Important Member Meeting This Week
- Karen Koegel, President
- Nov 9, 2016
- 3 min read
This is a very important week. First of all we voted on Tuesday. So when you read this, that will be over and we will have a new President. On Thursday, you can vote again. Not for a new President (you are stuck with the old one you voted for), but for Vice Presidents (2) and Treasurer. Your Tuesday vote has an impact on the country for 4 years, Thursday's vote impacts your art world for a year. Now isn’t that important too! Couple that with getting to meet the students who received the very first GFAA Scholarship at the U of FL School of Arts, Thursday night will be an exciting night.
Here is a short blurb about those on the ballot:
FRANK CURTIS-TREASURER
Frank Curtis graduated from the Florida School of the Arts, UF with a BFA and was a Master's candidate at USF. He is an amateur musician, playing with the Gainesville Community Band since 1990 and served on that Board for two years. He spent most of his working in life in various small businesses involving retail sales. This will be his third year as a member of GFAA. He runs the Figure Drawing class that meets in the GFAA Gallery Wednesday evening from 7-10pm. He is famous for his assemblage pieces in old suitcases, which he has exhibited in Florida and the southeast. Frank is the Artwalk Gainesville Coordinator. He has devoted himself to updating the monthly flyer and promoting Gainesville's Events.
CHRIS TATUM-VICE PRESIDENT
Chris has been on the Board for a couple of years. He was brought on the Board because he showed interest and offered to help on many occasions. He has been self employed since he was in his twenties. He is a talented wood worker with items from bowls to vases to furniture. He is looking forward to meeting more people.
ROB PETTIE-VICE PRESIDENT
"I spent my youth in the historic city of Savannah, GA appreciating the living history all around me. I spent most of my free time exploring the marshes and woods in that area. This exposure gave me my appreciation for my two favorite subjects; places and plants. My greatest goal with each photo is to evoke an emotion, a memory, or a desire to 'go there.' I have always enjoyed photography and a few years ago many of my friends and family encouraged me to start displaying my works. That eventually led me to participating in local art festivals. Which, in turn, led me to GFAA. I have enjoyed the various monthly exhibits and stretching my creative wings. I look forward to being more involved with GFAA and promoting the many incredibly talented artists we have right here in Alachua County. I have lived in Gainesville since 1987 and share our home with two little four-legged children with my wife of over 20 years, Christina. I work for The InterMed Group and volunteer throughout the community at various events. I am also a two-time cancer survivor and am currently over 26 years cancer-free! I love the Gators and exploring all that this wonderful planet has to offer."
Along with the additions to the Executive Board, we will need a Hospitality Chairperson. Karen Lemmonier has done a great job not only managing all of our receptions, but giving me a clear and concise breakdown of what takes place in order to have the table ready for the Opening Receptions. Michelle Nagri has provided me with a step-by-step list of getting the Gallery ready. So now all I need is YOU! This is a fun position!
See you Thursday night 6:30!
I read the Important Member Meeting This Week post and it felt like a good reminder about how community groups stay connected by sharing plans and listening to everyone’s thoughts. When I once used blog writing services for a school project, I had to explain group events like this clearly so my classmates could understand why they mattered, and that was harder than I thought. It reminded me that clear words help others stay informed and feel included.
I read the post about an important member meeting, and it shares news on planning and decisions for the fine arts organisation’s future events. One term I was so overwhelmed with work that I had to take my online class cheap just to stay caught up with everything else. That showed me how balance matters when life feels busy. Your post makes me smile
I like how you compared the national vote with the local art vote because it shows how leadership matters at every level. When I was balancing school and club work, I remember feeling so stretched that I even thought about asking someone to do my online exam, which made me realize how important shared responsibility really is. Strong boards and volunteers keep creative spaces alive. It reminds me that participation shapes the communities we care about.
I read the meeting post about how big decisions were happening that week with board votes and scholarships for new art students, and it really made me think about how important community events can feel when you’re part of them. I once stayed up late fixing a rough draft for class and I used Edit my law project online to help clean it up before submitting, so I get how helpful a fresh pair of eyes can be. Moments like that remind me how much a bit of support can boost your confidence in any project.
After these events, my joints and back ached for weeks from the stress, until I came across modern recovery methods. I was particularly impressed by an article on the use of stem cells in military medicine — https://ways2well.com/blog/stem-cell-applications-in-military-medicine-advancing-recovery — which describes how quickly tissues regenerate after injuries. I decided to try a similar approach myself, and it really sped up my recovery. Now, after every performance or meeting, I feel much lighter, and I have enough energy for creativity and new ideas for the association. I recommend it to everyone who lives life to the fullest in art!