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  • 15 Mar 2021 4:52 PM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    Dear Members,

    My parents always used to say “may you live in interesting times,” knowing that the quote was actually a curse. Well, we are living in interesting times, but it is through adversity that we find and define ourselves, and it is adversity that illuminates that diamond hard and unshakable core of our identities. If we can make it through “this,” we know in our hearts, we can make it through anything.

    Many of us are facing life transforming situations: income disruptions, the inability to visit family members, anxiety about the future and concerns about our health and the health of those we love. But here’s something that will provide a small measure of encouragement: the American Society of Marine Artists has gotten stronger during the pandemic than it has ever been. Its membership is talented, dedicated, passionate and generous.

    Our art sustains us, that’s why we sustain it.

    Anchor to Windward had one of its best years ever. Leadership gifts by an anonymous donor and by former president William T.C. Stevens in memory of Bob Semler and Nancy Stiles, and the many gifts given by the friends and colleagues of Stu Egeli to honor her, show the kind of group we are. I continue to be humbled by donors big and small who see in the Society some reflection of that diamond hard and unshakable part of themselves that they hold most dear.

    Warmest regards on a chilly, spring day,

    Nicolas Fox, ASMA

  • 15 Dec 2020 4:55 PM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    Dear Members,

    Drawing inspiration from the water means understanding that change is constant. As our Society rounds the mark on 2020, we look forward to a new year with hope and appreciation.

    We are creating much more than art, we are crafting creative lives and creative community. Whether we join ASMA with thoughts of how we can benefit from membership, or join to contribute knowledge and skills, along the way we find we’re part of a unique and cohesive community. Our Society is not just artists, but also those who make our art possible.

    As we celebrate the lives of members who left us too soon, including my mother, Stu Egeli, who helped make ASMA what it is today, and Greg LaRock, a good friend and mentor to many of us, let’s remember to treasure all of the connections we share and do our best to lift each other up every day.

    In the coming year there is reason to be hopeful, a vaccine for Coronavirus is just around the corner, and this will eventually allow ASMA to safely bring our members together in person again. Until then, we’ll do our best to provide education and promotion through these beautiful magazines, our website, exhibitions, and other opportunities.

    This will be my last letter to you as President, as my term will end in January, and I want to thank you for the opportunity to serve the Society. It’s been a humbling experience and an honor, and I have learned a lot from many of you. I believe in this organization and its members now more than ever, and I know you will stay inspired and keep striving for excellence in marine art. Here’s hoping we see each other soon.

    My best to you all,

    Lisa

  • 15 Sep 2020 4:56 PM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    Dear Members,

    We’re sailing westward in this issue, with the stories of some of our West Coast American Society of Marine Art members. I learn so much from each of these articles, and I’m grateful for the artists who are willing to take time away from their craft to contribute to the magazine. The artwork is inspiring and shows some of the many ways in which water moves us. As I write today, I’m wishing health and safety to those of you in California, Oregon, Washington and other areas beingthreatened by deadly wildfires.
    The News & Journal connects the members of the Society through our stories. This is a magazine of, by, and about us, but even more broadly it paints a portrait of American marine art today, something no other print publication does. These are the stories by and about our artists, sharing what their journey has been, how their work is inspired and crafted, what their influences are, and what’s happening in studios and the world of marine art now.

    Thank you for your membership, whether you create, study, collect or just appreciate marine art. This magazine is an important part of our mission, and when you share your stories and knowledge from all the regions of ASMA, we are all enriched.

    Be well,
    Lisa Egeli, President

  • 15 Jun 2020 5:04 PM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    Why belong to an organization like American Society of Marine Artists? We ask ourselves this when we first join, then again each year when we pay our dues, and even more so when we begin contributing our time and money to support the work of the organization. It’s healthy to ask the question, and important to remember that the strength of the Society is the people that it brings together. Together, we more effectively show the world what we do. Together, we can learn and find new ways to improve our work. And together, we can inspire each other and support other, even through trying times.

     Here we are in the midst of a global pandemic, with nearly everyone either isolated at home or just emerging from isolation, museums and galleries have been shuttered and events are cancelled. Some artists are appreciating the sudden abundance of time to create, others are worrying about how to sell their work, and many are struggling with the isolating and uncertain times.

     We are also seeing our nation face the ugly racism that has been with us from our very beginning. It’s a good time to consider that we are stronger when we listen to one another, and understand that not everybody enjoys the same American experience. I’ve always been proud that ASMA is unique in including diverse media and styles within the art we represent, but I believe we also need to represent more racially diverse artistic voices.

