The Art League of Montgomery County held a general all-member meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 7 in the Donnelley Room of the Crawfordsville District Public Library.
Present: Kathy Steele, President, Dorothy Fogel-a Co-Vice President, Linda Weaver, Treasurer, and Terri Fyffe, Secretary, along with 20 members of the Art League.
Gavel-Call to Order: Kathy Steele called the meeting to order at 6:48 p.m.
She welcomed all members in attendance and then read a couple of quotes from Vincent van Gogh connected to “The Lume” exhibit in Indianapolis.
“I want to touch people with my art. I want them to say, ‘he feels deeply, he feels tenderly’.”
“I don’t know anything with certainty, but seeing the stars makes me dream.”
Minutes: Terri Fyffe read the minutes from the general all-member meeting of the Art League of Montgomery County that was held Oct. 4, 2021. Nancy Bowes moved, and Dorothy Fogel seconded, to approve the minutes as read. Motion passed.
Speaker: Steele then called upon Fogel to introduce our speaker for the evening. Toni Ridgeway-Woodall is a nationally recognized artist with a bachelor’s degree in art history and a master’s of fine arts from Herron School of Art & Design in Indianapolis. She has been involved in many community outreach and art councils including our Mary Bishop Memorial Gallery. Tonight, Ridgeway-Woodall is going to speak to us about art collection management strategies, mindful consideration of inclusion in a permanent collection, and how these things apply to our Art League collection.
Ridgeway-Woodall began with management strategies for artists and spoke of an Ancient Roman idea that one should wish to be remembered in death, more than known in life. Many Italian artists lived short lives, but their work has kept the memory of them alive across centuries. Collections need to develop storage and preservation of cultural property plans. If you wish to be included in a collection, you should research their collection management statement. What purpose do they serve? The more you know, the better your chances.
With collections, equipment for the collection is one problem. Exhibit storage, conservation, preservation, funding, ethical practices. If you receive grant money, there are usually restrictions and standards set out on how those funds may be spent. The collection would need to adhere closely to those.
An artist needs to consider where their art fits. Do your research. Know who you are dealing with. Each piece should have the artist’s name, title, medium, type of work. No alligator hooks. Strictly wire and D-rings should be used on the back of art. Ridgeway-Woodalluses white plumber’s tape to cover any sharp edges. She also gave us a warning that one should “never store artwork in cardboard. It attracts bugs!”
The ALMC collection at the CDPL: Ridgeway-Woodall believes she has found another item that might add to our known 13 items. She is still searching the library and the Carnegie Museum for items and provenance. She showed slides of some of the collection’s items.
Autumn by Mary Grubb – showing a few chips in the paint and a nail protruding into canvas from the frame.
Ben-Hur Beech by Vernon G. Strauss (or Glenn Vernon Strauss) chips and a warp.
Foxtail by Peg Shearer – in pretty good shape. Not as old as several others.
Still Life with Flowers by Fritz Schlemmer
Landscape with House by Fred Nelson Vance
Fred Nelson Vance also did a Pen & Ink Sketch of Original Book Plate for the Art League that Ridgeway-Woodall has found at the museum. This is rather large and may have been a sign at the library for Art League meetings.
There are some interpretations of the Art League book plate that Ridgeway-Woodall showed and emphasized that artists should never violate copyright laws.
Ridgeway-Woodall showed a dream of hers wherein the Art League collection would be all together on display at the library or some at the museum hung from a rail attached high on the wall with wire dropping down from the rail holding the pictures. Many old homes have pictures hung like this. Less damage to plaster walls. They could be at various levels and distance apart. Odd pieces could easily be shown together. There could be a statement above on the wall that this display is “The Art League of Montgomery County Collection.”
There was ongoing discussion about the pieces, but time constraints drew it to a close. It was 7:45 p.m. and we need to be done by 8:30 p.m. Everyone thanked Ridgeway-Woodall very much for her program and information.
Letters: Steele asked Terri Fyffe to read into the record two letters the Art League had received. The first was from Donna Coats representing Needleworkers Dept. I – Lew Wallace “Eyes.” The 12 remaining members have decided to disband their department. They all plan to remain as at-large, general members of the Art League and to continue their support of the Art League’s mission.
The second letter was from Sarah Storms of the Montgomery County Community Foundation. Her letter was thanking the Art League: “Dear Kathy, Thank you so much for your help planning the new mural installation! Jenna was absolutely blown away by the hospitality she received during her time here, largely thanks to you and many other members of the Art League. We also appreciate you graciously allowing the dedication to be part of the Art Walk-this project was a true community effort and we are grateful for your support. Thanks again! Sarah Storms”
Treasurer’s Report: Linda Weaver
Reported and approved.
