Newsletter &  Member

www.womencontemporaryartists.com / info@womencontemporaryartists.com

   Winter 2010 Issue

                         

 Click on BLUE links to go to that reference ....

 

<< Use your Membership List for phone numbers and email addresses >>

 

Message from the President, Genevieve Perkins:

Welcome to 2010   In this new futurist year of 2010, WCA is set for new adventures.

We are Women Contemporary Artists.  We are artists of our community, our state. We are women with connections. We are women grateful for home, family and friends which includes fellow members.  We are grateful, and sometimes surprised by, our amazing creative abilities. Together we bring these gifts of caring and art to the community and to the world.

Thank You and all for welcoming me as your new WCA President. I am proud to lead this group of strong, creative, supportive women as we all try to build an art audience and a buying public for our work. 

I was concerned about membership renewal in these challenging financial times. With the extended renewal time, we have brought back many members. We also have new members who have just joined us.  The membership has renewed my faith that we wish to continue to be a strong viable art organization. Thank you for putting in the effort and showing the enthusiasm to stay together and work together as we move forward with WCA and the arts community.

This is a time to explore, appreciate and strengthen, what for WCA. is working well and to bring new possibilities to our future. Organizations that have a strong, clear sense of purpose do well. Understanding our WCA history, its members, and our venues, have made us what we are today and we will continue to be a strong organization.

As your new President, I would like to reiterate what I hope to develop with you:

·               More volunteerism to help us accomplish changes and open new areas to us.

·               Interactions to build bridges with other arts organization.

·               Getting to know and exploring collaborations with many of the new art groups in the area

·               There are all kinds of new opportunities to partner with different types of art groups in the area.

Your ideas/suggestions, joys and concerns are welcome, so don’t hesitate to call or email me or other members of the board – your board. The WCA Board and I are looking for dates to have a General Membership Meeting for you in the near future. There are good things coming.

Let’s open our arms to the New Year’s ventures.  I look forward to working with you as we move into this year of 2010. 

Sincerely and Best wishes in this New Year,

Genevieve Perkins

WCA President

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From Bernice Gaines, Retreat Coordinator:

Once again, we have enjoyed our WCA 2009 Annual Retreat.  A fun time was had by all and the energy and creativity was inspiring.  Many of the attendees, both “veterans” and  “first timers,” expressed their enthusiasm over the total experience.
 

Two workshops were offered: “Artist Trading Cards” presented by Judy Lyon Schneider and “Shoes As Art” given by Sally Sloan.  Both workshops were optional yet almost everyone participated in both of them.
 

The evenings were spent watching art-related films or working on one’s own projects.
 

My heartfelt thanks to my committee: Helen Hirmes, Rosalie Silver, Marge Bennett and Maggie Nevens and of course the presenters of the workshops.
 

The food was good and refreshments were available day and night to munch on.
 

Here’s to next year . . .

Retreat 2009

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Click this link and save as a favorite (bookmark) http://www.womencontemporaryartists.com/Member-Info.htm.  Keep and Catch up with WCA member news.

Who to contact for what .... Committee Heads and Job Descriptions.  Note of the Committees and what their duties are in the Organization.  Help whenever you can and consider a leadership position if and when needed. WCA depends on your help to thrive! 

NOTICES and COMMITTEE ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Newsletters are posted in full on the WCA website on::

October 15 (info to be to Kris no later than Sept 15) / January 15 (your info by Dec 15) / May 15 (your info by Apr 15)

Kris Parins - kris.parins@gmail.com  << click this link to send your info.

If you have new WCA photos that you would like included in the online photo album, please email them to info@womencontemporaryartists.com. Be sure they are good resolution at 300 dpi, cropped from 3 x 5" min to 5x7" max, etc.  Our online scrapbook needs some new pix ... see it at  www.womencontemporaryartists.com/scrapbook.htm

Your personal announcements are limited to up to just several lines of pertinent info.  Editor will not be able to edit long announcements; therefore they may not be included.  

Joanna Coke will be sending email messages from the Committee Heads as necessary.

Your Personal Announcements (those not included in the newsletters) are your responsibility and you are free to use the WCA email list for this purpose. 