     I’m grateful to belong to a Society that supports and connects and grows. I’m grateful for the amazing friends and colleagues I saw at our National Marine Art Conference in March, for the reopening of our magnificent 18th National Exhibition at Jamestown Settlement, and for the beautiful News & Journal you’re reading now.

     Thank you for being a part of our Society and all that makes it great, and let’s make it even better.

     Be well,

    Lisa

  • 15 Mar 2020 5:07 PM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    What unites us as a Society is our passion for art about the sea, the creatures in and around it, and all the ways in which ocean water moves through our lives.

     With our roots in maritime history, we have the benefit of looking back in time while maintaining a forward focus.  Within the pages of this issue are celebrations of artists who helped get us where we are today as well as stories about today’s members who share our passion.

    Throughout the year we are fortunate to share our common interest through exhibiting together and learning together.  This month we have launched two great opportunities for both.

    By the time this magazine gets into your hands, the 18th National Exhibition has opened its tour in the beautiful museum at Jamestown Settlement, the first of five distinguished venues to showcase our art to the world. At the same time, the Third National Marine Art Conference will have concluded, having brought together artists, collectors, presenters and friends for several days of inspiration and sharing. This Society is made strong not just by the great art it celebrates, but by the magic that happens when we exhibit together and spend time with one another.

     The American Society of Marine Artists is always looking for others who share our appreciation for excellence and our desire to create, share and learn about the finest in contemporary marine art.  The Society will always have a unique niche as a small but dedicated and discerning group of artists, collectors and enthusiasts, but even within our circle we have room to expand our membership.  If you know of artists who share our passion for water and the creatures and craft in and on it, tell them about ASMA and the opportunities we offer.

     We hope you find inspiration in this issue and in all the ways we share our art.

     Sincerely,

     Lisa Egeli, President and Fellow, ASMA

  • 16 May 2019 9:54 AM | Nicolas Fox (Administrator)

    As American Society of Marine Artists has evolved over the past 40 years, so too have the ways in which we communicate. I don’t just mean the evolution of the newsletter to this News & Journal, but also the ways we bond as a community of artists and patrons, and the ways we educate ourselves and others about marine art and maritime history.

    Technology now allows us to share images and stories and ideas in an instant through emails and social media, and to handle the dry but essential matters of jury submissions, membership dues and conference reservations through online systems. We will soon be improving our website to better present the work of our members, and to make it easier to use.

    That leaves a lot of room for the printed News & Journal to become something to hold onto, to read carefully, to linger over. The Editorial Board of the News & Journal has worked hard to present a publication that is interesting and inspiring, and I deeply appreciate all that has gone into creating it. I hope you enjoy this next step in the way our Society communicates who we are.

    My own view of who we are has grown over the more than thirty years I’ve been connected to ASMA, which began when my dad, Peter Egeli, joined and later became President. I began my career in illustration, portraiture, and landscapes and shorelines, not thinking my work fit with the high seas, historic battles and blue water of the ASMA artists I had grown up around. But my dad encouraged me to join, and I found an evolving Society with a broader range of subjects and styles. Being a member of ASMA has brought me into a community of incredible artists and pushed me to elevate my own work, reaching higher all the time. I believe there is real value in how this organization offers us the opportunity to learn how to become better artists while also sharing our passion and our art with the rest of society. By doing this we grow the field of marine art and also those that support it.


  • 19 Dec 2018 3:26 PM | Deleted user

    Welcome to members and supporters, new and not-so-new. The theme for this time in ASMA seems to be “Tough Acts to Follow”. I am deeply honored to be taking the helm of ASMA, though certainly Kim Shaklee will be a tough act to follow. She has done an extraordinary job of leading ASMA the past three years (and has served on the Board for ten years).  Kim has overseen big improvements in the opportunities we offer members, and has been a passionate advocate for being true to our members and our principles. 

    As I write, we have just completed a rewarding 40thAnniversary Retreat in Charleston, South Carolina, and plans are moving forward for our 18thNational Exhibition and our Third National Marine Art Conference. Prepare your best work now, as we will be jurying for this museum touring exhibition in the Fall, and our Conference will be in March of 2020 in Jamestown, Virginia.  Also, don’t miss entering our West Regional Exhibition in California this summer, it’s open to all members!

    As you’ve just learned, we are mourning the loss of our Board Member, Signature Member, and good friend Tom Nielsen. We will miss his enthusiasm and tremendous contributions, and we are grateful that Signature Member Priscilla Coote has agreed to complete the remaining two years of Tom’s Board service.

    We have a big transition looming in how we communicate with members, as this next issue of the News & Journal will be Bob Semler’s final issue. For over 25 years he has edited and produced our signature quarterly, giving generously of his time and talents. I’m so grateful for all he has done, and wish him well as he and Phyllis learn to live a deadline-free life. His will be another tough act to follow, but we promise that the News & Journal will continue, without interruption, and with no less than the excellent quality and content you’ve all come to expect. 

