On Thursday, 28 January 1999, Becky Decker informed Brian Simmons that there were no vans or minivans available during the NCECA conference time.

Brian Simmons reserved the above Kepler Theater Building dates with Mr.Joe Marschner.

Due to the temporary rescheduling of Brian Simmons' Writing for Radio and Television class from 10 am until 11:30 am Tuesday and Thursday to 11:30 am until 1 pm Tuesday and Thursday, President Simmons has informed Vice President Christopher B. Foxwell that, effective 2 February 1999 at 11 am, Mr. Foxwell will be Acting President of the Art Club, until other notice is given. Brian Simmons will continue to remain active in the club, and should be back conducting the weekly club meeting by mid-February.

On Friday, 29 January, the Ceramics Four (Chris Foxwell, Julie Miller, Brian Simmons, and Chad Wiles) travelled in Chad's ute to the Baltimore Clayworks Supply (at Falls road and Cold Spring Lane now). After we left there, we found the Potter's Guild (seen from I-83 South) and then to the Fells Point Gallery. The latter two had just closed when we arrived however, so we just looked in the windows.

At the Tuesday, 2 February meeting: The Fells Point Gallery is still a sore spot. Chris is interested and Cindy is only mildly interested. Most club officers don't think there is enough interest at the present level of production and that if it were closer, we would be better able to handle it. Neither Chris nor Cindy want to go down there by themselves. Both feel that since it is mostly Brian's idea that he should be there, since he has the contact. Beyond this, Ms. Souders thought it was an excellent idea. If he can skip a class, we'll go; if not we can put it off one more month, at least until we get the portfolio going.

At the Tuesday, 2 February meeting:
Next on the agenda was the photography for the Portfolio:
Cindy will do it on Wednesdays at 2:30 pm till 4:30 pm. We can start on 10 February. We will take film cost from our Office Supplies account. Cindy has 3 rolls to start with, so we should be fine for next week. Chris pointed out that we should also do slides. But: should we charge people who want us to help with their portfolios?

Trips: We couldn't decide. We will go to D.C. in February though; date to be decided next meeting.

On Sunday, 7 February, Brian called the President of the Fells Point Gallery co-op and delayed our consideration until April.

At the 9 February meeting, we decided to take $25 from Earned Income and go ahead and reserve a spot at the Flower and Garden Show. Brian Simmons returned as active President, after the meeting time was moved to 10:10 am at the urging of the membership.

At the 16 February meeting, we took final tally of who would go to the NCECA Convention: 4 members, with Ben Culbertson as sponsor. We alloted up to $450 from Earned Income for this. We will reduce the percentage of the club's take on upcoming pottery sales this semester--outside of the Art Show.

At the end of the meeting, Brian Simmons announced his resignation, effective immediately. Reasons given included his wanting to give others a chance at the leadership. He felt that an officership might look good on a college application, for those pursuing an art degree. As this was probably his last semester at the college, he also was hoping to see the strength of the club continue build, even without him at the helm. He believed that the best way to show his leadership was to continue to have leadership after he leaves, and felt that Chris Foxwell, who probably will return next year, should go ahead and become President.

At the 23 February meeting, we finalized our NCECA Convention plans: the group will leave on Tuesday evening and return Saturday evening. All will stay in one room. We confirmed Chad Wiles as new Vice President. Chris gave the SGA Report. We may give an Art Show tour to the daycare center children. The "Best of Show" prize may be a year's membership in the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts or the Mansion House Art Gallery.

Brian showed Cindy Digulimio how to do the accounting. We may sponsor a month of the outstanding child awards for publicity ($25).

Spring RAKU FEST will be on Earth Day: Thursday, 22 April 1999.

At the 2 March meeting, we decided to go ahead with the sponsoring of a child.

We decided against having a John McCutcheon Concert, as the peripherals, such as a sound man and advertising, would push the cost to over $2,600 we nor any "deep pockets" have at this time. Mr. McCutcheon's agent had responded positively and promptly to a benefit concert for the HCC Foundation at some time during the Spring Art Show.

A second idea, from David Fitzwater, former Washington County Arts Council President and current coordinator of the Mountain Green Concert Series, to have an open mike night/coffeehouse night was also rejected, as we would still need a sound man, at the expense of $500, and there would need to be an advertising budget. Whatever we decide, we have permission from him to distribute a flyer for it at the next Mountain Green Concert. He will also announce it during his opening remarks.

Dave Cole has suggested a guest lecturer--who would be paid for out of Student Program Board funds--is the cheapest way to go. We will decide on a speaker for the lecture at next meeting.

The members may go out together for a farewell after the Show is taken down in May.

At the Tuesday, 9 March meeting, we found out that the college was to close at 1 pm, due to it snowing. We decided to wait to be interviewed on censorship in community colleges by Dave Warner for his doctoral thesis. He first interviewed a collection of HCC faculty, including our co-sponsors.

No-one had any ideas on whom to ask to be a speaker at an Art Show Lecture. The topic "On Preserving Local Architecture" was submitted by Brian Simmons though, as a 1770's Washington County log cabin and the Hagerstown Roundhouse had been demolished that week.

As Cindy Digulimio has found some money in the budget that we could use for an Open Mike Night, we talked with Dave Warner after the interview for his input.

We gave Mr. Warner four mugs to pass along to the four musicians that volunteered to play at the Fall Student Art Show. These mugs, a set, were donated by Professor Culbertson.

