Minutes of NWSSA BOD Meeting 6-20-2015

Minutes of NWSSA Board of Directors meeting

Saturday, June 20th, 2015 at Volunteer Park in Seattle, WA.

Present were:
Carl Nelson, President;
Rick Johnson, Pat Barton, Steve Sandry and Verena Schwippert, secretary.
Absent were: Ken Barnes, Ben Mefford; Michael Yeaman.

The meeting opened at 9am.

1 Changing the By-laws: Change of the by-laws from three two year terms to four 2 year terms has been suggested. Changing the By-laws is up for vote by the general membership, at its meeting at CB in July 2015.

2 Search for a new treasurer , as Ken Barnes is resigning.
There are some prospective candidates for this position. Ken Barnes would mentor the new treasurer during their first year.
Carl Nelson and Rick Johnson will talk to some possible candidates for this position.

3 Search for a new symposium director, as Ben Mefford is resigning, however, is willing to mentor new CB director during the coming year.
Carl and Verena will talk to some possible candidates.

A discussion about the usefulness of written standard operating procedures, SOP, for treasurer and Camp director and other positions ensued. We have same from and for the past, perhaps they should be refreshed.

4 Symposium Camp B sign up: The numbers of people who have signed up for Camp B are very encouraging. In total 78 people have signed up, which includes 4 vendors and 9 staff/instructors/presenters.
The rebate for early birds is to blame for the high number. As we have about 6 weeks left before Camp B, we anticipate more people to join and sign up.

5 Suttle Lake Symposium: This symposium takes place in Oregon from Monday, August 24th to Sunday the 30th.
The instructors are lined up, among them are Kazutaka Uchida,Japan;
Maria Sivik, Portland PCC and Patrick Duratti, from B.C. (he owns the computer carving machine).
Pat Barton inquired about the brochure for this event.
Doug Wiltshire, Suttle Lake Symposium director, is working on it, as reported by Carl Nelson.

4 Finances:
Ken Barnes, treasurer, sent a mail for this meeting with a summary of the financial numbers. Ken will explain it all at the general members meeting at Camp
Brotherhood. Steve Sandry inquired about the total sum now in the bank account of NWSSA, which was not mentioned.
Ken’s written comment states that for a few years now we have had a deficit of $ 3000 to $ 5000, not large and absorbed by our reserves, but suggests that this should not happen much longer, as it could endanger the bottom line of the organization.
Treasurer’s financial statement will be attached to these minutes.

5 Other CB Symposium items:
Rick Johnson, who is a WSAC – Washington State Arts Commission – commissioner, reports , that Karen Hannen, Director of WSAC, will be visiting at Camp B Symposium (July 11th to 19th ) and will need a tour guide and welcome person. Carl Nelson will contact her for the day and time and will personally show her around.
Mike Sweney, one of the staff of WSAC will be contacted by Verena Schwippert, to see if he perhaps would like to accompany her.
Rick also mentioned that he talked to Fort Worden director Rob Berman about a hand carving symposium there. Bob Berman liked the idea; no further information yet.

6 Review of varied shows of NWSSA sculpture:
For 2015 the focus went from mini workshops to art shows. The venues were shows in Bellingham with NW Sculpture, Kruckeberg Botanical Gardens in Shoreline, Lakewold Gardens in Oregon.
– – Carl states that the Bellingham show was a success, because a teacher/artist ‘Sebastian’ from Mexico offered an exchange of exhibitions of work of NWSSA artists in Mexico, with his students’ work (from Mexico) to Bellingham.
Besides that, one sculpture was sold.

– -Kruckeberg has a new director this year. Only two artists were shown at the Mothers-day show, no sales. More sculptors should participate next year.
(Last year was successful with sale of 3 good size pieces).

– – The Lakewold show, actually two shows, was beautiful with its outside space.
Next year the Lakewold show in the garden should be several month long, and other minor changes set in place … The show in the building did not have to be manned with a sales person continually. For next year’s Mothers-day event it was suggested to show smaller pieces ( ‘coffee-table-size’ ) with prices under $ 1000.

– – The next show will be a one day picnic and socializing event at Volunteer Park in Seattle on Sat. 20th June.

7 Other: Rick Johnson suggested to add to NWSSA website a page with a form to put NWSSA in one’s will, bequeath money or goods to the association after one’s demise. Or before ?

Rick moved to adjourn the BOD meeting. So done at 10:15 am. Verena S, seccy.