News: Fall 2002

Frances and Howard Jacobson, recipients of the 21st annual Arts Award.

Annual Meeting 2002 Focuses on Process

The focus of ARTSWorcester's Annual Meeting 2002 was on "process" as consultant Jane Preston presented the first draft of an updated Strategic Plan, the result of a six-month development process with input by ARTSWorcester's board, staff, and members. The nomination and election "process" of the board and the changing of Presidents as Kallin Johnson stepped down after ten years of board service to ARTSWorcester and Sarah Lenis was elected to a two-year term as incoming President. The presentation of the Executive Director's Report by Ruth Ann Penka which focused on the many "processes" which ARTSWorcester has engaged in under her leadership over the past year. Finally, the "process" of presenting the Twenty-First Annual Arts Award to Frances and Howard Jacobson for their leadership contributions to the Arts and Humanities in Worcester.

Consultant Jane Preston presented an outline of the first draft of ARTSWorcester's Strategic Plan focusing on our role (mission) which is serving individual artists and promoting their contributions to the Worcester community; allocating human and financial resources to maximize visibility and increase resources for its programs and services; building upon relationships with artist members in expanding program and staff resources; coordinating fundraising events with gallery openings; expanding the role of the Aurora Gallery for visual and performing artists; and developing programs that are self-supporting. With regard to programs and activities, Jane stressed the importance of focusing on members' needs by pre-senting workshops, advocating for affordable housing and stu-dios in the Arts District, developing artist referral systems both on-line and in print form, and expanding ARTSWorcester's website with samples of artists' work and up-to-date information. In reference to the role of the board and staff, Jane presented the need to clarify their leadership responsibilities and to define appropriate roles for volunteers. She also stressed the importance of sales of art to ARTSWorcester's gallery budget and to consider expanding weekly gallery hours to include the weekend. In re-evaluating members' dues and benefits, Jane made it clear that members reap benefits from their membership in ARTSWorcester and need to take ownership responsibilities in sustaining programs. The remainder of the draft of the Strategic Plan was devoted to fundraising with ideas formulated to maximize contributions from grants, business contributions, and fundraising events. All of the above ideas were formulated by consultant Jane Preston with input from ARTSWorcester's board, staff, and members and will be presented in final form in the Fall of 2002.

Outgoing President Kallin Johnson presented his final president's report taken from the June 2002 issue of ARTCetera which focused on the many accomplishments and challenges he faced in his leadership role over the past three years. Kallin was presented with a photograph from ARTSWorcester's Members' Show by Louis Despres entitled The Kings of Nuthin, a black and white image of performing artists he identified with from his many years as a performing artist. Next, Nominating Committee Chair Mary Ann Powers presented the slate of officers and board members for FY 2002-03 which included President: Sarah Lenis, Vice President: Brigita Clementi, Treasurer: Erika Davis Wade, Secretary: Christine Trifari, and Member at Large: Nancy von Hone. Directors newly elected for three years included William Bagley, Sally Carter LaPlant, Janet Wilson Moore, Nancy von Hone, Robert Caldwell, Sydney Patten, and Brigita Clementi; directors re-elected for two years included Maria Florez, Robin Lazarow, Chrstine Trifari, Erika Davis Wade, Kallin Johnson, Sarah Lenis, Donna Hamil Talman, and Gregory Clune. Returning board members nominated for one-year terms were Georgia Barnhill, Diane Long, Robert Lewis, Donald Howard, Marilyn Solomon Kalish, Polly Traina and Teresita Orozco. The slate was approved as presented by the members in attendance.

After Ruth Ann Penka finished her annual report (referred to in this issue's Director's Corner), Kallin Johnson presented Frances and Howard Jacobson with the 21st Annual Arts Award for their many contributions to the arts and humanities in Worcester. In accepting their award, both Frances and Howard were very sentimental and emotional about what the award meant to them as a couple who had committed their professional and volunteer lives to the Worcester Community. Frances stressed that her love of the arts and her belief that it has the capacity to enrich the lives of all citizens has made her an advocate for quality arts and humanities education, especially for the children of the community. She pointed out that these children will be the ones who will ensure the future vitality of the arts community. Most recently, Frances retired as Coordinator of the Worcester Arts and Humanities Educational Collaborative which she affectionately referred to as WAHEC, a project that has resulted in many partnerships between the Worcester Public Schools, the community, and the arts and cultural institutions. Howard reiterated Frances' love of the arts and reflected on the fact that the arts were a mirror and a reflection of any community, especially of ours [Worcester] and the arts must be supported and encouraged. Both Howard and Frances thanked ARTSWorcester for the organization's support and nourishment of artists and the arts in the Worcester community. The impressive resumes of both Frances and Howard Jacobson reflect their deep and abiding level of commitment to the arts in the Worcester community for which ARTSWorcester honored them with the 21st Annual Arts Award with the presentation of a luster glazed, cylindrical vase created by Worcester artist Leon Nigrosh.

