MINUTES OF THE METAL ARTS GUILD BOARD MEETING
March 11, 2008

Taken and compiled by Suzanne Pugh
Present:
Alison Antelman, Emiko Oye, Suzanne Pugh, Susie Hojel, Ron Elson, Shabnam, Cynthia.

General Meeting recap: The general meeting was a success, we had a good crowd. Jen Horning did a good job. MAG looking into ways to work with EM in the upcoming Radical Jewelry Makeover. Possibly help with collecting and cataloging donated work. Jen is bringing a draft of a proposal for legislators about ethical mining.

By-law amendments:
Need to change them soon, everyone please read current laws and proposed changes. We always vote in August, by-laws say we vote in January. Technology references need to be updated. Suggested 3 year term for president, current term is 2yrs. We will vote on the by-laws at the May meeting

Vice Prsident: Vacant

Programs:
Jennifer to find out when El Hadji is in town-how to fit it in and publicize that. MAG Grant-publicized in next newsletter, packets going out in late March. Only digital images will be accepted, deadline will be 31 May. Andy Cooperman will present work Apr. 13 @ 1st Floor Theatre at Academy of Art U, 7pm, info is in next newsletter Ben-this info should be sent to Adam for emails, Susie for the website and to Emiko for postcards. SP needs to be in touch. Metal plating tour in July sometime, SP make sure to send a thank you card afterward. Get in touch with Jim Slaughter to reserve date. Susan Cummins in October sometime, subject still to be nailed down but a continuation of her last talk. We paid her 200 last time, must do the same this time.

Budget for programs needs to be increased. Namita Wiggers in late winter or spring, eo to be in touch with her. Plan on collecting $ at Andy’s lecture from non MAG members, but not students of AAU.

Workshops:
No workshops planned Exhibitions: Heard back from OAG, not accepted for member’s exhibition. Must hold mtg to explore possibilities. Accepting suggestions from any and all members. Proposal package is excellent, proposal itself is kind of nebulous, potentially huge show, might be frightening to galleries. Keep deadline to see what people are making. References might be necessary to boost our appeal to galleries Problem in applying to a show with no date or venue: people might not want to apply.

Membership:
180 members! Adam gets sent active members’ emails, will be updated this month. Constant contact =email providers, will take the unpredictability out of the current format and include sidebar with links/info and emails, websites, in middle and classifieds at the bottom of the email. Format needs to be simple. Adam can post as many times a month as he wants. emiko setting up template, directions to submit will be at the top for the first email, then at the bottom in future emails. Cost is 255/year with 10% discount, money is in budget, proposed to start this month. Space in newsletter about donations should say tax deductible, not non-profit We need to find a way to get beginners to join, it is said they feel unqualified.

Treasury:
Current #s-find a way to break even. We also need to find ways to pay for items that come up that aren’t budgeted for.

Librarian:
Tea party? AA to follow up on this-wanted to have it May 17, eo wants to send out card asap. Would Rebecca be willing to work with Adam on emails? Hospitality: Find a place for summer party-30-50 people, early August, 1st or 2nd weekend. AA to ask Curtis, offer him membership

Publicity:
Ben-would you send out emails to Adam, Craigslist, Squidlist, etc?

Guildletter:
Issue is ready to go, waiting on text from Exhibitions committee. No more colored paper, only off white. Spacing is much better. Makens discount-put on hold til we find out whats up with that Crucible giving members 10% discount off 1st class. Maybe we could get discount from Mendocino Arts Ctr? And Otto Frei?

Web Site:
Guidelines as to what gets put on bulletin board, what info stays on web (dates are on the listing) Events-can we have a link to previous years events-ie separate the present and past events? Susie would like to provide links to schools instead of posting every single class they offer and when. Should board member names be on the website? Yes, but only President’s and webmaster’s email should be up. Bulletin board-has become catchall, no parameters. Duplication of information with Adam’s emails. Suggestion-just send bulletin board info to Adam. New suggestion-just kill the bulletin board; constant contact emails will keep people updated. Post old MAG emails so future members can see what they will be getting or have a sample of constant contact emails on the website? Put guildlinks and schools on a links page We need to encourage people to send images.

Board members: send Susie your images and website address, she will put a link on the member’s page. Susie to check in with emiko at beginning of year to cover current members, remove old member’s work. Permanent collection is already on the website. eo suggests having a list of past presidents and the dates they served, RD please look up in archives, get that info to SH. SH to determine where that info will go.

Idisk? Will be free soon so still holding off.

Member at large: Change prices for cases on website

Miscellaneous:
Board members need to RSVP to meetings even if it is last minute. Add raising of food budget for board meetings to agenda for next meeting under treasury. What can Ben put on SF Gate calendar/when? In American Craft, Ornament, Metalsmith? Co-sponsorship requirements-to loan cases for free-come up with requirements. Online community? Yahoo groups?

