The new year is off to a great start with the opening of the show Sculptore '98 at the Washington State Convention Center. Many thanks to the members who have been working so hard to put the show together.

 

I would like to thank the outgoing board members Pat, Sudha, Tamara, and Tracy for all their efforts and I hope we will still be able to calion their experience. Although Rich Hestekind is retiring as president, we are very fortunate to have him continuing on the board with us new folks.

 

In my three years in the NWSSA, I've seen the great variety of approaches, esthetic interests, techniques, and experience our members bring to our joyous enterprise _ the creation of stone sculpture. This diversity gives US power as an organization but also provides us with a major challenge in serving the interests of all our members, as does the physical fact that we are spread across parts of more than three states and a province.

 

The long-range planning task force will present proposals at the February membership meeting that are intended to deal with this challenge. I see the main focus of this year's board to be implementing any changes approved by the members. I hope that everyone who can will make the February meeting.

On a personal note, I hope this year I can get to some of the symposiums besides Camp Brotherhood. For one thing, Silver Falls has really cool T-shirts.

 

Happy carving, and see you in February.