Gallery News, Ann McTigue

Exhibitions come and exhibitions go. It all happens so fast. It seems as if we just complete an installation and it's time to start all over again. ARTSWorcester members should consider our very ambitious gallery schedule as a series of fabulous opportunities. Opportunities to see a wide variety of local contemporary artwork, to attend Openings and meet and network with fellow artists and art lovers, as well as opportunities for professional development in learning to prepare for and to show in exhibitions. As you get ready to answer the "Call for the 2003 Program Season" there are a couple of things I would like you to keep in mind. First, READ AND COMPLETE THE WHOLE APPLICATION.

Your application packet is your first chance to make an impression. Bells and whistles, fancy, expensive folders, stickers, or pictures of yourself are not necessary (at least not for visual artists). What is necessary is simply a completed application, which includes every thing that is required, including a self-addressed stamped envelope. Your name, address (including zip code) and phone number (including area code) should be on the application, as well as all resumes and artist statements. Your slides should be numbered, sent in a plastic sleeve, clearly labeled with: artist's name; title of the piece; date created; medium; dimensions, and should be accompanied by a slide list which is also marked with your name, address and phone number.

It is difficult to process incomplete applications. It reflects badly on the artist when important information is left out, or when an application packet is opened and the slides just fall out because they were not in a sleeve. Or they are wrapped in toilet paper--really, it has happened! How you apply for exhibition consideration is an indication of how you feel about your own work. If you don't take what you're doing seriously, why should anyone else? ARTSWorcester offers our members 17 different exhibition opportunities for 2003. We do our best to display your work in the most professional way that we can. Please take this opportunity to put your best work forward.

Members Exhibition News

Thank you to ARTSWorcester artist Carleen De Blois for her help installing the Summer Members Exhibition. Besides being a great help to me, Carleen learned about some of what goes into putting an exhibition together. Thanks also to Pauline Paille for the extraordinary floral arrangement she created for the Gallery.

The next Members Exhibition is coming up in December. There is a submission form in this newsletter. I hope you will consider taking part in the Members Exhibition, one of the best ways we have of celebrating our members' creativity!

About Our New President...

Sarah Callahan Lenis has an undergraduate degree in Art History and an MFA in Museum Studies from Syracuse University. She has been a curator at the Danforth Museum, guest curator at Syracuse's Lowe Art Gallery, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Smith Art Museum in Springfield.

She has been a gallery director and since becoming a full-time mom, has served on the Board of the Higgins Armory Museum for eight years, served as Vice President and is currently a corporator. She was a member of the Junior League for twelve years, served on their board and is currently a sustaining member. She has been on the Board of Bancroft School for nine years, served as President of the Alumni Association for four years, and is currently on their Executive Board.

Sarah was recently part of the Worcester Art Museum's Board, served as President of the Members Council, Co-chair of the Centennial event, and recently co-chaired the Museum's fundraising auction.

Words of Thanks

Thank you to the following foundations, corporations, and individuals who have generously contributed to ARTSWorcester over the past quarter:

The Greater Worcester Community Foundation for their generous and supportive award of $15,000 to underwrite our operating costs.

The Fletcher Foundation for their grant of $5,000 which will be used to offset the cost of producing an updated membership brochure.

Irving and Marie Lepore for their donation of $2,000 for gallery improvements at the Aurora including a user-friendly hanging system.

From the Director's Corner, Ruth Ann Penka

Over the past year, I've participated in the development of the Strategic Plan for ARTSWorcester, as well as the development of a Master Plan for the downtown Arts District. My time has been spent in many meetings throughout the community, and I have been very impressed and encouraged by the degree of commitment on the part of participants, whether they be artists, ARTSWorcester board members, politicians, City employees, residents, neighborhood workers, cultural leaders, developers, foundation leaders, or business people. Everyone has come to the table with a common agenda: advocacy for art and culture in Worcester. It's gratifying to see such a degree of commitment which truly affects my leadership roles as director of ARTSWorcester and chair of the Arts District Task Force in a positive way. I sometimes feel as though I'm participating in a 60's "love-in" where the positive vibes carry me onward to my next meeting! It's a truly wonderful experience and gives me the inner strength to continue with our common vision for both ARTSWorcester and the Arts District.

