June 2007
June Membership Meeting
TUESDAY, June 19, 2007
SPEAKER: Roberta Harris, artist
TOPIC:
Threads and Pulls—a spontaneous discussion of Roberta
Harris’ creative process
Meeting Time: 6:00 – 7:15 PM
*******IMPORTANT NOTE: June meeting is at a different location*******
(see member e-mail)
Roberta Harris studied at Parsons School of Design and Hunter College in New York. Her
paintings and sculptures have been exhibited nationally and internationally and are included in
numerous private and corporate collections, including MTV Corporation, New York; Chase
Manhattan Bank, New York; Frito-Lay, Dallas; and in Houston at Dynergy, Compaq (HewlettPackard), and the Texas Heart Institute.
In 1972, Harris was chosen for the Independent Study Program, Whitney Museum of American
Art in New York
Index of Articles, June 2007
President’s Message
Circles of Five
Member Photographs
Visual Art Celebrations
Archway Gallery Reading
The Writing Life
Home/studio for sale
Classes offered in business side of art
Memoir writing class
Board changes membership year
Meinrad Craighead documentary preview
Member news wanted
WIVLA Board – March 2007 – March 2008
Calendar of Events
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President’s Message
Split Decision
By Marian Szczepanski
I want to be alone.
All this solitude is driving me crazy.
It’s entirely possible that I’ve made these statements within moments of each other. Or thought
them in quick succession. When I began writing creatively, it didn’t take long before I realized
that anyone who makes art struggles to strike a balance between the studio and the social. To
decide how best to solve a truly idiosyncratic equation: x hours of solitude minus y hours of
companionship equals satisfying creative results.
At the WIVLA board’s recent retreat, I was interested in hearing others’ reasons for not just
becoming a WIVLA member, but deciding to stay a WIVLA member. Without exception, the
board members talked about the immeasurable value of creative companionship and
conversation offered by WIVLA women. Here’s a sampling of their responses:
“WIVLA offers a wealth of native intelligence. Together, we do more than we could as
individuals.”
“There’s no threatening behavior, no competition.”
“Each meeting stimulates my creativity. We’re all on the same wavelength.”
“It’s like an invitation to ‘come out and play’ with smart women.”
“Ideas surface because of what I’ve shared with other members.”
Being an artist almost requires one to maintain a split personality. If I sit, sequestered from the
world, day after day, what will serve as inspiration for my novels? With whom will I share my
struggles and successes? That said, I do a pretty convincing rendition of Dr. Jekyll becoming
Ms. Hyde if I don’t get sufficient time alone with my laptop. And I’m not stretching the truth
when I maintain that, nine times out of ten, I’d rather hang out with my fictional characters than
most people.
“Most people” occupy a vastly different wavelength than the women of WIVLA. They’re the
ones who ogle my laptop on a long flight, asking coy questions until I admit that, yes, I’m a
writer. They then ogle me as if I were a designer-dressed chimpanzee with commendable
computer skills. They request the titles of my novels, implying that their first stop after
disembarking will be the airport bookshop. And they nod dismissively and go back to their
magazines when I say that none of my novels has been published. Their thoughts are almost
audible. She calls herself a writer without being published? What kind of ego-trip is that?
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If, on the rare occasion, they give me the opportunity, I gladly educate them on the difficulty of
landing an agent, the tough market for literary fiction, and the shocking fact that a steadily
increasing number of Americans don’t bother to read. It’s difficult, though, to communicate the
bone-deep joy that arises from crafting a just-right sentence, much less completing a novel that
may never earn a dime. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather just do what I do, instead of
feeling the need to justify it.
Consequently, if I decide to ditch my fictional people to commune with the real thing, then let it
be with someone who doesn’t ask me to explain myself. Someone who gets it from the get-go.
Someone, as one board member put it, who’s on the same wavelength.
