January 4, 2023

 

Dear WCACO Members,

 

Happy New Year everyone! I have been reflecting on our year together and collecting a list of everything we have done as an organization. It has been another full and successful year for our chapter. I have learned a great deal about providing tailored opportunities based on what our members want and need. We can continue to grow and become an even stronger organization.

 

I'm sharing an extensive list of all that we accomplished in 2022.  Isn’t it wonderful to see the breadth and depth of our reach through the year in review?  It is also my hope that this list will inspire you to be more involved in 2023. From the WCACO Board to the Committee Heads, we are ALL volunteers.  As with any volunteer organization, your involvement strengthens the group. I know that you have something to offer that would enhance our group. Please reach out to a board member to let us know how you might like to be more involved in 2023. It can be as small as showing up for an opening and sharing our events on your social media pages, or as big as helping organize and curate our exhibits. It is through your active involvement that you build an artists' community, expand your skills and develop professional connections.

 

A Year in Review

 

Five Shows

Over, Under, Further, Forever (Member Show) at Core New Gallery Space

Inked and Numbered (MoPrint) at Mint and Serif

Finding Common Ground in an Uncommon World (open call) at The Collective Art Space

(Including a panel discussion and two Artist Reflections with Athena Project)

Chasing the Light (Plein Air show) at Tenn Street Coffee

Small Works Big Ideas at 40West Arts

 

Three Field Trips

Ft Collins gallery visit

Colorado Spring gallery visit and studio visit to Jody Bliss

Women in Photography DAM 

New Member Meet and Greet event

Holiday Party

 

Professional Development

Professional development Cohort

Reven’s Welding Workshop

Collage and Altered Book Workshop at D’Art

 

Community Outreach and Engagement

Colorado Women’s Day “Wonderful Women in the Arts” Award

Completed 5 Colorado Women Portable Murals and displayed in 40 West Shop Windows

Grant to pay our mural artists

Continued Advertisement in Daria Magazine

New Bookmarks

Postcards for Promotion

Presentation of Mural Project to Colorado Change Leaders

Craftivist 12” square project

 

Up Next

 

Next year looks to be equally as exciting. We will complete our application to become a 503-c non-profit organization. 

 

We have a range of  upcoming exhibit opportunities including: 

• Taza Coffeehouse, March- April (MURAL TEAM ONLY)

• Our View Our member show March-April at 931 Gallery in the Santa Fe Arts District (ALL MEMBERS)

• Confluence at the Steamplant in Salida featuring artists from that area and the murals on display in the town of Salida  (LOCAL ARKANSAS RIVER VALLEY ARTISTS ONLY)

• Our national call for entry Atmosphere in D’Art Gallery East in September (JURIED)

• We are having our first LARGE WORKS exhibit in November at the Curtis Center. Please stay in the loop regarding all of these and more exhibit opportunities. (JURIED)

 

We will again be sponsoring the “Wonderful Women in the Arts” Award in 2023 and we need a few volunteers to help with the selection process. If you are willing to be a part of this small committee please contact Shara or me.

 

Shara Oliman and I will be co-presidents next year. We are actively looking for volunteers to be our next co-presidents and are setting up a framework to help with this transition.  We will also help support you in the role as needed.    We look forward to hearing from you to discuss this further. 

 

Here are some specific volunteer opportunities that we need to fill right now:

• Show Committee Co-leader with Carol Bivins - Oversee the show schedule and support curators.

• New Member website entry-Add new members as they join to our Member Page (training provided)

• Website Update monthly-Help keep the webpage up to date and consistent (training provided)

• 2024 Co-Presidents (elect) (see above)

 

Finally, we will be changing the format for our general meetings in 2023. Instead of monthly zoom meetings, we will have four business meetings via zoom a year. These will be on the third Wednesday of that month at 6:00 pm. The other months we will be sending out a newsletter. Since this will be our primary way to share information about shows, professional development opportunities, and social/other gatherings, it is important for you to read those newsletters. The great benefit of a newsletter is you can read it at your leisure and refer back to it whenever you want. You can access these newsletters in the member portal on our webpage. We will also occasionally send email reminders for special events and posting dates and events on our social media platforms. If you are not following us please do that. 

 

Please Mark Your Calendars

 

Here is our general Business meeting schedule, which will be via Zoom 

• Wednesday January 18th, 2023 6:00 pm

• Wednesday April 19th, 2023 6:00 pm

• Wednesday, July, 19th, 2023 6:00 pm

• Wednesday October 18th, 2023 6:00 pm

 

In addition, we will have ample in-person opportunities to socialize, learn and create. Already we have planned field trips, studio visits, professional development days, and museum and gallery visits. Let us know if you want to host a studio visit or workshop in 2023.

 

Thank you so much to all who volunteered and participated in our 2022 events. Again, the reason we are so great is because of our volunteers. I can’t wait to see what 2023 will hold for us as an organization. See you all at the first general meeting of the year. 

 

Peace, love and art!

 

Melody Epperson

WCACO President