Presidents Letter

Greetings!

Our Fun &FunKtional Exhibit at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is a fabulous success! The reception was well-attended despite the rain, and the SBDAC has been heavily promoting the Exhibit. The work was fresh and exciting, and is a terrific reflection on the Guild. Thank you to all of the artists who participated and to everyone who worked so hard on this Exhibit! Congratulations once again to our winners: First Place: Stan Dzedzy, Dragon Samovar, Clay Second Place: Jacqueline Bardner Smith, Hoozit, Wearable Kaleidoscope Third Place: Kathryn Hendricks Erickson, Trees Have Soul, Pine needle/grass/petrified wood Basket Merit Award: Patricia Esposito, Train, Mixed Media Honorable Mention: Kathy Fitzgerald, Frog Backgammon Board, Stained Glass Mosaic Please remember Removal is Friday, July 24 from 11:00 AM 1:00 PM. The Guilds Art Attack exhibit at the Naples Art Association in the von Liebig Art Center is coming up quickly in September. Receiving is Wednesday, September 9 from 10 AM 1 PM. Other important dates are listed in this newsletter. Please note that we will only be accepting new work for this venue that has never been previously shown in a Guild exhibit. The weight limit for 3D pieces will be waived if you volunteer for Installation on Thursday, September 10 at 10 AM. The weight limit for wall work is 25 lbs.

The Guilds monthly Business Meetings will now be held at the Alliance for the Arts in Ft. Myers. This will in no way

affect our relationship with the Cape Coral Arts Studio. We have simply outgrown our business meeting space there, and this will allow us to continue recruiting and expanding our membership. We will still have our Board and committee meetings at CCAS, and we will still conduct the Fine Craft Expo and have our February exhibit there. The business meetings at the Alliance will be scheduled from 10 AM - 12:30 PM on the days listed in this newsletter. We'll be able to start setting up at 9:30, and we'll have until 1:00 to be cleaned up and out of the building. We will meet in either the large classroom where we conduct Artists@Work or the theater, and they will give us two weeks' notice as to which one we'll have each month. We'll still have our social half hour beforehand with refreshments starting at 10 AM. We will shift to bringing food and drink that are more appropriate for breakfast and brunch. We'll have to be organized and arrange to bring our paper products and other things that are stored at CCAS that we'll need for the meetings. The Alliance is located at 10091 McGregor Blvd. in Ft. Myers immediately adjacent to the Mid-Point Bridge and Colonial Parkway. It is easily accessible from all points. Saturdays are the days that the Alliance holds its Green Market Farmers Market, which runs all year long from 9 AM - 1 PM, so we'll be able to shop for farm-fresh produce, honey, flowers, seafood, etc. You'll want to bring a cooler with you! Please mark your calendars for the meeting dates. You will, of course, still be receiving an email reminder the week before the meeting, which will also include which room we will be able to use. The first business meeting of next season will be held on Saturday, September 19, and the program will be the newly-named Fine Craft Expo 2016. Formerly known as Craft Bash,

this event will be expanded and improved, and wed like to involve the entire membership. The Expo has been scheduled for Saturday, February 13, 2016, and it will replace the Guilds February meeting. All Guild members are encouraged to attend and help out. Everyone who attends and signs in will earn credit for having attended the February meeting. The Expo Committee is meeting over the summer to get organized and start planning for this fun-filled day of fine crafts. Two Artists@Work have been scheduled for next season at the Alliance for the Arts. They will be on Saturday, October 31,

2015 and Saturday March 5, 2016, once again in conjunction with the Alliances Green Market Farmers Market. We will need 10 - 15 artists for each day of demonstrations. We will also need people to help with recruiting for and promotion of the Guild, as well as general helpers. Please let me know if you are interested in participating. I hope to see you at the von Liebig on September 9! Warm Wishes, Lorraine

NEWSLETTER DISTRIBUTION: Beginning with the upcoming season, the newsletter will no longer be printed and mailed to those who do not have internet access and/or printers. The costs are too high, and there are conservation issues to consider as well. Those who are affected can have a family member or friend receive the newsletter via email. They should contact Sherry Moesch to be added to her email list: shergale1@gmail.com. Also, the newsletters can be accessed by going to either our Facebook page (Southwest Florida Fine Craft Guild) or our web site: (www.swflfinecraftguild.org).

If you'd like someone added to the general Guild email list, so they will receive all Guild emails, contact Lorraine Capps as well as Sherry: lorrainecapps@embarqmail.com.

