Artists' Workshop of New Smyrna Beach

Artists’ Workshop, Inc.
of New Smyrna Beach

Revised May, 2023

ARTICLE I

The name of this organization shall be: Artists’ Workshop, Inc. of New Smyrna Beach, Florida (Hereinafter referred to as the Workshop). Its principal place of business and studio shall be located at 540 Barracuda Blvd, New Smyrna Beach, in Volusia County, Florida (Mailing address: Artists’ Workshop, Inc. P.O. Box 1194, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32170) and the Gallery shall be located at 115 Canal Street, New Smyrna Beach or at such other locations that the Board of Directors may designate. Artists’ Workshop is incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida and has all powers as provided for in Chapter 617 of the Florida Statutes, and the Internal Revenue Service Code, 501 (C) (3) Corporation .

ARTICLE II

The Artists’ Workshop of New Smyrna Beach strives to enrich our natural coastal community by offering a supportive, vibrant environment that provides opportunities to learn, create, exhibit, and appreciate art.

ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The membership of the Workshop shall be composed of artists and others interested in promoting its objectives.
Section 2. Membership shall be divided into the following categories:
(a) Members: shall be entitled to participate in art classes and workshops at a discounted rate. They may exhibit their work at Workshop sponsored exhibits. (See ARTICLE IX)
(b) Honorary Members: shall have all the privileges of membership without payment of dues. having been selected by the Workshop to express appreciation of past services or generosity in support of the organization. All past presidents shall automatically become Honorary Members
(c) Life Members: upon adoption of the 2019 by-laws, this category shall be closed. Present Life Members shall have the same privileges as a member in good standing.
Section 3. Only Members, Honorary, and Life Members of the Workshop, are eligible to vote. Voting shall be based on a simple majority.
Section 4. Quorum for voting purposes shall be 10% of total membership and shall be based on a simple majority.

ARTICLE IV DUES

Section 1. Membership dues shall be payable yearly, in the month that members had previously joined. Dues will be considered delinquent if not paid within 30 days and the members name will be removed from the current list of members. They will not have any of the privileges of membership until dues are paid.

ARTICLE V QUALIFICATION

Section 1. A person will be accepted as member upon filling out an application and paying the current dues. Membership will last for one year from that date and be eligible for renewal yearly.
Section 2. A member may be expelled or suspended for just cause presented to the Board of Directors in writing, with an affirmative vote of at least 51% of those present at a regularly scheduled board meeting. The member in question shall have the opportunity to appear and present his/her case before the board.
Section 3. When a member resigns, or if connection with the Workshop is otherwise severed, the member shall cease to have any interest in the Workshop or property, or affairs, or franchise.

ARTICLE VI OFFICERS

The officers of the Workshop shall be as follows: President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
The four elected officers, up to six appointed committee chairpersons, and up to five additional “members-at-large” along with the immediate past president, shall constitute the Board of Directors. “Members-at-large” may be current or former AW members, or community/business members with an interest in furthering the mission of the Artists Workshop. All Board members must be (or become if taking a Board position) a member of the Artists’ Workshop These members-at-large will be appointed by the President after approval by consensus of the Board. All Board members shall serve for three years unless re-elected or until their replacement is elected. Any Board Member may be removed from office for absence without cause from three consecutive meetings. The Steering Committee, comprised of the four elected officers and the Past President, will meet at the request of the President.
DUTIES OF OFFICERS Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Workshop and perform such duties as the office requires; be ex-officio member of all committees (except the Nominating Committee) and shall keep all important papers pertaining to the Workshop safely stored. In the event that any elected officer or appointed committee chairman resigns, the President may, with Board approval, appoint a successor. The President will direct and supervise the hiring and development of work plans for administrative staff. The President will liaison with Community Organizations in the NSB area, such as Chamber of Commerce, Historic District, attending their functions when possible.
The President will work closely with our landlord, the Marine Discovery Center (MDC), to negotiate leases, promote sustainability for our organization on the current property, and create opportunities for shared programming for adult and youth education relating to art and the environment.
Section 2. The Vice President shall act as President in his or her absence and otherwise assist the President as he or she shall desire; and will serve as Program Chairperson.
Section 3. The Secretary (or Administrative Assistant) shall keep a record of all board and general meetings of the Workshop.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall have oversight of the funds of the Workshop from any sources derived and shall render an account of them as requested. Treasurer shall work with accountant closely, and will make sure that all required financial forms are filed in a timely manner.
Section 5. The immediate Past President shall act as a mentor for new President, guiding her/him through the many duties and intricacies of the position during the first year in office.
Section 6. All officers of the Workshop and all chairmen of committees shall provide a written summary report of their responsibilities at the November board meeting of the Workshop. Copies of these reports will be provided for attachment to the minutes of the December meeting.
Section 7. The term of office for all officers shall be three years, not to exceed two consecutive terms in the same office, unless the Board decides that extenuating circumstances exist in which an extended term of a current Officer would be of crucial benefit to the organization. Such circumstances might include: interruptions and shut-downs of programs and premises due to pandemics or other medical emergencies; major initiatives in progress in conjunction with other organizations (or on our own) which require continuity of strong leadership; lack of qualified candidates to replace current Board officers; and any other serious circumstance as deemed by the majority of the Board.
Section 8. Elected officers must reside in the New Smyrna Beach/Volusia County vicinity for a minimum of 6 months and be available periodically for consultations or Board responsibilities, the other six months.
Section 9. The outgoing president shall automatically become a member of the board for one year.
Section 10. Quorum for board meetings shall be five (5) members eligible to vote.

