President's Report to the AGM
Today is Tuesday 11th August 2009 and the end of my second year as President and indeed the end of my Presidency. I’m not standing for re-election this year and I say that with some sadness as I’ve enjoyed the last two years. There have been challenges, some disappointments, but mostly it’s been exciting and very rewarding.
Our congratulations must go to Kiama Municipal Council for the marvellous Festival, Sunday the 9 August celebrating their 150th year of Local Government. Sunday was indeed one of the many rewards in being part of this Society, what a wonderfully successful day it was and my thanks go to all those members who worked so willingly, and so hard, to bring it all together.
To those who were brave enough to dress up I say Bravo. Ruth Hind, Philip Cooper, Judy White, thank you so much, nothing could have happened without your support and the support of the members who participated along with you. Our thanks go also to Roo Guthrie and her students for being the spearhead of the street parade.
The 2008 Annual Exhibition was a major success, we didn’t sell as many painting as in 2007, but then the whole financial world was collapsing at that time and we were lucky to sell as much as we did, which was around $12,000 worth of Art. The Coach House Studio has served us well all year, something going on there every day. Art Demonstrations every month, occasional Workshops, Kristal del Villar’s Art Classes, Edward’s Life Drawing Group, Social Painting days, committee and other meetings days and the Plein Air painters with their Art Exhibition in January and Roo Guthrie’s end of term Children’s Exhibitions twice a year. A full schedule!!
Our Plein Air Painters still go out every Wednesday weather permitting and if inclement then they join the social painters here at the Studio.
Both the Primary and the Seniors High School’s Exhibitions were as successful as always with Ruth Hind being the very capable Convenor of these two events.
Art In the Park every month managed so well by Philip Cooper ably supported by wife Barbara, continues to be a tourist attraction in our town.
The Old Fire Station Gallery played host to three of our exhibitions, and these events are a great way for artists to get their work in front of the public.
The Orry-Kelly Gallery in the old Infants School within the Sebel Harbourside Hotel came to us via a recommendation from Kiama Council. We now have somewhere in town where we can showcase our art. Thirty of our members are a part of the inaugural showing of paintings in this Gallery and I thank each one of them for having confidence in our attempt to establish and claim this space for our Society. We have some issues to work through, public access to the area is a problem, but I believe that the Gallery will develop into a much larger space in the long term and I am hopeful that the new Convenor for this Gallery together with the new committee for 2009-2010 will have the enthusiasm and the energy to make a success of this venture.
Remember that one day there will be a building in Hindmarsh Park devoted to Culture and we must show the community we are worthy of being part of it.
Len and I are leaving our positions on the Committee with the Society in a very sound financial and progressive position. We’re proud of the part we’ve played in the $9000 sitting in the Annual Exhibition account, the $21,000 in our Term Deposit [grown over the last five years from $16,000].That growth has been in spite of the $3500 on refurbishment of this Studio and most recently the $700 on the new Refrigerator.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank my husband Len for his support over the past two years, and I honestly thank those members of the Committee who over these past two years have played such a big part in the successes of our Society. I thank them for their time, I thank them for their ideas, and I thank them for their willingness to roll their sleeves up and do whatever was necessary to maintain this Art Society as the well respected, successful and participating community organisation that it is.
Our Constitution requires that we “promote the Fine Arts and the Plastic Arts” (Sculpture, Mosaic, Photography, Ceramics, etc.) It would be wrong of us to allow commercial products to interfere with this Charter and indeed to cause our Artistic members to compete with commercially produced products. To allow this is to step outside the reference of our Constitution.
I wish the incoming President and the new Committee every success. I know there are some exciting times ahead and I’m sure they’ll work hard and have a lot of fun as they continue to promote both Art and Culture in and outside of our community. My sincere thanks to each and every member of Kiama Art Society and may Apollo, God of Art and Mythology, always inspire you.
Faye King
President 2007--2009 |
I would like to thank those members who helped with setting up and supervising the children’s ‘Paint In” tent at the 150th Celebrations on Sunday, 9th August. The ladies were kept busy all day handing out paper, replenishing paint pans and pinning up all the art work.
