Member’s Newsletter December 2024
President’s Notes
President's Notes December 2024
As we near the close of 2024, I look back over the year as I marked my first year as President of the Lakes Region Art Association (LRAA). It’s been a year of growth, learning, and, most importantly, collaboration. I want to take this opportunity to review our progress, acknowledge areas where we can improve, and express my deep gratitude to those who have made this year so meaningful.
My main goal for 2024 was to increase foot traffic in the Gallery and ensure that LRAA becomes an integral part of the community, not just a space for artists, but a hub for fine art in the Lakes Region. We made significant strides in this direction, thanks to the support of so many. Although foot traffic was down for the year many people were introduced to the Gallery by way of the Tanger tree ceremony that brought many kids (and their parents) into the Gallery to make their own ornaments as well as the children’s shows currently going on through the 15th.
A secondary goal was to get more members to become involved in our shows and operation of the association. This was somewhat disappointing, although a few people came forward to exhibit in the Gallery shows that had not exhibited before, there are still many members we’ve yet to see in a show. The third Monday of the month is Art Talks night, we had some outstanding presenters this past year, but attendance was down. Not sure what type of art talk brings out artists?
We held eight Gallery shows, including our marquee event, the 84th Annual Members Show. Beyond the walls of the Gallery, we broadened our reach with several community-based initiatives. We kicked off the year with a successful show at the Belknap Mill in Laconia and participated in a wonderful birds in art show, The Wonder of Wings, at the Gilford Public Library.
Our partnership with the Laconia Public Library allowed us to host back-to-back shows, showcasing the diverse talent of our members. We also ventured into new territory by introducing art to the community through a local restaurant in downtown Laconia, which is still a work in progress but already proving to be an exciting new collaboration.
The Castle in the Clouds Christmas show was another highlight. A dedicated team of members worked tirelessly to decorate a tree and transform some of the walls into beautiful displays of art for the holiday season. It has received rave reviews from the community.
In the Gallery, some of you have stepped up to help with the day-to-day operations and contributed your incredible artwork to a wide variety of shows. And of course, our Artist of the Month competition has kept our presence alive in several local libraries and businesses, including Annie’s Cafe & Catering and a number of local banks, where you can find our work displayed throughout the year.
The accomplishments of this year have been many, and I am incredibly proud of all we’ve achieved together. But we’ve also learned a lot, and we know there is always room to improve. In the coming year, I look forward to building on the momentum we’ve established, strengthening our ties to the community, and continuing to find new ways to involve all of our members in the growth of the Association.
I would also like to take a moment to thank a few specific individuals and teams who have gone above and beyond- you know who you are. From those who contributed their time and energy to hanging shows, decorating spaces, or simply offering creative input, this organization thrives because of your dedication. Thank You!
Finally, I would like to extend an invitation to everyone to join us at our Christmas Party this coming Monday, December 16th at the Gallery. This will be a time to reflect on all that we’ve accomplished and, most importantly, to celebrate the wonderful community we’ve built, and to enjoy some Christmas Joy.
2025 holds exciting possibilities. We will continue to make strides in expanding our reach, both in terms of shows and community partnerships. With your continued support, I have no doubt that we will see even more success in the coming year. Remember, all of you have something to contribute with your art whether you realize it or not.
Thank you once again for making this year such a rewarding and inspiring one for me and I hope for you.
Wishing you all a joyful holiday season!
L’art pour l’art
Sherwood Frazier
President, LRAA
SCHEDULE UPDATE:
Those helping with set up or bringing food items that need heating or set up time will be able to arrive from 4:00 pm onward.
The doors will open for guests at 6:00 pm for an evening of fun.
Join us for a festive and heartwarming evening on December 16th at our annual Christmas gathering and feast! This year’s theme, “The Sounds of Christmas,” promises a magical night filled with choral singers, a member sing-along, a potluck feast, a special visit from Santa, a 50/50 raffle, and our always-entertaining Yankee Swap. We’d love to have you with us as we celebrate the season together. Can’t wait to see you there!
All LRAA Membership is invited to this festive gathering on December 16th.
Bring a friend!
Yet Another Opportunity for All Members!
Check out their web page:
https://theflipsidenh.org/
You can order online most days. To see their menu click here!
Here is another opportunity to showcase your artistic talents to potential collectors. Sherwood Frazier has partnered with The Flip Side Restaurant in Laconia to display our art in their establishment. When I recently visited the restaurant at 10 AM to take a picture for this newsletter, it was busy, which is a good sign that the food must be delicious.
