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N E W S L E T T E R S - Spring 2003 |
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This newsletter is divided into the following articles. To read any one of these articles, please click on the text of the article title.
Letter from the Executive Director: Letter from the Executive Director Spring is in the air, at WMG and everywhere! We are slowly settling into our new airy and sun-lit space, at the ACME Artist Community Building, a project of the Near NorthWest Arts Council (NNWAC) - and each exhibition makes our surroundings more familiar, and at the same time, ripe with possibilities. The laborious task of moving was carried out with the help and energy of many board members, relatives and WMG supporters and members who volunteered numerous hours to pack, record, carry, drive, unpack and set up. We thank all of them and especially our experienced, patient and considerate mover, Angel Anchev. There was a lot of work to do!
Woman Made didn’t take time off to move and to prepare the space, but continued its programs as planned. This was made possible with a host of contributors who donated much needed dollars to our moving fundraiser. Altogether over $7,000 was contributed to the good cause, allowing us to build out the space, adding an office, a much-needed storage space, and movable walls. Member and artist Catherine Lundgren came to the rescue, and with speed, good spirits and for a very low fee, she built all the walls we needed to begin our 2003 exhibition schedule. With last-minute efforts from our Bulgarian connection, led by faithful WMG supporter Michael Minkovski and a whole crew of able and willing men, the gallery space slowly transformed from a dusty, box-filled construction zone into a clean, open space in which the artwork glowed. Peter Minkovski and friends installed the alarm system and George Gehrken from Telpoint Communications is taking care of computer, network and phone transitions. The first exhibitions, a group show titled Normal/Abnormal: Bodies & Minds with artwork in all media by 30 artists and a solo show with work by Ann Starr, combined the artists’ reception with a hugely successful opening celebration. The gallery was overflowing with people on one of the coldest nights of the year! For the first time, visitors could admire many of WMG stunning works in the Permanent Collection. And above all, we had guests who came in their wheelchairs - all possible because we are now in a location that is handicap accessible. We're working hard amidst the ongoing construction to maintain our activity schedule with the professionalism members and artists are used to. We are looking forward to the completion of the ACME building, to the teaming of creativity as artists begin to move in, and to cultivating good relationships with all our new neighbors: the artists in the ACME community and our neighboring not-for-profits on the first floor, the Chicago Community TV Network and the Chicago Mutual Housing Network. As to other burning topics: We are heavily into preparation for our major fundraiser of the year, the Spring Soirée Art Auction event, scheduled for Friday, May 9th at the Three Arts Club in Chicago. This fun-filled evening will include a fantastic Live and Silent Auction with quality arts and crafts items, gift certificates to established businesses, a Raffle with great prizes, good food and wonderful company. Tickets are $60 per person and sponsorship levels are available at different levels. You can purchase raffle tickets to win cash prizes, donate a service for our silent auction or make a cash donation to the cause. Business and personal ads may be placed in our adbook which will reach a select group of artists and other professionals. This important event has raised one-fourth of our annual budget for the past three years. Please contact the Gallery at 773-489-8900 and help us to reach our goal. - Beate C. Minkovski  Board and Staff News We welcome Sonja Kruitwagen in her new position of Gallery Director of WMG. Sonja, a professional artist herself, volunteered regularly at WMG for over a year before joining the staff as Gallery Assistant last fall. As Director, Sonja will oversee gallery activities, with a focus on exhibitions, events, workshops and gift shop. Her professional experience in marketing and organizing promises to improve and streamline WMG’s various programs. We are very pleased to have Lauren Mathews as WMG’s most recent member of the Board of Directors. An artist, writer and co-founder of Survivor Circle, an organization helping women heal from sexual trauma through art, Lauren received her A.A. in women's studies and B.A. in writing from Purdue University. She wrote, edited, and designed for various news organizations and women's magazines before becoming a freelancer. Lauren will also coordinate the poetry readings at WMG. Letters to WMG
To whom it may concern, Beate, Hello Beate, (right) "April's green endures" - Earth Day (2002) - etching, edition of 25 - "A bittersweet reflection on the gentle spring following Sepember 11, 2001. The title is from Wallace Stevens' poem Sunday Morning - by Judith Anderson. WMG Membership Are Not All Tax-deductible!: WMG Memberships Are Not Tax-deductible! In a question to our auditor, Jim Hagestadt from Blackman, Kallick & Bartelstein, if memberships in support of WMG are tax-deductible we received the following response: "The question is - how is WMG presenting/marketing the membership fee to the public? If you're calling it a membership fee and the person buying it is given discounts on member-specific products, notice of events or other items, this is earned income for WMG and not a contribution. This is because the "members" are receiving something in return for their annual fee. For a contribution to exist, the donor must not receive anything in return for their donation.
