It is a new year for us all after our AGM last Saturday meeting. This was so well attended for such a blustery weekend and I’m grateful to be a part of this amazing group which continues to surprise and spur me to be more than I ever imagined!
Welcome to new members, and a smooth process saw replacements for 3 positions; Librarian, Social Media and Publicity, and Program Coordinator. Rhonda Porter will guide Anne Dixon in her role as Librarian; Anne and I spoke after the meeting and she already has investigated the shelves so I hope a few more books will be going out the door one way or another. Rhonda has set up ways to catalogue the books and has spent so many hours going blind on and off with that lighting! – in the storage area, keeping track of who has what and when it was borrowed and returned. We are indebted to Rhonda for her long years of dedicated work in the library and those bowing shelves! Of course, she continues as newsletter editor so will still have her hands full! Daniela Glassop has worked tirelessly using her artistic and IT skills as Publicity Officer and Social Media expert, and she will hand over to Wilma Simmons, another wizard in IT. Our gratitude goes to Daniela, who has had so much going on in her family that I’m surprised she was able to get time to keep track of our needs for advertising and design, and create so much in the few years I’ve known her; it was never an effort for Daniela to redesign my work for that much needed ‘ping!’ Daniela will remain willing to help in some aspects and we have extremely capable Wilma returning to the Committee to replace her. Finally Ann Harper and Kate Highland have teamed up to take on Program Coordinators, so I need to collate all those pieces of paper and scribbled notes on my desk and will be in touch with many of your for confirmation or No about aspects of the workshop roster and notes for the newsletter because I seem to be driving to glamp in 3 different states of Australia more often these days, with our growing families. I’m sure Ann and Kate will have a fresh approach which we all need every few years and appreciate the opportunity I had in the role because I learned so much! Thank you to all other position holders for remaining in your roles and I hope the 2024-25 year is calm and creative for you all.
Helen Tolhurst has had so many admissions into hospitals and recovery clinics over the past 5 months and is today safely installed at Fresh Hope, Greenhills, Meadow building, Room 120 since she escaped from the John Hunter. We wish Helen well and hope she is on a careful recovery program that will see her stitch and chat with all her visitors and those she meets there. From our group to all who currently are straddling hurdles in your lives, please know many of us speak of you fondly and remember you for your wonderful personalities and creative touches to your work – it was so good to see Doris back last Saturday after her recent surgery.
Our exhibition has around 25 artworks today so please get your Expression of Interest in; it would be best to use the online form on www.nceata.org in the members’ downloads and email it to president@nceata.org I will also chase you up about it, and you will notice the Final Form for Exhibition will be available in hard copy at the next General Meeting on Monday, August 5.
Finally, I have been a bit miffed when I go into the storage area each time I attend a meeting / workshop. Items are developing legs and sneaking into the shelves and on the tops of the storage lockers! This is not on; if you have something to give away, it is to be placed on the Sharing Table before the meeting and taken if it is still on there after the workshop. Please do not bring broken kitchen or left over party items and leave them in or on the tops of the cupboards. A couple of years ago, I listened to a podcast where the speakers had done research about people who ‘give away’ broken items they would not give to friends or family . . . not impressive!
Have a great time basking in the sunlight of your creative souls!
Ann Dean Pijpers, President