    My hope is to continue what Kim has started, and improve where we can. We will work with first-rate museums to put together National and Regional Exhibitions, we will produce inspiring National Marine Art Conferences, we will offer helpful content and communications through a redesigned and refreshed News & Journal, website, and e-news, and we will seek galleries that wish to host marine invitational shows. We will also continue our historic relationship with National Maritime Historical Society, which has been an essential partner for ASMA from our very beginning 40 years ago. In short, we will do what we can to “recognize, encourage and promote marine art and maritime history”, as our mission statement says.

    Thank you for being a part of our American Society of Marine Artists!

    Cheers,

    Lisa Egeli, President

  • 23 Apr 2018 9:12 AM | Deleted user

    Thank you ASMA members and supporters!  Through your generosity, ASMA was able to raise $23,596 for the 2017-2018 Anchor to Windward Capital fundraising drive!  We have surpassed our initial goal to reach $100,000 by our 40th anniversary.  Some said it could not be done, but we took it to heart, did not give up, dug a little deeper, and have built a foundation to help insure a lasting legacy for the ASMA.  What a wonderful accomplishment!  The Society will continue to work towards reaching its long term capital goal of $250,000 over the course of a ten year time span.   Thank you for believing in the mission!!

    There are so many things in the works for the coming months.  Next fall, we will meet in Charleston, SC from November 1-4, 2018 to celebrate ASMA’s 40th Anniversary with a special retreat!  We are coordinating a really fun filled weekend for our members, with many activities, good food, great artists, a fabulous ASMA Invitational show at one of Charleston’s most prestigious Galleries, great demos and more!!  Please check out the brief article in this issue of the News and Journal for some of the activities that will take place during our celebration.  We will keep updating our members of additional activities through the ASMA website as we keep getting closer to the event.  Members can register online at the ASMA website: www.americansocietyofmarineaartists.com.  Members can also register by printing and filling out a registration form off of the website, and sending it with their payment to: ASMA – P.O. Box 2903 – Gainesville, GA  30503.

    In this issue of the News and Journal, Fellow Charles Raskob Robinson will be presenting an updated history for ASMA, as we proudly celebrate 40 years for the Society.  My sincerest gratitude goes out to Charlie for his unwavering dedication to our organization!  It is hard to fathom the daunting amount work that Charlie has contributed to ASMA over the course of 40 years.  Trying to keep up on the historical spreadsheet alone is a major undertaking, let alone reporting the historical facts of the internal mechanics of the Society.  In addition, he served decades as Chairman of the Exhibition Committee, held various executive positions on the ASMA Board of Director, and has written hundreds of articles to help promote the magnificent artists residing amongst our ranks.   On behalf of the Society, thank you Charlie Robinson for bringing so much to the table with 40 years of service to the American Society of Marine Artists! 

    I would also like to give very special thanks to ASMA News and Journal Editor Robert Semler.  Bob’s efforts to keep the Journal going is very much a lifeline to our members.  Every quarter, he lovingly compiles all of the news, reports and articles from various member and directors.  More often than not, we push the deadlines to the very last second, to try and bring as much information as we can to our members.  Thank you Bob, for patiently waiting on me almost each and every issue, in an effort to keep our members up to date.  I hope that somewhere down the line, we can enlist some assistance to be passed your way, to help take some of the pressure off of your own plate!

    The membership will also see a notice from the ASMA Board of Directors in this issue of the News and Journal, requesting a revision of the official By-Laws.  ASMA Members are being asked to allow the Board to increase the number of 13 Directors up to a maximum of 15 Directors, based on the current needs of the Society. 

    Years ago, we changed the By-Laws and decreased the number of Board members, feeling many Directors were simply not pulling their weight.  At that time, it was causing delays for making Board decisions.  With the recent creation of the National Marine Art Conference, this has dramatically increased the amount of work expected of our Board members, all of which is purely voluntary.  There have been several members stepping forward to volunteer their services to the Society.  When we have an opportunity to include very talented members on the Board that possess various skills that we are looking for, it is to the benefit of the Society to engage new members in the area of their expertise. 

    The Board would keep the minimal number “as is” which is no less than 9 Board members.  As President, I would encourage the membership to vote “Yes” to allow the Board the extra flexibility to increase the numbers of Directors on the Board.

    Wishing everyone a successful spring and look forward to seeing many of you in Charleston this fall!