I can only assume that people who pay WMG's membership fee receive some sort of discount, special privileges or other items for their membership fee. If so, then all revenue derived from collecting membership fees is earned income for WMG. Now, deductibility for the person paying for the membership fee is a whole other issue:
Membership fees paid are only deductible as a BUSINESS expense. This means that only business entities can deduct membership fees. An individual acting as a sole proprietor (running their own business) is considered a business entity and is allowed to deduct membership fees as a business expense. EXAMPLE - an artist who pays for an annual membership fee to WMG can deduct the expense on her personal tax return on Schedule C - Profit or Loss From Business. The membership fee is a necessary expense for her to conduct business with WMG. (Note that it's deducted as a business expense, not a charitable contribution)
Individuals paying for membership fees as a PERSONAL expense cannot deduct them on their personal tax returns. EXAMPLE - I pay for an annual membership to WMG because I'm an art lover who participates in Gallery events during the year, and I want to take advantage of member discounts, early notification of Gallery events, etc. I cannot take a deduction for the membership fee because I received something in return for my payment and I'm not acting as a business entity.
In short - Only business entities can deduct membership fees. Individuals cannot. - Jim Hagestadt WMG Workshops to Improve Professionalism Exhibiting Professionalism Workshop Exhibiting Professionalism Manual Career Day Workshop You the Juror Workshop Women’s Art Group Special Thanks To...
Woman Made appreciates the following individuals and organizations for their ongoing support of the Gallery:
Please check our next newsletter if your name is not included here. Pamela Callahan – WMG Associate For Life: Pamela Callahan - WMG Associate for Life
Woman Made Gallery owes its existence to the continued support of many individuals. In this newsletter issue we like to give recognition to Pamela Callahan, who has served WMG faithfully and with caring devotion for many years. We are grateful to Pamela for all the hard work to help make WMG stronger and better and we are ever thankful for her continued involvement. One of the most recent papers written by student *Tracie Amirante about WMG, included personal accounts by Pamela Callahan which describes her involvement with the Gallery in her own words: "In a way, I've come full circle at Woman Made. I started out by visiting the gallery on a regular basis, to see the various exhibitions. I remember how the titles--the different themes--drew me in (as did the name Woman Made). The original storefront space where WMG spent its first five years set the stage for an environment that continues today: intimate, non-threatening and welcoming, a space where one can spend time with the artwork and then engage (if you wish) in a lively discussion about it with Janet or Beate and any other visitors who happen to be there. So many points of view are expressed and WMG never shies away from showing any of these experiences, no matter how stark or challenging. There is beautiful work too and that's where the beauty of WMG itself comes in: you walk into the gallery and see these individual visions side by side. It is a powerful and inspiring experience.
