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Minutes of VPS General Membership Meeting: March 2004

Greetings to Everyone!

Here is the news: The meeting was held in the Wood Art Gallery, Montpelier, Vermont from 1:30 - 3:00 pm. As always, it was a lively meeting where all ten members present had too much to share in too little time.

Attending artists were Jan Fead, Fiona Cooper Fenwick, Joyce Kahn, Sandy Buck, Marcia Wise, Skye Forest, Helene Amses, René Schall, and two new members, Charles Woodard from Calais and Marcia Wise who came all the way from Columbia, NH on the border of Canada. Welcome aboard, Marcia & Charles!

1. Old Business: Jan opened the meeting and quickly reviewed the minutes from the January 2003 business meeting. Please see the previous newsletter on the website for details. Skye mentioned that LightWorks (a commercial photo processor in Burlington) will take slides of artwork and turn them into jpeg files at the same time.

2. IAPS Convention, May 7-11, 2003 in Santa Fe, NM: So far, Sean Dye, Skye Forest, and Michael Johnson plan to participate. Terry Ludwig (maker of luxuriously soft pastels) has advertised that he will be giving a sample set of 60 pastels to each Pastel Society in attendance. VOTE: how shall we divide the set among the membership?

New Business:

3. Jan moved that she resign as Vice President and take on the role of Secretary. She gave a brief description her concept of the Vice President¹s responsibilities which included running meetings when necessary, organizing activities as necessary, communicating with members and the public through notices and newsletters and generally doing whatever needs to be done to facilitate the creation of a community of pastel enthusiasts.

4. New Vice President: Sandy Buck was immediately nominated and unanimously elected Vice President. Congratulations, Sandy!

5. As Secretary Jan will take minutes at our business meetings and put together a Newsletter which will include news from the business meetings, membership news and will appear six times a year. REQUEST FOR NEWS: Please send me your info! We all want to know about your progress as an artist, shows and sales, acceptance into shows, honors, also book reviews, new and old art materials reviews, workshop reviews and other items of interest. I do reserve the right to edit for clarity and space considerations. Jan will also be in charge of snail-mailing hard copies of all e-mails to those members without e-mail addresses.

Jan requests that whenever someone receives an e-mail, they send an acknowledgment e-mail back to her to make sure that all the e-mails have been properly received. All VPS communications will include VPS in the headline. NOTE: Please adjust your anti-spam programs to allow VPS notes into your mailbox! I promise that the emails will be worth opening!

By a unanimous vote, it was agreed to pay Jan $50 per Newsletter--which would come to an annual expenditure of $300 per year to VPS.

6. There was no financial report.

7. February Paint Out Report: Eight members braved the bitter cold to participate in a figure painting session at UVM led by Sean Dye. Working from a live model was such a treat, we decided to consider more Paint Outs of this sort soon.

8. Written Description of VPS: René is working with Sean, Sandy and Jan to update this description of VPS to send to prospective and new members. We will post it on our web site. The membership form is also being revised to yield more information on the interests of our members. so we can share the work of committees.

9. Growing Fast & the Need For Organization: Ready or not, VPS is zooming from the initial impromptu, seat-of-the-pants style of operation into the big leagues. Our society is definitely becoming a national pastel society with a professionally designed web site and workshops with well-known artists. Because our membership continues to grow (43 at present) we decided we need a more formal organizational structure. Duties of the officers (President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer) will be formalized in writing, with each current officer responsible for writing the first draft and sending it to Jan.

We decided to establish four Committees to oversee the Society¹s activities: an Exhibition Committee, a Workshop Committee, a Membership Committee and a Program/Meetings Committee. The membership of each committee may change frequently according to what specific workshops and exhibits are planned. This way, members are not required to commit to wrangling every single workshop or every exhibition but can work on presenting the events that interest them most.

Basing her opinion on a successful system where she works, Skye advised that we create written Standard Operating Procedures for workshops and exhibitions to make rotating leadership easier. Each person who volunteers for a workshop or show would be able to refer to this written record of the logical steps that worked or did not work when completed within a certain time frame. Skye, Helene, Joyce, Sandy and Fiona of the Doug Dawson and Rosalie Nadeau workshop committees agreed to organize workshop criteria based on their experiences.

Jan has completed a list of criteria for VPS sponsored workshops but time did not allow a discussion of this list.

10. Program/Meeting Committee. This committee will probably involve the officers along with a few other volunteers who would handle the planning of our six yearly formal meetings (Jan., March, May, July, Sept. Nov.). We envision some kind of a program before or after each business meeting. Paint-outs and other informal get-togethers may be planned for the intervening months.

11. Membership Committee. This Committee is already in place with René Schall handling any membership inquiries and Sandy Buck maintaining the database. For those who would like to have notification of each new member throughout the year, René asks that they call or e-mail her and she will add them to her e-mail notification list (802/878-1086, rschall@together.net).

We decided that an annual membership renewal form, return envelope and a letter that highlights the VPS year and lists member benefits will be sent out in August. Jan will write the letter.

