A Big Greeting to all you artists and Appreciators to our 2019 Season  and our 22nd year of history here in this wonderful place we call the  High Country. Your board members have been working hard this winter to  make this next season another fascinating year of creativity. I want to  share with you goals we have set for this coming year and ways you can  participate and benefit from the High Country Water Media  Society (HCWS). We hope this year we can all become more informed artists  through the schedule of events we have planned. Take some time to read  through this letter, put dates on your calendar and consider how you can  be involved. This is a marvelous group, of which we are delighted to be  a part of

I.             The first thing we discussed this year  was the desire to keep HCWS Vibrant, which we agreed means keeping our  membership healthy and growing. Ways you can participate in this are

Update your calendars to include many of the upcoming events
Invite others to join us as a guest and future member
Volunteer  and share the fun and sense of belonging to this great group (you will  be given suggestions of where to volunteer on your membership form)

II.           Our hope is that each of you be inspired to grow as Artists by setting some personal goals to:

Enthusiastically  participate and energize yourselves in our meetings through fellowship  with other artists, watching the morning demos, and attending afternoon  workshops.
Consider entering your work in the two exhibits sponsored by HCWS (July 5thand August 10th)
Learn at least one skill from each of our featured artist and try it at home
Attend at least one afternoon workshop and follow up with practice
And of course, visit our website and see what all we are up to! http://www.highcountrywatermediasociety.com/

III.         New important information about membership and rewards available

You  may recall in the past we have offered opportunities for members to be  entered in a drawing at the end of the season for a $200 scholarship to  your choice of one of Cheap Joe's Workshops. This will continue this year  with the addition of some new reward opportunities.  Look for this! 
Membership  dues for 2019 are $35.00 and ($10 for students),   if this is turned in  on or before our first meeting (May 11th) your name will be added to  the drawing
Afternoon Workshops are $35.00 for members ($70.00 for non-members) if paid for a week before the workshop. 

Each afternoon workshop participant will be added to the drawing.

Lunch is provided for Afternoon Workshop attendees. Yes, there is such a thing as a Free Lunch!
We  will once again offer a special deal for those interested in enrolling  early for the afternoon workshops, this helps you and our planning  committee. You can purchase 5 workshops for the price of 4 if paid for  on or before our first meeting.
If you bring a friend to the morning  meeting and demo, they are welcome to attend one free.   At that visit  your name will be added to the drawing
When new folks decide to return, we ask that they become a member.
In  addition, some of the other great benefits of membership are enjoying  the use of our sharing Library and discounts at Cheap Joe's.

IV.         Please add these exciting dates to your Calendar

May 11, 2019 Ken Hobson
June 8, 2019 Meeting at Blowing Rock Arts and History Museum.  Workshop:  Carol Childers
July 5, 2018  Opening Reception for the show at the Jones House (Downtown Boone)
July 13, 2019 Roger Tatum
August 10, 2019 Reception for Our Annual Month-Long show at the Watauga County Arts Counsel
August 10, 2019 Dan Nelson
September 14, 2019 Gary Nemcosky
October 12, 2019 morning Demo (?) Afternoon new product demos by Cheap Joe’s staff.

V.           How we are giving back to the Community through our Endowment

Did  you know that The High Country Water Media Society has an  endowment?  Our club has been building this fund since 2005.  Activities  have included:

In 2018 HCWMS hosted the NC Watercolor Society  reception at The Florence in West Jefferson and funded the $700 third  place award in its annual state show. 

We have granted monies to  many other non-profits, including the Watauga County Public Library, the  Project on Aging, and The Children’s Playhouse.  

Our endowment  is housed in the NC Community Foundation, which allows us to have  non-profit status. If you would like to know more about how to make your  own tax-deductible contribution to our endowment, see our web page – or  call me, Bettie Bond at (828) 264-4275

VI.         Other Great Facts and Notes

Schedule of our meeting

Take Note: Cheap Joe's OPENS early at 9:00 on our meeting dates for us to shop for workshop supplies 

9:30 CHECK IN AND CONVERSE
10:00 Business Meeting
10:30-12:00 Featured Artist: Morning Demo (FREE)
12:00-1:00 Lunch time
1:00-4:00  Afternoon Workshop with featured Artist (Paid) Materials for the  workshop will be listed on the web page (at the end of the day, we ask  attendees to help make sure Cheap Joes is cleaned up and ready for their  next event)

Again, we wish you the very best in this new year – I  always look forward to these meetings, seeing each of you – you are  always so supportive of what we’re trying to do. Thanks for being such a  great group and a special thanks to Pat Collins, past president and now  advisor and matriarch!

Your Master of Ceremonies (you know – the one that keeps the elephants going in the same direction!) 

Bettie Bond