The annual Winter Gala was held at Judith Jarcho's home on March 8, 1997. This event was quite an affair. Judith had salon hung a wall in her home with all sots of artwork, empty frames, photos, upside down pictures, etc. She did this as her personal creative response to the Guild show. (Note: The author attended that party and found the "parody" of the Guild show very entertaining.)

     On April 15, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     Tamara wanted to run for President again and requested that her name be listed on the slate of nominees. Most of the Board objected because "of the antagonism toward Tamara."… "Lois Stecker said that there really is no president, but rather a 'Chairman of the Board' who works together with the Board and who is responsible to the Board." A motion was passed with "Chair/Vice-Chair" replacing the word "President/Vice-President".

     On May 20, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     "There was a discussion concerning a potential $20,000 Grant from Prudential." (Note: Nothing came of this.)

     The results of the evaluation form concerning the 1997 Juried Museum Membership Exhibition were published in the June 1997 newsletter. Of the 57 evaluations these are the results:
     In response to the question: How would you rank the planning and decision making process?
4 artists responded excellent, 5 good, 3 satisfactory, 6 below expectations, 34 unacceptable, 3 no ranking indicated.
     In response to the question: How would you rank the exhibition installation?
5 artists responded excellent, 4 good, 2 satisfactory, 6 below expectations, 34 unacceptable, 4 no ranking indicated.

     On July 15, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     Exhibition guidelines were passed by the Board in response to the questionnaires sent out to the Guild Members regarding the '97 Juried Guild show.
     On August 19, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     "At 1:30 p.m., Scott Atkinson, Curator of American Art shared his thoughts about his new position at the Museum. He also formally accepted the job as Curator for the 1998 Mondavi Winery Exhibit…."
     On September 16, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     "A curated membership exhibition of the San Diego Museum of Art Artists Guild will be held at the Robert Mondavi Wine & Food Center in Costa Mesa commencing Jan. 22, 1998.
     All members of the Guild are eligible to submit entries from which selections will be made in November by D. Scott Atkinson, the recently appointed San Diego Museum of Art Curator of American Art."
     Rich Buchwald discussed his ideas for what was to become "SDMA Artists Guild Presents."

     The October 1997 newsletter printed the following:
Eight Guild artists to exhibit at La Jolla Merrill Lynch open house
     "Eight Guild members will exhibit nearly 100 pieces of art as the La Jolla office of Merrill Lynch celebrates completion of a major remodeling during an open house on Oct. 30….
     They will hang the art for an indeterminate amount of time, and it can be sold while on exhibit. Merrill Lynch simply asks that 10 percent of any sale price be given as a charitable donation to the San Diego Museum of Art program for Underprivileged Children.
     Dottie, (Dorothy Stanley) who is an assistant vice president and senior financial planner at the Merrill Lynch office, was requested by the firm to coordinate the show….
     Beyond the reception attendance, the offices are visited by scores of upscale clients each day who will be encouraged to see the works." (Note: Ten artists actually exhibited 127 paintings and sculptures.)

     The November 1997 newsletter printed the following:
     Mario Spiazzi surprises Guild with generous cash contribution
     "The Artists Guild board was caught by surprise. In fact, members were momentarily speechless at their last meeting.
     But then there was a smiling silence as the news was comprehended by board members: Mario Spiazzi, the husband of Guild member Renata Spiazzi, contributed a $1,000 gift to the Guild for its general operating expenses."

     On November 18, 1997 the following was recorded in the minutes:
     "A long discussion was lead by Rich Buchwald about his quarterly art exhibit at the museum which will be called 'SDMA Artists Guild Presents'… Each interested Guild member would submit one slide… At the…Board meeting, members present will select 8 slides to be turned over to the Museum Staff who will select 4. There will be 4 alternates. Passed unanimously."

     Nancy Emerson, Library Manager for the SDMA gave a tour to the Artists Guild and talked with the Guild on its history at the library on December 4, 1997. She showed the Guild a selection of the large archive of Guild materials dating back to 1933. She also requested that each Guild member donate biographical materials for the files. (Note: The SDMA archives hold a great wealth of information going back to 1904. This collection was the source of most of the documents and newspaper articles used in this book.)

     The January 1998 newsletter printed the following:
Museum Library tour reveals wealth of art literature available
     "The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) Library tour on Dec. 4 for Guild members revealed an unexpected wealth of art literature that is available for use.
     Library manager, Nancy Emerson gave a presentation on the history of the Artists Guild and the founding of the library followed by an extensive tour of the libraries holdings - more than 13,000 art books and exhibition catalogs, 100 international art magazine subscriptions, and indexes to art periodicals on CD-Rom, and a rare book collection.
     She explained that the collection and acquisitions are curator-driven, concentrating on subjects that are directly related to the Museum's permanent collection….
     The library maintains vertical files on hundreds of San Diego artists from 1933 to the present. These files contain biographical material, exhibition catalogs, brochures and articles that pertain to individual artists... Nancy would like to have a vertical file for each Artists Guild member."

