The PCA TX fall meeting weekend began on a rainy Friday, October 28 when 16 members gathered for a TexMex dinner at Mesa Restaurant in Grapevine, Texas. Everyone enjoyed the dinner and catching up on summer travel adventures.
Saturday morning, 22 members gathered in the meeting room at the Comfort Suites DFW/N in Grapevine. There were also nine members watching on Zoom. At 10:00 AM, President Mike Taylor called the meeting to order, welcoming members and Guest Dealers Bill and Donna Pitt.
Treasurer and Membership Chair Jan Whitley reported that the balance in the Sunny Lou Peer Memorial Scholarship Fund is $2,240. Membership stands at 79 individuals representing thirty-eight cities and ten states.
President Taylor reported on the recent scholarship to Canadian glass artist Christina Callahan Callahan Weight and announced that a new weight from Christina will be auctioned at the upcoming April 15, 2023 meeting in College Station.
Art Elder made a presentation honoring Al Bates. Al and Marion watched online and daughter Kristine Bates accepted a gift in appreciation of Al’s three decades of service to PCA TX.
Webmaster Sam Terry reported that he continues his updating efforts and that the website received a record 287 hits in July. He reminded members that a link to the PCA TX Facebook Group is posted on the website. This group currently has 129 members. He welcomes suggestions for the website.
Members showed weights for Show and Tell- a signed Dan Schurer Orient & Flume weight, new Cathy Richardson and Richard Loesel weights and a group of colorful Chinese weights.
Following a lunch break, new member Don Warner drew the winning names for the donated Door Prizes.
Guest Dealer Bill Pitt’s [William Pitt Paperweights] wonderful afternoon program, Paperweight Related Objects, was a PowerPoint presentation covering the many varieties of related objects. His interest in both paperweights and paperweight related objects was a natural outgrowth of his longtime career in art glass. Pitt described a related object as “paperweight technique not in paperweight form.” He showed both antique and contemporary examples including vases, scent bottles, perfume bottles, tumblers, decanters, jewelry, buttons, door knobs, flatware, bells, tazzas, plates, candle sticks, and more!
The rain cleared shortly before the meeting was adjourned and members still had time to explore the many shops, galleries, and eateries along Grapevine’s historic Main Street.
We usually all dine together on Saturday night, but this time we all broke up into smaller groups and met at different venues.