Privacy issues came up as we discussed publishing members¹ names and contact information on the website, and sharing names and addresses on a paper membership list within the VPS. We decided we would post names on the website only after getting permission. The membership renewal forms in August will include places where members can approve having their name, address, email and phone number on the website and/or distributed to other VPS members on the paper list. The list should be printed and distributed in September, after renewals are in.

Sandy Buck will prepare the annual paper membership list and will also print address labels for any VPS mailings.

12. Exhibition committee: Skye and Fiona volunteered to be on this committee after their current workshop duties are completed. The committee will design a show entry form simplifying the process of requesting members to submit slides and biographical information.
Upcoming Exhibitions

13. Annual Stowe Art for Art¹s Sake Sale at the Jackson Arena 8/23 & 8/24: Fiona has done this show before and plans to participate again this year. She explained the show. It might be worthwhile for VPS to participate as a group sharing a booth although we did not make a decision at this time. The indoor event¹s space fee is $80 and a display set-up can be rented for $50 if needed. Individuals may contact Jack Benoze, (pronounced Beh-NOSE-eee) Festival Chair for details and application form at 802-253-8358 or mail@helenday.com.

14. Sean is investigating the possibility of an October 2003 show at the Phoenix Gallery, a commercial gallery in a prime downtown Burlington location. This would be a juried joint show with The Pastel Society of Eastern Canada to include work of 20-25 members of each Society. There would be a $10 to $15 nonrefundable entry fee and an additional $30-$35 fee to all accepted artists to cover gallery expenses including hanging the show, reviewing art, advertising, promotion, staffing of the gallery and reception. The gallery has expressed interest in presenting artist lectures and workshops to help bring people into the show. This offer received a positive reception although we don¹t want to commit until we know what the Gallery commission on sales would be.

BULLETIN FROM SEAN DYE: Sean sent this Update 3/17/03: The Phoenix show is a go. I will contact the Canadian group and see if they are interested. I will be lining up 2 out of three jurors. I hope to get an established U.S. Artist and a Canadian. The show is slated for the month of October. The gallery has agreed to drop commissions from the normal 50% to 40%. We will have 25 Vermonters and 25 Canadians with at least two paintings each. We may be following a Peter Max show. Each artist will submit 3 slides. Due date will probably be in June. When the details are worked out I will send out an email.

15. Sandy contacted the Wood Art Gallery regarding a VPS exhibition and was told she needs a letter of intent, a resume or info on the society and slides of samples of member¹s work. Sean Dye will help with this.

16. VPS will definitely have an April 2004 exhibit at Southern Vermont Art Center. However, individual members have not yet been notified as to whether their work has been accepted.

17. Before pursuing another Art¹s Alive Gallery exhibit in Union Station in Burlington, we must decide on the possible Phoenix Gallery exhibit. The two exhibits would run simultaneously. Security issues and the lack of art patrons are drawbacks to the Art¹s Alive location.

18. The Mary Bryant Memorial Art Gallery in Johnson and the Supreme Court Gallery were mentioned as other possible exhibit venues with the proviso that the Supreme Court Gallery likes large work.

Current Workshop Updates:

19. Doug Dawson Workshop. Registration forms for a 2-day and 5-day workshop in September have been sent out by Fiona. As of 3/9/03, 7 people were signed up for the 5-day workshop and 9 people for the 2-day workshop. The outline of the two-day weekend workshop is now available; contact Fiona at fionacinvt@aol.com if you would like a copy.

20. Rosalie Nadeau Workshop. A two-day workshop with Rosalie Nadeau from the Cape Cod Pastel Society is being planned for the weekend of May 31/June 1. See Workshop Details.

21. Possible Michael Johnson Workshop: POSTPONED INDEFINITELY: Our long distance NM webmaster Michael had been asked about possibly teaching a workshop on the weekend of 6/21, when he will be in Vermont, but changes in his travel plans require that the workshop be postponed.

22. Mini-workshops/Programs: We discussed without conclusion paying individuals who present programs at the six yearly business meetings and whether to charge a small fee for attendance. Topics mentioned for programs include:
Framing pastels -- Fiona offered to do this
Floating a framed image -- Rebecca offered to demonstrate
Surfaces for pastel painting -- Sean agreed to take this on
How galleries, shows critique slides/work -- we should ask a gallery owner to talk to us
Creating a web site -- are there any web designers in our membership willing to take this on?
Oil pastel painting -- Sean is willing and/or Lisa Angell


Miscellaneous:

23. April Paint-Out: Sizzling Shadows & Icy Light & Vice Versa
Jan Fead will teach a 3 hour intensive workshop on Sunday April 27 (location to be determined) on how to dance with color temperature and put power in your paintings. Discover how understanding color temperature puts more keys on your piano! Learn easy ways to determine if subtle colors are warm or cool. Learn how to make highlights higher, depths deeper. Fee: $30, 5 students minimum. We will work from a carefully chosen still life. Please let her know if you are interested. Thanks! jfead@accessvt.com or 802-453-4910

24. Lilac and Gardening Sunday at Shelburne Museum will be May 18, 2003 from 10 am to 5 pm. $17.50 admission unless you are a museum member. Will this be the Vermont Pastel Society¹s third annual plein air Paint-Out? We¹ve roasted or frozen in previous years, so this year will be wonderful! Its great fun, and the lilacs are beautiful. Are you interested? Please let Jan know 802-453-4910 or jfead@accessvt.com

25. Meeting was adjourned for lack of time. Robert Brunelle, President of the Northern Vermont Artists' Association, presented a slide show and lecture on how he photographs and archives his artwork. Thank you, Robert and Joyce Kahn, whoe made arrangements for this workshop.