Being a poetry lover, I took over organizing the Gallery's poetry readings which complement the themed exhibits. The readings have expanded the gallery's audience and brought a new dimension to the visual artwork. Sometimes other projects and collaborations grew from these readings: Maureen Seaton led a writing workshop during the Deal With It show, in which participants wrote directly in response to the artwork, airing compelling words and "dealing with" many difficult topics. Also, a book titled Inhabiting the Body, was born out of a call for words for the Invented Figure show. Edited by Nina Corwin and Mary H. Ber of Moon Journal Press, it features poems about the body and artwork from the WMG exhibit. Excerpts from many readings can be found on the Poetry Page of WMG's website. WMG celebrated its ten-year anniversary this past July (2002) and is moving into a wonderful new space within the ACME Artists Building close to Bucktown in January 2003. The staff now numbers five and WMG's Board of Directors, Advisory Board and volunteer base are vibrant and growing as well. I have recently passed on the publicity, poetry reading and Her Mark Datebook projects to new people and am taking a break from working at the gallery in order to pursue painting full-time in the coming year. So my role is back to volunteer as it was when I first began visiting the Gallery so many years ago, thus the circle. I've been lucky to have witnessed firsthand how Woman Made Gallery truly fulfills its mission of "supporting and cultivating the diverse contributions of women artists". To find out more about Pamela Callahan, the person and artist we all admire, visit her website: www.pamelacallahan.womanmade.net *Tracie Amirante is a writer, an undergraduate student at Roosevelt University, and intern with RU's Women's & Gender Studies Newsletter, "In Eleanor's Footsteps." (right) Aviary' mixed media artwork by Pamela Callahan. Solo Shows at WMG WMG does not accept unsolicited proposals for solo shows but selects the artist from a large pool of women whose work is already well-known to the Gallery Directors. The artist has been previously accepted into a group exhibition, has her work in the slide registry and/or on the Online Registry and has been involved in other functions, possibly as a past juror. Therefore, artists for the solo shows are selected by invitation only! The criteria for inclusion is a consistent body of quality work with a strong content, feminist orientation and/or how well the work in the solo show complements the group show on display at that time. The fee for a four-week exhibition is $400 which includes placing up to ten images on the webpage. Solo show artists are responsible for printing their own invitations and sending invites to their personal mailing list. WMG includes solo show artists in newsletters, in press releases and on our juried group-show invitations in an effort to promote the work of participants. Artists who had solo shows at WMG in the past include: Judith Anderson, Mayte Gonzales Diaz, Fujiko Isomura, Leah Oates and Dian Sourelis. To view past exhibitions, visit our Solo Show Archives .Poetry Corner Poems by Lauren R. Mathews Keeping Up Appearances I am left twitching In Bones Shake these words Seeding the Snow
Seeding the Snow Seeding the Snow is a journal of women's writing and artwork that celebrates the midwestern landscape. We are always looking for submissions of poetry and prose related to the connection between women and nature in the midwest. We also are interested in artwork that reproduces well in black and white. To subscribe, please send $14 to Seeding the Snow, 2534 N. St. Louis, Chicago, IL 60647. You can get more information at this address or through email at karengeorge17@cs.com A Woman Artist You Should Know: A Woman Artist You Should Know Barbara Aubin: Somewhere Between Memory and Destiny Despite more than four decades of visual development and risk-taking, the images of Chicago artist Barbara Aubin retain a core of fluid elegance surging around the signifiers of female creativity. Her witty, Pop-inflected surreal collages have been exhibited widely in both group and solo shows in the Chicago area, including the Fairweather Hardin Gallery, Artemisia Gallery, the Art Institute of Chicago, A.R.C. Gallery, and the Chicago Cultural Center, but her work deserves a wider reception and more sustained critical scrutiny. Among many awards granted to Aubin at the inception of her career, including the Purchase Prize, Art Institute of Chicago (1961), the prize with arguably the most lasting impact on her work remains the travel fellowships she received between 1955 and 1960, including a 1958-1960 Fulbright fellowship to Haiti. Aubin's years in Haiti resulted in the literal and metaphorical flowering of the artist's embrace of watercolor, a medium to which she had devoted her energies since high school in Waukegan, Illinois. Her exposure to Haitian artists as well as the land- and seascapes of the island prompted her to introduce collage elements into her work, resulting in painstakingly assembled accretions of images culled from books, magazines, stamps, and other sources from popular culture, natural history, and art history.
