The PCA TX Annual Meeting in Houston began Friday, March 3 at Houston Studio
Glass. Hosts Dick Moiel and Kathy Poeppel, along with prominent paperweight
artist David Graeber, worked together to create a beautiful goblet that
was auctioned at the meeting. Afterwards, 34 members enjoyed an Italian
dinner at Patrenella’s.
Saturday morning, members convened at the Condo Meeting Room at Four Leaf
Towers. At 10AM, President Carl Carter called the meeting to order welcoming
Guest Dealers Alan Kaplan and Susie and Scott Jacobson, Guest Artist David
Graeber and 44 members and visitors. Treasurer Bob White presented the
financial and membership reports. Membership stands at 75 individuals
representing 26 cities in 18 states.
Scholarship Chair Al Bates read scholarship recipient Chris Sherwin’s letter
recounting his experience at a Corning class taught by Victor Trabucco.
Sherwin expressed his gratitude to PCA TX and promised to send a paperweight
for auction at a future meeting.
Vice President Bates thanked Carl Carter for his fine leadership as president
and presented him with a David Graeber forget-me-not collar pin, a gift of
appreciation from the membership. Bob White was also recognized for his 25
years of invaluable service as treasurer.
We had an auction of three items: the collaborative goblet with a water lily
blossom encased in the stem, a pink lady slipper weight donated by David
Graeber, and a Jim Brown mawbrie weight donated by Leo Kaplan Ltd..
$1,100 was raised for the Scholarship Fund.
It was time for the Annual Election of Officers. Allen Boyd offered to
become president, Claire Terry then volunteered to stay on as secretary
and Sam Terry volunteered to become webmaster. The 2017 Slate of Officers,
including Al Bates as vice president and Bob White as treasurer, was
elected unanimously with a standing cheer of gratitude.
After a lunch break and door prizes, David Graeber presented “Make Glass
Great Again.” He gave a brief history of South Jersey glass and spoke of
his journey in glass, including his apprenticeship with Paul Stankard.
Graeber is still learning his techniques by both taking and teaching classes
and he is still taking risks to further his goal of “creating illusions with
movement, texture, colors and shapes.”
Saturday evening, Kathy Poeppel and Dick Moiel hosted an Open House and
Buffet at their home. Past President Sue Soy and Jack Jordan, who will soon
be moving out-of-state, were honored with a “Goodbye, Good Luck and Thanks”
cake and a round of applause. The evening was a spectacular event and a
celebration of PCA TX continuing into its 31st year.
Sunday, amid the rains, about 20 members gathered at the Pearl Fincher
Museum of Fine Arts in Spring, Texas to enjoy its latest exhibition—
“A Collectors Passion – Fine Art Glass Paperweights.” The paperweights are
on loan from a friend of the Pearl.
