DECEMBER 2023 NEWSLETTER
In this issue:
*Small Art Show
*Last chance to renew website listing before we clean the slates
*Retreat Prep Meeting
*2024 AAC Retreat
*January AAC Meeting
*Earth Day Art Show update
*Unique Local Places to sell your wares
 
SMALL ART SHOW:
The show is hung. It looks great. 20 different artists. I am a little sad that we are lacking our 3D artisans, but I get it, considering the way it went down last year. I wonder if in the future, we could use the showcase in the entryway. Maybe bring the work out on pedestals in the gallery for the show and then put it in the case for the duration? Something to think about for future. Insights, thoughts welcome.
 
*We still need gallery monitors. Time slots to fill are 8-9 PM on December 1 and 7-8 PM, 8-9 PM on December 8. Text me at 717-799-7286 if you can help. Duties include getting guests to sign book with their email for our marketing, answering questions, facilitating sales, and representing the artisans at large (don’t let guests monopolize you on your individual interests). 
 
**If you were one of the several people looking into getting VENMO before the show, please do it ASAP and text me (717-799-7286) a screenshot of your QR cade. I am in process of making tags that include your Venmo QR code. This is a bit of a timesuck for me, and I’d prefer to do it one batch. 
 
For the rest of you--Reminder this Friday, December 1, 2023, is our “Small Art” Show and Art Loop Market. From 5-9 PM at the Buzz Ware Village Center. Please take a cue form Janet Williams (I did) and post about the event on your social media, ideally with a photo of the piece of art you have in the show.
 
Even if you don’t have art in the show, please come out and support our artists. Buy art. Engage with the artists. Not all our artists regularly show art, so this is a time to support their public efforts. Thank you to all artists who are participating. Last year’s event was a success. We filled the walls and sold some art—bringing some publicity to our group in the process. A second showing of the Small Art Show will occur on second Friday with the Buzz Coffee House. Because people can take art they buy, be ready to fill the holes in our show. It would be great to have full walls for both showings. I believe there is a third party (private?) occurring the third Friday of the month which might bring even more possibly exposure and sales.

Remember, too, that pick-up for all unsold art is Sunday, December 18 from 2-4 PM. If you cannot pick it up at that time, please make arrangements with Jill by texting 717-799-7286. I would appreciate though if you would take care of it by delegating a third party to collect your art at the appropriate time if you can't do it yourself.

20% Commisions for all work sold--To make things easier, we will collect the commissions. Make a check out to "Jeanne Orr" and bring it at art pickup.  We will then pay the Buzz their half -- 10% commission. 

LAST CHANCE TO RENEW YOUR LISTINGS BEFORE WE REMOVE OLD ONES:
 The calendar year for our AAC website runs November 1- October 31. IF you have not done so, please renew your website listing by paying Jeanne Orr $20 for the year. Your payments fund our website. You can drop cash or check (Made out to Jeanne Orr) off to Jeanne on Monday nights at open studios at the Buzz. Or bring it to Art Loop on December 1. We will have a box behind the snack table to collect dues. If you bring cash, please put it in an envelope and mark your name on the outside. Our grace period ends today, but we are busy with the Small Art show so it will take us a couple of days to take down links on unpaid accounts. We have a couple of folks who have listings that do not link to anything because they were anticipating getting around to creating a website (the best of plans). *NOTE: If you are waiting to get a website up and running, consider linking to a newly created or existing Instagram account made specifically to showcase your art. Populate your Instagram with as many images of your art/product as you can. It isn’t a website, but it can be a meaningful placeholder until you get around to creating one. “Website Coming Soon” is a dead link and doesn’t serve anyone. Alternately, have us create a page for you with a short bio and 5-6 images. The cost of that is $50. Details are in the box below along with details about how to create a new listing if you didn’t list with us last year.
 
 
RETREAT PREP MEETING:
 We will be having a meeting for the January Retreat on Monday, December 4 at 7 PM at Jill’s House, 2110 Hillside Rd. (Denis will be babysitting my crazy dogs, right, Denis?) We have secured our roster and finished the brochure. This meeting is going to focus on technology and hospitality. We will be figuring out if we can record our speakers, how to manage Powerpoint/Projectors, and how to stream speakers if bad weather keeps them from coming.  We will also be putting a hospitality team in place to greet our guests and feed the masses. If you can help in any of these capacities, please come to our meeting. If you can help with this, but are unable to attend, please reach out to Jill by text. I am in the Arden Book. (My email in-box has reached critical mass.) This retreat is a first, so we are having to figure out logistics. All hands on deck.
 