As I stated in my Annual Report, a lot of my energy was focused on "process" this past fiscal year, which included working with the staff, board, and artist members on the development of an updated Strategic Plan. The last time ARTSWorcester developed a working plan was in 1996-97 and the organization has achieved many of the goals set at that time along with the introduction of new goals, including advocacy and leadership for the development of an arts district.

I have outlined the draft of the Strategic Plan in the article on the Annual Meeting in this issue, but I can assure you that ARTSWorcester's focus and energy will remain on its raison d'etre: advocacy and service for artist members. We will continue to offer 17 exhibits per year for our visual artist members thanks to the talent and vision of our program director Ann McTigue, as well as the development of a new performing arts program. What we need to achieve, however, is a way for our programming to become more self-supporting.

Did you know it costs ARTSWorcester over $24,000 a year to install and produce our programs/exhibits at the Aurora Gallery? We are grateful to the Worcester Cultural Commission, an agency of the Massachusetts Cultural Commission, for their grant of $4,000 to help underwrite gallery costs. Add to that number another $4,000 from our 40% commission from gallery sales of $10,000 over the past year. But, if you do the math, the result is still a $16,000 deficit for the Aurora gallery program. That's why we've included a donation envelope in this month's issue of ARTCetera for you to consider a donation to offset the deficit. This fiscal year will be a challenge to ARTSWorcester with the 62% cuts in the Massachusetts Cultural Council budget, along with the budget of the Worcester Cultural Commission. As a result of these cuts, our operating budget will be reduced by 10% and for a small, six-figure budget, that's a hardship. So please consider a donation to ARTSWorcester in the enclosed envelope. It will be much appreciated and go a long way toward supporting our programming for this fiscal year.

Late summer is my favorite time of year as the season comes to a close and we enjoy the benefits of New England's weather and harvest from its fields. It's back to our fall schedule at ARTSWorcester, and we've booked weekend after weekend with the board retreat, gallery openings, performing art events, fundraisers, and our members show. I hope that you'll be able to join us at one or a few of the fall events which promise to be engaging and fun. I'm especially looking forward to the first art festival in the Arts District called "StART in the Street" being planned by WART (Worcester Artists Really Trying) which will happen on Sunday, September 29 from noon to five. I hope many of you will participate and attend that event.

Our portrait show Re:Semblance, which is part of the Cultural Coalition's City-wide cultural theme called Portraits!, promises to be an interesting look into contemporary portraiture. For our Fall Fundraiser "Swinging with Marilyn," to be held Saturday, October 26th, we've also added portraits from the 50's by the press photographer George S. Zimbel, courtesy of Tepper Takayama Fine Arts. This event promises to be loads of fun on the weekend before Halloween and I hope you'll come dressed in 50's chic. Remember, ARTSWorcester is your organization, so take advantage of the events we have scheduled for Fall 2002.

ARTSWorcester's Business Partners Program Exceeds Our Goal!

ARTSWorcester's Business Partners program continues to grow with the addition of four new members, two of who come from a successful collaboration between the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Cultural Coalition offering Chamber members discounts on cultural memberships during the month of July. At the close of this fiscal year, we were well over our projected goal for this program and anticipate a highly successful year.

If you know of a business that would be interested in supporting ARTSWorcester through this new program, please call Tina McGovern, our Special Projects Director, at ARTSWorcester at (508) 755-5142 with the contact information for the company.

Join us in welcoming and supporting the following businesses that have become members of our Business Partners program:

Partner Level: ($100)
Flying Rhino Cafe

Member Level: ($250)
Monahan and Associates
Thomas Woods Insurance Agency, Inc.

Sponsor: ($1,000)
Davis Publications, Inc. (Sponsor of our Aurora Gallery portrait exhibit: Re:Semblance)

New Gallery Assistant Arrives

Robert Schoenhut's diverse talents as a photographer, filmmaker, and writer were added to the staff at Arts Worcester on August the 8th where he has been assisting in the day-to-day operations of the gallery under its executive director, Ruth Penka, and program director, Anne McTigue. He was hired under the auspices of the Senior Aides Program based in Worcester.

Mr. Schoenhut has many years experience in the art communities on the West Coast having shown his work in Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and in England where he lived and worked for four years. Current photographic works are hanging at London's Oval House and in several of Brixton's small multi-ethnic art houses as well as in Oslo, Sydney, and Cologne, Germany.

He was the main camera operator of the buffalo hunt sequence in Costner's "Dances with Wolves" as well as many other Hollywood film and TV productions. When not working in Hollywood he was busy writing, producing , and directing Native American projects for PBS as well as writing the grants for financing.

He is currently finishing his first novel, Reservations, and is writing a series of short stories to be published in 2003.

Mr. Schoenhut brings his photographic images into focus on what he calls "unreal realism." A process of allowing an unknown entity into a neutral space of light, shadow, texture and form to create a new and unreal tableau. Is the neutral space the same? Does the entity influence the aesthetic content?

"Timing is the key in composing the image so that it draws the viewer into a new awareness of the complexity of simple spatial relationships," he said of his work.

He feels that the influence of Cartier-Bresson, Atget, and Bravo brought him to develop answers to the questions posed by these and other great masters of art and through his camera, seek a simple, yet unreal, reality in photography that perhaps those great artists led him to further explore.

He holds a BFA from Brooks Institute of Photography and an MFA from the American Film Institute in directing and cinematography, and he served in the Marine Corps working in photo reconnaissance during the Vietnam era.

In starting work Mr. Schoenhut said, "I look forward to meeting and working with the arts community in Worcester and enjoying the renaissance of this diverse arts district as it grows to be a viable, lively area with many artists bringing new life to the community"

Letter from the President, Sarah Callahan Lenis

As the new President of ARTSWorcester, I am looking forward to working with Executive Director Ruth Penka who, in under three years, has led this organization through enormous changes. The most important of which was our move to the Aurora and our leadership role in the newly-created Arts District. Our exhibition space has grown from an 10' by 12' room to over 2,000 sq. foot gallery and we have increased our members' exhibits from eight in 1998 to 17 this past year, in thanks to the vision and hard work of Program Director Ann McTigue and our professional Gallery Committee. Over the past year, we have also increased our employees from two to four, adding Christina McGovern as our Special Projects Director and Robert Schoenhut as Gallery Assistant through the Catholic Charities' Senior AIDE Program.

ARTSWorcester has instituted a program for artists to purchase health and life insurance through the Small Business Insurance Agency and initiated the zoning changes in our new neighborhood which will allow artists to live and work in the same space. We sponsored a Neighborhood Youth Project and the "Trashcan Art Project", created a business partnership program and are fast approaching a membership of 500! We've been very busy and have remained true to our mission to be advocates for artists.

All of these goals have been accomplished on a shoestring budget of $110,000. With the recent cuts in the Massachusetts Cultural Council, we will lose approximately 10% from this year's operating budget. Therefore, one of my main missions as President will be to assist Ruth with the solicitation of grants, organize fundraisers, and help institute profitable programming, in order that we may present a balanced budget at next year's Annual Meeting. So please consider a donation in the enclosed envelope to help ARTSWorcester meet its operating budget this fiscal year.

Thank you!

Member News

Susan Swinand's latest exhibition, Passages was on view at the Arden Gallery on Newbury Street in Boston June 3-29, 2002.

Congratulations to the following ARTSWorcester members who participated and received awards in the Leominster Art Association 37th Annual Exhibit: Iris Lanyon, The Leominster Art Association Gold Award and First Place in the Advanced Division/Watercolor for "Braving the Storm." Sally Sargent, Second Place in the Advanced Division/Mixed Media for "Envelope Quilt." Linda Widstrand, Second Place in the Advanced Division/Crafts for "White Pines in the Snow." Carleen DeBlois, Second Place in the Amateur Division/Acrylic for "Who's the Boss." Jesse Knott II, Second Place in the Special Theme Division for "Intersections 2002"

Iris Lanyon also had a show of her watercolors and photographs at the George C. Gordon Library at WPI. Un Mundo, Una Familia/One World, One Family was on view June 7-August 30, 2002.

Gail Smuda's work was included in The Cambridge Art Association National Prize Show, the 2002 Artist Members Show of the Center for Book Arts (NYC) and will be included in Uncommon Thread: New Twists on Textile Art, the 2002 Gloria Wilcher Exhibition at the Currier Gallery in Manchester, NH, June 13- Sept. 2.

Donna Hamil Talman exhibited Ancient Alchemy, her cyanotype/Van Dyke series at The Gallery of South Orange, New Jersey June 16- July 29, 2002 Donna also took part in Past Future at the Schneider Gallery in Chicago June 21-August 31,2002 and in the New Members Show at the Copley Society in Boston July 25- August 17, 2002.

In June Lori Schafer participated in Dining Haul: Unpacked No. 4: Food Inspired, Food Used, and Food Digested Art at Two meat Lockers: 819 and 823 Washington Street in NYC.

Craig Milner exhibited his photographs at two locations in Maine over the summer. Two of his images were included in Mirrors, a juried theme show at the Ogunquit Arts Collaborative and his black and white photos of Maine were at the Maloue Gallery in Winter Harbor. Milner's sepia toned photograph Stone Wall is also included in the 67th Regional Exhibit of Art and Craft at the Fitchburg Art Museum on view through Sept. 8, 2002.

Gigi Casella has exhibited in several galleries recently. The Visitor's Center of the Blackstone Valley National Park at River Bend Park displayed 13 paintings highlighting the Blackstone River's industrial history and the beauty of New England from August 1-September 2, 2002. Casella's seascapes are on permanent display at the South Chatham Coffee Shop in Chatham, MA and, various paintings of New England will be on display September 20-22 during the Northborough Apple Festival through the Northborough Art Guild at the Northborough Historical Society, Main St., Northborough.

Mark Waitkus has become the offical in-house artist for the Boston Red Sox. His first project was a painting of the Ted Williams Memorial that took place at Fenway Park last July.

Hillary Sloate was the lead artist on a community mosaic which sits prominently at the new Tot Lot playground at Austin and Newbury Streets in Worcester.

John Bean had a showing of his photos at the Java Hut, on Main St. in Worcester this past spring.

Congratulations to the ARTSWorcester members that participated in the 67th Regional Exhibition of Art and Craft at the Fitcburg Art Museum which ran June 23-September 8, 2002. Members whose work was included are: Taiya Barss, Emily Boosahda, Heidi D'Entremont, Walter Daby, Linda Davis, Carleen Deblois, John Delibero, Sarah Dyer, Ed Esleeck, Marjorie Greenberg, Patricia Kamlin, Carol Kauppila, Julie Kelly, Jesse Knott II, Iris Lanyon, Dale LePage, Marie Lepore, Sylvia Loiselle, Maxine McDonald, Carlotta Miller, Craig Milner, Robert Morey, Murray Rubin, Susan Ryall, Carol Santora, Sally Sargent, Susan Sedgwick, Will Sherwood, Philip Warren, and Linda Widstrand.

e.v. maldonado was featured at The Dragonfly Lounge in a presentation of "Breathe" a Cipher of Reasonings from a roots perspective at the Harlow St. Studios on August 9 and 10, 2002.

Opportunities for Artists

Call To Artists

ARTSWorcester is sending the Annual "Call" to Visual, Literary and Performing Artists for the 2003 Program Season. Deadline for Submissions is October 21, 2002. Call 508-755-5142 for more information.

Open to Massachusetts Artists. VARIATIONS on the MASTERS, a juried show November 15, 2002-January 23, 2003, All 2D media and small wall hung 3D, maximum size 30" including frame. Work must be priced at $1000 and under including frame. Send SASE for prospectus. Deadline for slides: October 18. No entry fee. Fletcher/ Priest Gallery, 5 Pratt St., Worcester, MA 01609-1721, 508-791-5029.

The Gardner Area League of Artists or GALA will hold a Fall Show-Competition over Columbus Day weekend: October 11-14 at Bent Mill LLC, 85 Winter St, Gardner. For applications send a self-addressed stamped #10 envelope to: Surroundings Gallery, P.O. Box 1158, Gardner, MA 01440-1158. Dead-line for Submissions is September 26, 2002. Open to all artists, age 18 and over. Catagoties are watercolor, acrylic, oil, pastel, drawings, prints, photography. For more information call Sally Sargent at 978-939-5454.

Worcester Windows A community gallery program utilizes the storefronts of the Day Building, the Chamber of Commerce and WCCA Channel 13 in downtown Worcester, as exhibition space to visually enhance the City's downtown and to provide display opportunities for local artists. Interested artists contact Tamara Gurevitz, at 508-792-3810.

Performing Artists

Zara Jazz Club, 320 Main St. in Worcester hosts a jazz jam/open mic every Wednesday evening 6-11 p.m. Musicians and poets are invited to participate. A rhythm section is provided. For more information call Patrick at 508-799-4797.

Swing with Marilyn at the Aurora!

Save the date: October 26, 2002 (6:00-8:30 p.m.) as ARTSWorcester cordially invites you to "Swing at the Aurora with Marilyn" (Monroe that is) at a

cocktail party extravaganza celebrating the best of the 50's along with celebrity photographs by freelance photographer George S. Zimbel courtesy of Tepper Takayama Fine Arts. Music by Little Red and the Riders, hors d'oeuvres by Sonoma, and fun by the bucketful! Come dressed in 50's chic and get ready to swing!

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Last modified: May 12, 2004, 21:32 EDT