2015 JULY

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1 2 3 Reception for Fun and FunKtional-6PM-10PM-SBDAC

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5 6 Receiving at Co-op Gallery 10AM-1PM

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10 11

12 13 14

15 16 17

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19 20 21 22 23 24 Removal for Fun and FunKtional-SBDAC- 10AM-1PM

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26 28 29 30 31

AUGUST 2015

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

1

2

3 Dog DaysReceiving9AM-5PMAlliance for the Arts Receiving at Co-op Gallery 10AM-1PM

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5

6

7

Reception for Dog Days5PM-7PM

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9 10 11 12 13 14

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16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30 31

The prize winners of our Fun & FunKtional Exhibit at the SBDAC are: First Place: Stan Dzedzy, Dragon Samovar, Clay Second Place: Jacqueline Bardner Smith, Hoozit, Wearable Kaleidoscope Third Place: Kathryn Hendricks Erickson, Trees Have Soul, Pine needle/grass/petrified wood Basket Merit Award: Patricia Esposito, Train, Mixed Media Honorable Mention: Kathy Fitzgerald, Heron Chessboard, Stained Glass Mosaic Congratulations to two of our mixed media artists, Jay Lana and Dale Weber. Both have been juried into the prestigious 4th Biennial Found Object Exhibition, The Eye Of The Beholder. Two pieces by Jay and one by Dale were selected from over 200 entries submitted by artists throughout North America. This show is sponsored by the Maryland Federation of Art and will be held at the Circle Gallery in Annapolis, MD from July 18 through August 8. Selected entries can be viewed at. http://mdfedart.com/mfaentry/sales/salesgallery.php Lorraine Capps has various new HP 564 cartridges for sale at half price. Contact her if you are interested: lorrainecapps@embarqumail.com. Rose Young won Best of Show in the Art of the Heart exhibit at the Sidney Berne Davis Art Center this June.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE: We now have 105 members! Remember the Yearbook is printed

in August to be ready for distribution at our first meeting in

September. That means any changes in phone numbers,

addresses, and emails need to be sent to Kathy Erickson

before August 31. Please check your information as printed in

the 2015 Yearbook now, and let Kathy know if you have

changes: kathye1745@exede.net

CO-OP ART GALLERY UPDATE:

The Gallery is doing quite well over the summer with above-average sales. Guild members are also doing well, as usual! Several new changes have been implemented recently. The monthly receptions have been canceled until October. Also, participating summer artists will be able to bring in 10 pieces through September. Five of these may be wall pieces. The summer schedule remains in effect at the Gallery: The Gallery is open Thursday through Sunday until October 31, 2015. Gallery hours have been permanently changed to 12 Noon 6 PM every day the Gallery is open. Receivings are the first Monday of the month, from 10 AM 1 PM. It is essential that you arrive at the Gallery for Receiving in time to be completely finished by 1 PM. In order not to be rushed, please arrive at least by noon. The gallery sitting schedule can be found on the Art Councils web site. If you must change your sitting date, it is your responsibility to find a replacement AND you must email

Ginny Whiteman at ginny@whiteman.net AFTER you have found a replacement. Ginny must have updated information regarding the sitting schedule. There is a list of people at the front desk who are willing to sit for a price of $50. For the latest information on the Gallery, you may consult the Gallery Prospectus and Art Council newsletters for details. Both can be downloaded from their web site: www.acswf.org.

CCAS GUILD CASE: The Guilds display case is located in Building 2 of CCAS. CCAS retains 30% of the sales, so work should be priced accordingly. New members and members who have never shown in the case before should take advantage of this opportunity. Contact Alex Chung at alexchung 20032003@yahoo.com to reserve your spot. August 2015: Available September 2015: Available October 2015: Analilia & Randy Clay November 2015: Edie Limbright December 2015: Zdenka Fiala

ALLIANCE FOR THE ARTS: Many opportunities exist at the Alliance for both members and non-members. Check their web site for further information: www.artinlee.org, or call 239-939-2787. The Alliance is taking applications for teachers for their 2015-2016 season. If you are interested in teaching there, send an email to Brandy at education@artinlee.org. The Alliance for the Arts' Annual Member Exhibit this year is Dog Days. All media accepted. You must be an Alliance member to enter, and you may join at Receiving. One entry per participant. You may download the Prospectus at www.artinlee.org. Receiving: Monday, August 3 from 9 AM - 5 PM. Reception: Friday, August 7 from 5-7 PM. Removal: Monday, September 21, 9 AM - 5 PM. CAPE CORAL ARTS STUDIO 23rd annual Aquarium Art

Exhibit is open to all adult artist (16yrs. and older). All media

welcomed, theme is life beneath the waves. Receiving is

Monday, Aug. 24, 2015 from 9AM-12:00PM. For more

information call: 239-574-0802.

