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Creativity takes courage.” -  Henri Matisse

Hello Everyone!

While sitting at the docent desk with friends the other day, we started talking about how important our memberships are to NBAL. In fact, after the fees from the workshops and our percentage from art sales, the membership dues and displaying fees are our next large source of income.

Last year workshops brought in $34,371 which was $8,151 better than the year before. Please take a look at the website to see all of the wonderful ones we have scheduled for this year.

The sale of artwork last year brought in $28,145, which is not bad, but it was $1,323 less than in 2023. Sadly, we also saw a decrease in our Membership Dues and Display Fees last year. In 2024 they totaled $17,492 compared to $19,600 for 2023, that is $2,108 less. Let’s all pray that 2025 will be a better year for sales and membership and that those numbers go back up.

Like my friends at the docent desk, you may have thought that our wonderful special shows bring in a lot of money. Last year we made $17,574 in show fees, but the shows costed us $17,116 to put on… that is a $458 profit which is good. Sometimes we just break even so having a profit is great.

You may be asking why we do them if they do not generate income? Shows bring in not only new visitors to see the gallery and to possibly buy our art but they also bring in new artists who may become members. As you can see from the numbers above, the intake of new members is extremely important. Not only does it bring in needed funds, but it is crucial for the future survival of our organization to have new members, workers and artists.

At the end of our talk, I was asked to make a flier about NBAL Membership that can be shared with visitors. You will find it in the wire hanging rack under the thermostat, in the kitchen, along with a flier about the history of our building. These are for you to hand out to whoever asks about our organization or building.

If someone asks about helping us with the upkeep of our building, please point out the donation box by the front door that they may place donations in. If anyone expresses their love of creating art, then please ask if they would like to become a member and tell them about all of our wonderful classes and workshops. Help us grow our membership list by inviting other artists to come and join us.



2025 NBAL Yearbook is at the gallery.

Larry Johnson, our Parliamentarian and Dyan Lee our Membership/Yearbook person, both worked very hard to get our 2025 Yearbook printed and back to the gallery in record time. Great job you two!

Shout out of praise to 3^rd VP Gretchen Goode and her team for doing an excellent job in helping to make sales and to grow NBAL membership! 

Gretchen, thank you so much for all of your hard work to make eye catching ads, rack cards, special show banners, and our new street signage. They look fantastic and the new signs really dress up the front of our building while getting a message out to the public that we have art and gifts to sell. Good Job!

Larry Johnson has control of our website and puts countless hours into keeping it up to date while keeping it looking extremely professional. If you have not had a chance to look at it lately then please take the time and look through all the drop-down menus because there is a lot of good information for you there.

Larry, thank you for all those long late hours you put into this essential task. It is a vital tool that allows us to reach potential members and customers, and you use it so skillfully. You are an asset to our organization!

Social Media is handled by Vickie Moon Merchant (Facebook) & Tracy Murphy (Instagram). Both of these ladies work continuously to get the word out far and wide about NBAL activities, shows, artists and their artwork. These are jobs, that as viewers, we may not realize the number of hours it takes to accomplish them but please note they work daily doing them.

Vickie and Tracy, thank you so much for the work you do for us to keep us in the public eye.

Ralph Nordenhold is our lead photographer who takes wonderful photos of art and artists that is used in all of the above. Karen Stephenson, along with several other photography members, do a wonderful job of capturing the special moments for us.

Thank you, Ralph and Karen and all the other photographers who continue to help us with this task.

Last but definitely not least is Digital Communications. Nanette Scranton does a fantastic job of keeping us all connected with Constant Contact and our NBAL Newsletter. Quite often she has to chase us down and send reminders that the newsletter is due and then she has to sit down to put everyone’s writing into a readable format.

Thank you, Nanette, for always making our newsletter look so professional, informative, and fun to read. Beautifully done!

Reminder

Please email me if you have any concerns or questions… I found old notes stuck down in the file cabinet from back in June that I never saw and did not answer. Sorry, if I missed your message, let me know if you still need me to respond. 🤣

Fortune Cookie message that I got this week… “To be creative is to unlock the door to infinite possibilities.” …. So true!

