October 2024
President’s Notes
As I reflect back on the first ten months as president of LRAA and the end of our Gallery shows for this year. I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to the twelve or fifteen of you who have contributed your time, creativity, and passion to our collective endeavors. Your dedication has made a significant impact, and I am genuinely thankful for the energy and enthusiasm that you have brought to our meetings, gallery displays, and community shows. It has been inspiring to see how our shared love for art can create connections and foster creativity within our community.
However, it is with a sense of urgency that I address a concern that has been weighing on my mind: the lack of involvement from a considerable portion of our membership. While we have accomplished much together, I believe we can do even more if we engage a wider array of voices and talents. Our association thrives when every member feels valued and empowered to contribute, yet it’s clear that many of you may not feel that connection. I’m eager to understand the barriers that might be keeping you from participating fully. The show receptions have dwindled to the same eight or ten members and their families, and a few walk-ins. Art Talks have seldom more than twelve people, and of those, eight or ten are association members.
What can I do to inspire more involvement in our meetings and events? How can we make our gallery displays and community shows feel more accessible and inviting to all of our members? I firmly believe that a challenging and inspirational Association is one where all members feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for our mission. I invite you to share your thoughts and ideas on what might encourage more participation. Whether it’s rethinking meeting formats, exploring new event types, or creating smaller, more focused groups around specific interests, your input is invaluable.
Together, we can create an environment that not only celebrates our art but also cultivates a strong, inclusive community. I urge each of you to reflect on what would make you feel more engaged and invested in the Association. Let’s collaborate to build a space where all voices are heard, and where everyone can find a place to share their artistic journey. Thank you for being a part of this incredible group. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and working together to enhance our Association for all members.
Over the next several months the Board and myself will be planning the shows and displays that will showcase your amazing art for 2025 both in the Gallery and the community. You are all more than welcome to attend the BOD’s meetings, first Wednesday of the month at 4:00 PM in the gallery. Bring your ideas for show themes, art talks, membership trips, pleasure gatherings, ways to use the Gallery space, solo shows, and anything positive you think will enhance and celebrate the arts in the Lakes Region and encourage the public to visit our Gallery.
Remember; October is nomination time for executive positions, this year the positions of Secretary and Treasurer. The nominating committee will present their nominees at the meeting on Monday the 21st. Our Bylaws also allow for the membership to put forth nominees for our executive positions during the October meeting. Voting for these two positions will be held at the November 18th meeting. 6:30 pm.
I look forward to seeing all of you and hearing your ideas, but don’t stop there. We will be decorating the Gallery for the Christmas season on November 19th and 20th- perhaps you could join us for a couple of hours and become acquainted or re-acquainted with other Association members? And please join us for our LRAA Christmas party on December 16th, all members welcome! Watch this newsletter for details.
L'art pour l’art,
Sherwood Frazier, President LRAA
This Holiday gathering is open to all members of the Lakes Region Art Association. This annual event is always filled with fun and merriment.
Click on the Red & Gold Ornaments at right if:
If you plan on attending and/or
If you can bring a dish to the Pot Luck dinner.
Current Call for Art Listings:
Gilford Library Show
Laconia Library October Exhibit
Holiday Inn Foyer Display (See below)
Castle in the Cloud “Home for the Holidays”
Volunteers Needed:
Laconia Library October Exhibit
Castle in the Cloud Exhibit
LRAA Gallery Holiday Decorating
Annual Christmas Party
New Business
• Managing Personal Emergencies: This past month, we experienced a difficult situation in the gallery when Martha AuCoin received word during her shift that her husband was having a cardiac event. She was reluctant to leave becasue there was only one other person on with her. Thankfully, she was finally convinced to rush to his side, and we want to make it absolutely clear: family always comes first. While we hope no one else has to face such an emergency, please know that if something does happen, you should never hesitate to leave and be where you need to be. The person working alongside you will call Sherwood or Gail, who will step in and handle the gallery. Your well-being and peace of mind are what matter most to us.
