MEETING MINUTES
AAC Steering Committee Meeting Minutes Tuesday, November 12, 2024
4 PM at Cookie Ohlson’s House, 2001 Harvey Road
Present: Linda Toman, Jill Althouse-Wood, Megan King, Shay Seaborne, Cookie Ohlson Absent: Rachel Kantner. Stevie Nolan has resigned from the committee.
1. ADMINISTRATIVE/ FINANCES
Approved minutes.
Financial Report. Online
Cookie plans to audit the books with David Gerbec ahead of our January 14 meeting.
2. DEBRIEF EVENTS PAST
Fair Booth—No debrief, Megan absent
Invitational show at DTC—Sadie sent notes, which I will add to the end of these minutes.
3. UPCOMING EVENTS (already on the books):
Book Discussions: November (Upcoming at Betty O’Regan’s House) and January (Jill is attending BWVC Committee meeting to advocate for this as a community event.)
Small Art Show—December Art Loop at Buzz. Jill feels she has this well in hand, using the last two years as a good template for the event.
February Exhibit at Delaware Theatre Company—Sadie Somerville is curating The show will be in conjunction with the show Tuesdays with Morrie Feb 19- March 9. Who will be Sadie’s Steering Committee liaison? We nominated Rachel, since she wasn’t there. Ha! But we will revisit to see if some else can do it, if Rachel can’t.
Youth Show at Buzz for February Art Loop. Cookie is willing to help. Jill will ask Emily Ferrell to join our meeting in January.
Group Show at Baby Grand in October. We need curator. Will wait until Jan meeting.
4. Update on Creation of Arts & Crafts Gild (Updated proposal is included at end of this agenda) Megan and Jeanne Orr will present our proposal at November Arden Club meeting. (update November 15th: They presented. The reception was very positive. Arden Club will vote as per their bylaws at their next meeting in January.)
5. Plan Agenda for Members at Large Meeting on January 14, 2025 at 7 PM
Review of 2024 accomplishments and challenges. What are our challenges?
Discuss what is already on books for 2025
Vision board for future (Fun small breakout activity?)
Plan out 2025
The Steering committee will meet in December with the express purpose of fleshing out this agenda.
5. Further define role of Steering Committee for 2025. Do we need further defined roles? Chair? Secretary? Liaison for A&C Gild? Youth Coordinator? Marketing? Volunteer Coordinator? Do we need to draft members of Steering committee for specialty roles. We discussed this, and agreed we need more defined roles and have a special need for Marketing/Social Media.
6. Possible Programming for 2025 and beyond—not yet on books
3D/ Sculptor’s exhibit Rachel update Chris White Gallery. (Update: Rachel sent me the link to apply for a show at Chris White. Jill filled it out and sent it in on behalf of our sculptors.)
Spring Market update: (Rachel and Micah had an initial meeting, but little else. Jill asked them to come up with a timeline in the next couple of weeks. If we don’t have this before the membership at large meeting, we may have to table this until next year.)
Workshops/Programming
T-Shirt Design—Linda didn’t create a timeline. We discussed March as a possible time for this. With the impending creation of the Arts & Crafts Gild, this may be better served under that umbrella.
Writing for artists. Jill still needs to talk to Gordon Hesse. He has had some health issues, so we may have to go another route. She has some ideas that are percolating. More on this at future meetings.
Watercolor—Cookie would still like to do a workshop. Timeline? Would this be better supported by A&C Gild?
Other: Cookie believes that artists want more free flow meeting of just socializing. Jill believes there should be some structure. WE plan to bring this up at the membership at large.
Field Trips—ideas: Lancaster Art Gallery trip in the spring? Mickalene Thomas:
All About Love At Barnes (until Jan 12)Arden Socials—We agreed to a twice yearly schedule, spring and fall, but have no concrete plans.
Youth interaction—Cookie would like to be involved.
5. MARKETING
We are at a loss here. We want to amp this up in 2025.
6. No New PUBLIC ART UPDATE
7. NEW BUSINESS/Set up next meeting:
Next meeting is to exclusively discuss agenda for meeting at large (Jan 14). It will be at Jill’s House, 2110 Hillside Road, December 4, 4 PM.
Notes on Joy is Art Exhibition By Sadie Somerville
coordinated with Delaware Theatre Co’s production of Every Brilliant Thing 10/23- 11/10 2024
I worked with Matt Silva, Executive and Artistic Director and Elisabeth Kersey, Director of operations to put this exhibition on and advertise it. The reception was held on the Wilmington Art on the town Friday, November 1
Jill Althouse-Wood helped to put together all the graphics for the exhibition before her trip to Italy, including:
Labels for art in exhibition with QR codes
Graphics for flyers for advertising the exhibition and posted on Facebook events
A poster mounted on fomecore for the exhibition
Helped with getting the AAC Artist Agreement to exhibit at DTC and the agreement with the De Theatre Co and Arden Artisans Collective
Reviewed other documents for the show for me, I.E; how to purchase arts in exhibition
AAC website Resources is a great tool.
Jill posted the show announcement on the AAC website and sent out to the AAC artisans
She also included the show in the AAC newsletter and the Arden Page
Annette Hearing posted the show on Social media announcing the exhibition and the opening reception.
Russ McKinney helped me to hang the exhibition along with Rodney
DTC signed up to be on the Art Loop ( including the Loop shuttle) and in Out and About Magazine
Signs for the art show with Jill’s Hoprocking image and arrows were posted on both doors pointing into the DTC gallery
I provided a detailed page to the Box Office which told all about the exhibition and where to find information in the exhibit on the artists and for purchase of works in the show.
