September 2025 General Meeting Minutes

Art League of Fort Bend

General Meeting

Monday, September 22, 2025

Call to order at 10:01 am by President, Linda Pietz

Welcome New Members none

Approval of Minutes - Motion was made by Michelle Russo , seconded by Rita Cinquemani to approve the August 2025 minutes.Motion Carried.

Update from the Board

Talking points for speakers bureau - history and information of the Art League and Fort Bend Art Center and Artisan Gift Shop is at each sales desk.

Progress on classroom at the Gallery - making room for more students.

Label template on the web site- print on card stock or label paper.

Enter information and leave a note to next person to print if you have not filled the whole sheet.The label paper is expensive.

Shoe Show takedown will be Sunday, 9/28. Way to go Members!Thanks to all who entered and helped.Thank you LaDonna and Allison for refreshments and awesome posters!Thank you to new member Christy Hawthorne for taking pictures of our events.

Upcoming Special Exhibit - You can get a wooden cigar box from Specks for about $1.50 or plain wooden box from Hobby Lobby or Michaels.Please no larger than a shoe box.Create your own miniature gallery or project and decorate the box Date of exhibit TBA, sometime in the Spring. Several other exhibits for the holidays were mentioned and will be discussed by the board.

Suggestion Box:

Have someone at the entrance area doing artwork as a greeter on Saturday or during events.Need sign up of some kind.

Financial Report

Bank balances as of 8/31/25:

Checking $28,003

Savings $7,149

Emergency Svgs-CDs $21,011

Paypal 0

Stripe 1,884

Total $58,047

Motion made by Travis, seconded by Don to approve the financial report, motion carried.

Unfinished Business

The Nominating Committee is currently seeking candidates for the following upcoming Board openings:Vice President, Secretary, Fund Raising, Marketing, and Membership. If you are interested contact Chairman, Diane Whitmarsh or committee members Brenda Bowman, Debbie Rose or Judy Beard. check newsletter for more information.No candidates so far for VP or Fund Raising.Need to present the slate in October and vote in November.

New Business

Anga’s group, Alliance Francis has asked to meet at the Gallery for coffee and pastries and visit the Gift Shop and some other places in Rosenberg.All ALFB members are encouraged to come and be there to talk about art and the Art League.This will take place on Thursday, Oct 23rd at 9:30 am.

Discussion on this year’s Christmas party - more information to come.

Please respect other artist’s studios.Do not borrow items or eat your lunch in other people’s spaces.

Do not use ALFB supplies (like paper towels) for your studio work or classes, please bring your own.Please do not take toilet paper or cleaning supplies home.They are disappearing at a rapid rate.

Please help to curb gossip by not participating.Please no profanity.We want to be known for warm and friendly acceptance of our members and visitors.

Committee Reports

Art Shows and Workshops - Debbie Rodriguez/Gladys

Fall Show - Saturday,October 11. Registration open until Oct 4th at 5pm. Thanks to Travis,we only have to register with LSAG. After you register,you will receive an invoice by email on or around Oct 6th.Please pay by Oct 9th or you won’t be registered.Any problems, contact Travis or Debbie.

Joan FullertonWorkshop - Oct 20 - 22 - 1 or 2 spaces left.

Vie Dunn-HarrWorkshop - March 15 - 18th

Tessellation Workshop - 1 day, Nov 17th, by Linda Pietz, $100.

Education Committee - Bobbie

Demo today by Sue Zelko - Oil painting.

Working on Field Trips, Demos and Workshops.Looking into flag signs for special events.

Car Show - information desk was great.LaDonna had art car kits for kids.

Bobbie announced she is resigning from Education Director and running for Membership Director.

Patio committee will meet Oct 25 at 9am in the conference room.Anyone is welcome, please bring gloves, a shovel, and a rake.We will be looking for cuttings of plants from members in the near future.

Next Education Meeting - October 10 at 1pm

Community Display - Brenda

Attack Poverty: New Display Tuesday, September 16, 2025 - Hispanic Heritage/ bright colors (hung yesterday)

Sugar Land Airport - September 30 pick up

Rosenberg Civic Center - CHANGE OUT October 15; 10 am - Holiday Art / any October, November and December holidays

Fort Bend Museum - Long Smith Cottage; reception went very well.35-40 in attendance; museum was pleased.

-- Visit the displays if you haven't already

-- Looking for team members for Community Displays; will split locations so that teams only have 1-2 locations if preferred

Events - Ladonna

Reception for Shoe Show -was great!

Will there be a reception for new art display for this rotation?

Fundraising - Brenda

Art Show Fundraising

Donations welcome (gift cards, services, monetary donations)

HOT Tax 2024-2025 has been submitted, waiting for $10,000 check from the City.

HOT Tax 2025/2026 will include:

- Vie Dunn Har workshop

- Strategic Marketing Plan to increase tourism to FBAC and Rosenberg

Gallery - Fereshteh

•The gallery procedure needs to be reviewed (and I think we need to post it on the website).

•Team up policy: The “N” designation is not meant to last a long time.
(It means “New Worker” for a while. After 6 months, workers needed to change that to an “S” because they are supposed to practice sales instructions 12 times).

•Members need to respect others' privacy (Amy Cassidy had some issues with her studio).

•Giftshop door has new color, yay!New gate latch.

•October rotation: it would be after show on Saturday 11th through Wednesday October 15th at noon.

•I Pads are ready, instructions at the desk.

•Old key box at the Gallery jams, it will be removed.

•use “Art League Fort Bend” stamp for checks, not ALFB or Fort Bend Art Center.

•To operate both speakers in the Gallery, say”Alexa, play music in the Gallery”.

LSAG - Brenda

October 4: Meeting to further plan for in person show in June 2026; let Brenda Bowman know if interested in attending via zoom

Gift Shop -Debbie Rose

Thank you to Grace Haggerty for sanding and painting the front door of the Gift Shop!

Marketing - Nina

Eugenia is posting reels of the Shoe Show.

Membership - Travis

Rosenberg - Kathy

RAA next member meeting Thursday,September 25at 5:30 at Another Time Soda Fountain.

Street closures using water barriers - no access to our parking lot.

Bogeyman Bash - Oct 31st 5-8pm (Street closed)

Special Exhibits - Linda

Presidents Rug Show - February

Web Site - Travis

Miscellaneous

Richmond Christmas in the Bend - Friday evening Dec 5th and Miracle on Martin Street - Saturday, Dec 6th.

Next Meeting

Next Board of Directors Meeting -October 13, 2025

Next General Member Meeting - October 27, 2025

Adjourned - 11:16 am.