National WCA News: Eco-Art Caucus News and Leadership Opportunity

With a WCA Philadelphia membership, you are a member of National WCA, and you can choose to be part of any of the internal caucuses for free.  Here is the latest news from the Eco-Art Caucus which is meeting in Chicago as part of the National Conference.  To learn more about the Eco-Art Caucus, click here.

Eco-Art Caucus Annual Meeting — Thursday 10 am to 12 

Essex Inn Hotel, Park East Gallery, Chicago

"A big thank you to everyone who send in a image to Amy Larson and also to those who joined in the conference calls. We will be using them for a fun "Image Fest" during our conference caucus meeting— plus posting them online.

We are fortunate to get to start the conference together- which will give us multiple days to continue our conversations.  Regretfully, like some of you, this year I will only be there in spirit. 

Please welcome Danielle Eubank who will guide the morning session.  She's a talented painter, strong environmental steward, educator and leader that I've gotten to know working in our Southern California Eco-Art group.

We have many interesting things on our agenda including the "Image Idea Fest" described above — along with time to look ahead for the coming year.

We also need to manage several business items including the election of an eco-art caucus rep to the national WCA board. 

And be sure when you renew your WCA membership on nationalwca.org that you check the box for eco-art caucus so we an easily stay in touch."

Best Wishes, 

Marylinda Moss / WCA Eco-Art Caucus Chair 

Danielle Eubank / SCWCA Eco-Art Facilitator

Anyone interested in representing the special interest caucuses as a WCA board member?

There are three special interest caucus positions available on the national WCA Board. These positions represent and speak for the concerns of all four caucuses not just the eco-art caucua. . 

This year, the Eco-Art Caucus can have a position on the board  as last year we sat out. Board members are asked to attend both the annual meeting in February and the summer board meeting in July at their own expense as well as meet other contribution requirements, such as a minimum of $500 in contributions or fundraising and a working contribution by serving or chairing a committee or contributing to a project. 

Our Eco-Art caucus must vote on a representative at the meeting. Any eco=art caucus member in good standing (current with their 2014 membership) who will commit to the above requirements can be considered and I would be happy to have another leader in our midst! Please let me know in advance if you are interested. We will vote on this at the meeting. This is for a three year term.

I should also add that there is a strategic planning session set for this summer that might change how board positions are currently structured. But, it's important that you can meet the parameters above.  The February Conference will be in New York next year and then the following in Washington DC.  The summer conference this year will be in Portland, OR but it's not known where it will be later. 

WCA International Caucus UN Program to present at the UN Commission on the Status of Women Conference March 11, 2014

PhotoForward Artist: Bao Song

"Women Artists Consider the MDG's and Post 2015 Agenda" has been accepted as a parallel event for the 58th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women Conference which will be held March 9-21 in New York City. This stellar presentation of video and art-based activism projects in Cambodia, Laos, and Rwanda and discussion has been pulled together by Maureen Burns-Bowie, Chair of the International Caucus' UN Program, and the hard-working and impressive members of this committee and brings WCA into a deeper involvement with the UN.  Maureen describes this event as "a celebration of humanity moving forward, compassion and joy for those whose lives are affected, and a tribute to those activists who are making it happen."
The main event will occur Tuesday, March 11th at 6:15 p.m. in the CCUN Boss Room,  777 UN Plaza,  8th floor. A follow up break-out session is being planned to allow for further discussion and connections. All WCA artists are welcome and encouraged to participate in the CSW conference.  Please contact Maureen Burns-Bowie (wca.un.mbb{at]gmail.com) if you plan to attend.  

Congratulations and much gratitude to all involved! This video, which will be edited by Anastasya Koshkin, will showcase  meaningful work by the following WCA artists, who are focused on  bringing attention to issues which the UN has prioritized.  Samples of these works may be found in the slide show above. 

Members of WCA involved:
Seda Baghdassarian Saar, Alli Berman, Maureen Burns-Bowie
Sherri Cornett, Linda Coughlin, Betsy Damon, Liz Di Giorgio
Joanna Fugliniti (WCA Philadelphia Ragdoll Project Chair), Mary Hamill, Marjorie Wood Hamlin, Carole Richard Kaufman
Anne Kantor Kellett, Simone Kestelman, Sheri Klein, Anastasya Koshkin
Ikie Kressel, Alllison Milewski and artists from PhotoForward,  Eva Preston (WCA Philadelphia VP), Negin Sharifzadeh
Bonnie Smith, Helaine Soller, Elizabeth Sowell-Zak, Joyce Ellen Weinstein

For more on MDGs: http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/