Women’s Caucus for Art – St. Louis Chapter
General Meeting – Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Olivette Community Center, Olivette, MO
Jan Nesser, President, called the meeting to order at 7:15 following a wine and snack reception. Jan introduced herself, noting that she is now serving as National WCA President-Elect. Nineteen officers, members and guests introduced themselves.
MJ Goerke moved we accept the minutes of the previous meeting as printed. Dayle Barrett seconded the motion. The minutes were approved.
National WCA: Jan reported on the national Board meeting in Washington, D.C., July 24-26, 2008. She and Marsha Heck, St. Louis Chapter’s Representative to the National WCA Chapter Council attended the meeting. Marsha’s account of the meeting is in both the local and the regional newsletters. Jan was enthusiastic about the direction of the national board which emphasized envisioning oneself as an artist and discovering what WCA means for an artistic life. One concern for the national organization is the establishment of organizational relevance for younger women artists. The national theme will be Arts as Activism. Not all chapters have the same goals and national/chapter themes may have individual meanings for different members. Chapter and individual themes would deal with social awareness and activism with each chapter determining its own direction. Jan called attention to the handout laying out a first look at the 2009 Los Angeles national meeting – Art and Activism - Share Your Passion! -- and encouraged members to attend. The outline also appears on the national WCA website.
National meetings will be held in Chicago in 2010 and in New York in 2011. The Chicago chapter is asking for help in organizing the conference for 2010. Information will be available later.
Regional WCA: The regional newsletter is on STL-WCA’s website – www.wca-stl.com.
Brenda Oelbaum, President of the Michigan Chapter, and Vice President of the Midwestern Region, plans to visit the St. Louis chapter. Details will be available later.
WCA Office Space: St. Louis Community College –Florissant Valley may give STL-WCA office space and access to a computer and phone. This would also give the organization a central space for record storage.
Webpage: Michelle Thomas has done a masterful job of recreating and updating the webpage. Check it out –
www.wca-stl.org. Pages will be created for members who do not have a website, thus giving members a presence on the web. Members who have websites are listed with links to those websites.
Blog: Send information for inclusion in STL-WCA’s blog to Jennifer Weigel.
Membership: Leslie Hume reported that we have 54 members. The membership directory has been distributed. Please sign up for 2009 membership by December 15 as the national dues will increase after January 1.
Fundraising: Roxie Phillips reported on a new initiative. Current members who enroll new members will receive a chance to win a $50.00 gift certificate from Art Mart – one chance per new member.
Goodsearch.com was mentioned as a site for web searches and shopping. STL-WCA receives $.01 for each search and a percent of the value of goods purchased when shopping as a variety of vendors following a Goodsearch. And, don’t forget to sign up for eScript through Schnuck’s.
Treasurer’s Report: Evie Shucart’s report noted: Checking acct balance $436.90, Savings acct balance $1365.71, Total available $1802.61. The Tsai fund CD balance (not available for general expenses) $2121.21. Income July/Aug. $0.00. Expenses: June $403.36 (Gathering/newsletter) and July/Aug $171.00 (Gathering), Total $574.39. Donations made by the members for expenses: $210.00 (Gathering), $155.00 (website hosting/domain), and $10.00 (State of Missouri registration fee) for a total donation of $375.00 for June/July/August.
Nominating Committee: Roxie Phillips reported that a slate of candidates will be e-mailed to the members 6 weeks before the election and that voting would occur at the November 25 business meeting.
Exhibitions: Jennifer Weigel reviewed the rules for the “Raising Our Voices” exhibition. The prospectus is available on the website
www.wca-stl.orgSpirits, a restaurant in Alton, IL, hangs WCA art work in conjunction with Artfully Alton, a project aimed at placing art in a number of buildings in the city. Currently showing is the work of Marie Samuels. Barbara Merlotti’s work will be on display October 16 through November 15. Erica Popp and Heidi Fox will display work November 20 through January 10. “Girls Night Out” at Spirits to celebrate the exhibitions and thank the management of Spirits will be October 16 and November 20. FYI -- One or two artists will be featured in exhibitions which will run for approximately six weeks. WCA will receive 10% of the sale price if work is sold while being exhibited at Spirits. Work needs to be at least 16” x 20” as the exhibition walls are large.
Women and Environment: The exhibition, in conjunction with the Philadelphia chapter and the WCA collaborative quilt project “Women Helping Women Stitch by Stitch,” will be held during Women’s History month and will be at SLCC-Florissant Valley. The college will pay for cards, announcements and the reception. An entry fee of $10.00 will go to the Rubia Project. If sales result, 20% of the sales price will be retained by STL-WCA to go to a local women’s organization. The opening reception will be Thursday, March 5, 6:00 – 8:00 PM. There will be a lunch-time panel discussion hosted by WCA featuring women involved in social activism.
Contemporary Women Artists XV: Yolanda Lopez will be the juror for the exhibition. Lopez received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Women’s Caucus for Art in 2008 and was pleased with the opportunity to work with STL-WCA. Possible venues are being considered with the plan to have the exhibition in late 2009 or early 2010.
Marsha Heck showed a bag that had been printed with art work by Café Press and suggested that products produced by Café Press could be used as a fundraiser.
Jan Nesser emphasized the value of volunteering.
Program: Virginia Dragshutz has been an exhibiting artist for over 30 working in a wide variety of media. She has been a member of the St. Charles Art Council for over 25 years and is Past President. Virginia was instrumental in organizing the 'Paint the Katy Trail' state-wide plein air event in 2002; and traveled state wide to promote it. She has been a member of the St. Louis Artist’s Guild for over 25 years. Virginia has been an art/workshop instructor for the last 30 years.
Images shown in slides included current and historical clay pieces and illustrated a number of end uses for clay, different methods of forming clay objects, and the effects of different firing techniques. Virginia also showed design possibilities that could be found in other artistic media. Kiln types and firing cones were discussed. One particularly interesting image was of an art object made from the pieces of a deliberately broken clay pot. The pieces along with stained glass had been refired.
Workshop participants were given a piece of clay, given minimal instructions, and invited to shape a human figure. A remarkable variety of shapes ensued. Wet figures were carefully placed on stable boards and will be dried and fired. Just wait until the unveiling at the next meeting.
Virginia, thank you for an enlightening and fun evening.
Respectfully submitted,
Pat Owoc
Recording Secretary