26. Minutes recorded by René Schall. Thank you, Rene!

Additional info:

Michael Johnson¹s guidelines for submitting art for the website

Michael says: "Easiest for me, of course, is to have everything submitted electronically so I can just cut-and-paste text. I am able, however, to scan in prints (not slides) and to hand-key a typewritten (or incredibly legibly written) bio."

Michael would start with just one image per member, trying to fit what he can on the main page -- they will be tiny, but he can link each one to a larger version of the image. Or we could go with a larger size and rotate them -- but that would be a manual process, something he would have to do each month (or for whatever period we choose.) Perhaps it would be better to have just the logo on the main page and then have a page that links to members' work?

Rosalie Nadeau Workshop

Sat./Sun. May 31 & June 1, 2003 in Montpelier, VT
Tuition: $100 for both days and $50 deposit at time of registration

BULLETIN FROM JOYCE KAHN 3/17/03: Please respond by e-mail (Tallitot@aol.com) if you are planning to attend. Registration letters will go out next week, but we'd like to get an idea of how many of our members are interested before opening this workshop up, as the time is not far off. Price of the workshop will be $100 for the two days with a $50 deposit at the time of registration. Acceptance will be on a first come first served basis. We plan to paint outdoor, weather permitting, with backup spaces available.

Rosalie Nadeau, a nationally acclaimed pastelist and oil painter, will be giving a weekend workshop in Montpelier the weekend of Sat./Sun. May 31 and June 1st. Please respond to Joyce Kahn (tallitot@aol.com) by e-mail if you are planning to attend. Registration letters will go out next week, but we'd like to get an idea of how many of our members are interested before opening this workshop up, as the time is not far off. Price of the workshop will be $100 for the two days with a $50 deposit at the time of registration. Acceptance will be on a first come first served basis. We plan to paint outdoor, weather permitting, with backup spaces available. Excerpts from and about Rosalie are included below:

Painting from Life in Oil and Pastel

Hello! I am so pleased that you have chosen to take the workshop I am conducting on Saturday May 31, and Sunday, June 1,from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm, and I am looking forward to painting with you. It is my emphatic belief that one learns best working directly from reality. Weather permitting, we will paint on location; otherwise, we will paint in the studio from the still life. In this workshop I will show you how to establish a focus within the painting so that one really wants to reach out and touch your subject matter. I call this effect PRESENCE, achievable technically by honing visual skills.

I will demonstrate, fully explaining my approach to composition. I will help you to activate the space within the picture plane, and most importantly, to assist you as you learn to see value and temperature in color, which is how light describes form. I will share a reading list, vocabulary list, supply sources, and my enthusiasm for the drama of light and brilliant color and techniques I know to achieve it.

We will share our class efforts in an informal critique. I believe it is useful for you to have an opportunity to respond in practice to suggestions and criticisms and to have time to explore any questions about this input within the workshop experience. Thus, we won¹t leave this valuable aspect of the workshop for the last few minutes.

Because we may be working from the still life, you may want to bring objects, fruit, flowers, and especially colored fabrics for surface and backdrop. You may want to bring a clamp light for indoor work. Depending on your level of experience, you may want to work as small as 11 x 14 or as large as you like. You may paint with pastels or with oils (but please, use only odorless turpentine substitute or mineral spirits indoors). The supply lists enclosed are suggested, most substitutions will do. Also, it works best if you bring a box lunch, beverage, and snack.

I hope I have answered your questions. Thank you for your interest in painting with me and enrolling in this class.

Most sincerely, Rosalie

ROSALIE NADEAU, PSA, PPSCC, CPS
Orleans, Massachusetts on Cape Cod

A master plein air painter and inspired teacher, Nadeau balances powerful color with classical form conveying a uniquely intense presence. Her vibrant paintings illustrate feature articles in the national and regional magazines Pastel Artist International, American Artist, The Pastel Journal, Cape Cod Life and four internationally distributed art books: Painting the Impressionist Landscape, The Pastel Painter¹s Solution Book, Pastel School, and the cover of Painting Shapes and Edges. Her work was selected for the permanent collection of the Cape Museum of Fine Art, as well as corporate and private collections nationwide. Falconer Gallery in Chatham, and Left Bank Gallery in Wellfleet, represent her on Cape Cod. Off Cape, she is represented by Beauregard Fine Art in Rumson, New Jersey and by Hughes Gallery in Boca Grande, Florida.

As light intensifies the nature of our visual life, creating brilliance or subtleties in color relationships, I am inspired to paint. My intention is to create PRESENSE, a tactile feeling, the sense of specific time and space."

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