President’s Report: Steele
Thank you for donating artwork for the county government center. A total of 95 pieces have been collected to date. We have had 46 donated pieces of art from private collections and artists, 45 pieces were purchased, three will be on permanent loan from Athens Arts Gallery, and one historical document (1909) has been donated by Cindy Woodall. Thank you for assisting in so many ways. Kathy hopes that we reach 100 total pieces for the Center. The 1909 piece is a large, wall size 1909 County Surveyor’s Map of Crawfordsville. An incredible, historic document that had been hanging in Cindy Woodall’s office.
Nominating Committee: In Sue Ann Ford’s absence, Steele presented the slate. All current officers have agreed that they will continue through May 2023. Steele, president; Fogel and Pat Stull, co-vice presidentsl; Weaver, treasurer; and Fyffe, secretary. Karen Patton moved that the slate of officers be accepted as presented. Sue Fain seconded. Motion passed.
Property Committee: Steele
Kathy led a brief discussion about how we need to get the art appraised, cleaned, and repaired. The Art League has been discussing doing this for quite some time.
Fyffe moved that Steele be authorized to apply on the Art League’s behalf for a grant from the Montgomery County Community Foundation to appraise the art owned by the Art League of Montgomery County and housed at the Crawfordsville District Public Library and perhaps the Carnegie Museum, and to provide cleaning and repair for the artwork as recommended. Patton seconded. Motion passed.
Membership Committee & Directory: Peggy Herzog and Eileen Bowen
Herzog drew attention to the new Art League brochure copies of which were on tables. Kathy Keck had put it together, and Weaver printed them. Herzog had distributed on tables a sheet to help recruit new members. If you have a suggestion of a new member-men and women, send the following information to Herzog: Name, address, cell phone, sponsor’s name. Once 20 or so names have been received, Herzog will send out invitations to perhaps come to our May dinner and meeting. Several believe it is time to establish a new department as we have lost a few in the last several years. We want to keep the Art League viable and growing. At present we have five new members in three different departments. Please ask friends to join your group or send names to Peggy. The May dinner and meeting would be a great opportunity to invite a guest with hopes of them joining.
Bowen and Weaver will be working on the new directory. It probably will be available by fall so that any new members in May or June may be included. If you have any corrections for the directory, send them ASAP to Bowen, Weaver and Marilyn Smith.
Newsletter & Communications: Keck, Elaine Chase and Smith
Keck would like to turn over this responsibility to someone who lives in Crawfordsville. Please let Steele know if you have any experience with newsletters and are interested. Thanks to Smith for sending notices to the members.
High School Awards: Bowen
Bowen will contact the three county schools for the names of students to receive the award. She will give each school a paragraph to read at honors night. Someone from Art League will personally deliver the award to the students at their homes.
Athens Arts Gallery: Chase and Diana McCormick
Steele earlier in the meeting began passing around a sign-up sheet for departments to volunteer to provide refreshments for exhibit openings at the Athens Arts Gallery. A new Art Exhibit opened Feb. 24. Within six weeks of today (March 7) the Gallery will be moving to its new location at 216 E. Main St. The former Four Seasons storefront. The Four Seasons has already moved to Washington Street. McCormick says that the classroom area will be larger. The new building will have some walls torn out to reveal a much larger space than the Four Seasons appeared to occupy. They hope to have the entire building within two years.
One change noted will be that for classes, the Gallery will keep the class fees from students, and then the Gallery will pay the instructor a set, agreed upon fee. No matter how many students pay for the class.
Department Reports:
Dept. H – Ruby Burkhart – met recently at the CDPL with Jerry and Cindy Smith. They discussed his paintings for some time. When through, the members adjourned to Arni’s for lunch.
Dept. J – Betsy Strain – Met via Zoom for January and February and shared via a Powerpoint presentation a program Betsy had put together on, What the Road Passed By. By working/meeting together they have expanded their Zoom skills to learn how to share screens for the presentation and other things. One meeting was how a member might be specially connected to a piece of art, and everyone wore a ‘hat’ on Zoom.
Dept. K – Nancy Bowes – Several went to see “The Lume” in Indianapolis. In December they made angels, had a cookie exchange and enjoyed a meal hosted by Glenda Frees. Read and reviewed two books. “Bento Box in the Heartland” by Linda Furiya, and “Book of Lost Friends” by Lisa Wingate.
Dept. L – Bri Pack – We have tried for a couple of months, but finally in March we are having a two-session clay workshop with Mary Lou Dawald.
Dept. AC – Carol Baird – in December they had their usual luncheon at the country club and exchanged an art related gift with each other.
The next general meeting of the Art League will be at 6 p.m. May 2 for dinner and a meeting at the country club. Dept. H (invitations and reservations), and Dept. K (table decorations). The program will be Herzog’s niece, Julie Chamlin, a structural engineer, concerning the Chicago Merchandise Mart and how it magically projects art across the Chicago River. Art on the Mart. A project that took many years and millions of dollars to bring to fruition.
Adjourned 8:26 p.m.
