Draft of Minutes- IASG Board Meeting, Friday, Aug 25, 2006

Draft of Minutes--IASG Board Meeting
Friday, August 25, 2006 at 1020 N. Quincy Street

The meeting began at 6:30 pm.

IASG board members attending: Julian Oteyza, Linda Pirrone, Bing Huang, Nabil Makar, Wallace Dickson, Howard Fleming, Gary Henrickson.

Agenda:

Old Business--

1) The minutes of the previous meeting, July 1, 2006, at Union Station, were approved as read.

2) Wallace Dickson presented a 30-day bank account summary as of August 25, 2006. The Wachovia account has been closed, and assets have been transferred to Chevy Chase Bank. Wallace will provide a complete treasurer's report within 60 days.

Wallace also suggested that the membership database might be used to make follow-up calls for members who have not submitted their membership fees.

3) Howard Fleming and Linda Pirrone provided an update on the Martin Luther King , Jr., Memorial Library show.

4) Linda Pirrone distributed copies of the IASG bylaws and suggested that the board review them and consider whether changes are necessary. Linda also offered to forward bylaws by email to anyone requesting same.

5) Nabil Makar presented an informal report on his and Marvin Santos' work on proposed membership categories. He suggested that the board consider several categories of membership including (1) professional, (2) honorary, (3) amateur, (4) senior, (5) student, and (6) family. Nabil also suggested that it might be well to create an admissions committee to control membership in IASG, that IASG shows should be juried, and that the members of the board should represent the organization's international character.

Howard Fleming proposed that the full report be distributed for comment; the board agreed and looks forward to receiving the report.

6) Linda Pirrone distributed flyers on the Chalk4Peace art project to take place September 16-17, 2006. Linda requested that any members who participate provide her with the relevant details and photographs for posting on the IASG blog and website and inclusion in the next newsletter as a global outreach program.

7) Howard Fleming reported on plans for the "Behind the Mask" exhibit in New York City planned for November 1-15, 2006. Plans involve the exhibit itself, a costume ball reception, travel arrangements, and invitations to local schools, colleges, and businesses.
Linda Pirrone suggested that artists' outings might be included to offer IASG members an opportunity to sketch, take photos and paint while in the city.

Julian Oteyza will ask for volunteers to assist in planning the various activities in the next IASG newsletter. Julian also reported that 30 pieces have already been accepted for the exhibit.

8) Linda Pirrone noted that some artists had not yet retrieved works submitted for previous shows.

Nabil Makar proposed requiring a modest storage fee for unclaimed works.

Linda suggested inventorying the current unclaimed work as agreed in the previous board of directors meeting on July 1st, and then contacting artists to arrange retrieval of the artwork.

9) Linda Pirrone distributed the descriptions of officers' positions as they exist in the current bylaws and asked the board to consider whether these descriptions needed to be revised.

10) Since George Elliot III was absent, his report on the value of IASG membership was tabled until a future board meeting.

11) Linda Pirrone suggested that a members' meeting be held in October. Howard Fleming proposed that the meeting be held at the National Gallery cafeteria. After some discussion, it was agreed that a members' meeting would be held at the National Gallery on September 23, 2006, at 10 am, preceded by a board meeting.

12) Linda Pirrone reported on Children's Day at the Philippine Embassy. Participating artists have the opportunity to sponsor prizes for children's art projects and to meet the competing child artists. The program will take place on the first or second weekend in October pending approval of the newly appointed Ambassador.

Linda also reported that the Philippine Young Professionals (FYP) have offered IASG a free table for member recruitment and art display at their upcoming event on October 7, 2006 at Lisner auditorium. IASG artists have also been offered the opportunity to include their business cards in the program for a tax deductible sliding fee based on size of the souvenir program.

New business--

1) The board discussed attending a grants workshop at the Foundation Center. Gary Henrickson agreed to continue researching grant possibilities for IASG. In addition, the board discussed the possibility of seeking a permanent studio and/or exhibition space for IASG in the metro area.

2) Howard Fleming reminded the board that it had offered modest scholarships ($100-$200) for art students from local schools in previous years. The board was generally receptive to this idea, but no definitive plans were made.

3) The next meeting of the board will precede the next members' meeting which is to be held at 10 am at the National Gallery Cafeteria (near the waterfall) on Saturday, September 23, 2006.