I recently enjoyed the Alley Theatre’s production of The Clean House, a bittersweet comedy by
the wunderkind playwright Sarah Ruhl. The show’s Playbill included an excerpt of an interview
with Ruhl, originally conducted at New York’s Lincoln Center Theatre. When asked to give
advice to beginning playwrights, Ruhl offered a comment that I found applicable to anyone who
does creative work, and especially members of WIVLA: “I think that playwrights are very weird
hybrids—people who like to be alone very much, but then actually they’re dying to go to a party
and see people.”
Weird hybrid. If that term were a dress, it’s precisely my size. A remarkable dress imbued with
more than a little magic, since it fits an assortment of creative temperaments, from the wellhoned to the barely explored. As WIVLA members, we each own such a dress—and talk about
lucky. On the third Tuesday of every month but December, we have a ready-made party to which
that dress can be not just worn, but flaunted.
‘Circles of Five’ scheduled for August
The WIVLA program "Circles of Five" will take place at the August 21 general meeting, not in
July, as erroneously stated at the May general meeting.
Members are asked to bring a piece of their work (i.e. a painting, poem, photograph, short piece
of prose, small sculpture, etc.) to share. We'll break into groups of five and spend the evening
learning more about each other's work, creative process, inspirations, and aspirations. It's a great
way to get to know members you haven't yet met, not to mention see and hear some terrific art
and writing.
Last Chance for Directory Photograph
Come early to the meeting June 19 meeting at Roberta Harris’ studio, 1717 Haver, St., Houston
77006, for your membership directory photo to be taken. The Membership Directory will include
your photo, as well as the membership data you included when you filled out the application and
paid your dues this year. Anyone who does not get her photograph taken at this meeting runs the
risk of having her driver’s license photo being inserted by her member information.
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Visual Art Celebrations
Jessica Adams, WIVLA's 2007 Scholastic art scholarship winner, has work in the
Contemporary Arts Museum's Perspectives 156: Impulse! Work from Houston-Area Teens. The
thematic juried exhibition explores the idea of excitation through work in a variety of media by
26 area high school students. The exhibit is on view until July 15. Adams is a member of the
museum's Teen Council, which organized the exhibition. Artist Francesca Fuchs juried the
exhibit, choosing from nearly 300 entries solicited by the Teen Council.
Becky Soria is showing new works at Mind Puddles. She also has works hanging at the new
beautiful Building 7 Riverway next to the Omni Hotel. These works are hanging on the 1st level
Gallery of the Building.
Archway Gallery Reading rescheduled for June 21
The WIVLA literary reading at Archway Gallery, originally scheduled for June 14, has been
changed due to a conflict (June 14 is the opening reception for the WIVLA show at the Museum
of Printing History). The Archway Gallery reading will now take place on Thursday, June 21,
beginning at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to participate, please contact Gretchen Havens at
gmhavens@houston.rr.com or Ann Boutté at AnnRB@sbcglobal.net.
As a reminder, this reading will feature work in any genre inspired by words submitted by artists
and writers at the February WIVLA meeting. For a list of the stimulator words, see last month’s
newsletter or go to the WIVLA website at www.wivla.org.
The Writing Life
By SuzAnne C. Cole
Poets and prose writers: A call for prose (essays, fiction, memoir, articles, character sketches)
and poetry by and about baby boomers with preference given to poetry 50 lines or less and prose
1500 words or less. Electronic submission is preferred. Previously published is okay. Email
editors@SilverBoomers.com. In the subject line type “Submission – Prose [or poetry]: Title of
Entry.” In the body of the email include your name, mailing address, email address, phone
number, previous publication history of submission (if applicable), word count for prose, line
count for poetry, 75 to 100 word biographical sketch, and the manuscript cut and pasted into the
body of the email.
Deadline is August 1, 2007. Payment is one copy plus $5 for poetry and $10 for prose.
[Tip: Editors ask for submissions ASAP. Postal submissions are accepted—email me at
suzannecc@aol.com for very detailed specifics.]
Fairy tales: FAIRY TALE REVIEW is now accepting submissions. Reading for fourth issue,
The White Issue, from April 15, 2007, to September 15, 2007. Submit via regular mail, along
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with a brief cover letter and SASE. Send work to: Editor, Fairy Tale Review, Department of
English, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. Visit www.fairytalereview.com for
more information.