We continued to plan the pottery sale of the coming weekend at the Flower and Garden Show. Cindy Digulimio was to print up some flyers for our tables there. Brian Simmons made copies of our inventory sheet. The Club figured out how much we needed to sell to break even.

On Friday, 12 March, Brian Simmons put the Evan Crossley E-Gallery on-line. Chad Wiles and Julie Miller set up the tables and tarp and took down a Pacifica^TM wheel to demo-throw on. There was a fine reception for the participants from 5 until 7:30 pm.

On Tuesday, 27 April 1999, we sponsored a Brush Making Workshop. Six learned how to make Artist's Brushes, the Japanese way. Supposed to last from 10 am until 4 pm, the class lasted from 10 am until 7 pm, with the instructor still here to offer help. It was taught by Mr. Glen Grishkoff in the Design Studio (CP 126-C).

His work (ceramics and brushes) and background information were featured in the CP hallway display case.

The cost was $25 per student. We would have needed ten students to decrease this per student cost. We did heavily subsidize this event anyway. The same workshop was to be taught at Hood College for $70 per student.

The workshop was well received by all its participants.

The Last Meeting was held on Tuesday, 18 May 1999 at 12 Noon in CP-126-C, the Art Department Lounge. Topics included a 1999-2000 Approved Budget Review, Reimbursements, year's activity review, Spring Show take-down, and a possible summer trip to Doylestown

The Art Club Meeting on Tuesday, 27 April was moved to noon on Thursday, 29 April, due to the Brush Making Class being held on Tuesday. We approved the budget and submitted it.

We held the Spring Student Art Show in the Kepler Theater Lobby Monday, 10 May thru Wednesday, 19 May. Hours were 8:30 am until 5:00 pm, except on Wednesday, 19 May when the hours were 8:30 am until 3:30 pm. Friday, 14 May also included evening hours 5:00 pm until around 10:00 pm , when we held an Open Mike Night.

The Meet the Artists Reception was held Monday Evening, 10 May from 6 pm until 8 pm. This semester's theme was a cook-out, with Vickie Wiles manning the grill on the Kepler patio. Both beef and vegetable patties were offered.

Brian Simmons emceed a remote by the CRANE on 102.3 FM. It was a demonstration of a radio nearcaster some of the students were testing, with the hope that the SGA would buy it.

Show entries were judged for the first time in Show history(?) on Friday Afternoon, 14 May by R. Ross Saur. Ribbons were awarded for first, second, and third place in 2-D and 3-D (6 awards), as well as one "Best of Show".

The HCCArt Coffeehouse Open Mike Night was held on the stage and in the auditorium of the Kepler Theater Building. It officially started at 7 pm and went on to about 9:45 pm.

We contracted a professional sound engineer, Mike Sokol, of JMS Productions, who does the mixing for the Mountain Green Concert Series. It was free, both to participants and the audience. (We juggled our budget line items, with the approval of the Student Activities, to pay for the sound man.)

Some instruments were available from the Kepler inventory. It was recorded, with the plan being to make tapes available for sale. Unfortunately, the Kepler tape recorder used recorded at its own speed, and one song was cut right in the middle.

Our Brian Simmons emceed. The acts were, in order of first appearance:
• Nathan Schoppert       • Craig Moore
• Joanie Williams       • Tom Kercheval
• Just a Few, which featured husband and wife HCC'ers Alfonso Briceρo and Shannon Lord.

Some of the Art Club Members on Monday Evening, 10 May 1999 at the Meet the Artists' Reception in front of the Kepler Theater (Left to right) Front Row: Brian Todd Simmons, Jeff Byard, Chris Foxwell, Garth Robertson. Back Row: Julie E. Miller, Chad Wiles, Cindy Digulimio, John "Turtle" Clingenpeel

The Spring Art Show's Open Mike Night included the Show Raffle Drawing and announcing the "Best of Show".

"Best of Show" went to Jeff Byard for his ceramic fountain.

The raffle winners were:
• FIRST PRIZE: Bottle Vase, by Professor Ben Culbertson--Alfonso Briceρo
• SECOND PRIZE: "Angel", by Nancy Crossley Blank--Kathy Foltz
• THIRD PRIZE: 2 Bowls, by Chad Wiles--George Perry
• FOURTH PRIZE: "Leeward Lapped Vase", by Brian Todd Simmons--Becky Kercheval

Tickets were drawn by Miss Joanie Williams.

The Club especially thanks Mr. Joe Marschner for doing our lighting for our Open Mike Night.

*******Spring 1999 Art Department News*******

*Many classes were changed in the Department to compensate for Professor Ben Culbertson's leave of absence. There was a revised course selection on the CP-126 Main door and on the Course Board at the ADM Building's Credit Registration Desk.

*During the days of 18 January thru 20 January, two new Pacifica^TM potter's wheels were installed in the Ceramics Studio, replacing two failing Brent^TM wheels.

*Adjunct Professor Nancy Crossley Blank exhibited at the Madeira School in "Women in Perspective: Recent Works" from 28 January until 28 February. Other artists in the show were: Cid Collins Walker, Linda Leonard, Rhona Schonwald, and Caren Schlossberg. Exhibit curator was Cid Collins Walker.

The exhibit was in Chapel Auditorium Gallery, 8328 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia 22102. An opening reception was held on 28 January from 7:00 pm until 8:30 pm.

Summer 1999

We left HCC at 9:11 am and returned at 5:50 pm.

National Gallery Info: