Art! Art and NAWA. Art and Women. Women at the helm of art. Art and society. Art IN society. These are some personal favorite keywords, and my mission, among others. As women, we have many possible communities – home, family, religious, and more, so there are other keywords, but this is normal for us women. We are expert jugglers!
NAWA is an oasis in the storm of society. Society always has been stormy, but when the storm comes up to one’s doorstep – even floods one’s home, one cannot ignore the storm, deny or isolate from it. We surge against the storm, putting up sandbags; and if flooded, we remediate. With some luck, we survive, and at best, we thrive. This may be a metaphor, or it may be literally true. Art is our lifeboat.
NAWA is perhaps an oasis in my mind, but it is that for so many of us. We produce art for so many reasons – to make a living, through our artworks, or through teaching the rules and rubrics, inspiring the creations. For others, it is to be scholars, researchers, writers, and/or all combinations of the above. We at NAWA barely even know the extent of our own members’ treasures. This is partly due to the storms of strife that have isolated, and literally plagued us over the last few years. Yet, we persist. We fight our way over the doorsteps of our studios, sweep the floor, and conceive what comes next. How do we approach the next canvas, empty page or block of stone or wood? This challenge is what helps us thrive. To engage with the materials of life on earth is to thrive. We transform the materials and we transform ourselves. We transfer our rapture or angst through brushstroke and beauty. And NAWA brings us and our work together!
Coming this year:
- The Annual Members Luncheon will be Tuesday, May 9. The keynote speaker will be Meredith Bergman, creator of numerous sculptures and Public Art Commissions, including Women’s Rights Pioneer Monument in Central Park, NYC.
- The 134th Annual Members Exhibition will again be held at One Art Space, with two new features: 1) it will be held in JUNE (June 16- July 1, 2023), instead of in the fall, and 2) will include an option for a flatscreen, cycling display (save on shipping!) which will have its own 2 awards (across all categories- not 2 each). This will be distinct from the online exhibit, which will include both the flatscreen works, and in-person ones. While it is always preferable to view artwork in person, this will allow participation of works without size limit, and help us fit NAWA’s large exhibit into the gallery with more participants, while maintaining the in-person size limit. More information will be forthcoming upon the release of the prospectus. Stay alert for information on this wonderful Annual event!
I’d like to extend a big thank you to Sandra Bertrand, who is stepping down as editor of NAWA Now. She and Mimi Herrera Pease are the founders and first editors of this, formerly the NAWA Newsletter, begun in 2015 and took it from there to online Magazine with their combined expertise. Thank you, Sarah Katz for taking the helm now that Sandra and Mimi are having lesser roles so they can paint more…
Gratitude is due to those upholding NAWA in general. Christie Devereaux, NAWA President, has devoted countless hours to helping re-trench NAWA financials, payroll organization, structural concerns that faltered over our numerous transitions, as well as having been my confidant, support and advisor through the challenges and maintenance of order in NAWA. So, a big thanks to Christie, and here’s to another thriving year in 2023! Susan Hammond, the Wonder Woman behind NAWA for numerous years of service, deserves our appreciation and accolades for her experience with the membership, leadership, the human resources experience on her resumé that has been helpful; her sense of humor, and deep empathic kindness she shows to everyone. Thanks, Susan – we can’t say it enough.
The office staff is relatively new to NAWA; both Charlene and Chelsey have added a youthful spirit, great energy and appreciation of what NAWA means, and not insignificantly, their technological experience and guidance has been very helpful to me, to the members when they call for help, and to all our current operations.
The idea of NAWA as a volunteer-run organization is not to be viewed as an afterthought. At the helm are Mary Ahern and Elena Zelenina, Anita Pearl, Jennifer Okumura, Denise Cormier Mahoney, Fran Gardner, Summer Bhullar, Amy Hutto, Kim McAninch, and countless others, who jury, attend committee meetings, and step up to help as exhibition contacts, and so many other functions.
I thank the Executive Board of Directors, our website designer/developer, our bookkeeper and accountant. Without this entire team, NAWA would not exist.
We now live in a virtual world. NAWA no longer owns its own gallery. We love our NAWA Headquarters office, housed in the historic National Arts Club in the Gramercy Park neighborhood. The office is small, but adequate for our 3 part time staff, and occasional volunteers. Our data must be protected, and virtual communication is a bit trickier, but we are now looking to engage more volunteers, mostly for remote tasks. We meet on screens, we communicate in emails, but it is essential to hear the sounds of each other’s voices, and hopefully meet in person more as time goes on. To see what our member volunteer needs are, please go to “Get Involved” in the Member Portal. Also, “Plan Ahead” is another new tab in the portal, providing a calendar of upcoming events and exhibitions. Check it out to be prepared! For non-members reading this, please peruse the public pages of the NAWA website – full of interesting information. We need and love our sponsors and supporters!
Thanks for reading, and let’s keep creating in 2023!
Jill Cliffer Baratta, Executive Director