NAME BADGES: Gail Shaivitz

The prices of the name tags are as follows (and subject to change): 

Pin..............................$12.85   /   Magnetic....................$16.85

Checks are to be made out to WCA, and sent to Gail.  Please call her with any questions.

WCA DENIM SHIRTS  are $35.00.  Order through Karen Jackson-Race. Checks are to be made payable to WCA and sent to Karen. Please call her with any questions.

EXHIBITION NEWS:

• The Exhibition Policies:  www.womencontemporaryartists.com/ExhibitionPolicies.pdf

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS 2010:

Plymouth Harbor on the Sarasota Bay

State College of Florida, Venice

Go to the Prospectus Page for the prospectuses and details as they are now. 

Selby Gardens October -November, 2010

Selby Gallery at the Ringling School of Art and Design is scheduled for May, 2011

Delivering and picking up artwork for exhibitions:  It is mandatory that you or a representative for you be present at receiving and pick up. Often there are questions that need answering.  With one or two exhibitions annually, it should not be a burden for you.  Reminder:  You MUST pick up your artwork at the end of a show. If you are going to enter your artwork in an exhibition, it is your responsibility to pick it up.... PLEASE! This has become a serious problem.

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MEMBERS' ANNOUNCEMENTS & AWARDS:

Please watch for your new annual Membership List which will be sent to you via email.  Print and save it. Update it when necessary.  Use this list for member contact details as we do not put personal info on the website.

New Contact Information:

Maggie Nevens correct and current email address is mnevens@verizon.net

MARK YOUR CALENDARS ...

Don't forget to include the address and times of your events when sending to Kris

Bernice Gaines will be the featured artist at The Dancing Crane Gallery for February 2010.  Opening reception will be on February 5th from 6 to 9 PM.  Show runs through February 28th.  1019 10th Ave W.,  Bradenton in The Village of the Arts. 744.1333.

Kris Parins  "Intersections," an exhibit of 25 of her recent watercolor paintings, is at the Women's Resource Center of Sarasota until January 28, 2010. The public is invited to a meet-the-artist reception on Tuesday, January 12, 5 - 7 pm, at 340 South Tuttle Avenue in Sarasota. see map at http://www.krisparins.com

Carolyn Ritter:  I WOULD LIKE TO INVITE YOU TO MY LECTURE "FEELING, ATTITUDE, AND SOUL"

THURSDAY JAN. 7TH 6-8 P.M. - KATHARINE BUTLER GALLERY - 1943 MORRILL ST., SARASOTA    www.kbutlergallery.com   955-4546  (please let them know if you can come- space is limited)  I will be sharing my journey- my notes from a lifetime of painting, and the miles and miles of canvas it took to find myself and develop my own style.

Sue Turconi is one of the artists chosen by the Fine Arts Society in Sarasota to participate in their fundraiser next season at the Ringling School of Art & Design in Sarasota.

Barbara Albin won 2nd place in the Harvest of Art, Charlotte County's Annual Juried Exhibit in November for her watercolor titled "Moment in Time".

Alice Benjamin had a drawing accepted in the National League of Pen Women Florida State Conference Exhibit at Art Center Sarasota, November and has had work in each show this year at the Dancing Crane Gallery in Bradenton's Village of the Arts. 941-739-2465 alicebenjamin@tampabay.rr.com

Joanna Coke and Judy Kramer traveled to Russia from Sept. 9 - 22 to participate in an artists' exchange project. Their work was displayed in an exhibition "West Meets East: The Faces of Art" in Velikiy Novgorod. Joanna and Judy taught classes to children, visited artists' studios, and attended exhibitions by several Russian art masters. Two other Sarasota artists took part in this exchange.

Carol Doenecke received an Award of Merit in the National League of American Pen Women, Florida State Assn. exhibit, at Art Center Sarasota in November.

Jill Hoffman Kowal sold 4 paintings in Los Angeles and as Co-Founder of Target Video had a show at the San Francisco Public Library along with her partners. She currently has a painting in the window at State of the Arts Gallery, downtown Sarasota. jillhoffman@verizon.net
 
Judy Kramer's photography is on display at a new gallery in town ... Frary Gallery, 1419 A 5th St., Sarasota, Rosemary District, next to Allyn Gallup Gallery. Hours are Tuesday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Friday 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

Judy will also be doing a presentation at The Dancing Crane Gallery at the March 8th Lunch Bunch. She will speak about the Russian handmade dolls by Olga that she is selling at the Gallery.  Details about the program will be sent to you via email at a later date.