DTC had the Joy is Art poster on an easel in the lobby as you enter the theatre with a sign for the Art show
DTC put out email blast with announcement of show using Jill’s Graphic 10/28/24
The DTC staff were all excited to have the art show in the gallery and talked about it to their collegues and friends
Sadie curated the exhibition and asked each artist in the exhibit and Artisans in general to please spread the word about the show to their friends, families and neighbors.
Invited all Arden Artisans to the reception by email.
Printed up extra postcards using Jill’s graphic for the artists to distribute and to have at the exhibition
Sent over 125 emails to friends, Business people she knows and acquaintances to come to see the show. Posted the show postcard on all the bulletin boards in town.
Two paintings of Sadie’s sold as a result of friends that came and purchased. She also took friends to see the exhibit while it was up during work week hours
Annette also sold two pieces at the reception.
The AAC exhibition got some different exposure to people who came to the theatre and to the Art on the Town. I had many positive comments from people who saw the exhibition.
I followed up after the show with artists for their comments on the exhibition.
I coordinated the reception bar/beverages with DTC for the opening and asked artists to bring food to share. I brought flowers for the tables at the reception
There was a steady stream of people coming to the reception, artist’s friends, the Art Loop bus group with poetry & music and the theatre people coming to the Friday night play.
Artist comments:
I love that you assembled a small group of artists rather than a larger group with one piece of art each. I love that each artist’s paintings were hung together as it seemed very cohesive and gave a good sense of each artist’s style. And I love that the theme was to fit in with the theme of the production. Finally, I love the eclectic mix of artists you chose.
On Reception: That was such a fabulous celebration last night!! Thank you, Sadie, for all that you have done to make the exhibition so successful. And thank you for contributing the yummy food and beverages...and the beautiful flowers. It was fun! And we even had a poet + environmental sound man to add to it all.
After the show opening and near end of the show: I didn’t receive any interest post-show. I loved the show and the space. I thought it was well done and it gave us a different audience which is what we were after.
A couple reasons why I don’t think we had many at the show. Part of it is show fatigue. "I’ve seen work by those artists before.” For me, I’ve been asking people to see one show after another.
Another is that we emphasized the parking situation. I think it may have scared people. Parking was so easy and it was well-marked. Next time, you should emphasize how close it is to the Delaware Contemporary. “Stop here on your way to the Delaware Contemporary.” We are right around the corner. Free refreshments.
It could also be that there was a lot going on—not just from Art Loop but because it was Halloween weekend.
Ideas for future
Need Help with Graphics, design, advertisements, flyers
Posting on Social media
How to better get word out to people
AAC artists to help with their support for other Artisans and exhibitions
Proposal for an Arts & Crafts Gild
Inspiring creativity, preserving heritage
Mission Statement
To foster cultural conversation and community experiences by providing educational and recreational programming for enjoyment and participation in visual arts & crafts.
The Arts & Crafts Gild carries forward Arden's artistic legacy, empowering individuals to explore and enjoy the visual/plastic arts through engaging programs and by illuminating the ongoing maker traditions happening within and around the Ardens.
Objectives:
1. Fill a hole in the Arden Club’s portfolio. As the premiere cultural organization in the area, they need a visual arts arm.
2. Formalize the relationship that the Arden Club has with visual artists/makers who have added value in the past by designing Arden Fair T-shirts, displaying art, organizing shows and craft markets.
3. Provide a creative outlet through educational and recreational opportunities for members and non-members to participate in, learn about, and enjoy the visual arts.
4. Augment the living tradition of artists who are carrying on the legacy of the Ardens as an Arts & Crafts community.
Leadership
Megan King (chair), Jeanne Orr (treasurer), Jill Althouse-Wood, and others to be determined
Programming
1. Speaker programs topics such as: Urban Sketchers of Delaware, the psychology of creation, enjoyment and creation of murals, someone from Winterthur to discuss specific topics about American decorative arts, speaker from or crossover event with the Delaware Correctional Arts Program, forgeries
2. Active programming such as plein air or urban sketching, Stitch ‘n Bitch, learn to create digital art, watercolor techniques, found art, collage, neurographic art
3. Field trips to local museums, galleries
4. Specific programming for youth, one-off classes or series, and create opportunities for youth to display art
5. Showcase of arts & crafts work occasionally in the Gild Hall entrance area or backstage gallery (include artist waiver for any liability to the Club)
6. Encourage multi-gild events
Use of Club Building
1. Monthly Program similar to what the Gardeners Gild is doing with some meetings hosting local experts/speakers and other meetings with hands-on activities.
2. Ongoing markets such as the Holiday Market. We are proposing a Spring Market ahead of Mother’s Day, scale and regularity to be determined.
3. Special events, to be determined.
Club Responsibilities
1. Arden Fair support, e.g. Arden T-shirt sales, face painting, banners
2. Dinner Gild dinner
3. Encourage Arden Club membership at events
Financial Responsibilities
The Arts and Crafts Gild intends to add to the financial well-being of the Arden Club through the following income streams:
1. Admission to events in the case of paid speakers/presenter
2. Collection of donations during events
3. Grants toward specific programing, infrastructure, and/or supplies
4. Commission from group shows/markets/displayed arts
5. Encourage Arden Club membership at events