ORVAG members have been invited to participate in Bethel, Ohio’s Art and music festival. More information is available here:
http://www.roborigs.com/RoboRigsProject1/bethelohevents/index.html

OHIO VALLEY ARTISTS GUILD
BOARD/MEMBERSHIP MEETING

March 24, 2010

Members Present:

June Myers, Ruvonna Bevard, Clarence Qualls, Jo Ross, Mary Hughes, Tammie Brown, Ken Swinson, Donna Huber, Vicki Tichenor, Betsy Adams, Lorraine Millikin, Toby Fried, Kathy Macht, Ken Macht, Kim McKissin, Judy Pfeffer, Stephanie Martinez, Karen Fulton, Sam Bevard, Claudia Moose, Jim Moose. (We had 21 present and this may be an all time record)

Claudia Moose, Director, called the meeting to order at 5:00pm.

Members present reviewed the minutes of the January meeting. There was one correction. Karen Fulton is a past board member and Jo Ross is one of our present board members. After the correction, Betsy Adams moved that the minutes be accepted and Ken Swinson seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Two new members were introduced, Tammy Brown, and Lorraine Mullikin.

OLD BUSINESS

Skip Werline will be presenting the annual Pat Breslin Watercolor workshop beginning Wednesday, April 7th, at 5pm with a “Wine and Cheese” event and setup of art supplies for the workshop instruction phase, Friday and Saturday, April 9th and 10th from 10:00am to 4:00pm both days. Cost for the entire session is $100.00, which may be paid the first evening. Please email Claudia if you are attending and include your name, address, and home phone. Vicki Tichenor encouraged attendance because we are having such a wonderful artist and instructor for the workshop this year.

NEW BUSINESS

Claudia reminded members of Maysville’s 2nd Annual Tromp and Trolley Art Walk, May 7th from 5-9pm. The ORVAG Annual Museum Show will open at the Kentucky Gateway Museum Center with a wine and cheese reception at 5:00 pm. Members are to drop off artwork to be displayed the month of May at the museum on Tuesday, April 27th. The main event for Tromp and Trolley will be sponsored by the City of Maysville and take place at 6:00 pm in the small mall between the Old White Hotel and the Bank. Maysville Cultural Arts District Association will be unveiling a “surprise” at that time.

If individual Guild artists wish to have a separate location of their own other than the museum, there are several locations available:
Opera Theatre
Annie’s Backstage
Hendrickson Building
Individual Artists/Shop owners
Russell Theatre
Culinary Arts Institute

Claudia also announced the following upcoming events:

1. 4/7 Still life painting at the Guild 1-3 PM

2. 4/18 Art Camp planning meeting 4 PM

3. 4/21 ORVAG Board/Membership Meeting 5 PM

4. 4/28 Art critique 6 PM at Guild

Kathy Macht requested permission to sell raffle tickets for an EB Lewis painting to benefit the Fleming Co. Art Council during Maysville Tromp and Trolley at the Museum. Drawing to be this December.

Kim McKissin announced that she would be having her first photography on May 14th at The Banana Tree in Flemingsburg.

Vicky thanked Karen Fulton and her husband, Scotty, for having such a wonderful Art Smart Sunday at their farm last Sunday.

Stephanie Martinez requested that Guild members participate in the Youth Festival sponsored by the Maysville Montessori School. The event will be May 8th at the Rec. Park.

Kim Mckissin and Ken Swinson talked about forming a Photography Club. The Photography Club could meet as often as once a month at the Guild. Since some participants will be traveling long distances and will only be involved in photography, Clarence Qualls suggested offering an associate membership to the Guild at a fee of $5.00 per person per meeting attended. Kathy Macht moved that we have associate membership status for the Photography Club only at the fee of $5.00 per person per meeting. Kim seconded the motion. All were in favor.

