Blaine Arts Council
September 14, 2023 Minutes
Location: Blaine Senior Community Center
Agenda:
- Welcome Guests
- Approve August Minutes
- Harmanna Kunst (Blaine Senior Community Center)
- WAVE
- Pop up November 4th
- Board Positions and Discussion
- Future Plans for BAC
- Presentation: Cloth Girls – Judy Newland and Janet Thomas
Meeting Activities
The meeting began at 6:30 p.m.
The motion to approve the August minutes was made by Gaye Sawicki and seconded by Marilyn Muehlbach.
The Senior Center is looking for art to display for the public to enjoy and to educate. Rock Morris currently has artwork displayed. Please make an appointment with Harmanna to show her your work. The senior center is not insured for the artwork, so you must sign a waiver. You may sell your piece of art without percentages being taken, but donations are always appreciated. You can reach her at 360-332-8040.
The WAVE
The Gala was a huge success, and we look forward to an even better event next year. After gathering feedback from all the artists, the following improvements/additions we are looking to make for next year:
- More home studios
- More space for opening night
- A tent for the food and drinks outside so more space for artists inside
- Food trucks
- Live music
- Possibly free admittance for artists to Friday evening event
- More wine for the wine pull
- Beer in bottles for less waste
- An additional non-alcoholic drink
- An announcer for the silent auction
- More signage
- Someone to speak about Blaine Arts Council/Who we are, what we do
- More volunteers to make it all happen
A list of all the comments from the artists was handed out.
We brought in $3265.00 in the Silent Auction, we processed $3,000 in the Square just Friday night (tickets to attend, drinks, Wine Pull, and a few auction items that night). Between the money brought in for everything and the money we paid out, we made about $7200.00. We will be getting the $5,000.00 for the grant on top of that.
Blaine Arts Council will use the money made by furthering our goals to bring Arts to Blaine, working toward our long-term goal of a Gallery/Co-op/Maker space/Classes, providing scholarships to promising art students and Spring Break Camp Classes.
November 4th Pop-up Show
On November 4, 2023, we will have a pop-up show at the Senior Community Center—details to be decided.
Board Positions and Discussion
- A handout was provided listing the Board positions and descriptions. This also went out via email. This gives an idea of what we are looking for and the process. If you are interested in one of the elected positions (President, Vice President/President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary),
Please send to us at info@blaineartscouncil.org: - a short bio
- what your qualifications are
- what you want to bring to the position to bring BAC forward
- why you would like to be in that position.
For the Treasurer position, having a finance background or at least an understanding of business finance is important. If you would like a position on the board, you must be a year-long resident to attend all meetings in person.
Please send in your bios by the 29th of September. On October 1st, Margaret will send out a Survey Monkey with all the details that everyone sent out and who wants to be what. Then, a vote will be sent out to all the members. All the members that have held board positions will be in an advisory role for whoever comes into it next.
Committees also will need volunteers to fill those positions, so please email us if you are interested in helping on any of the committees.
Future Plans for BAC
To keep the energy generated by the WAVE, Scott and Lisa Smith would like to organize a monthly, or every other month, studio tour.
Georgia Donovan has volunteered to create a studio directory for the Visitors Center, the Library, and other places. It will list your name, how to contact you, what type of art you create, and a photograph.
Presentation
Janet Thomas and Judy Newland, aka The Cloth Girls, had an educational presentation on eco-dyeing fabrics with local plants and leaves. Samples of their work were shown as models wore dyed fabrics turned into beautiful tops, accompanied by a slide presentation.
“Cloth Girls is a gathering of explorers, sharing and making connections between people and plants. We laugh and play and discover all kinds of things by sharing. We are makers, and we create a space for joy. Art is not a thing; it’s a way, so for the Cloth Girls, it’s our way.”
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 p.m.