See you guys in the gallery, 😊

Mary Hammond

NBAL President

Treasurer's Report February 2025

Marcie Helmke, Treasurer

nbaltreasurer@gmail.com

Top ten sellers:  Joe Eby, Diane Black, Donna Hays, Bill Hughes, Nell Anderson, Lynda Smagac, Deb Hagemeyer, Marlene Silcocks, Jolene Oyer, Paula Dayoub-Schweizer

Total Sales:

Dec 2024 - $13,139,76

Dec 2023 - $14,447.04

A detailed financial report of the Art League balances is furnished to the Board monthly and is available to anyone upon request.

Parking Reminders

We can all agree that parking at the gallery may be a challenge. Our designated parking spaces are reserved for the use of members doing business at the gallery. Before a tow truck is called, the vehicle owner is searched for in the building. If you are NOT in the building, your vehicle is subject to towing at your expense.

Docent Tip of the Month

Please ensure that the total dollar amount on the sales invoice matches the dollar amount on the Clover BEFORE you hit the charge button.

The total dollar amount on the sales invoice for cash sales MUST match the amount of cash submitted.

Be sure you count the change box at the start of the shift and at the end of the shift. Any errors in procedure may be discovered by doing so.

Assistant Webmaster Position Opening

This work from home role will count as a full-time role as far as work requirements for Displaying Members. To learn more, please contact Larry Johnson at drljohnson@gmail.com or 512-740-6205

Gallery Appearance/Display

Gina Cumberland, Team Leader

Message to Displaying Artists

Artist Cards for labeling your artwork can be found on the docent work desk in the kitchen. Please remember that they are placed on the bottom left corner of the frame and should be attached to 3D items. It is extremely important that you put both the DATE IN and the DATE OUT on all your tags. There should be a 3-month difference between the two dates.

Example: If the date in is 2/11 then the date out should be 5/11.

We will always provide tags for you but if you want to print your own tags at home then you must use the template that you can find on the website under the Member Resources Area and Please use WHITE CARDSTOCK.

Portfolio Bins

Unframed artwork may be sold in the bins, but the limit is eight pieces per artist, not eight pieces per bin. Yes, shallow gallery wrapped canvases may be placed in the bins but please limit those to no more than 3 per artist. No hanging devices should be on these because they can damage other artwork.

NBAL Special Show News

Debbie Cooper 2^nd VP

Irongoddess1@gmail.com

Our current show is “Anything Goes”. The reception is Sunday, February 2, 2 PM - 3:30 PM. The awards will be presented at 3:00 PM. This show ends Saturday, February 22. However, due to the next shows submission day being Sunday, February 23, we ask all artists to please remove their artworks on Saturday, February 22. Thank you for your consideration.

Next Show: “Home Brewed Fantasy” a brand-new show which is sure to become a family favorite. Let your imagination run wild with your own version of comics, anime or cartoons. Pick up a prospectus from the kitchen. Invite a grandchild, niece or nephew and get started on a new adventure. Or do it on your own. There’re 2 age categories!

It’s bound to be lots of fun and bring the inner kid out of you!!

Submission day is Sunday, February 23, 2:00 PM-5:00 PM. Judging is Monday, February 24, 10:00 AM – 12:00PM. The Show opens following judging. The reception is Sunday, March 2, 2:00 PM – 4:30 PM; awards presented at 4:00 PM.

Here’s wishing you a creative month.

Workshops

Workshop Coordinator, Wally Lafaiete

waldinei@hotmail.com

Unlock Your Creativity with Exciting 2025-2026 Workshops at the New Braunfels Art League!



The New Braunfels Art League is excited to announce a new lineup of workshops for 2025 and 2026, featuring renowned artists Michael deMeng, Giovanna DiZurita, and Sue Conner. These immersive, hands-on experiences are designed to elevate your creative practice and explore a variety of artistic techniques.

Time Capsule Art with Giovanna DiZurita

Join award-winning artist Giovanna DiZurita for a two-day workshop on May 30-31, 2025, from 10 am to 5 pm daily. Participants will explore techniques such as layering and composition to build depth and structure in their artwork. The workshop emphasizes incorporating mixed media by integrating personal or symbolic objects, allowing artists to infuse their pieces with narrative and emotion. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have completed a meaningful piece and acquired adaptable skills for future artistic endeavors. For more information about Giovanna and her work, visit dizurita.com.

