October 2013 Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 10/20/13, 4-5 PM following Figure Drawing

Alexis, Barb, Beryl, Erica V., Ken, Kevin, Malia, Sheri

Figure Drawing Sessions

•  5 weeks for $50, $12 drop-in
• $50 for model + $25 rent= $75 overhead per day
• 10/27, 11/3, 11/10, 11/17, 11/24 (one long pose session for painting or sculpting)
• Need lighting, 2 heat sources (WRCC), platform (Kevin may have)
• Sources to contact for new models: Dartmouth Art Dept., Billy Brauer group, ArtisTree, SPA, Seven Days, Arts Council, Woodstock group
•  Need for a variety of models, hired and announced in advance

Ken: Creative Collective show at the Craft Center, before or after holidays

•  Individual show or group show with a theme?

Kevin on self-curating the Artists Market:

• Art needs to be hung well and maintained
•  Security—small items have been stolen, should be displayed in glass case

September 2013 Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 9/15/13, 2-4 PM at Alexis’s Studio

Alexis, Bonny, Erica S., Erica V., Ken, Lynn, Malia, Sandy

Events and resources:

VTICA (Vt Inst of Contemporary Art) in Chester

Axel’s Frame Shop in Waterbury has Alexis’s show through 9/28

Grant Foundation database at 109 State Street in Montpelier

ArtisTree call to artists for Local Color show, drop off 9/17-9/20

Chandler Gallery has portrait show

Donna Stepien offering class at AVA

Photo workshop at WRCC starts Tuesday 6:30-8:30, runs ~ 10 weeks

Creative Collective planning & business:

Swap out work for Artists Market Fall Show! 

•  New lockable cabinet
•  E-mail artists

Plan Winter Show with opening—pre- or post-holidays?

Open Studio Weekend 10/5-10/6, Collective pays half of fees

Monthly gathering ideas--

• offer workshops in different media
• Movie series (Art 21, artist bio pics?)
• Museum field trips
• Plein air drawing/painting

Figure drawing—

• Alexis will hire models, need folks to set up and clean up
• Announce models ahead of time (at least male/female)
• Rates for models ~$15-25/hr ($50-60 for 2 hrs?)
• New models, closer to Randolph?  Ask @VTC, ArtistTree
• Need to account for $25 rental fee to WRCC
• Who can help with set up & clean up?  Ken, Erica V., Erica S., group participation—send e-mail sign up
•  Need checklist for set up and break down, props, drapes, lighting
• Advertise as an activity of the Creative Collective
• Artists can pay for a series at reduced rate or drop-in fee
• Offer twice a month, 1^st and 3^rd Sundays with meeting before/after every other month?
• Begin on 10/6 with clothed model or plein air session during Open Studio Weekend (confirm with Kevin), next 10/20

Dues calendar year starts in September—Bonny, Alexis, Sandy, paid up

Conversation about creativity, discipline, artistic practice & sharing of current work

Recommended reading:

• The Mission of Art, Alex Gray
• Art and Fear, Bayles and Orland
• Concerning the Spiritual in Art & Kandinsky’s other books

May 2013 Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 5/19/13, 2-4 PM

Donna O., Erica S., Erica V., Ken, Kevin, Malia, Susan

Open Studio weekend— 1 member of VT Weaver’s Guild will be present, Erica will be in her studio, Ken will be there 1 day, Erica V. 1 day?, Malia can’t be there

Need picture rail installed above fireplace and on sides of windows in the main gallery—Kevin will talk to Phil

Hang more paintings in main gallery prior to Open Studio, place pedestals with baskets, condense?