Just inside the front door is a long wall where LRAA members can exhibit their artwork. This space can accommodate several pieces, with artwork up to 30 inches wide.
The Flip Side is a community-focused restaurant that creates opportunities for individuals with developmental challenges to work with dignity in a safe environment.
Sherwood will be installing the first round of artwork this month. A sign-up sheet for members interested in participating is available at the Lakes Region Art Gallery.
Volunteers Needed:
Urgent Need! Take Down the Children’s Exhibit on December 15th starting at 10AM.
Annual Christmas Party -12/16
New Business
•We are sorry to see that 4 of our artists will be leaving the Gallery for a variety of really good reasons. As a result, many 3-person shifts will see changes in schedule as I redistribute available members to cover all shifts. No one will be moved without permission. Since most shifts will be only 2 people, it is doubly important that anyone who is unable to make a shift due to weather or sickness contact me, Gail, via TEXT as soon as possible. (603-520-9986) There have been occasions where I did not know until one of the other people on the shift told me, and even one occasion where 2 people called out and they only alerted the other two on the shift. We cannot stay open with only one person on. I’m thankful that we have a few people who live close-by who are willing to jump in under these circumstances, but it is imperative that I know as soon as possible. Huge thanks to all of you for your willingness to trade and cover throughout the year. This makes the job of scheduling so much easier! Please use this email when addressing scheduling issues: galleryscheduling@lraanh.org
• To maximize attendance and engagement, we need to plan further ahead for events, ArtTalks, and Art Shows. The earlier we can finalize and share information and dates through newsletters, social media, and the website, the greater the potential for a strong turnout. We welcome your ideas and your participation!
Back-Ups! We have been working hard this year to provide back-ups for every job that is done by our members. Sometimes that involves divvying up a job so that one person isn’t responsible for it all. However, we’ve found that it is often someone who already has a job who is volunteering to be a back-up! We are preparing job descriptions for each position, which will be available soon. Most of the time a back-up is not needed, but life happens…vacations, illness, family crises… and if only one person knows what to do, that leaves the Association without anyone who knows how to, say, pay the artists each month, prepare and submit reports, etc. Perhaps you may be one who has the skills to be a back-up?
• Did you know that the Board of Directors meeting minutes are available online? Currently, this is an unpublished page, so you will need to bookmark the link to access it. Once the "Members Only" section of the website is completed, members will be able to log in to a dedicated URL to conveniently access these minutes and other exclusive content at any time.
Bar codes! Yay! We are finally at a point where bar codes are becoming the order of the day. In order to get bar codes, each artist should send info for any art that is currently hanging without a bar code to gbrunt57@gmail.com. Include your artist #, title of the piece and the medium if original, or “card”, “print”, whatever. Going forward, send that info before your new art goes up. Susie and Gail will be the bar code gurus. If you choose, you are welcome to print your own. We can send a pdf. In The Book of Clover you will find a bar code for your monthly exhibit fee, Custom Items, Show Fees, and Yearly Membership Fee. You may also choose to have a single bar code for cards or a certain size matted print, rather than individual stickers on each piece. If you sent bar codes previously and didn’t get them, check the individual manila envelopes on the counter behind the front desk before requesting new ones. Our goal is to be completely “bar coded”. The “Custom Item” bar code is for items that have no bar code, but each artist has their own so that the sale will be linked to their name. All pertinent info still needs to be written in the log book as there are still some folks who aren’t using the codes or who are not scanning them properly. Hopefully we will come to the point where reconciling the books will be a “piece of cake”, rather than a tiresome scavenger hunt that wastes hours of time each week!
• We are working hard at rebuilding our Social Marketing platforms on both Facebook and Instagram after our gallery’s Facebook page was maliciously hacked. We are making a sincere effort to showcase our Gallery Artists, their artwork, and special events. What would be really helpful is if you could periodically check our Facebook Page and share to your own pages to help build awareness of our wonderful gallery. Also, when you have new artwork, please send pictures and information about your work to Wendy Oellers-Fulmer (contact@dreamscapejewelry.com) so she can promote it. We can work together to build awareness and as a result, get more customers to come in and see what we are all about.
• 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.
We also have the opportunity to hang art in a fairly new restaurant in Laconia, The Flip Side. Anyone interested please contact Sherwood.
• 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.
Linda Murphy has been voluntarily taking headshots of participating artists for the website directory. If you plan to have a personal web page, reach out to Linda to make an appointment.
• 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 in 2025. The shows will occur every other month starting in February. 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.
• 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.
• 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.