Minutes:

Jean Hines, Chair convened the meeting; 14 attended.  She acknowledged Elizabeth Gulacsy for moderating the DART listserv, Stephen Van Dyk for editing and submitting material for the DART column in ARLIS UPDATE, and Linda Seckelson for recording the minutes of this meeting.

Karen Mackenzie, incoming president of ARLIS, made an appearance, announcing the Leadership Breakfast to be held on Tuesday, March 30 from 7:30 to 9:30, which next year’s DART Moderator is to attend.  She also reminded the group to evaluate the Strategic Plan (an exciting raffle prize is being offered to all who submit Strategic Plan evaluations), and to be sure to submit program proposals and funding requirements by the May 31 deadline.

Peter Blank gave a brief explanation of the different kinds of sessions.  A 2-hour session usually includes  3 speakers and involves a scholarly approach to the subject at hand.  An “Ask ARLIS” session is usually 1 ½ hours long, can include a  varying number of speakers, and is characterized by a less theoretical approach, often reflecting local practices at one or several institutions.

After reviewing the agenda (attached) and dispensing with “old business,” of which there was none, we began a discussion of possible program ideas for next year’s conference:

• The West Virginia Heritage Quilt Search; Jean answered a question concerning the nature of this program, which is an ongoing project to identify quilts, described in an article which is being circulated
• Andy Warhol as collector, with the obvious connection to the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, and Warhol’s interest in objects of material culture; a reference was made to a recent exhibition is titled Deep Storage Arsenal of Memory (Munich, Seattle).  It might be possible to co-sponsor this with the Museum Division.  DART has a history of successful collaborations with other ARLIS divisions.
• Decorative Arts in the Ohio Valley.  This began as a suggestion for a program on glass, but was expanded to include other media; this proposal should include traditional as well as contemporary work, and might touch on collecting patterns of private collectors and museums.
• ASK ARLIS session on research in the decorative arts with local emphasis, possibly with staff from the Pittsburgh Public Library; if the Antique Road Show was ever in Pittsburgh, which is likely, the public television station might be a source for local experts to speak at such a session.

The meeting was adjourned.
 
 

Respectfully submitted,

Linda Seckelson