• Scheduling: The afternoon shift (3-8) of the Saturday of week 1 in the 4-week rotation only one sitter. If you are on a shift that has three sitters, please seriously consider helping out by changing to this open slot. If you can help with this, please let Gail Brunt know. (galleryscheduling@lraanh.org)
• Call for artwork to replace what is currently in the Holiday Inn Express. It will be changed out on the first Saturday of the month; contact Linda Murphy. (lmphotonh@gmail.com)
• Call for fresh green dot wall art (vacant interior walls and outer North wall). Christine will put a recruitment sign for people to place green dot art (with a tag/label) on the open space SHELF on the right side wall just before going into the sink area. The GMC will hang it on the wall. Please write it in on the appropriate clipboard to the left of the sink. Christine will contact artists whose artwork is to be replaced/picked up.
• Laconia Library Exhibit: Volunteers are needed to help take down the current exhibit and set up the next exhibit in the library’s Upper Exhibit Gallery on October 16th. Contact Sherwood Frasier if you can help out for a few hours. (Contact: P-603.998.7208 / Email: robinsviewphotography@gmail.net)
• 2024 Trick or Treat will be Friday, Oct 25th. Jim will do Face Painting. Please consider donating some Trick or Treat candy for potentially over 1000 kids.
• Holiday Gallery Decorating will occur on Tuesday, November 19th at 10:00 AM. We could use some help with this fun event. Those wishing to help can put your name on the Volunteer List by clicking here.
• Show Registrations: Due to the added complexity and work associated with late registrations, we are now requiring that all art submissions and payments be made by the "Art Drop Off" date. We will no longer be able to accept late entries into exhibits. Art Drop Off dates are listed in the events listing on the website. It is also important to register by the date listed on the site.
• lakesregionartgallery.org - A reminder to those wishing to have a personal web page on the Lakes Region Art Gallery website: Mike McQuade is in the process of building the individual artist web pages. If you desire to be a part of this website and have your art displayed on your own page, 1) email Mike (mmcquade@photopiks.net) to confirm you are interested, 2) then watch for a return email with a list of things you will need to gather and send in.
• HELP WANTED! - The Board of Directors is looking for a volunteer coordinator:
○ LRAA Field Trips - If you are interested in coordinating a few trips a year to various exhibits, shows, and events, reach out to Sherwood or Gail.
○ Artist of the Month Coordinator: The function of this member is to set up voting tools needed at each monthly meeting, count the votes, and communicate the results.
• 2025 Gallery Exhibit Update: We are cutting back to five member shows next year. The shows will occur every other month starting in February 2025. We hope to intersperse these shows with shorter-term events like Children's Exhibits and a few single-member shows. If you have ideas for new themes, please reach out to a Board Member with your concepts.
Old Business worth repeating
• Online Registration: We recently made a move to online registration for all exhibits and shows. Nearly everyone has helped by registering per the guidelines set on the header of each registration form. If you would like a behind-the-scenes explanation of the mechanics behind this effort, check this out.
• Do you have something to say that belongs in the newsletters? Each month LRAA publishes two newsletters - one for our customers and another for our paid membership. If you have news or information you would like published in either or both newsletters, send that information to both Gail Brunt and Mike McQuade. Items for the Member Newsletter must be submitted by the Tuesday following the Board Meeting (1st Wednesday of the month), by noon. Items for the Customer Newsletter should be submitted by the 24th of each month. Send your article to:
○ Gail: gbrunt57@gmail.com
○ Mike: mmcquade@photopiks.net
Static Information
• Table Exhibits: Maximum size for artwork appearing on the table space is 14” on the longest side.
• Overflow from the monthly exhibits may end up using table space.
• Art Book Library: Did you know that we have a pretty large collection of art books that have been donated for members’ use? Check them out!
Art Classes in the Gallery
Clicking on the class below will bring you to the corresponding class information.