[Tip: Couldn’t resist this one, a university-supported literary magazine devoted to fairy tales.
Even though the deadline is September 15, 2007, submit earlier, good advice for all deadlines.
When editors feel they have enough good material for an issue, they often stop reading—even if
the deadline date is still in the future.]
Poets: Rutgers professor emeritus Louie Crew maintains a useful alphabetical list of links to
magazines that accept poems by email at this website:
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~lcrew/pbonline.html
Writing Conference: The Mayborn Literary Non-Fiction Writers’ Conference of the Southwest
will be held in Grapevine, Texas, July 27-29, 2007. June 15 is the deadline for submitting to a
contest that earns writers admittance to workshops as well as cash prizes. They also offer face
time with agents (for an additional $50 fee). Joyce Carol Oates is the keynote speaker. For more
information, see their website: http://mayborninstitute.unt.edu/
[Note: Because I don’t believe in reading fees (with a very few exceptions), it has been my
policy to list in this column only those markets that do not require them. If you would like those
markets listed as well, please let me know at suzannecc@aol.com. However, note that I will be
away from email May 17-June 7 and July 13-August 6, so my response may be delayed.]
In the market for a home/studio?
Laurie Svec's home is up for sale. It is almost 3,000 sq feet of light, bright comfortable living
with a HUGE STUDIO/WORKSPACE AREA. 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths and office for two.
Newer carpet & kitchen appliances, and many built-ins for display, books, and storage. Wellmaintained home and never flooded. If interested for yourself or friend, please contact Laurie
Svec at: 713-777-6717 or e-mail (Lnsdesig@sbcglobal.net) for more info. Look at single family
homes for sale through Houston Association realtors under the address 7918 Braesdale Ln.,
Houston 77071.
June classes offered by Bell
Ann Bell is offering three Saturday classes this month for artists who want to know more about
the business side of art. How to Price your Work is June 9, 1:00-4:00 PM; How to Get your
Share of Free Publicity is June 16, 1:00-4:00 PM; and How to Get Traffic to your Web Site is
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June 30, 1:00-4:00 PM. For more information: http://www.annbell.net/artbusinessclass.htm or
call Ann Bell at 281-330-3827.
Memoir writing offered at Brigid’s Place
Give shape to your life by crafting stories of your past with Joyce Murray Boatright, Ed.D.,
professor of writing at North Harris College. Author of Telling Your Story: A Basic Guide to
Memoir Writing, Dr. Boatright has written 10 volumes of Murray Family Stories, which her
family cherishes. She has also had several of her life stories published in the Sam Houston
Review, Texas Magazine, and True Words from Real Women Anthology.
Women are natural storytellers, and the need for recording personal and family histories has
never been greater than the present. Come together with other women to recall and relate stories
of your youth, stories of leaving home, stories of faith, stories of raising your own family, stories
of your life. Begin to write your family’s stories as a gift to your family members, or just write
for the pleasure of writing. No grammar lessons—just encouragement and support for you to
write from your heart!
Cost of the workshop is $45. The class will include 6 sessions, beginning Thursday, 5:45 - 6:45
PM. To register, mail your check made out to Brigid's Place to Brigid's Place, 1117 Texas Ave
Houston, TX 77002. Write Life Writing in the memo section of your check.
For more information: http://www.brigidsplace.org/events/Life-Writing-Workshop.asp ,or
contact Joyce at 713-557-9157.
WIVLA Board votes to change membership year
WIVLA Board members voted to change the membership year from March to May, so the
membership deadline for maintaining 2009 ECO eligibility is May 31, 2008. A notice will be
placed in each issue of the newsletter in the calendar of events.
Only new members who join March 1, 2008, or later will have their membership carried over to
the next fiscal year.