Kim suggested buying mat cutting equipment for the guild. Our present equipment is not useable to due age. Mary Hughes will ask Russell Hughes to research the cost. Ken said that we would need a 40-60“ cutter. Stephanie said she recently purchased a matt cuter from Dick Blick for $350.00

Ken talked about the Augusta Art Guild’s Annual “Art in the Garden” and suggested ORVAG’s having an information booth with some guild member’s work for display or sale. Art in the Garden is the 1st Saturday in June. Call Marilyn Lustik by April 1st we are interested in a booth as described. Several of our members will have their own booths there and we could have information pamphlets at those booths instead.

Judy Pfeffer and Ken suggested we consider changing the locks to the Guild building since we have so many outstanding keys. They suggested that we go with a code pad as a lock. We will check the cost of the change.

Meeting adjourned at 5:50 Pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Donna Huber, Secretary

We have a chance at a really good opportunity to open up another venue for potters and people who want to try their hand at something new and wonderful! The pottery studio has been given use of a really nice slab roller. It is on loan, and I think we can keep it as long as we care for it properly. Free! We also have the chance, at a very reasonable price to purchase a used, but top of the line, clay extruder. This will be great for anyone wanting to try some handbuilding sculptural work! Both machines are easy to use once you see how they work. And, no electrical parts! The slab roller is a done deal. My only suggestion is either we supply our own canvas as it is an expendable part of this.  I was told the extruder had to be voted on by the board. I have no idea who the board is, other than I know Jo was appointed at the last meeting by Claudia, so I assume Claudia is on it too. Anyhow, if you know who ison the board and are interested, please tell them this is a good idea!

I just came back from the guild. For one thing, it is cold and the furnace seems to not be working again. The kiln front piece is back on, so it may be fixed. I did not plug it in to check until I hear from Jim. I did notice the trigger stays in place even without a cone. This won’t work, as nothing will cut the kiln off when it reaches temp. So do not use it yet, potters.

A fun bunch of artists met in Old Washington for a day of still life painting.  The theme was musical instruments.  We had a banjo, mandolin and guitar as models.

Betsy Adams working in pastel.

Philip Saunders sketching with pastel.

Mary-Louise Dean working in oil.

Ruvonna Bevard painting in acrylic.

Ken Swinson worked on a monotype of each instrument.  You can see a short video of his prints going through the press below:

if you don’t see the video above, follow this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbQVUSMFOwQ

I finally have my printing press up-and-running!  I am still learning how to use it, but would like to share the experience with my artist friends…so this Wednesday, (Jan 13) you are invited to join me for an afternoon of creating monotypes.  I’ll have everything you need to make a monotype, but you might want to bring your favorite brush and an idea or photo to work from…and don’t dress in your  Sunday best…it might be messy!

We’ll either meet at my downtown studio or the Art Guild’s Building  in Old Washington (depending on the number of participants)

Let me know if you are interested so I can plan accordingly.

I haven’t been able to hang out with my friends during the holidays, and this will be a fun way to catch up. 

Here’s a few pictures of my latest monotypes to give you an idea of the process.

Here’s a link to a great series of videos by the Smithsonian Institution demonstrating the process:

http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/online/monotypes/video.html

We have had a great weekend at ORVAG with Frontier Christmas.  Artist’s showing their creative work,  the smells and sounds of the Holiday’s, good friends stopping by to shop, chat, enjoy the spirit of the season and well wishings to all.  If you left before the bagpiper arrived, he was great and you missed a treat.  The Guild will be open on the 9th and the 16th from 1:00-7:00 pm  for all of the community and members to get together and share in the “Holiday Spirit”.  Refreshments will be served. 

It was great news to hear that Betsy Baltzer won first place overall for Fine Art at last week’s show at the Morehead Art Guild’s annual art competition.  The painting – “It’s Good To Be Queen” won Baltzer the title.  Betsy is an artist living in Maysville, KY, and one of the founding members of the Ohio River Valley Artist Guild.

Congratulations Betsy!

I heard that a few other guild members took home awards.  I don’t know the details, but the comittee that sends the guild’s press releases to the paper should find out and let the whole community know.   We are very proud of them.