Respectfully submitted,

Gary P. Henrickson
Secretary, IASG

August 27, 2006

Minutes from the Board Meeting last July

Board approved Minutes - I. A. S. G. Board meeting
Saturday, July 1, 2006 1:00 p.m. at Union Station

The meeting began at 1:20 p.m. I. A. S. G. Board members attending the meeting were: George Elliott III, Julian Oteyza, Linda Pirrone, Helen Claire Sedgley, Bing Huang, Nabil Makar, and Marvin Santos. The group agreed to hold an informal meeting.
After review the minutes were approved with 1 correction.
The I. A. S. G. treasurer was unavailable for this meeting, but provided a balance in the I. A. S. G. bank account of a little over $6,000. After a brief discussion board members agreed to table any further discussion until the next board meeting.
The next item on the agenda was a request from the president and executive director to canvas the board concerning the interest in a grant writing/proposal workshop. The board unanimously agreed that such a workshop would be of value to members and the organization and will discuss further at a subsequent board meeting.
After a lively discussion about maintaining a healthy membership roster board members Nabil Makar and Marvin Santos agreed to study different membership categories and return to the board with recommendations and justifications for a variety of membership categories that would reflect compliance with the IASG bylaws.
George Elliott III agreed to write an article for an upcoming newsletter that could also be incorporated into an I. A. S. G. brochure about the value of membership in the organization.
The next item of discussion was the upcoming Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library show. All aspects of the show were discussed including the hanging of the exhibit (George Elliott III, Julian Oteyza and Linda Pirrone volunteered to hang the exhibit); the opening reception where Margo Arnold agreed to give a brief talk about the founding of I. A. S. G.; press coverage, (Linda Pirrone volunteered to write press releases and assemble press packages upon request); and the possibility of holding workshops in the meeting rooms adjacent to the exhibit throughout the month of July. After agreement was reached that IASG member Rita Cacas had done an outstanding job on the website, it was agreed that a certificate of appreciation would be presented to her at the exhibit opening. Linda Pirrone and Julian Oteyza will handle this.
The next item on the agenda was a discussion of our current bank account balance and the expense of printing copies vs. an online pdf version with the ability to print copies for those who still desire hard copy. The board unanimously supported this suggestion.
The board discussed, at length, the return of artwork after exhibits. Margo Arnold still has art work from previous exhibits but the board agreed to assume she had communicated with the artists. Nabil Makar agreed to prepare an inventory of the art in his possession from the Egypt show and re-show so board members can systematically contact artists and return the work. Julian Oteyza is still returning artwork from the Miami show and will continue to contact the artists until all the work has either been returned or the artist has agreed to leave the artwork for an upcoming exhibit.
Linda Pirrone and Julian Oteyza asked the board for permission to approach the membership about sponsoring a cash prize for the Philippine-American Foundation for Charities, Inc., recent art contest. Children competing in the contest covered the age spectrum of 3 – 16 years of age and interpreted the theme: “100 Years of Creative Unity in the Community”. Sponsorship would allow IASG artist to underwrite one cash award in one of the four age categories. First prize is $50.00; Second prize is $35.00 and third prize is $25.00. When the children receive the check for their prize they would also receive an artist’s bio to introduce them to their sponsor. In October, during Children’s Heritage Day at the Philippine Embassy, the children would have an art exhibit of their winning drawing and an opportunity to meet the artist who sponsored their prize. The board approved this initiative. More details will be forthcoming at subsequent meetings.
The board discussed the upcoming exhibit and opening reception in New York on November 3rd. After a lively discussion of themes the board agreed to continue to identify a theme that would reflect a costumed reception. Several board members mentioned the work of Howard Fleming, “Behind the Mask” but didn’t feel it was appropriate to use the title without seeking prior approval. The call for art was first sent in June. A follow up will be sent each month. Julian Oteyza has sent the call for art and is collecting the artwork and artist’s bios. Entertainment is lined up for the opening reception and more discussion will follow at subsequent meetings.
Under the new business discussion the board discussed
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned and the board toured the global children’s art exhibit in the Union Station.

Submitted by Linda Pirrone

Extended Deadline for New York Exhibit in November

Call for Entries
Show Theme: Behind the Mask

Is this photograph a mask or a bridge over tranquil water?
(taken by Julian in Hawaii)

*The mask is its own entity. It is also a profound metaphor. Who are we? What are the masks of self, of Divinity we call "I"? Is this face my own? Is this face mine, or is it the "other"? What , then, does "other" look like? What lies beneath the last mask? As we search for identity, we see that we have worn many, many masks in our lives, masks within masks, the masks of our multidimensional and layered selves.

* So, who are we? Have we confused the role and the play, the mask and costume with the creative spirit behind them? If we put this creativity to work, we may discover the true mask,i.e., the mask of the unmasked self.

* As a zen roshi once said to his student, "Show me your face before you were born."

* The mask has a tranformative power when it becomes a metaphor, a container for the process. The way this happens in a workshop setting is by using emerging emotions, messages,symbols or shifts in energy to get n touch with the unlived part of ourselves that we are ready to manifest.

* We go within to access hidden information: Shamanic Breathwork and journey, dreams, stream of consciuos writing, meditation, art work, medicine walks, sweat lodge, drumming and dance are just some of the methods used for crossing the threshold into the unconscious.

Share with us your interpretation of the mask. It basically means that what you have created so far came from behind your mask.

Asian Fusion Gallery 15 E 40th St.
New York, NY 10016
(212) 679-8833 www.acclub.org