Read the by-laws!

MINUTES OF THE METAL ARTS GUILD BOARD MEETING
At the home of Shabnam Bahmanian, El Cerrito
January 8, 2008

PRESENT: Alison Antelman (AC, Chair), Shabnam Bahmanian (SB), Ronda Coryell (RC), Ron Elson (RE), Ben Fischer (BF), Ellis Gans (EG), Jennifer Cross Gans (JCG), Emiko Oye (EO), Suzanne Pugh (SP). The meeting opened at 7:40pm

PRESIDENT'S REPORT: Suzanne Pugh was voted in as a board member handling Programs. Arrangements were finalized for the general membership meeting (Jan. 26). The speaker will be Jennifer Horning, co-founder of Ethical Metalsmiths: EO will work with her on presentation details. EO Each board member will make a brief statement about their personal goals and responsibilities; will also come early to help set up and stay afterwards for cleanup. We'll need four tables for the meeting. SB and RC (Hospitality) will provide snacks. EO circulated the SB, RC postcard she is sending out, and AA will ask Adam Clark to. email members. EO, AA, AC

PROGRAMS: SP proposed a tour of a plating factory (possibly April). SP RC offered her talk on chasing/repousse of Argentium. RC MAGgrant:: AA will coordinate this year's grant with SP and Deborah Boskin. Deadline: May 2008. Followup is needed with BF (Publicity) and Cyndee Clearwater. AA, BF, CC JCG suggested another demonstration from Elhadji Koumama, the Tuareg metalsmith, when he returns to the US this summer, probably at Adam Clark's studio. . JCG, AC

EXHIBITIONS: RE circulated the proposal for the Oakland Art Gallery entitled "Urban Renaissance: Jewelry and Metal Art".. We should hear by March if our proposal is accepted for August/September. If not, we will find another location. Meanwhile, an announcement is RE appearing in the Feb/March 2009

MAG GUILDLETTER:. Followup publicity will be needed. Also by email, and on the website. BF, AC, SH

MEMBERSHIP: EO reported we have 92 members (and 143 still to renew). Renewal cards will go out to all members as of 2005-27, and schools (with student information). She will include a reminder people can use Pay-Pal, and that MAG welcomes donations. EO The Board discussed the possibility of offering two-year (or even lifetime) memberships, but did not vote on this. AA EO will ask Cyndee Clearwater to include a membership form in the MAG GUILDLETTER. EO, CC

TREASURER: EG has sent out a revised budget. He also described his search for a more economical safety deposit box for the MAG permanent collection, since HSBC raised its rates from $150 to $250. He has located a box at Oceanic Bank for $80/year.

LIBRARY: AA will email Rebecca Deans on plans for the library tea. AA, RD

HOSPITALITY: The Board thanked SB and RC for their excellent work on the holiday party. A possible site for the summer party might be April Higashi's gallery. AA will ask her to join MAG. AA

PUBLICITY: AA will pass over the publicity folder to BF. She and JCG will work with BF on goals, ideas and plans. AA, BF, JCG AA reported that Willy Scholten is interested to help but can't come to Board meetings (she lives in San Jose). AA will put her in touch with BF. AA, BF EO will send ideas about email sources we could use for publicity, e.g. Tribe, Yelp. EO BF will contact the Palo Alto Art Center: he needs more MAG postcards etc. BF, EO MAG GUILDLETTER AA will ask AC to check whether Makens still offers a member discount (if so, on what items?) EO will ask Aimee Golant to see if the Crucible would continue to offer a MAG discount. AA, AC, EO

WEBSITE: EO reported that Google plans to offer a new service to share and store files electronically. She'll wait for more information. EO

RENTAL CASES: AA will remind AC that the Board voted (Nov.) to increase the rental rates for these cases in January. AA, AC

OTHER BUSINESS: On-line newsletter. Pros and cons will be discussed at a future Board meeting. EO reported that about 30 members aren't on line. JCG will talk to Nancy Monkman about SNAG's decision to publish SNAG NEWS on line. AA, JCG EO will follow up on the possibility of using Constant Contact or similar service. EO Workshops AA will contact Maureen Harvey about future plans. AA, MH Alan Revere offered to lend his premises for MAG events, where appropriate. BF reported that space is also available on the 10th floor of the Phelan Building. By-Laws AA will resubmit to JCG an email of the by-laws for her to start drafting revisions. AA, JCG

Next Meeting: Tuesday, March 11, 2008, c/o Ellis and Jennifer Gans. (Please note: this date will have to be changed because the hosts are staying longer after the SNAG conference).

The meeting adjourned at 8:45pm. JCG