  • 26 Mar 2018 9:30 PM | Deleted user

    I am elated to report it has been a very rewarding year in so many ways for our ASMA family!  Many of you will have the opportunity to “re-live” a bit of the 2nd National Marine Art Conference that was held in Mystic, CT this past October through the images and stories included in this issue of the News and Journal.  For those of you who were unable to join us, we hope you will gain some insight about what a pleasurable experience this was for the group.   The entire five days were idyllic weather in New England for our event!!   We had a sellout crowd of more than 175 attendees. THANK YOU for being part of this relatively new adventure!  It has been a wild ride and learning curve coordinating the presentations, facilities, meals, calculating expenses and attendance, but we have proven that it is a worthy effort to bring learning opportunities and the enormous gift of camaraderie that has been given to all of us. 

    We realize there is room for more unchartered experiences too!   With two conferences now under our belt, we have just started to challenge ourselves about learning experiences.  There is so much talent in our organization, we are grasping the importance of drawing more members in to help us keep future events viable.  Our goal was to hold a National Marine Art Conference when we do our National Exhibitions every three years.  By following this plan, it would allow us to keep it fresh, re-group and seek out new presentations for our artists.  We need to focus on our Signature Members in the future, who have so much to offer.  Please let us know if you would be interested in presenting, or helping with planning efforts!  We will re-evaluate how often to try to do a conference.  Please feel free to give us your input.

    We also need to focus on developing a younger membership base.  We love the friendships we have built over the years, as our group celebrates its 40th ANNIVERSARY in 2018!!  We also acknowledge that it is our duty and a never ending challenge to bring in new blood to the Society.  The conference is helping us to achieve this, and expansion of the YMAS program could help with this goal too. 



  • 08 Nov 2017 11:13 AM | Deleted user

    Hello ASMA Members!

    By the time the News and Journal hits your mailbox, the 2nd National Marine Art Conference will likely be underway or possibly, even history.  It has sincerely been a pleasure putting this event together the past two years.  No one said it was going to be an easy task, but many good things have come from this experience – both in planning, and through participating. 

    I would like to personally thank the Fellowship for really showing their support of this effort by providing quality programs, demos, lectures and events.  Did I mention the donated art works??!!  THANKS TO ALL OF OUR FELLOWS WHO CONTRIBUTED!  These funds help the Society to have “seed money” for our next exciting event! 

    Many thanks to our Signature Members who were also able to take part and share their expertise in demonstrations and giving valuable input.   We have so much talent in this group, and I think everyone who attends NMAC walks away with a very positive outlook about each of the artists who shared their time and expertise to enlighten others. 

    Thanks goes out to our ASMA Board of Directors, for taking the gamble and showing their support by trusting  we could make this fly, and to our wonderful membership for believing there was value in attending and showing their dedication to this special group of people who shared their love for maritime art. 

    This has brought us closer together, afforded new friendships and demonstrated respect for the wonderful talent we have in this organization, which abounds.  My hope is that because of this effort, each of you will consider becoming more involved in the Society.  Small gestures of volunteering collectively turn into meaningful accomplishments and sometimes even create a life changing experience.  I have learned that nearly all things are possible if you care enough to make the effort and bring things to fruition! 

    As we move toward year end, it is time to consider how quickly we will be approaching the Society’s 40th anniversary.  The Board is strongly committed to accomplishing the goal to reach $100,000 for the Anchor to Windward capital campaign.  Most thought this could not be done by our 40thWe can make it happen with your help.  We are running the race, and winning!   Your Board of Directors have personally sacrificed in so many ways with their time to help conserve what little funds ASMA does bring in.  By voluntarily doing much of the work, we have saved thousands of administrative dollars to be able to contribute significantly to the fund.  Giving even a few hours of your time will help give the Society more hands to work with.  The rewards far outweigh the efforts. 

    Last year, we contributed every dollar possible from the conference, and did have several generous contributions given in appreciation and belief that the Society desperately needs to have a safety net in place for times when things may not be running like a well-oiled machine.  We need to plan ahead! 

    The official annual Capital campaign fundraising drive will start on November 15, 2017 and run through January 31, 2018.  Financial contributions are most gratefully appreciated!  We would love for you to accept the challenge to keep ASMA alive for the future!  We will keep everyone informed as we get closer to our goal.

    ASMA works because of those who step up their game and help us make things happen.  We hope this is the year for you to help do your part!  You may be amazed at how much differenceyou can make!

    In closing, I would like to extend an invitation to all members to send suggestions for where you think would be an outstanding place to hold an ASMA Retreat and annual meeting for our 40th anniversary. Pick up to three locations and email them to me at kim@kimshaklee.com .  This should take place between May 1st and November 10th of 2018.  Please consider weather issues when sending suggestions.  We will not be doing a conference next year, but would like to come up with another memorable experience for the Society’s 40th Anniversary.

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