Sylva Hutchins was included in "Small Works" juried show at Towles Court Clair Mitchell Gallery Nov 20 - Dec 8, and in a group show at the Casey Key Library Dec 3 - 5.

Ellen Mason had two paintings accepted in the Florida State Pen Women show.  

Kathleen McDonald was elected to her third one year term as President & CEO of Art Center Sarasota at the Annual Members Meeting in October. As state president of the National League of American Pen Women, the Sarasota Branch hosted the Florida Biennial Convention in Sarasota in November. She serves on the National Executive Board of NLAPW as Budget Chair. Pen Women is the oldest women's arts organization in the US, founded in 1897.  To inquire about membership go to www.NLAPW.org.

Eleanor Merritt's painting entitled; "Dance to the Music" was included in The International Society of Acrylic Painters-Florida 4th annual Juried Exhibition, held at the Carrollwood Cultural Center in Tampa, Fl.  

Melody Oxarart won the Benjamin Prize at the Florida Artist Group exhibition in the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art in Tarpon Springs in May. The juror was renowned artist, Sam Gilliam.  

Meg Pierce has been awarded the "John Ringling Towers Individual Artist Award/Visual Art." The award funds work on a proposed triptych and includes a residency at the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Englewood.

Marianthe Pastore was juried into the following exhibits: Art Center Sarasota "Green-The Primary Color", Venice Portrait exhibit, Venice Anything Goes exhibit, Venice Black & White exhibit. she also exhibited her work in the side lobby of the Players Theatre, and won first prize at the first Annual Towles Court exhibit, awarding her a one week show of her work at the Claire Mitchell Gallery at Towles Court which started December 11th.

Dotty Terry has 3 photos in Annual Photography Show at Art Center Sarasota with 1 Honorable mention. Also has 2 pieces included in  the  Venice Art Center "Black/White + one color" show.

Beverly Wood will be one of three featured artists at the Players Theater Lobby Exhibition for the production of “Lend Me a Tenor” Feb 1 - Mar 8, 2010.  Pre-show “Meet the Artists” opening - Feb 10, 2010 at 6:30 PM, or call 365-2494 for other viewing hours. (contact 922-7446 or bswood1@comcast.net).

Jean Germain announces the publication of her book: Jazz From Row Six. The book has won a gold medal in the 2009 New Generation Indie Book Awards category of Entertainment/Pop Culture, and was a finalist in the Coffee Table Book category. Original photographs from the book will be in a show at The WIT Gallery in Lenox Massachusetts from July 2 - September 25.  Also, Jean was honored this past October with an award by the Ringling School of Art and Design  and Longboat Key Center for the Arts in an exhibition "Ageless  Creativity" as a photographer  who has made a creative contribution to the community.


Members Who Teach

This is a new section for our WCA Newsletter. To submit your information, please include, in this order: 1) your name 2) course title 3) dates & times 4) cost 5) location 6) contact & registration. You may include a link to a website. Course descriptions will not be included. Please do not type in all caps. Thank you! - Kris Parins kris.parins@gmail.com

Helene Hirmes will be teaching her Sculpture class, "Faces, Figures and Beyond..." at ArtCenter Manatee.  If there are enough people registered, we will have a model.  There will be 6 Wednesdays from Jan. 6.  The next 6 sessions begin Feb. 17, 9 am - 12 noon. Also, a one session class on applying PATINAS will be held Fri., Jan. 22,  10 am - 1 pm. Call Helene with questions at 358-7779 or register at ACM 746-2862.

Judy Nadler's  6-week class, Collage As Art, will begin on January 4th from 10 am -1:00 pm at Art Center Sarasota.  Call Judy at 957-3064 for further information.

Eleanor Merrit will be teaching a course on Feminist Artists on Mondays, Feb. 22 - March 15 (4 weeks) 2:30 - 4:30 pm at the Pierian Spring Academy. Classes held at Argosy University, 17th & Honore Ave. $50.  register at: www.PIERIANSPRINGACADEMY.ORG/REGISTRATION.ASPX.

