TACA: Tennessee Association of Craft Artists
Highland Rim Chapter
Newsletter

TACA Highland Rim Chapter May 2006 Newsletter & Minutes

Highland Rim Officers for 2006:
President: Tim Hintz
Vice-President: John Lucas
Treasurer: Noreen Grisolano
Secretary: Carol Ventura
Board Reps: Jeanne Brady and Tim Hintz.

May 10th, 2006 Meeting Minutes:

The Chapter met at the Kooienga home and studio. In attendance were: Jeanne Brady, Louis and Chris Colombarini, Susan DeMay, Noreen Grisolano, Rob Harvey, Tim Hintz, Breanna Kincaid, Arlene Knaak, Sharon and William Kooienga, Claudia Lee, Cheryl Ludwig, Adele Seitzinger, Joyce Sievers, Timothy Weber, and Mike Whiteman.

TRAVELING GROUP EXHIBITION: Highland Rim TACA will have an exhibition at the Heydel Fine Arts Center at Cumberland University in Lebanon, TN, from November 7 through December 5, 2006. If you wish to exhibit your work, send slides (or CDs) and bios to Susan DeMay before our next meeting on Friday, September 15th at Claudia Lee's at 5:30 p.m. At that meeting we will decide on a drop-off location for Friday, November 3, and who will set up the work on November 4th. The Reception will be on November 7th.
Cannon County Art Center is still under construction and will give us a date for an exhibit when it is completed.

ABC GRANT: We voted to apply for a one year “Craft Outreach” ABC Grant. This grant will not cost TACA anything and will consist of a training session on how to teach hands-on activities that will be used for outreach programs. All people working on this grant must be TACA members. Friends of the Appalachian Center for Craft (FACCT) will be responsible for any matching costs.

EMPTY BOWLS: TACA members will have an empty bowls demonstration at the Smithville Courthouse on May 27. If you wish to donate any bowls, please contact Claudia Lee or Rob Harvey. Money made will be donated to Life Works, which pays for Meals on Wheels.

Treasurer's Report: The balance is now $2136.05.

CHAPTER PICNIC: The picnic starts at 2pm on July 8, at the pavilion of the Floating Mill Recreation Area on Center Hill Lake. Your whole family and friends are invited. There are plenty of barbecue grills so bring your own picnic stuff. The swimming area features a sandy beach. No alcohol or pets are allowed in the park. Go to the day use gate and pay the $4 per car fee.
Directions: From I-40 take exit 273 south towards Smithville. After about three miles, turn right at the sign for Floating Mill Recreation Area. Follow the Floating Mill signs. The pavilion is to the right.
From Smithville, go north on hwy 56. About a mile and a half past Hurricane Bridge, turn left at the sign for Floating Mill Recreation Area and follow the Floating Mill signs to the park. The pavilion is to the right.

MARCIA REEL, of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center of TTU gave a very informative presentation for small business owners. She is available for private sessions at no cost to the business owner. (Funding for this program is paid for by the Small Business Administration and Board of Regent schools.) Call her at: 931-372-3670 for an appointment.
Their mission is to help small businesses succeed. They have training sessions, start up workshops, and one-on-one business consulting.
A self-proprietorship means you are one person who owns a business and all your income from the business is considered one entity. The problem with this is that you have sole liability and if you have a lawsuit, you could lose all your personal assets.
If you incorporate, you and the business are separate entities and if sued, your personal assets are not included. Do not rely on homeowner's insurance for your business. Make sure you have your business covered with your insurance company.
Selling: The first time you work with someone, you should make a signed agreement on payment and receive payment before you send them the goods. COD is risky because their check could bounce. If people have not paid you, send them bills frequently because you are in effect, extending them credit. Don't be lenient, be aggressive and call and visit them until they pay you.
Pricing: One way is to figure the cost of materials and the time you spent. Basically, price what the market will bear. Look for similar work on the internet. If your work is selling well, raise the price.
Marketing: Focus on those who buy and the type of people who do buy. Keep a mailing list. Send them postcards. Don't waste time on others.
Employee vs. independent contractors: By definition, an employee is anyone you pay who uses your tools and is under your direction. If they are an employee, you need to pay social security, etc. An independent contractor gets no benefits.
If you make over $3000, you need a business license.
Make a business and marketing plan and have a web site. If you don't have a web site, people do not think you are serious. (Use TACA Highland Rim's website – it is free.)

www.finecrafts.org: Andrzej (agutek@tntech.edu) will make Highland Rim members a free web page or update a HR member web page. Send him negatives, slides, photos, and text. Digital images are best, but he can scan others.

Next Highland Rim Chapter Meeting: The next meeting has been changed to Friday, September 15, 2006 at Claudia Lee's at 5:30 p.m. We would like to find a designer or architect to speak. If you know of anyone, call Tim Hintz.

Next Highland Rim Chapter Meetings:
Friday, September 15th, 5:30 pm; Claudia Lee's
Saturday, December 2nd, 11:00 am; Carol and Andrzej's

Highland Rim in the News:

Susan DeMay was the featured alumnus in February at an event sponsored by her undergraduate school, Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Florida). It took place in the E. Bronson Ingram Studio Arts Center on the Vanderbilt University campus and included an exhibit, slide presentation, building tour, and a reception.

Cookeville WalMart donated $1,000 to our Chapter to purchase supplies for the sixth grade art/craft program at the Appalachian Center for Craft .

Tim Hintz received the Best in Wood award at the TACA Tennessee Craft Fair.

Check your local listings in July for William and Sharon Kooienga on Tennessee Crossroads.

Claudia Lee had 3 pieces juried into Fiber Fever at The Foundry Art Center, St. Charles, MO. Three more of her pieces were chosen by Arrowmont School for their permanent collection. Claudia will also have work in Diane Maurers' newest book, Paper in Three Dimensions, from Watson-Guptill, out this June, and she will be the featured artist in the June issue of Explore Monthly.

Joyce Sievers will conduct a book-making workshop on June 24 and 25 at Liberty Paper Mill. Cost is $70 plus materials. You will make 2 books. If you are interested in attending, call Joyce.

Carol Ventura's Basket Trio was included in the new Vogue Knitting Crocheted Bags on the Go book.

Please join our Yahoo Highland Rim Group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HighlandRim to read and post your news or announcements or send them to the Highland Rim secretary so that we can keep up with what you are doing!

Last updated on   September 16, 2007 . Comments? E-mail the webmaster. Maintained by Andrzej Gutek.