NOVEMBER NEWS 2008

Much has been happening as we near the end of the year. I invite all members and their friends to the opening of Textile Touch-Up at Wallsend library 6 Nov at 5.30pm. RSVP 49745300 by 5 Nov. If you haven't exhibited work come along either to the opening or during library hours until 17 December, perhaps you might be inspired to participate in our future exhibitions.

The committee has met to consider the future directions for NCEATA. Jenny Crain will lead a discussion of the function of NCEATA at the February meeting. To this end please consider “What do you think the core business of NCEATA is?” At the end of this month's newsletter is a survey which will be used in future planning. Please have your say in your future by completing it either on-line or sending to NCEATA PO Box (see newsletter heading). We intend to meet again in January 2009 to collate the surveys.

We are looking forward to completing the Travelling Suitcase and the Christmas Party in November, then the Art Bazaar, Laman St on the 6 Dec, then taking a well deserved break until the Feb meeting. Perhaps you'll be spending some of the break finishing UFO's or enhancing creative your skills.

Carolyn Clausen, President

OCTOBER NEWS 2008

Wasn't it great to see Shirley Bjornsson back?

As over half this year has passed we will soon be in planning mode for 2009. At our next committee meeting we will be preparing a survey to identify our future needs as individual members and as an association. Input from members is essential if we are to continue to be a vibrant group. You might like to put on your thinking caps to suggest speakers, tutors, workshop leaders, topics or even to offer to share your skills at a meeting.

Members are stimulated and invigorated by participating in SHOW & TELL and through participating in CRITIQUING WORKSHOPS.

We are constantly trying to enhance our profile within the wider community so members are encouraged to participate in exhibitions and various events throughout the year.

It is now possible to pay renewals through bank transfer via electronic banking, but please also complete a renewal form so that we know who you are. All of this can be done online.

Thanks to September workshop leaders Gay Grillmeier and Pat Davidson.

Carolyn Clausen, President

SEPTEMBER NEWS 2008

There was a large attendance at the last Saturday meeting, with three new potential members visiting.

Thanks to Jenny Loss for leading the critiquing of works for the upcoming TEXTILE TOUCH-UP exhibition. I trust that the evaluations and suggestions were valued by the artists. I think that critiquing is a great way to validate our own work as well as that of others.

Thanks to Jenny Crain for mother, Judy's recent exhibition "LICHEN" with us. It's not hard to see where Jenny gets her inspiration from; must be in her genes.

NCEATA sponsored one of the prizes in the Fibre Arts section at the Port Stephens Community Arts Show. A past NCEATA president Gail Stahmer awarded first place to Alana Clifton Cunningham for her impressive fibre artwork "NECK PODS" and second place to our own member Kerrie-ANnne Riles for her quiltography entitled "PELICANS ON PARADE". Congratulations also to NCEATA member Judi Nikoleski for her highly commended piece "SKYDREAM" which incorporated her original digitized designs and to Gai McMurtrie for "EMPRESS WARATAH". The audience on opening night were very interested and impressed by the diversity and high standard of work on show. NCEATA also donates a year's membership to each of these prize winners.

A reminder to have work for the JOURNEYS travelling exhibition ready for critiquing at the October meeting.

Carolyn Clausen, President

PRESIDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT August 2008

The objects of NCEATA as stated in the constitution are to: bring together people interested in textile arts; promote textile arts; provide opportunities for exhibiting textile arts; and develop skills in textile arts. This seems to be a good place to start when considering how the club has gone this year.

Bringing together people interested in textile arts
Club members have met monthly on Saturdays and Mondays, with some members attending both Saturday and Monday meetings. While the Saturday group continues to attract good numbers, the Monday group is more variable.

Promote Textile Arts
Over the past year we have had trading tables at several functions - Tocal Agricultural Field Days, Laman St Art Bazaar, Wallsend Winter Fair, Homestart Art Exhibition and the Beekeepers Function. Where-ever we promote our work, we are well received and there is considerable interest in our work.

Provide Opportunities for Exhibiting Textile Arts
Members developed a travelling suitcase exhibition - pieces on the theme of Changing Landscapes. This exhibition has filled the suitcase and is currently touring throughout NSW with occasional forays into other states. It is on the move for the whole year. We were pleased to accept for later in this year, an exhibition slot at the Wallsend Library. This will be the first local exhibition for two years.

Developing Skills in Textile Arts
Over the year members have shared their skills by conducting workshops at the Saturday and Monday meetings. These have included working with wire to make clasps for jewellery, slash and burn techniques and several workshops on design techniques. As well we organised a workshop by Christine Yarker. Again this year, the Kurri Kurri workshop weekend was well attended and the feedback was very positive.

Opportunities and Challenges
The upcoming exhibition is an exciting opportunity to show textile arts in Newcastle. While the exhibition space is possibly not as well known as Laman St, if we can attract members of the public, it is likely to be a venue that we can exhibit in annually

Responding to the feedback from members when I first became president, we structured Saturday meetings so that there were fewer business meetings. As well we have not been able to repeat the business meetings at Monday meetings since many of the committee members have not been able to attend these meetings. There have been advantages and disadvantages of these moves. While they have meant that we have had more time for workshops, hearing from members about their travels, show and tell and catching up with friends, I suspect that it has also meant that members have been less involved in planning activities such as participation in Tocal etc.

As I contemplate the fact that I will not be nominating for president, I feel some concern that the club may start to face the challenge that I suspect many associations are experiencing these days - how to continue to function effectively when there are fewer and fewer people with available time to do the tasks that keep a club working well. Most of us are very busy either working full time or if not in paid employment very busy with family life, travelling and the like.