Kris Parins is offering "Communicate with Watercolor" at the Venice Art Center on Thursdays, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm beginning January 14. $150 per 4 week session. Also "Splash, Splatter, & Pour" a 3-day workshop March 29 - 31, $180. To register call 941-485-7136    www.veniceartcenter.com.


 

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NEWS YOU CAN USE:

Visit the Links Page for members http://www.womencontemporaryartists.com/resources-links.htm.  Here you will find many resources for your art and art business.

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http://www.communityaffair.com   Community Affair - life, art, culture for exhibition opportunities.

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ATTENTION PLEIN AIR PAINTERS  The Bay Preserve in Osprey (located behind Spanish Point) is again offering their venue for artists to spend the day or a few hours at their beautiful site. The property is on the Intercoastal and includes a lovely old mansion, a dock, grounds and wonderful old trees. There is water available. All you need is a brown bag lunch. Come in a group or with a friend and enjoy. If you are interested, call Sally Sloan to reserve time.

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WATERCOLOR ARTISTS - Contact Directly for forms and further info:

Phaedra Rehorn,  Historical Resources Assistant

Manatee Village Historical Park  /  (941) 749-7165 / 741-4075

To coincide with the National Watercolor Show that will be held at Art Center Manatee from January 15th - February 26th, 2010. As part of the watercolor theme of the events, they will have a small exhibition of watercolor art, as well as three different Saturday events (January 23rd, February 13th, & 27th) with watercolor demonstrations or workshops by local artists.  The demos and exhibition will take place at the Manatee Village Historical Park which is a collection of restored historical buildings, as well as a small museum which exists to preserve the pioneer history of Manatee County. 1404 Manatee Avenue East, in Bradenton. (look fir the black steam locomotive out front. The exhibition will be installed on the second floor of the Wiggins Store, where the small museum and Park offices are located. The demos can take place anywhere on the Park grounds that the artist prefers. We have several different locations where the demos can take place; the porch of an old settler’s house, a gazebo and courtyard adjacent to the 1887 church, the porch of the Wiggins Store, or if an indoor location is preferred, artists are welcome to use the 1887 church, the 1860 courthouse, the hallway of the settler’s house or the one-room school house. I am open to anything the artist feels most comfortable with. The dates of the demos are January 23rd, February 13th & 27th, and they will take place from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm. The exhibit will be in place from January 15th – February 26th. They are thrilled to have as many artists as would like to participate, or as space will allow.

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Some online galleries offer more exposure for your artwork. 

THIS COULD BE INTERESTING FOR YOU.  CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF BEFORE PARTICIPATING.

Online allery art show, 'Work of New Year', voting started on December 1.
Please visit the gallery and vote in our art show. Thank you.
http://www.guestsgallery.com/vote/view.php?uid=28 
 

Call for entries

*2010  International Art Show - Realism
Open to all international artists and all media. (March 1-31, 2010)
http://www.guestsgallery.com/realismcallforentries.htm

* 2nd International Animal Art Contest
Call to artists for the " 2nd International Animal Art Contest", held May 24 to July 10, 2010.
http://www.guestsgallery.com/animalartcontest.htm                    
' Current Entries '  http://www.guestsgallery.com/vote/view.php?uid=27
   
Best Regards,
Guests Gallery   http://www.guestsgallery.com

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Even as the economy is going through a recession, a market for luxury goods and services still exists. While American consumers are cutting back on extravagant spending, they are not willing to give up on indulgences altogether. It is entirely possible for you to sell your art in this marketplace even in this current climate, as long as you understand luxe buyers and their behavioral patterns, and can then develop and implement a marketing plan geared toward this audience.

In this five-part series on luxury art marketing, we’ll take you through the business of luxury. You’ll learn how to identify and research your target audience; how to posit yourself as a luxury brand; and how to tap into buyer sentiments, as well as some creative ways to increase your market position.

