Linda Seckelson (Metropolitan Museum of Art) co-moderator, conducted the annual Decorative Arts Round Table business meeting, at the ARLIS/NA 28th Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, on March 19, 2000. Ten members attended.

Linda acknowledged Stephen Van Dyk (Cooper-Hewitt Museum) for his work as Update contributor. The minutes taken at the Vancouver Conference (1999) were accepted. Bob Kaufmann (Metropolitan Museum of Art) and Stephen Van Dyk volunteered and were elected co-moderators for 2000-2001. Stephanie Sueppel (Bard Graduate Center) will be the next Update editor.

DART sponsored two sessions during this conference:
1. “Glass in the Ohio Valley: Aspects of Material Culture and Decorative Arts, Past and Present.” Moderators were Linda Seckelson and Elizabeth Gulacsy. The speakers were Dr. Arnold Klukas (Rector, Grace Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh) and Amy Morgan (Director, Amy Morgan Glass Gallery).
2. “Women Leaders in the Art Pottery Industry: Ohio and Beyond.” Moderator: Susan Nurse (Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester). Speakers were Mary Sayre Haverstock (Director, Ohio Artist Project, Oberlin), Joan Witt (Historian, East Liverpool, Ohio), Lynette Korenic (University of Wisconsin, Madison), and Dr. Mark Bassett. This session was co-sponsored with the Women and Art Round Table.

Ted Goodman, incoming Vice President/President Elect stopped by to announce the theme for the next conference: 20001 LA Odyssey and the deadlines for program proposals and special funding requests. These are to be sent to Trudy Jacoby, Treasurer.

Proposals for the Los Angeles conference were discussed.  The recommendation by Bob Kaufmann for a session, tentatively called “Glamour, Glitz And The Hollywood Style: The Inside Story”, best described the ideas presented by the group.  It will address the larger cultural phenomenon of Hollywood.

An interest in a tour to Pasadena and/or the Green & Green architecture will be presented to the local arrangements.

Peter Blank addressed the group about the Strategic Plan action items still relevant to DART. The new plan is much more concise, but any ideas the group will want to pursue during the next three years, should be discussed. For example, interdisciplinary research for the plenary session, more tours, etc. Round Tables are critical for focus interests and concerns that vitalize the organization.

The members present discussed the renaming of the Round Table top include “material culture”. It was proposed and approved. Peter will take it to the Board.

Respectfully submitted,

Elizabeth Gulacsy
gulacsy@alfred.edu
Art Librarian and Archivist
Scholes Library
NYS College of Ceramics