shop. It is extremely important that our membership attend this meeting to indicate that we are interested in pursuing these opportunities.
11:30 - 12:00
LUNCH
for WAAC Members
12:00 - 1:30
MEMBERSHIP MEETING AND ELECTION
At this very important meeting, WAAC members will be electing three board members and a new secretary to serve a two year term on the Board of Directors. Members will be notified of those wishing to run for office 30 days in advance of the membership meeting. If you would like to run for office, or to nominate someone else, please let Lezlie Bale, our executive director, know as soon as possible. To have nominees' names appear on the official ballot, Lezlie must know by March 10. Nominations will also be taken from the floor at the annual meeting. Serving on the board does involve some investment of time and energy, but present and past board members will agree that it is a rewarding experience. To qualify, nominees must be current exhibitors in one or more of WAAC's art fairs. No previous board experience is required.
At this time, nominees include:
For Secretary
Julie Sutter-Blair — Graphic Artist
For the Board
Bernie Tennis (Incumbent) — Graphic Artist
Ann Alderson Biba — Glass Artist
Suzanne Modjeska-Seffrood — Pastels
1:30 - 3:00
ARTISTS' FORUM
Members will have the opportunity to ask more experienced artists just about any art-related question. Examples of topics which could be included are: accepting credit cards for payment, displaying your work effectively, maximizing sales at art fairs, presenting your work to a jury, how we might strengthen WAAC, advertising, and individual or group involvement with public schools.
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How quickly, it seems, that 2011 fled into history. Already we are planning the 2012 season. However, before moving along, for the Board, we hope that you all had a joyous and fulfilling holiday season.
Our 2011 season was successful, thanks in good part, to Bill, Lezlie, Curtis and our intrepid volunteers. Of course, the Board spent a good deal of time in motion seeing to artist needs. Unfortunately the economy was not what it might have been, but take heart—2012 will be a better year.
On a rather sad note we will be losing the invaluable and dedicated services of some WAAC stalwarts. Steve Siehr, who has been for many years responsible for the success of our jurying process and who, to the chagrin of a few during the shows, served to ensure that we toed the "lines." Well, somebody had to do it. We all hope the Steve enjoys his retirement, his motorcycle and warmer climes. He will be tough to replace.
We would be remiss not to include our President Emeritus, Dawn Dark Mountain. Over the years, she has served many terms on the Board including the presidency a number of times. She has run so many committees that it is impossible to guess the number as well as to name them. A few are Program Coordinator for our annual meetings, Silent Auction Chair, Rules Committee—ad infinitum.
And then, there is Jo Stothard. She has served as Board member, secretary, publicist, employee evaluation committee and, like Dawn, too many committees to enumerate. Needless to say, these three artists have been instrumental in the growth and success of WAAC. A huge THANK-YOU for their long service.
The Board objectives remain much the same. We hope to make the show even more artist-friendly, to strengthen WAAC's presence in Wisconsin and to encourage the development of young artists. These may be rather ambitious aims, but the Board is convinced we can make significant progress towards achieving these objectives. However, we feel that it will take substantial active effort by not only the Board, but more importantly, effort by the WAAC membership. In short, the degree to which we glitter and sparkle, now, and in the future will depend, in large part, on YOU. So, I put the question to everyone out there in WAAC land: How good do you want to be? I think a fine forum for us to continue our quest will be at our annual meeting on March 24th at the newly remodeled Ft. Atkinson library. Do plan to be there. We need your presence and we need your ideas that we may all take part in the blooming and blossoming of WAAC. After all, it is your organization. In the meantime there is e-mail. Let us hear from you. See you in March.
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A Good Bye
and Thank you
to Steve Siehr
by Clarence P. Cameron |
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In 1981, the second year of Art fair Off the Square, a potter named Stephen O. Siehr asked to exhibit. Since his work was very nice, we were happy to have him join our little group in Olin Terrace Park. Little did we know how much time and energy “Steve” would give to WAAC over the years. He served as president two or more times, sat on the board of directors and, when we needed to become better organized with the jury, he volunteered to take on the task.
Steve’s wife, Barb, worked for Alliant Energy (formerly Wisconsin Power and Light) for many years and she always found a comfortable Alliant meeting room for the jurying. She also arranged for an annual contribution from the Alliant Energy Foundation for both of our fairs, which continues to this day.
With the eventual addition of the Winter Art Festival, the Jury Chair became much more than a volunteer position. There came a time when our board of directors handed all aspects of the jury process over to Steve. Eventually, he retired as a potter, formed his own company, JuryVision, bought his own equipment, and offered his services to WAAC and other organizations. His services included on-site jury and rules person for both fairs.
When the time came for our art fair jurying to go digital, another former WAAC member and true computer guru, Mike Bailey, created a computer program to handle the digitized images and make them ready for the jury. This allowed Steve and JuryVision to keep up with the times. Presently, Matt Alexander has volunteered to carry out the “digitization” process.
Now, thirty-two years later, Steve has decided to spend more time in a warmer climate, i.e., further retire, so JuryVision will no longer offer its services. On a personal note, years ago, I bet Steve $100 that jurying would go digital within ten years, long before he thought it would. Of course I was right and I just have to rub it in here. Even though I didn’t expect to collect on the bet, WAAC received payment a thousand-fold from Steve. Now, we can only thank him for his boundless energy and guidance in help to make WAAC a successful organization.
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WAAC Officers
and Directors
President
Richard Benesh
Vice President
Margit Moses
Secretary
Suzanne Modjeska-Seffrood
Treasurer
Clarence P. Cameron
Board Members
All the above plus
Cynthia Koshalek
Dawn Dark Mountain
Charlotte Fung Miller
Jo Stothard
Bernie Tennis
Staff
Executive Director
Lezlie Bale
Art Fair Director
Bill Bale
Others
Art Fair Off the Square Coordinator
Curtis Wittwer
Volunteer Coordinator
Bill Bale
Jury Technician
Matt Alexander
Webmaster
Clarence P. Cameron
Newsletter and Graphic Design
Susan Lukas
What would YOU like to see in the next WAACWords?
Contact us at:
WAAC
P O Box 1791
Madison, WI 53701
608-204-9129
or e-mailwaac@artcraftwis.org
UPCOMING
2012 EVENTS
July 14 & 15
33rd Annual
Art Fair OFF
the Square
November 10 & 11
23rd Annual
Winter Art Festival
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Good Thoughts ... Good Wishes |
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December 22, 2011
Longtime (26 years) exhibitor at the Art Fair Off the Square, oil painter Ursula Kauppinen is fighting a double dose of cancer. Fortunately, the stubborn German in her is "determined to beat this and return to be active as I have been in my art since 1964. My outlook is positive." We can help her along by sending good thoughts and good wishes. A card from you would add much more. You can write her at Oakwood Village East Rehab, 5565 Tancho Drive, #4, Madison, WI 53718 |
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| If you know someone who celebrated something special, or who is ill, or suffered a loss, please drop a line to WAAC, and we will include them in our Good Thoughts ... Good Wishes. |
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"A Fabric of the Arts in Wisconsin"
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Copyright ©2000-2012
The Wisconsin Alliance of Artists and Craftspeople,
Inc., Madison, Wisconsin
All Rights
Reserved
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