Aubin's collages possess a distinctly autobiographical and feminist edge, especially in such works as Never Ending Saga (monotype with chine collé added to collage, 1997) and Somewhere Between Dawn and Dusk (mixed media, 1987). Aubin's easy harvesting of images cut and pasted from art history textbooks in many of her multi-media works, such as Saga, Dawn and Dusk, Working Artist: In a Class Unto Herself (monotype, collage, drawing on paper, 1977) testify to her years of teaching at Chicago State University and the School of the Art Institute as well as her critical contributions in the late 1970's to Women Artists News and the Chicago Artists Coalition Newsletter. The frequent appearance of Cassatt's female viewer in Aubin's images gestures in a variety of different directions, to Aubin's own status as a female artist, to her creative foremothers, and to the role and place of the female viewer as the subject and object of her art. Another iconic image for Aubin from the 1970's through the 1990's, the grim farming couple of American Gothic (also in the Art Institute of Chicago) as well as bumblebees, flowers, and butterflies together suggest a cycle of sowing, reaping, and the (re) generation of creativity from the soil of tradition. Aubin herself notes that her art, although "abstractly presented, [concerns] the transitions we make and the dichotomies we confront in this life and beyond." The late 1990's proved a particularly important period of transition and transformation for Aubin's art, exemplified in works such as Our Ultimate Destiny: Ode to Ivan Albright (opaque watercolor and collage, 1999) and Floating Figure Mired in Destiny (opaque watercolor, 1999). Unlike her earlier images, in which the collage elements had articulated an abstract, vaguely atmospheric background, Destiny and Figure depict, in a series of loose, rapid, and sketchy brushstrokes, large nude female figures. While Ultimate Destiny, as the title suggests, addresses the passage of the feminine body from youth to old age (here exemplified by Albright's exaggeratedly wrinkled old women), Floating Figure possesses a more mystical if not mythical content: the supine female figure has the attributes of a goddess sleeping in the earth, her body embedded in the landscape in front of which smaller figures caper. The emergence of the female figure, rendered in elegant passages of line and pigment, directly presages Aubin's current work, her Flight series. Aubin describes her Flight series as images of "numerous fleeing figures from traumas both actual and imagined." Certainly, some of the watercolors in the series have a gravity and violence suggestive of pain and disorder; however, the highly gestural, calligraphic signifiers of the female form in other images communicate joyous cacophony of movements, striding, running, darting, dancing, tumbling, flying. In 2002, the Chicago Women's Caucus for Art mounted a retrospective of Aubin's art, ranging from work produced in 1960 to that completed in 2001 together in a single space, examples from four decades of Aubin's creative production reinforced her works' force, energy, and originality, its balance on the dizzying edge of disorder and stability, classification and that which can never be categorized. See more images and read the complete article on the: Women Artists page. (above right) 'Migrations Series #12 - 1993' - mixed media, acrylic, impasto on canvas - 18"x24" - by Barbara Aubin Woman Made Gallery Calendar Please check our WOMAN MADE GALLERY CALENDAR for all events throughout the year. Sponsor An Exhibit Or Purchase Award : Sponsor An Exhibit Or Purchase Award Please become an exhibit sponsor or give an exhibit purchase award for future shows. An example of exhibit sponsorship is providing money for printing and mailing expenses of invitations. Your name would be printed on the invitations and in our newsletter. You might also want to give a purchase prize for a select exhibition. This means that you would commit to buying one artwork from one exhibition. Your name and /or company would be credited on all printed materials and on our Web site. For more information contact WMG at (312) 328-0038. Businesses We Support 4439 Design Working with independent artists, nonprofit organizations and corporations, 4439 Design offers creative design solutions to any project, small or large. Call for further information and samples. Contact Jeanne Nemcek at 773 539-9270 or