THE VISUAL ARTS CENTER OF PUNTA GORDA (VAC) Surf, Sand & Shells is their late summer exhibit, with the theme being all things summer. Members and non-members are welcomed to submit work, both 2D and 3D media are accepted. The exhibit runs from July 20-August 13th. RECEIVING: Friday July 17, 9am - 12pm AWARDS RECEPTION: Thursday July 23, 5pm REMOVAL: Friday August 14, 9am - 12pm. For more information contact: 941.639.8810, www.VisualArtCenter.org.

NEW LOGO CHOICES: Angela Aradia has created three new logos for the Guild. All three have been approved by the Board, and we will be voting on which one to choose at the September 19 meeting. If you cannot attend that meeting, you may email your vote to Lynn Ondercin at lynn.ondercin@gmail.com at any time. Many thanks to both Angela and Lynn! Look for the logos on the following page.

Since the Guild is a small, all volunteer organization, it is vital that all members volunteer in some way. We are extremely flexible and will work with you to ensure that we consider your schedule and other needs. You must volunteer in order to participate in Guild art exhibits. If you volunteer for a one-day event, such as Receiving at an exhibit or Artists@Work, you will be able to participate in one exhibit. If you volunteer for two one-day events, you will be able to participate in two exhibits, and so forth. If, however, you volunteer for an on-going position or job such as officer, director, committee chair, committee member, etc., you will be able to enter all Guild exhibits during your tenure. Advertising Committee: We are in need of a Chair and committee members. This is more important now than ever since our Treasury is in need of replenishment after a busy Scholarship season! Art Attack!: Our annual exhibit at the Naples Art Association, von Liebig Art Center is in September and October this year. We will need volunteers for Receiving, Installation, the Reception, Removal, as well as database, label, and program creation. The specific dates are listed in this newsletter, and the Prospectus and Waiver have been distributed. Art Council Delegate: The Art Council Delegate goes to most Art Council meetings (November through April), and reports to the membership all Art Council and Co-op Gallery news and developments. The Delegate also collects information for the Art Councils biennial Winners Circle Exhibit, presents it to the Board for approval, and provides that information to the Art Council. Artists@Work: This day of demos is typically held twice a season at the Alliance for the Arts. This coming season it will be held on Saturday, October 31, 2015 and Saturday, March 5, 2016 from 9 AM 1 PM during the Alliances Green Market Farmers Market. Guild members demo and sell their work. The Alliance does not take a percentage of sales. We still need volunteers for both dates to demo, help artists set up and tear down, and help with recruiting. Please contact Lorraine Capps if you are interested in participating. Buddy System: Established members who are active in the Guild are assigned to a new member and make themselves available to explain all facets of Guild activities answer all questions and concerns, sit with new members during meetings, and generally help them become informed and feel comfortable as quickly as possible. There is a pool of people to pull from when new members join, and we had can always use more.

Fall for the Arts: The annual Fall for the Arts one-day event at the Alliance for the Arts will be held on Saturday, October 17, 2015. Since we will not have a conflict with our October meeting this year, we need to enhance our participation. We will have an information table at this event, and we need people to recruit for members, explain the Guilds charitable endeavors, recruit for sponsors and advertisers, and generally promote the Guild. Fine Craft Expo: Newly named for 2016, this is our annual fundraiser for CCAS where we conduct workshops throughout the day. This event will be held on Saturday, February 13, 2016, and will replace our monthly business meeting. Participation in this event will earn you credit for attending the February meeting. The Fine Craft Expo will be the subject of discussion after our September business meeting, and more details will be forthcoming at that time, but we will need volunteers to teach classes, assist teachers, sell raffle tickets, help with planning, and demo at lunchtime, as well as donations of art work for our raffle, which will help fund our scholarship program. Please contact June Bennett if you are interested in participating. New Member Luncheon: We need a coordinator for our annual luncheon typically held in April of each year. The Board hosts the members who have joined since the last luncheon. Invitations need to be sent and attendees tracked. Coordination with the Board regarding food and drink is also involved. Peoples Choice Awards: This job involves printing the paperwork for the awards, as well as tallying the ballots after each exhibit. There are copies available of all paperwork from previous awards to make updating easy. Recruiting Committee: We are in need of a Chair and committee members. This too is more important than ever because we have a new meeting place at the Alliance for the Arts which will allow us the space to continue to grow our membership. Treasurer: the 2015-2016 season will be Dee Coopers last season as Treasurer. We must have another Treasurer lined up in order to continue as an organization. The sooner we fine one, the better, since it the new Treasurer could shadow Dee this coming season. Please contact Dave Sampson at davesamp@comcast.net to

discuss volunteer needs and assignments.