Jere Pfister hosts preview party, fundraiser
for Meinrad Craighead documentary project
Jere Pfister invites you to her home in the Heights, 1819 Oxford Street, to a preview party and
fundraiser for the Meinrad Craighead Documentary Project on Saturday, June 16, from 1 – 4 PM.
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“Meinrad Craighead has been an important guide in my journey to the feminine,” says Jere. “I
first saw her book, The Mother’s Songs: Images of God the Mother, in 1988. The images
awakened in me a new insight into what it is to be a woman. Her art gave me a name for the deep
longing I carry within me for a connection to the Goddess. On my last visit, in the winter of
2006, I sat in her studio and watched the sun set as she told me about a group of women in North
Carolina who were making a video of her and her work. I hope you will join me in giving
support to this project so that future generations of women and men can see and experience the
presence of a foundation artist and spiritual leader in the reclaiming and re-imagining of the
Divine Feminine.”
You may RSVP to Jere at her email: nanajere@swbell.net or call her at 832-483-0047.
Photographers needed to volunteer to take
WIVLA directory pictures at June meeting
Volunteers are still needed for the Membership Directory photo shoots. Members who are
photographers are asked to donate their time, skills, and services at the June meeting for the
photo sessions. This is a chance for photographers who specialize in “people pictures” to share
their talent and have an opportunity to generate business with reprint orders.
If you can volunteer as a photographer for a photo session before the June meeting, please
contact Jeanne Haner at 281-251-4973, or email her at jeannehaner@yahoo.com Also, take note:
the June meeting will be at the studio of Roberta Harris, 1717 Haver, Houston 77006.
Members urged to promote events,
achievements, celebrations in newsletter
WIVLA is unique among local artistic organizations in that it seeks to bring together visual
artists from multiple disciplines and writers of all types in a mutually supportive atmosphere for
celebration and networking. For members to be able to support each other, it is necessary for you
to let others what you are doing. Did your essay, poem, or short story get accepted into that
literary magazine? Did you win a photography award or have an art opening? We want to know
what’s going on with you and your creative talents! Please email your news to before June 22 to
jboatright2@houston.rr.com and put “WIVLA members news” in the subject line.
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WOMEN IN THE VISUAL AND LITERARY ARTS
WIVLA BOARD
April 2007– March 2008
President: Marian Szczepanski
713-532-2957
marianszczepanski@yahoo.com
Vice President: Kay Sarver
281-799-1710
kay@kaysarverart.com
Treasurer: Linda Ellis Allen
713-501-9112
leallen@papervessel.com
Membership: Jeanne Haner
281-251-4973
jeannehaner@yahoo.com
Special Events – Literary
Gretchen Havens
713-665-2929
gmhavens@houston.rr.com
Ann Boutté 281-496-1458
annrb@sbcglobal.net
Publicity: Ann Bell
281-330-3827
annbell@hal-pc.org
Secretary: Connie Buchanan
713-665-6217
ccbuchanan@sbcglobal.net
Historian: Cathy Nieman
281-550-1152
nie46@earthlink.net
Web site: Melinda Taylor
832-721-0511
Melinda@weborization.com
Special Events – Visual:
Madilyn Stein 713-528-1163
madstein@yahoo.com
At Large – Special Projects:
Jane Mulholland
713-447-6846
mulholland.jane@gmail.com
Newsletter Editor: Joyce Boatright
713-523-0608
jboatright2@houston.rr.com
Programs: Susan X. Day
713-524-7104
sxday@houston.rr.com
Calendar of Events
June 1
Deadline for writers’ Earth Visions entry (postmark)
June 4
Deadline for artists’ Earth Visions entry (postmark)
June 12 Opening Reception—Earth Visions, 6-8 PM, Museum of Printing History
June 19 Photographs for membership directory – 6 PM
June 19 Meeting (please note change in meeting location—see member e-mail)
June 21 Readings at Archway Gallery—6:30 PM
May 31, 2008—Membership renewal deadline for maintaining ECO eligibility.
Women in the Visual and Literary Arts (WIVLA)
P.O. Box 130406
Houston, Texas 77219-0406
713-684-6548
http://www.wivla.org
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