email her at nemcek@flash.net EZMAIL services PSN - Progressive Systems Network Please & Thank You We would like to thank the following individuals who have become members or renewed their memberships and all those who have donated money, items, time and talents. We apologize for any misspellings and appreciate if you would let us know. Please check in our next newsletter if your name has not yet been listed here. Dinah Abram, Antoinette Alcazar-Walker, Patricia B. Allen, Ulla Anobile, Marjorie Arnett, Cathleen Bachman, Beatrice Badikian-Gartler, Marcy Baim, Sharon Davie Barrett, Kristin Baum, Jane Beaver, Ina Beierle, Andrea Bempong, Rexene Bertolino, Andrea Bird, Barbara Blacharczyk, Christina Body, Amy Boles, Rachael Ann Bottorff, Sharon Bourke, Penny Burns, Mo Cahill, Pamela Callahan, Patricia Callahan, Nancy Camden, Vicki Cervantes, Chia-ju Chang, Lynda Cole, Jean Cozier, Gail Flack Crandus, Suzanne Cummings, Amy Stacey Curtis, Marykay Czerwiec, Dianna Deiber, Rosemary Di Nardo, Denise Duarte, Danielle Duffy, Kathleen Dunn, Elissa Efroymson, Anne Elizabeth, Janice Elkins, Skye Enyeart, Denise Faith, Anne Leuck Feldhaus, Pamela Feldman, Madelon Fross, Mary Beth McGinnis, Kerry Hagy, Karen Hanmer, Andrea Harris, Brian Heard, Birte Hella, Christy Hengst, Lindsey Heuwetter, Lynn Hill, Pearl & Hyman Hirshfield, Michele Holevar, Angela Hopkins, Lois Horowitz, Becky Howdeshell, Carla Inwood, Kristen Johnson, Ursula Kammer-Fox, Catherine Keebler, Diane Kelly, Anna Kolata, Andy Kopsa, Eileen Kroll, Mary Beth Lemay, Linda Litteral, Rosemary Luckett, Sheila Malloy, Katharine Mann, Catherine Marché, Lorraine Marks, Judith Martin, Jana Mason, Suzanne Massey, Julie Matheis, Danielle McCullough, Roberta Lindegard Meier, Bette Meihsner, Roberta Miles, Renny Mills, Dora Natella, Laura Nelson, Regina Noakes, Sarah Normandin, Jeanette Nyberg, Staci Page Oien, Kay & April Papenfuss, Mary Ann Penner, Jana Perez, Corinne Peterson, Dina Petrakis, Aimée Picard, Nancy Pirri, Gwendolyn Pruitt, Helen Quade, Mary Lou Quinn, Jeni Reeves, Sheree Rensel, Christiane Rey, Rachel Weaver Rivera, Leslie Robertson, Sally Ruddy, Jerry Ruiz, Joanna Rytel, Carol Shikany, Janet Smith, Carol Hopper Snider, Carol Spicuzza, Ann Starr, Laura Stempel, Wilma Stevens, Susan Straus, Peri Irish Switzer, Victoria Tasch, Karen Jobe Templeton, Barbara Trentham, Dorianne & John Venator, Elli Vitkus, E.J. Wade, Elaine Wagner, Maureen Warren, Eileen Wasserman, Deborah Weber & Pete Insley, Catherine Westerman, Ann Willey, Johanna Williams, Laurel Winters, Marta Wojcik, Sallie Wolf, Sabrina Wolfe, Brenda Woods, Shannon Workman We thank all volunteers listed here for their good work on behalf of WMG: Karen Abbott, Neil Allen, Paul Cahill, George Gehrken, Michael & Peter Minkovski, Mary Stoppert & Carmen Perez, Roxana Pereira, Gisele Perreault & Peggy Mason, Eleanna Anagnose, Karen Rechtschaffen, Marta Wojcik Art Auction 2003 WMG is preparing for our major annual fundraiser, the Spring Soirée Benefit 2003 on May 9th, 2003 at the Three Arts Club in Chicago. Following are ways you can help to make the event a success:
The greatest incentive to attending or otherwise supporting the event is knowing that you have contributed to a special place, one that cultivates and supports women in their creative endeavors. Please call us at (773) 489-8900 for more information or email us at gallery@womanmade.org. WMG Wish List
Donated items should be in workable condition and are tax-deductible. Order/Reservations Please use our MAIL-IN ORDER FORM or visit our ONLINE SECURE SITE where you can order various items, like Her-story T-shirts, WMG mugs and the Big Fish CD or register for workshops and pay with Visa or Mastercard. Worthy Organizations Survivor Circle provides a forum for women to use art and creative expression as a method to cope, recover, heal and thrive after the lifelong emotional trauma brought on by sexual abuse and/or assault. Founders, Survivors and artists Lauren R. Mathews and Skye Enyeart help members of Survivor Circle artistically represent their feelings in an organic, self-directed way in order to heal the Self and help display to other Survivors that recovery, hope and healing are all possible. Survivor Circle was founded on the belief that recovery, healing and living a self-actualized life is a multi-faceted task that requires the incorporation of our deepest fears and desires. Using art in conjunction with group or individual