UPCOMING GUILD EXHIBITS: 1. Fun & FunKtional, SBDAC: Run of exhibit: July 3-23, 2015 Removal, Friday, July 24, 2015, 11 AM - 1 PM. 2. Art Attack, NAA at the von Liebig Art Center: Run of exhibit: September 18 - October 26, 2015 Receiving: Wednesday, September 9, 2015, 10 AM - 1 PM Installation: Thursday, September 10, 2015, 10 AM Reception: Friday, September 18, 2015 from 5:30-7:00 PM Removal: Tuesday, October 27, 2015, 10 AM - 1 PM Special requirement: Art work never previously shown in a Guild exhibit is required for this exhibit ONLY.

3. Elemental Art: Wind, Fire, Earth, and Water, CCAS: Run of the exhibit: February 5-25/16 Receiving: Monday, February 1, 2016, 9-12 Reception: Friday, February 12, 2016, 5-7 (Joint Reception with Fine Craft Expo) Removal: Friday, February 26, 2016, 9-3

4. Show Your Colors, Visual Arts Center of Charlotte County: October, 2016, exact dates TBA DONATIONS FOR THE ALLIANCE FUNDRAISER: The Alliance for the Arts is conducting a fundraiser to support their campus enrichment plan. They are asking for contributions of small abstract art work on a 6x6 canvas or that would sit on a 4x4 wooden cube. All media accepted. Cubes

and canvases can be picked up at the Alliance. Artists may contribute more than one piece. Artwork must be delivered to the Alliance no later than September 14, 2015. Pieces received earlier will be promoted on event literature and social media. Please include card, bio, or contact info. HARBOUR VIEW GALLERY: Harbour View Gallery Seeks Monthly Featured Artists. They currently have openings for 3-D. This program offers artists a place to show and sell their designs to the public for a one month period. During the month, the gallery features these two artists on the website, in local magazine

publications, and hosts a wine reception in their honor. Serious applicants can obtain more information about the benefits and requirements of Monthly Featured Artist by contacting the gallery at: art@harbourviewgallery.com Please use "Artist Opening" as the subject of the email to ensure your message gets prompt attention. An application can be obtained on their website: www.harbourviewgallery.com.

2015-2016 Business Meeting Dates:

All meetings will be held at 10:00 AM

At the Alliance for the Arts: 10091 McGregor Blvd.

Ft. Myers, FL 33919

Saturday, September 19, 2015 Saturday, October 24, 2015

Saturday, November 21, 2015 Saturday, December 19, 2015 Saturday, January 30, 2016

NO MEETING IN FEBRUARY DUE TO THE FINE CRAFT EXPO AT CCAS ON 2/13/16

Saturday, March 19, 2016 Saturday, April 16, 2016

New Logo Choices:

SPONSORS NEEDED!

We've had a very successful summer season of giving to kids' arts camps at the

Alliance, CCAS, and BIG Arts, however, it has left our Treasury depleted. We all

need work to find advertisers and sponsors for the Guild so that we can fund our

scholarship program for the upcoming season. One way that would help is to find sponsors for our exhibits. We have another exhibit right around the corner in

Naples, so we need to focus on that area. We could start promoting it and our

sponsor(s) now if we had them. Costs for our exhibits vary with the venue, and the cost for our Naples exhibit will be $1,500. We will heavily promote our

sponsor(s) on our web site, in our newsletters, on social media, as well as in

print in our publications and publicity. We are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, so the sponsorship would be tax deductible. Proceeds will be used

to fund our scholarship program with art awards at FSW, FGCU, and Cypress

Lake High School, as well as summer art camps for kids at CCAS, the Alliance,

and BIG Arts. Sponsorship brochures are available for download on our web site: www.swflfinecraftguild.org. Please approach any businesses in Naples that

you are familiar with and ask for their sponsorship.