     Artists Guild Presents debuts in 1998 with one artist's work displayed on a rotational basis (4 artists per year) within the SDMA.

     In the February 17, 1998 minutes was this President's Report:
     "Stephanie Goldman reported on her meeting with Steve Brezzo:
     • He will definitely present the awards for the All-California Exhibit.
     • He approved of the concept for a Guild Brochure.
     • They discussed the fact that Guild members may donate money or estate holdings to the Guild.
     • The Guild may have a button on the Museum Web Page.
     • The Guild may follow through on the S.D. Hospice Show for 1999.
     • He approved of a Guild Information card to be displayed for 'Guild Presents.'

     Stephanie also brought up Proxy Balloting and a possible Guild Phone Tree."

     Linda Drake, Guild Publicity Chairperson wrote this letter to Bob Trettin, SDMA Deputy Director of Public Affairs on February 23, 1998:
     "The Board of the SDMA Artists Guild is excited about the Artists Guild Presents program that was initiated in January 1998 and that Walter Wojtyla is the first member to have his artwork displayed. In view of this we are hoping to have some information regarding this in the Calendar.
     'Artists Guild Presents' is an ongoing commitment the SDMA has to supporting San Diego County artists who are members of the Artists Guild and the San Diego Museum of Art. It is a hope that this will stimulate an awareness in the community of the vital and dynamic role the SDMA and the artists play in the contemporary art scene.
     The brainchild of Rich Buchwald, member of the SDMA Artists Guild, Artists Guild Presents was presented to the Museum by Rich and Stephanie Goldman, President of the Artists Guild Board with the objective of presenting members' works to the public in a museum setting; it was embraced and became a viable entity in January of this year. The art is on display in the Weisman Collection, and each quarter the art and artist will change. Final selection for the art presented was made by Scott Atkinson, the curator of American art for the museum, from slides submitted by Guild members to the board for consideration." (Note: The Artists Guild Presents program was given a fully illustrated column in the SDMA Calendar with biographies of all four artists selected that year.)

     Stephanie Goldman negotiated with Steve Brezzo a contract with the SDMA for the 1998 All California Exhibition. It was the contract used for all subsequent Guild shows in the SDMA.

"It is agreed that the income for the Exhibition shall be shared as follows:
                                        SDMA 50%
                                        AG 50%
It is agreed that the SDMA or AG shall be responsible for the following expenses related to the Exhibition:
     Call for Entry ads: SDMA                                   Juror Honorarium: SDMA
     Awards: SDMA                                                   Juror travel expenses: SDMA
     Exhibition ads for Exhibition: SDMA                 Installation: SDMA
     Prospectus, letters, invitations, checklist, signage (design, printing, mailing): SDMA
Reception: AG                                                          Staff and related SDMA expenses: SDMA
Volunteers: AG

     The March 1998 newsletter had the following:
From the President Stephanie Goldman
     "As a Guild member, you will be receiving more bang for your buck in the future. In my last meeting with Steve Brezzo, director of the museum, I asked for and we were given permission to proceed on many new projects including:
     Artists Guild Brochure, will be available to all Guild members to give to fellow artists, businesses and organizations that want to know more about the SDMA Artists Guild and its benefits….
     Estate Planning Contributions to the Artists Guild. Some of you have asked for it and now we have it. If a member is feeling especially generous with their estate planning and would like to give back to the Artists Guild for all that it has done or might do for him or her or for someone else in the future, it is now possible. The contribution is for the Artists Guild and is included in the Museum's larger fund. That way the Guild is able to receive a larger interest amount than it would on its own….
     A web page for Artist Guild members is now in developmental stages. We will have our own button on the Museum's web page telling about the Guild and its current and upcoming exhibitions….
     San Diego Hospice Special Exhibition for Guild members is now being planned for 1999….
     'Artists Guild Presents' is a smashing success! It is absolutely an incredible feeling to go through the modern art collection and see Walter Wojtyla's painting hanging on the wall. The board is very proud of this ongoing exhibition and hopes that each of you will take the time to stop and see it….
     The All-California show is really starting to take off. We are still getting lots of requests for prospectuses. This is a very special event, so be sure to attend. The Museum will be hanging a Wolf Kahn painting from its own collection during the exhibit. Wolf will be signing his books after his talk on May 8."

     On March 24, 1998 Stephanie Goldman wrote this note to Katy Dessent, President of the SDMA Board of Trustees:

"ACCOMPLISHMENTS 1997-1998:
· The 'Artists Guild Presents': Started January 1998….
· The SDMA Library Tour with Nancy Emerson….
· Mondavi Winery Exhibition curated by Scott D. Atkinson
· The All California Exhibition - Juror Wolf Kahn….
· Wolf Kahn Lecture….
· New 'Guild News'
· Artists Guild $100 Award to Del Mar Youth Art Show
· Currently working on a 'new' Artists Guild Brochure
· Currently working on a Web Page for the Artists Guild with Holly Witchey
· Currently in process Estate Gift Giving to the Artist Guild"

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