Reorganized show, checked rest of exhibit

Change ad in Herald (Malia), check into Valley News, Seven Days, Times Argus (Ken)

Clarify e-mail text re: Open Studio weekend kids activities— Erica S. was not planning to do them but Erica V. can offer them on Sunday at the least

Ken will order more hanger clips using Collective funds

Collective will provide potluck appetizers for Open Studio weekend

Sharing work in progress—Ken’s photography

Discussion about outdoor sculpture for Craft Center grounds—talk to Marjorie about sculpture tour idea

Call to artists: Juried Exhibition at AVA —deliver art June 8, 10 & 11, more info at http://www.avagallery.org/content/images/stories/downloads/ava_2013_juried_call_for_entries

**Update artists statements & booklet

Ken no longer uses e-mail, so call him instead

Erica's Reception and Unveiling

Collective member Erica Sears was recently commissioned by the folks at the Chandler Center for the Arts to create large abstract paintings for the renovated Esther Mesh Room.  On Friday, April 21 the paintings were unveiled at a reception for the artist.

 Guests arrived to find the paintings dramatically draped (on left wall)

The audience listens as the hosts at Chandler describe the history of the room and the commission

Three generations

The big reveal!

Erica talks about her experience of doing the paintings, which she has dubbed "the girls"

The artist, the ladies of Chandler, and "the girls"

The audience flocks to see the work up close

Next time you're upstairs at the Chandler Center for the Arts, spend some time with these paintings!

Congratulations, Erica, on creating beautiful, versatile pieces (they are designed to work as one unit or separately) that bring color and interest to the elegant room.  May they add another lively dimension to many an event in the Esther Mesh room!

April 2013 Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 4/21/13, 2-4 PM

Alexis, Donna O., Erica S., Erica V., Ken, Lynne, Malia

Discussion of Erica Sears’s experience of creating new commissioned paintings that will be unveiled tonight

The Foundation Center at 109 State St.—database of grants (see http://libraries.vermont.gov/other/grants)

Grant for artists/parents from Sustainable Arts Foundation (see http://www.sustainableartsfoundation.org/)

Housekeeping for next week’s meeting—Artists Market spruce up

Welcome Centers—how to present Collective & figure drawing sessions

Sharing work in progress—Lynne: acrylic and watercolor paintings

            Alexis: angel drawings and painting (acrylic with Demar retouch varnish)

            Erica V.: automatic paintings in water soluble oil

Alexis spoke on a panel for VSA about mental illness and the arts

            Alexis will be exhibiting in MA in July

May 9 Washington County Mental Health exhibit at the VT State House, reception 2-4PM

July 21 Collective Meeting at Alexis’s studio

Bethel Historical Society art show, bring work Wed. May 1 5-8PM (see http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bethel-Historical-Society/203035726375597)

January 2013 Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 1/20/13, 2-4 PM

Erica, Kevin, Malia

Exhibits to see: “The Way We Worked” at AVA

“Source” at Helen Day Art Center

Pastel show at BALE

Interstate rest area displays—Holly Sanders is spearheading

Ideas for the future:

Plan upcoming Collective show—theme?  Music or movies & art?  Based on work created in a class?

Fourth Friday gallery walk/art talk idea

Featured artist

Get artists to present their work again

Coffee Party

Upcoming Craft Center events:

Next Tuesday RTCC luncheon

Thursday downtown visioning meeting this Thursday

Wed. 2/20 Soup & Bread dinner 5-7PM

Recommended movies: Les Miserables

Fly Fishing on the Yemen

Hyde Park

Silver Lining Playbook

What does Randolph need???

E-mail Collective re: Fourth Friday Art Cafe 5-7PM—call to artists, writers, musicians, Erica will be contact person

(No meetings February or March)

November Meeting Minutes

Creative Collective Meeting 11/18/12, 2-4 PM

Alexis, Dmitri, Donna, Malia

Craft Center Open House Sat. Dec. 8, 2-5 (?)

            Collective members in attendance: Malia

            Mailing?  Advertising?

            Send e-mail to artists (GMCC & Figure Drawing mailing lists): update your exhibit, attend Open House

            Discount offered—minimum 10-25% (draw from a hat?)

Herald ad, calendar, article by JoAnn Meginnes

            Poster/postcard?  Image from Alexis, Malia will add text

            Raffle artwork?

Update GMCC flyer with new events, print more

            Advertise meetings in the Herald, other places

            Have flyers at the Open House

Rotate monthly meetings to members’ homes/studios?