2024 ARDEN ARTISAN COLLECTIVE RETREAT:
 We did it! The docket has been filled. The brochure and website are live, and we are accepting registrations. I know you have all marked your calendars for Saturday, January 20th from 7AM-3PM. Now, you need to take the next step and REGISTER EARLY. We are allowing non-residents to participate, but Ardens residents will have priority if you register before December 22nd. Also, we will be having two speakers for each of the three afternoon sessions, so if you really want to insure you get the into the sessions that are meaningful to you, you should register early. We will try to accommodate everyone’s preferences but need to be mindful of filling seats in all sessions. All our speakers are top notch. I honestly can’t decide which ones to choose. They are all seasoned speakers and bring a lot to the table. Most can command fees and are donating their time, so it is imperative we give them the attention/welcome they are due. It is my hope that if you do not get all the sessions you wished for, that you open yourself to something new.  We are also hoping to record the sessions if we have the volunteers and equipment to do it. It would be nice to be able to watch the sessions we missed. 
Truth! This retreat should cost hundreds of dollars. I could command the entire $25 fee for the journal-writing segment alone. But we wanted to have an accessible day of inspiring content to build energy around our group initiatives for the coming years. Are you kidding me? Breakfast and lunch are included!  For $25? So even if you just come to the meeting and one session it pays for itself. And if that cost is still a burden to your budget, we do have scholarships available. We want you to come! We do not expect this to be a yearly event, so now is your chance to take advantage of this special opportunity. Please check out our event page. Be sure to also check out the FAQ page as there is a lot of information there as well. We are thinking that our general cut-off will be 50 participants, so let the registrations roll in.
**If you are coming to the December 1 show, that is the ideal time to bring your registration and payment. See the gallery monitor to submit your payment. 
 
JANUARY AAC MEETING:
 As part of the retreat day, we are having a regular AAC meeting. Even if you can’t (or don’t want to) attend the whole retreat, you are encouraged to participate in our meeting. It will take place on Saturday, January 20thfrom 9-10:45 AM. You do not have to pay the fee for the retreat to come to the meeting, but we are asking for a small donation toward our rental at the Buzz, like any normal gathering. At the meeting we will review what we have accomplished since our inception in September 2021. We will highlight the events that are already on the calendar for 2024. We will brainstorm activities for 2024 and beyond. After that we will break into small volunteer interest groups based on the brainstorming (e.g. marketing, website, exhibitions, social events, education). When we reconvene in main group, we will finalize a 2024 agenda and vote on a 5-person steering committee which will meet monthly to help put the agenda into action, rally the volunteers (lists of which we will compile in small groups), and approve spending. Let us know if you are attending the meeting (but not retreat) so we can have appropriate space/chairs/ and snacks. We won’t turn anyone away at the door, but planning helps. The more people who attend and participate in this process, the stronger and longer-lived this organization will be.
 
EARTH DAY ART SHOW UPDATE:
 Emails have gone out for those pieces that were earmarked for early acceptance, and therefore marketing bait, for the AAC Earth Day Art Show in March/April 2024 at the Delaware Center for Horticulture. Everyone who submitted applications received an email. If you submitted work/images and didn’t receive an email on November 20th, please text me (7170-799-7286) so I can look for the missed submission. I seriously need an assistant to help me email. It is a beast. (Do other artists struggle with organization?) The second (and final) round of applications for the show are due January 28th. Originally, the due date was the 20th, but let’s face it, I’ll be concentrating on the retreat at that time. Please read all details with the applications and follow instructions carefully because remember—I am organizationally challenged and a dreamy Pisces, and things can slip through the cracks if they aren’t formatted correctly.

UNIQUE LOCAL PLACES TO SELL YOUR WARES:
 The Little Treasure Shoppe
Betty O'Regan recently stopped in this little shop and thought it might be a good fit for some of our group members. It has vintage items, hanging artwork and all kinds of crafts by local artists. Fees are 35% commission on hanging pieces and to rent floor space, the price ranges from $70-$150/month, depending on size. The owner, Sandy Patterson (manager-Allie Patterson), is looking for new artists and was excited to hear about AAC. She would love to hear from you. If you can't make it to the celebration on Dec. 3 the hours and contact information are below.
Monday-CLOSED
Tues.- Fri. 11-6
Sat.- 11-5
Sun.- 11-4
TreasureShoppeDE@gmail.com
Instagram- @Little Treasure Shoppe
FB- The Little Treasure Shoppe
 
Also, The Trolley Square Market has a tiny (but adorable) alcove called, “The Space” they are opening to local artists. It’s free rental. You set up your own display. They sell your art, give you 90% of sales (the remaining 10% goes to charity. I believe they are switching it out monthly. They are looking for visual artists who can fill the WALLS with fine art and prints. At this time we are not accepting jewelry, or brands that produce products (however they do purchase wholesale! - You can contact them.) 
https://trolleysquaremarket.com/pages/artist-application
 
Yours in the holiday cheer and chaos,
 Jill Althouse-Wood