therapy, Survivors learn who they really are, who they are becoming and then begin to show that person to the world. This not only gives Survivors a voice, but a face, thereby stripping power away from the perpetrator of the abuse or assault and restoring power to the Survivor. Membership Form/Volunteer Opportunities : Membership Form/Volunteer Opportunities Please go to our MEMBERSHIP PAGE to find out how you can support our efforts with your membership and volunteer services. Regular membership is only $35 per year and can be charged with Visa or Mastercard from our Secure Site. Membership Discounts Please check our MEMBER'S DISCOUNT PAGE for businesses that give discounts to our members. Call for Artists You have two options for obtaining guidelines for shows: 1. Send a note (with a self-addressed-stamped envelope) requesting the show prospectus of your choice to: Woman Made Gallery, 1900 South Prairie Avenue, Chicago, IL 60616. 2. Click on the title of the exhibition you are interested in and print out entry forms in pdf format. You may also use the Generic Form: http://womanmade.org/entryform.html. CALL FOR ARTWORK: Annual Members' Show 2003 Jurors: Eden Stern, Joyce Owens, Mo Cahill All artists who are members of WMG by Entry Due Date: April 23, 2003 are eligible to enter work into the Annual Members' Show. Artists must submit professional slides of no less than three works executed during the last two years that have not been previously exhibited at the Gallery. Extended Entry Deadline: April 23, 2003 CALL FOR ARTWORK: HER MARK 2004 ART Entry Form WMG is looking to showcase a variety of compelling, sensitive and provocative artwork by women for our 4th annual HER MARK publication. All themes, styles and media are welcome. Entry Deadline: May 16, 2003 Notifications Sent: July 16, 2003 CALL FOR POETRY: HER MARK 2004 WORDS Entry Form WMG is looking to showcase a variety of compelling, sensitive and provocative poetry by women for our 4th annual HER MARK publication. All themes and styles are welcome. Entry Deadline: May 16, 2003 Notifications Sent: July 16, 2003 CALL FOR ARTWORK: Digitally Speaking Juror: Dorothy Simpson Krause Woman Made Gallery invites women from all backgrounds, all ages and from all corners of the globe, to submit artwork using digital technology as a major creative component in the production of the work. (Reproduction of work originally created in another medium is not appropriate for this exhibit.) Any required hardware must be provided, installed and maintained by the artist. Entry Deadline: May 21, 2003 CALL FOR ARTWORK: Women, Trauma & Visual Expression Juror: Amy Stacey Curtis Open to work by women artists who have experienced trauma. All media, except performance will be considered. Artists can submit up to three professional slides or digital files of original work, which has been created at any time, but has not been previously exhibited at WMG. Email the Gallery to participate in an optional and confidential survey: gallery@womanmade.org Extended Entry Deadline: July 30, 2003 Good luck to all exhibition entrants. Remember to enter shows in the most professional way with the best slides possible. Newsletter Contributions Woman Made News is produced quarterly. Send newsletter contributions to Mary Ann Anthony, Woman Made Gallery, 2418 West Bloomingdale, Chicago, IL 60647. You may e-mail your entries to gallery@womanmade.org. Woman Made Gallery reserves the right to edit articles for clarity and brevity. Entries for the Summer 2003 Newsletter must be received by May 15th, 2003. Previous Newsletters Click here to read our previous newsletters. |
And so I returned again and again. I attended workshops at the gallery and
entered my own artwork into shows. I met other women artists and gained
confidence and knowledge about having a career as an artist. I began to
volunteer, helping out with whatever was needed at any time: packing or
unpacking work for a show, office work, press releases. And soon, I was
hired on part-time. When WMG made the move to Prairie Avenue, I worked more and more. The gallery was growing, and thanks to the website, it was
becoming internationally known. I just loved being there; it was
energizing--the people and the art made it so. I served as Gallery Director for a couple years, though we all really did anything and everything that needed to be done at any given time..
May 28, 2005
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