Retired Art Educators Affiliate (RAEA) Column: Spring 2023

Has it really been 2 years already? It is hard to believe, but this will be my last article for the News. I have really enjoyed being your President these past 2 years and getting to know so many wonderful people. We have done a lot of things, including starting our own Facebook page. I am most thankful to the RAEA Board of Directors; I would not have been able to some of the things I did without their support. So to Kathryn Hillyer, Past President; Nancy Walkup, President-Elect; Becky Blaine, Secretary; Pam Signorelli, Treasurer; Patsy Parker, Membership; Boo Ruch, Awards; Linda Willis Fisher, Preservice Liaison; Anne Becker, Silent Auction; Lorraine Poling, Parliamentarian; and Flowerree McDonough and Donna Anderson, E-Bulletin Editors, I give you a great BIG HUG and THANK YOU!

I look forward to seeing everyone in San Antonio! I have great news: The Silent Auction has returned! It will be Friday, April 14 at 7:00 pm in the Artisans Gallery. Please don’t forget to set aside your donation(s) to the Silent Auction. Remember, this is the fund-raising activity RAEA uses to raise money for awards. If you are not planning on attending, or you are not able to donate an item for sale, please consider making a monetary contribution. You can sponsor a table for $40 or just make a general donation of any amount. Whatever you decide to do, we appreciate your generosity! If you are sponsoring a table, please make your $40 checks out to NAEA and put RAEA Silent Auction Table Sponsor on the memo line. You can sponsor as many tables as you want. If you are sponsoring a table, please email Becky Blaine and let her know and then send your checks (or bring them to the Convention) to her at PO Box 825, St. Charles, IL, 60174.

All NAEA members are invited to donate, and categories include all 2D and 3D artwork. If you have any questions, just email Becky at beckyblaine@gmail.com.

The information sheet to accompany any donated pieces is at: https://www.arteducators.org/community/articles/73-retired-art-educators-affiliate-raea. You will find the “Silent Auction Bid Sheet” document at the bottom of the RAEA page under Helpful Downloads on the NAEA/RAEA website. You can just print out that page (TWO copies, please) and include both copies with your artwork.

Not going to NAEA23? You might ask a fellow art educator in your area to bring your artwork to the Convention. Please email Becky and let her know you are sending something with someone else so she can expect it. If you are bringing artwork to NAEA23 yourself, you may drop it at the RAEA table near registration or bring it to the Silent Auction before it opens, 6:30 pm at the latest.

Please note: If your donation is not sold, please be sure to come back at the end of the auction and get it or have the person who brought it for you come and get it. We will not be mailing any artwork back. Hopefully all of it will be sold!!

Just in case you haven’t seen these, here is a list of the presentations from retired members. If I missed any, please let me know.

Thursday 2:00–2:50 pm
Creative Aging and Life Story Objects: Learning and Reflecting in Retirement
Doug Blandy, Paul Bolin
Grand Hyatt/Texas E/Level 4

Friday 8:00–8:50 am
Mentoring Matters: Rediscovering the Joy of Teaching Through the Arts!
Debi West, Melody Weintraub
Grand Hyatt/Lone Star A/Level 2

Friday 1:00–1:50 pm
Retired Art Educators Affiliate (RAEA) Interest Group Annual Awards
Betsy Logan, Kathryn Hillyer, Nancy Walkup, Boo Ruch
Center/Meeting Room 206B/Level 2

Friday 2:00–2:50 pm
Retired Art Educators Affiliate (RAEA) Interest Group Annual Business Meeting
Betsy Logan, Kathryn Hillyer, Nancy Walkup
Center/Meeting Room 206B/Level 2

Saturday 10:30–11:50 am
12th Annual NAEF Fund-Raising Benefit Event [Ticketed Event]
F. Robert Sabol, Samantha Melvin. Tickets are $60, of which $50 is a tax-deductible contribution to the National Art Education Foundation.
Center/Meeting Room 006B/River Level

Saturday 2:30–4:20 pm
Art Educators Build on Botany’s Patterns With Zentangle [Ticketed Workshop]
Pamela Signorelli, Lynda Berman
Grand Hyatt/Bowie C/Level 2

Saturday 4:00–4:50 pm
A Talk With Audrey Flack: Spotlighting Today’s Changing Environment of Challenges and Adversity
Flowerree McDonough
Center/Meeting Room 210B/Level 2

These look like some amazing presentations! So keep doing what makes you happy, and see you in San Antonio! ADIOS!

Column by:

Betsy Logan, RAEA President. Email: rbjlogan@bellsouth.net