The Art Guild executive board decided to limit the Letzler Art Awards to the Waco Charter School this year, since we were not very successful in involving many schools last year. We will vote on the winners at one of our meetings, then award ribbons and cash to the winners during the school day.

 

The Principal, Bonnie McRae, would very much like to have us provide some art lessons for the students after the regular school day. We had six volunteers at the September meeting. We need at least two more in order to be able to have four groups of two members, each of which would only need to provide one lesson a month - at this point, only about six times during the year. Please be a part of this artistic outreach. We will begin with lessons from 4:15 to 5 p.m. on either Wednesday or Thursday, at the convenience of the team members. Depending upon the response, we might want to adjust the time. The school can provide materials, but can't afford to hire an art teacher. We are an organization committed to promoting art; now is the time to do it.

Suzi will will tell us all about the basics of ATCs – Artist Trading Cards.  They’ve been around officially a little more than 10 years, so the concept is still relatively new to some people. The idea is that a person creates a visual image on a 2 ½ x 3 ½ paper and trades cards with another person. The art medium can be anything that an artist wants to use: pencils, pens, paints, or whatever. Suzi will bring samples of cards traded through an on-line group (Cyberscribes) and the ones she has created.  She will be showing a PowerPoint program originally created for her middle school art students, and will have a handout for Art Guild attendees to take home. Suzi assures us that ATCs are a lot of fun to make and trade, and she hopes we will join in the fun. Just seeing it should be fun, so join us at the regular time and place: 1:30 for conversation and refreshments, 2 p.m. meeting and demo; Waco Charter School, 615 N 25th Street. Bring some of your work for Show and Tell. We'll vote on our favorites this month. And bring friends. The first visit is free, and they can join for the rest of 2010 for only $4.

 

Suzi Ickles (eye-kles) is an art teacher in China Spring, and the daughter of Marie Ferrell, a former member of the Art Guild, when it was known as CASA. She has been trading cards with other artists for several years, and has recently been involving her students in doing them.

 

Suzi showed us examples of cards she has made and some she has received from others. The trading is accomplished by sending some of your cards to an exchange, along with a self addressed, stamped envelope (SASE). A week or two later, your SASE arrives with the same number of cards that you sent, but from artists all over the world.

 

Suzi gave us an original card of hers (one of which is shown at the right) and a handout which outlined the rules of the exchange:

1. Size 2 ½ x 3 ½ inches on any kind of paper. (She uses card stock.)
2. They are traded, never sold.
3. Must be original artwork.
4. Must be flat enough to fit in a divided plastic sleeve.
5. On the back is information about the artist, including date, theme, edition size and number.
Suzi recommended a book, Artist Trading Card Workshop as a good reference. More information can be obtained at tlcbyhand@gmail.com.

 

Thanks to Suzi for an interesting presentation and her card. Thanks also to Rose Jacobson, Bobbee Watts, Karen Gorman, and Nancy Cagle for refreshments, and to those who brought works for Show and Tell. Voting on favorites resumed this month. First place went to Rose Jacobson, 2nd to Carol McClinton, and Nancy Cagle and Bobbee Watts tied for 3rd. They are show below.

 

Show and Tell:

                             

Nancy Cagle      Rose Jacobson    Carol McClinton     Bobbee Watts