PNWS Solution and Challenge

Just before the Covid pandemic began, the PNWS Board of Directors had gone through a two day, goal-setting workshop, which determined that our group meetings were a top priority. Ironically, within a couple months we could no longer meet in person. Zoom meetings were quickly adopted, along with remote studio tours and online guest speakers. The Pandemic pulled the rug from under our main networking practice, but the PNWS Board faced the challenge, specifically, Chas Martin and Alisa Looney get the most credit for the transition, making Zoom meetings an essential tool for us. PNWS online meetings are continuing to evolve, as we are adopting Microsoft Teams. Soon this software will take the place of Zoom, with the added benefits: Teams will allow for more people to create meetings and give those meetings easier access to our database. Contact meetings chairperson, Bob Deasy <ormcoupe@yahoo.com> with any questions about the transition to Microsoft Teams software.
While PNWS online meetings are continuing to develop, our in person meetings are taking strides forward. The raku firing lead by Russ Ford was exciting for everyone involved. The tours of the Past Lives makerspace and Patrick Gracewood’s studio were inspiring as well. This trend should continue with the Swap Meet at Carole Murphy’s (April 8th), International Sculpture Day happenings at SCRAP, etc. (April 29th), and the Member meeting at Julian Voss-Andreae’s studio (April 30th). In person meetings are coming back since the pandemic. The hybrid of in person and online meetings are characteristic of our resourceful, adaptive nature as a collective.
Digital technology seems to be both a solution and a challenge for our group, hand in hand with the need for more volunteerism and education about what’s happening and what’s needed. Showing up and sharing yourself and your art, is the baseline for PNWS Membership. Come to a Member meeting, and consider hosting a studio potluck (contact Bob Deasy). Post something on our Facebooks page(s): Pacific Northwest Sculptors and/or Members of Pacific NW Sculptors Group, and post on your PNWSculptors.org Member Profile (which can lead to a newsletter article about your art). These are some of the obvious ways you can both promote yourself and the group simultaneously.
There are more pathways for connection, we could explore together, with very little effort by the individual PNWS Member, who is coordinated into a team. For example(s) our website, Social media , and You tube channel could use a little more revision and re-interpretation, or a collaborative sculpture project composed by various Members using the Discord app or an online art show featured on our website. All these could be future projects for small teams of individuals offering a little focused time, potentially, bringing our Membership new pathways for networking, education and public relations. Models for PNWS teamwork success already appear and reappear while composing our newsletter, Calls to Artists or the combined effort of our Board of Directors. These groups embody a fluid form of teamwork and leadership, balanced within a Peer group of abundantly resourceful Members. Your level of leadership and involvement is your choice. The doorways you will open, will open more for us all. PNWS is what we make of it.