I cannot say that I helped organize the chapter. After talking with  
each other at the AMI conference in Chicago, Libby Wasser and I only  
got the ball rolling, so to speak. I rented the conference room at the  
Arboretum ($50 for two hours) and Libby and I got busy contacting  
illustrators. (At the time I lived in Downers Grove, just a few miles  
from the arboretum and Libby lived in Kankakee).  Others took over to  
make it a viable chapter. There was a little core of enthusiastic  
people from that first casual meeting. I still have the list somewhere  
of who offered to do which chores. With apologies for not remembering  
all the names of those in attendance, Rocio Jaramillo missed the train  
(I was supposed to pick her up) but wanted to be there for the first  
meetingNancy Halliday, Diane Dorigan was there as was Marlene, Amelia  
Janes came down all the way from Madison, WI.  Nancy Halliday offered  
to let us use her apartment for several meetings. At the time the  
illustrator at the arboretum voiced some concern about our taking over  
turf, but she was quickly won over. We were planning a first exhibit  
at Borders in Oak Brook but in the meantime I left Chicago area for  
good and lost all contact. joan

On Dec 3, 2009, at 5:59 PM, Kathleen Garness wrote:

Joan, I didn't know you were instrumental in organizing our local GNSI  
chapter! We're doing well - with two great exhibition opportunities  
last year at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum and one at the  
Schingoethe Center at Aurora University. A nice group, friendly,  
professional. We're meeting this Saturday at Morton Arboretum.

What a great legacy you've established! I'm always inspired by the  
other artists in our group. : )

Kathy

On Dec 3, 2009, at 4:00 PM, Joan Lee wrote:

> Emily, good luck with this!  After years of science illustrators  
> around Chicago saying, "we ought to get together,"  Libby Wasser  
> (med. illustrator) and I rented a conference room at the Morton  
> Arboretum then hand wrote invitations to all the illustrators we  
> could think of in the greater Chicagoland area. All illustrators,  
> not just science illustrators. The first "get together" (not a  
> meeting per se) was a  success, and eventually a gnsi chapter was  
> formed by others. Some good starter information: have a good central  
> location for the first few meetings and don't move too fast to form  
> anything formal. It will likely grow if you meet in fun places at  
> first.  Check with some of the Chicago people how the chapter is  
> doing now; I'm no longer there.
> joan
>
>
>
> On Dec 3, 2009, at 9:47 AM, Emily S. Damstra wrote:
>
> I'm thinking about starting an organization of science illustrators  
> in Southern Ontario. I imagine it would be like a chapter of the  
> GNSI, but at this point I'm only testing the waters to see how much  
> interest there is in starting some informal gatherings. We can look  
> into official Guild affiliation at some point in the future if  
> members decide that's what we want to do.
>
> Who: Natural science illustrators/artists who live in Southern  
> Ontario (or anyone willing to drive here)
>
> What: Connect with other illustrators in the region, create exhibit  
> opportunities, learn new stuff, visit places you've never been  
> before, invite guest speakers
>
> Where: This may depend on membership base, but I am envisioning  
> meetings/events at various locations in/near the Toronto-Kitchener- 
> Hamilton triangle. (I'm in Kitchener).
>
> When: A handful of meetings a year, starting in January 2010
>
> If you are interested in participating, please let me know OFF-LIST.  
> Tell me where you live and what you do. (For example, are you a  
> freelancer, staff artist, hobbyist, student, instructor, etc etc).  
> This will help me figure out where to have a first meeting and what  
> kind of interest there is.
>
> PLEASE FORWARD THIS to anyone you know who may be interested. Thanks.
> ---
> Emily S. Damstra
> freelance science illustrator
> Kitchener, Ontario
> (519) 578-3871
> [log in to unmask]
> www.emilydamstra.com
> www.cafepress.com/emilydamstra
>
>
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