Today’s luxury marketplace

The market for luxury goods and services has grown significantly in the last 20 years, expanding vertically and horizontally. There are more categories of products every year and more products available within each category. There are luxury entries now in virtually every product type imaginable, and it is constantly evolving toward more elaborate and higher quality offerings. Luxury buyers today differ in some important ways from their counterparts of a generation ago. Research has shown that today’s luxury buyers will not spend money indiscriminately in every luxury category, even if they are extremely affluent. Instead, they will trade up and spend more money in categories that have emotional importance and meaning for them, and trade down in or ignore other areas that they do not care about.

Income is not a reliable indicator of a luxury consumer either. James Twitchell, author of Living it Up: Our Love Affair with Luxury, stated that “since the 1980s, the bulk consumers of luxury have not been the wealthy but the middle class, your next-door neighbors and their kids.” Given these unexpected patterns of consumption, it is critical that purveyors of luxury goods and services study this market closely to formulate a marketing plan and deliver a message that resonates with prospective buyers.

Luxury buyers think differently.

In almost every case, buyers purchase luxury goods in order to satisfy various emotional needs, even if they are not consciously aware of those needs. As in the past, some needs like the desire for status and pride of ownership are still important motivating factors for today’s buyers.

The “must-have” sentiment runs deep in a luxury buyer’s mind. Writer Jill Kargman recently reported on the adjusted buying habits of affluent women in Manhattan whose husbands work(ed) in the now embattled Wall Street (“Hedge-Fund Wives: The Inside Story,” Harper’s Bazaar, April 2009). One of Kargman’s interviewees is quoted as saying, “I still want luxury, but it has to have and keep value, like a black Carolina Herrera gown, a bouclé Chanel suit, or an Hermès handbag.” Kargman summarized that “most women I’ve polled agree that they’ve cut back on spending but would still buy items they conceded were must-haves.” Companies that are successfully selling luxury goods right now are doing so because they have identified the emotional needs that motivate the consumer to make a purchase. How do you sell cut flowers, high-end chocolate, diamonds rings and other extravagancies despite the poor economy? One answer is to change the message. Diamond sellers DeBeers is touting its gems not as opulent objects but as a thoughtful investments; others play with the sentiment that we need something that makes us feel good during hard times.

Elements of luxury

Luxury means exclusive. Everything about luxury — price, product, packaging, personalized service — is crafted to emit an aura of eliteness. Chevrolet and IKEA, for instance, are not luxury brands because, among other things, their products are priced too low to fit into the luxe category. Another difference between common versus luxury products and services is that the latter are delivered with culture experiences of high expectations. A good example is the slick mailer that recently arrived in the mailbox from Porche. The ad, a promo for the Porsche First Mile test drive, read “You are under no obligation. Except to have to the most remarkable experience of your life.” Luxury implies that the experience of buying and owning will be unparalleled. Offer the ultimate culture experience that your buyer is seeking and you justify the exorbitant price tag.

Create an object of yearning.

Luxury is a culture that will forever be created. A good product or service can be adored (and sometimes ignored), but a luxury product or service is most often worshiped. Compare the status of an everyday person compared to a celebrity. While society may be indifferent to the “Average Joe,” a celebrity can develop a cult-like following. How do you achieve worship status? Branding, placement and PR.

Branding is central to creating a product of perceived high-end value and differentiation from another object of the same category because branding creates a personality. The language code in advertising and other marketing efforts attempts to get consumers to accept a product as extraordinary and magical, and then act on that notion by making a purchase.

As far as placement goes, a luxury product cannot appear in just any old place if it is to retain its high status. Consider the celebrity example once again. The public appearance of a movie star is carefully scripted. Appear everywhere and you lose your value as a superstar. You have to appear at the right venue; be seen with others from the A-list. Non-appearance, or scarcity, is, in fact, a huge part to creating the perception of luxury. “Limited edition,” “original” and “one-of-a-kind” are examples of how scarcity can be applied in the art world; rarity triggers a desire to have what others cannot.

Besides spending vast amounts of money on market studies and advertising, luxury companies also resort to public relations. Why? Because PR means exposure, which builds brand awareness and improves market position. Sure, it’s great if Mom or Dad talk up your product (and believe me, word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool), but get the “right” people buzzing over it because they read an article, blog or “tweet,” heard a radio clip or podcast, watched a TV program or YouTube video, and your positional value rises.

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