Feature work: “Guardian of my Artist Child” by Irene McCuaig. All rights reserved.
Memberships are due!
Your LOWAC membership fee of $25 is now due (unless you already paid for 2022 and if so…thank-you!). We are looking at an exciting year ahead and hope we can count on your support. Renew your membership today at lowac.ca/membership.
Annual General Meeting
We were pleased to see some new and known faces at our Annual General Meeting, held November 23 via ZOOM. Reports by the Treasurer, Membership Chair and Board Chair were provided.
Financials
- Full financials were provided and are available upon request.
- Cash has increased from the prior year due to Kenora and Lake of the Woods Regional Community Foundation and Ontario Arts Council (OAC) grants.
- Membership revenue is down from 2020.
- Other sources of revenue have increased such as the raffle proceeds.
- Operating expenses continue to be greater than revenue. This is a reoccurring trend and requires a re-evaluation of LOWAC operations, including analysis of our fixed costs.
Membership
- 46 renewed members, three lifetime members
- 2 new members over 2021-2020.
- 6 members paid for new year as of Nov. 23.
Activity Report
- Arts@home met a lot of our priorities to become more visible and viable, particularly during the pandemic.
- Farmer’s market table for members to use and raffle at the markets raised almost $500 after expenses.
- $500 scholarships at Beaver Brae and St. Thomas Aquinas High Schools: Awarded to Natasha Phelps from Beaver Brae and Ruby Klippenstein from St Thomas Aquinas.
- Bursaries – Kenora Festival of the Arts (not awarded this year due to COVID cancellation).
- Snow Sculpture – Main sponsor/judge $375 awarded with a top-up from the City. Honorarium given to all sculptors due to early melt.
- Paterson Medical Centre Art Display – coordinated with thanks to Sue Straight
- Kenora Airport Art Display – coordinated with thanks to Barb Manson
LOWAC member artists display their works at the Kenora Airport and Paterson Centre.
Elections/Nominations – Board for 2022
Leanne Fournier – Chair
Marion McKay – Vice-Chair, Acting Treasurer
Shelby Smith – Secretary
Carolyne Lynch – Membership Chair
Marylou Goodwin – Director, ArtsFest 2022 Chair
Monica Baumgartner – Director, assisting treasurer
Alex Stornel – Director
Open Discussion
Arts@Home
- Running October 2021 to June 2022.
- Additional funding from OAC has allowed addition of 3 more presentations (a second Call for Artists will have gone out by the time this newsletter is available),2 feature presentations (to be determined).
- LOWAC will approach the City of Kenora to get Arts@home on the TVs at city centres for additional advertising.
- LOWAC is providing OAC funds for an arts project with Kenora Moving Forward, a grassroots organization that has opened up a “CommUNITY Centre” for Kenora’s street community.
Future Projects
- ArtsFest planned for Summer 2022; will be chaired by Marylou Goodwin, volunteers needed. We are considering Friday/Saturday before Coney Island Music Festival or as an add on to one of the summer Main Street Markets hosted by City/Chamber. Muse has offered space in their park. Will discuss more at December Board meeting. Will be applying for grants and local businesses for support.
- Keep event presenters to members only to drive membership
- Have incentive for members to refer new members – extra perks (examples: spotlights in eNews or on social or website.
- Do weekly emails/blitz during membership renewal – November/December
- Fundraising/pay for attendance rather than membership revenue focus
- Membership and volunteer sign up forms at high traffic areas (coffee shops, senior centres, library, Rec Centre, The Muse)
- Add mailing list sign up on LOWAC website home page
- Revive monthly newsletter
Farewell to two amazing LOWAC directors
Ralph Rogers and Lillian Anderson have announced their retirement from the LOWAC Board of Directors. Words cannot express how much we will miss both Ralph and Lil but their retirement from LOWAC is well deserved.
Ralph Rogers, Past Chair, Director
Ralph has been an invaluable leader, director and volunteer; our go-to person when anything was needed either in- or outside the ordinary – whether that involved setting up our tents, moving around our gear and filing cabinet, dealing with the City or just offering his calming wisdom. Ralph is a local artist who draws inspiration from the beautiful and rugged landscape found around Lake of the Woods. He served as chair for LOWAC for many years. Now retired after being a Kenora high school art teacher for over 30 years and when not building things for his grandchildren, Ralph spends his time exploring a variety of materials and techniques. As a sculptor, potter and painter, he combines his love of form and colour through creating ceramic works, paintings and sculptural pieces.
Lillian Anderson, Membership Chair
We have relied on Lil for all things “membership” including keeping our member lists up to date and sending out all communications. She is retired from the MNRF and is enjoying life with her husband, Bruce Ranta, on their 230 acres of land. Based on her experiences as a wildlife custodian, Lil has published two non-fiction books on wildlife rehabilitation, Beavers: Eh to Bea, and Pond Memories and had contributed nature-based articles in the past to the Lake of the Woods Area News. When time allows, she updates her rehabilitation blog iggy2014.wordpress.com on critters in care. She holds a BSc, Major in Biology. Her hobbies include wildlife photography, writing, and more recently dabbling in acrylics, watercolour and coloured pencils.
Calls for Artists
We are excited to share that LOWAC has received additional funding from the Ontario Arts Council for our Arts@Home program! We are looking to add sessions in May and June 2022. Deadline to apply is December 17! Get the details here.
We will also be presenting an in-person workshop with award winning author Joan Thomas and are finalizing a second feature presentation. Watch for details!
Other News
Upcoming Arts@Home Sessions
December 8 • Cecil Burns • Songwriting – A Primer – Songwriting Workshop
January 12 • Elsie Neufeld • Writing without Wrules – Writing Workshop
February 16 • Olivia Whiddon • Songs from the Celtic Harp Concert
March 9 • Tammy Zebruck• Framing for Success: How to Prepare for the Gallery
April 6th & April 20 • Irene McCuaig • Finding the Dragon Within – Visual Arts Workshop
Find out more at lowac.ca/artshome.
Make sure to check out the funding page on our website for a listing of grants and funding opportunities.
Also follow us on Facebook and Instragram for the latest announcements, grant updates, calls for artists and more!
If you’d like to be added to our mailing list, please send us a message with your contact details or email lowacdirectors@gmail.com.
LOWAC wishes everyone joyous times with family and friends and the very best of the Season!