I would like to conclude by thanking the committee and members for their support of me as President. I came into this position as a relative newcomer to the organisation and have had to learn an awful lot as I go. I have made mistakes, I hope I have been able to give something to the club over the past two years and I look forward to supporting the next president in her turn at this rewarding position.

Annette Tubnor, President

JULY NEWS 2008

Hello everyone,

I have just come back from a great Saturday meeting. There was lots of sharing of member's creativity, with plenty to see from workshops - both Kurri Kurri and Orange Fiber Forum. There was a lovely relaxed feeling to the day. Our business meeting included reports from the treasurer, the Kurri Kurri Workshop organizers, Saturday and Monday coordinators and the exhibition coordinators.

This is my last contribution to the newsletter as President. I will not be nominating for the position of president at the AGM. I have enjoyed the role although as I near the end of the term I have been looking forward to July (building a new house has increased my time pressures considerably). Members have been unfailingly generous to me as I have figured out how to fulfill the role.

We are still looking for at least one person who is prepared to be nominated for the position. Could it be you? You may be the best person available. You will get to work with a great bunch of people who are all very experienced in their roles. It is a great organization in which to develop presidential skills - people are very supportive and very generous. It is time to be thinking of the Laman St Art Bazaar. We need fresh images to put with our proposal. If you have some images of recent work that we could use for the proposal, could you please send them to me within the next few days.

Annette Tubnor, President

JUNE NEWS 2008

Hello everyone,

Its the end of May! We have had yet another very successful workshop weekend, with lots of creativity, laughter and opportunities to know each other better. The organisers did a fantastic job. Similarly the NCEATA stall at Tocal was excellent - the demonstrations attracted a lot of interest.

At our next meeting, we are going to spend some time hearing highlights from the Kurri classes. If you went to Kurri, please consider bringing your work from Kurri to show members who could not attend.

Membership renewals are due on the 30th June. A renewal form is included in the printed newsletter which has been mailed to all current members.

It is time to be preparing for the Laman Street Art Bazaar. We are likely to need some new images to submit to Hunter Arts Network. If you have images of new work could you please forward them to me by email or give them to me at the June Saturday meeting.

Annette Tubnor, President

MAY NEWS 2008

A short note from me this month. We have started building our house and my head is full of it at the moment.

At the meeting this month, Jenny Loss had some stimulating exercises to help us on our way with design.

There were several decisions made either at the committee meeting or at the members meeting that I want to tell you about:

We will be making a donation of $300 towards a prize for textile art in the Port Stephens Art Show.

We have made further decisions regarding the NCEATA exhibition later in the year - about the size of quilts and deadlines for critiquing, etc. Jenny will have written more for this newsletter or the next one.

We decided that the cost of the stall at Tocal will be fully supported by the club but that people could only sell their goods if they are present. There will be a strong emphasis on demonstrations.

Final preparations for Kurri are underway and if you are at all like me you will be starting to get anxious about what to take for your workshop. Do I have the right fabric? Do I have enough variety? What is the best colour scheme? What does the tutor mean by that statement? Etc etc etc!

Don't forget that there is no Saturday meeting in May - we will all be at Kurri. I'll see you there.

Annette Tubnor, President

MARCH NEWS 2008

Hello everyone,

I've just come home from a great meeting, where we heard from Wendy Townsend, all about her trip to Peru. Lots of fabulous examples of the textiles and fiber work of the country and some great stories too.

At the meeting the two main topics of discussion were the travelling suitcase exhibition for 2009 and starting to work towards an exhibition in Newcastle later in 2008 or early 2009. Sheila will talk about the travelling suitcase in the newsletter.

I just want to tell you a bit about what we have decided on for the other exhibition. While we do not currently have a venue for an exhibition, there are possible venues that are being explored. Thus we think it is important to start working on exhibition pieces in order to be prepared. At the meeting we decided on a theme for the exhibition: Textile Touch-up. We hope that this theme leaves plenty of scope for creativity in your chosen medium but that it will also be a theme with enough enigma to draw people in. There have been no further decisions at this stage - size limits, time line etc still need to be developed.

Jenny is keen to develop a portfolio of photos of members' work in order to start talking with galleries about an exhibition. Next month, we will have a camera at the Saturday workshop to photograph pieces you bring in. (Please bring your work with some way of hanging it at the hall). Or you may like to bring in your own photos of your work. They need to be of photographic quality and standard photograph size (6 x 4).

Annette Tubnor, President

FEBRUARY NEWS 2008

Hello everyone,

It's good to be back into the swing of the year after all the hype, holidays etc that go with Christmas and the New Year. I personally have enjoyed the chance to get to some designing and sewing after what felt like a prolonged drought of creativity. Did you know that hand sewing releases serotonin − the chemical in your brain that is responsible for feelings of contentment and happiness. I guess we all knew that hand sewing helps us to feel good and cures the blues but now we know the scientific reason for it.

At the Saturday get together in January, members discussed options for participating in Tocal Field Days this year. Jan will give further details in the newsletter. Briefly though − we will not be doing a fashion parade this year and we will have a stall but mainly for demonstrations rather than selling.

The meeting on Saturday 16th February will include a member's business meeting. It will include a decision about the theme for the Travelling Suitcase Exhibition this year. Bring along your ideas!

As well we will make decisions about which fairs, etc we wish to participate in this year. If you know of events that you would like us to be involved in, please let us know as many details as possible on that day. If you cannot come to the meeting, please give me a call.

I am still holding a little pair of beading pliers that were left at the hall after Mary Hedge's workshop. Give me a call if they are yours. I look forward to seeing you at the next meeting.

Annette Tubnor, President