Amazing Assemblage with Michael deMeng

Delve into the world of assemblage art with master artist Michael deMeng from August 15-17, 2025, 10 am to 5 pm daily. Known for his innovative style and inspiring teaching, Michael will guide participants in crafting art from unexpected materials, focusing on transformation and storytelling through assemblage. This workshop is ideal for those looking to elevate their artistic practice by exploring new techniques and perspectives. Learn more about Michael and his work at MichaeldeMeng.com.

The Language of Fabric & Fiber with Sue Conner

Join artist Sue Conner for a three-day workshop from April 10-12, 2026, 10 am to 5 pm daily, where you'll dive into the expressive art of mark-making and stitching to tell your unique story. Participants will create a beautiful fabric scroll that communicates a personal narrative through symbols, colors, and textures. The workshop includes creating custom brushes, experimenting with hand-painted fabrics, and combining these elements with hand-stitched techniques to construct a unique scroll. Discover more about Sue at sueconnerartist.com.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn from master artists and connect with fellow creatives in these enriching workshops!

For information about all upcoming workshop, visit our website

NBAL Workshops

Ongoing Adult Classes

Detailed information on ongoing adult classes can be found online at: 

TheNewBraunfelsArtLeague.com

Facebook Facts

Vickie Merchant, Social Media

Facebook Pages

For those who have asked whether or not one of our pages – not the business page- but the other one – YES, we have 2 – not to my wishes, but – is it a POLITICAL one, NO IT IS NOT!

As mentioned, The New Braunfels Art League has two pages – a personal page and a business page. The Business page is PRIVATE and the only person who can post is the administrator – me. The Personal Page is where all the unwanted pages/postings show up. 

I spend about 30-45 minutes daily blocking/deleting/hiding these unwanted pages. Most are not related to art. We have tried to make this page PRIVATE, but so far that’s been a failure. 

I just received instructions from someone who might be able to help me with this PROBLEM! I’ll let you know if it works or not. This Facebook page has been very frustrating from the time I took over in 2022. I am very sorry for this inconvenience but know that I am diligently working to correct the problem.

If you would like to join the Social Media Team at NBAL, we would welcome your efforts to help publicize it. Know that at this time, we are doing the best we can; just like you – WE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS!

Latest Statistics

On a happier note! In the last 28 days on our business page, we have had 3,228 followers and had 40,784 views of our posts, 2,453 were engaged. 

On our Reels, we have had 3,003 views, while posts with multiple photos are 28.7%. The ad on the Pastel Workshop has had 2,308 likes; Honorable mention 3,006; Trace AOY had 5,828, and the ad on a new Special Show, Home-brewed Fantasy OR Comic-Con Art has had 1,859 likes.

Our Instagram account is growing as well. Tracy has earned 1,600 likes and submitted 438 posts and stories since she joined us!  Thank you, Tracy!

New Special Show

On Jan. 17, there was a Comic-Con Convention here in New Braunfels. We created and printed 100 postcards. Some were left at NBAL while most were left at the Convention. 

We are hoping this will bring in new, younger artists who create different types of art so that we recruit younger, more contemporary artists. Please welcome them to this show which officially begins on Monday, Feb. 24. Submissions Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025. Please share this information with your younger acquaintances, like children and grandchildren so their art can be recognized. Anyone from 13-113 can submit their work.

Library notes

Myra Knapp, Librarian

Super-charge your Creativity

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes and having fun”. Mary Loy Cook

To be in a creative place or to be receptive to new things, we need input to shake up our senses. What better place to receive positive fuel for being in a creative frame of mind than your very own library at the New Braunfels Art League Gallery. At the docent desk just ask for the key. Insert the key in the library door - upstairs through the Bower Classroom - and open the door to a universe of books and CD’s that will ignite your creative passions. I guarantee you will come away supercharged. The library is always open and free to you. Enjoy!

2024 Board of Officers