ARTICLE VII MEETINGS

Section 1. Regular meetings open to the membership shall be held at least once each quarter. Additional meetings may be held at the call of the president, or in his or her absence, by the acting president. The full Board of Directors shall meet once every other month, and the Executive Board shall meet every month. The Board may modify this schedule as necessary.
Section 2. The AWI fiscal year begins January 1st and ends December 31st.

ARTICLE VIII

COMMITTEES, Nominating, Auditing, and Others
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five (5) members. Two (2) shall be solicited from its general membership. One (I) shall be appointed by the President, and Two (2) shall be selected from the current Board members by October 15th. The Nominating Committee shall then elect a Chairperson who shall present the proposed slate of officers mentioned in ARTICLE VI to the Artists’ Workshop at the November meeting, or by online communications, prior to November 20th. Elections shall take place (online or in-person) by December 1, and installation of newly elected officers will take place at the December meeting. Any member may nominate another member for an Officer’s position (provided that consent of the nominee has been obtained) in writing online, or by paper request to the AW office. Officers shall be elected by a voice vote of members present and voting. In lieu of in-person voting, the Board may decide to use electronic and/or paper voting to disseminate candidate information and facilitate voting.
Section 2. An Auditing Committee of two (2) shall be appointed by the president at the January meeting. They will work with the Treasurer to review the records, plan a proposed budget and certify the accuracy of the bank balance as of December 31st, the end of our fiscal year.

ARTICLE IX

ANNUAL EXHIBIT

At least once a year there shall be a Workshop exhibition of original works of members for public viewing. All works submitted must have been created within two (2) years prior to exhibition, and not previously exhibited in an Annual Members’ Show.
The Annual Members’ Show will be a juried exhibit. (Rules for eligibility – See ARTICLE X)

ARTICLE X EXHIBITION RULES

Section 1. All Members, including reinstated members, must be in good standing as of one month prior to annual Members’ Show to be eligible. Example: If Show is 3/15- prior eligible date is 2/15

ARTICLE XI

Activities requiring approval of Board of Directors at regularly scheduled meetings will include
Section 1. All outside activities undertaken in the name of the Workshop.
Section 2. Requests for donations, or fund-raising activities.
Section 3. Offers of unusual or large donations to the Workshop.
Section 4. Any expenditure in excess of $1500.00 for capital improvements or major maintenance of facility.
Section 6. Any major changes in gallery exhibition procedures, standards, or eligibility rules.
Section 7. Recommendations for substantial change in operating procedures

ARTICLE XII

AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

The by-laws of this organization shall be made, altered or rescinded by a majority vote of those choosing to vote at either a regular meeting, or online voting, provided that due notice thereof has been given at a regular meeting, or by electronic communications, or by Workshop Newsletter publication.
An amendment must first be presented to the Board, who will accept or reject it, and if accepted, will disseminate it to the membership. After a minimum of two weeks, it shall be voted upon by the membership at an in-person meeting, or online. Changes will become effective upon an affirmative majority vote by the membership who voted.

ARTICLE XIII

In all points not covered by the charter and by-laws, Roberts Rules, of Order, Newly Revised, shall govern the procedure of the meeting. Copy of Rules will be in library.

Studio & Gallery

​540 Barracuda Blvd
New Smyrna Beach
FL 32169

​(386) 424-9254

Gallery on Canal St.

115 Canal St
New Smyrna Beach
FL 32168

(386) 424-9254

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PO Box 1194
New Smyrna Beach
FL 32170

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Environmental Considerations

Disposal of Paint Waste Water

 

Download printable PDF: Environmental Considerations Disposal of Paint Waste Water

Artists’ Workshop has instituted two paint waste water disposal processes at our studio facility.

  • These processes apply to the dirty water that is created when painting with watercolor, gouache and acrylic or when using glue in a mixed media project.
  • Oil painters will not pour pigments or solvents into the sink and will dispose of their waste by removing it from the site.

Why are we doing this?

As artists, we want to help in keeping our groundwater as unpolluted as possible. Additionally, our lease requires it. The Wildlife Foundation of Florida is our landlord and the following statement is in our lease: “Sub-sublessee shall not use, generate, store, produce, place, treat, release, or discharge any contaminants, pollutants, or pollution, including, but not limited to, hazardous or toxic substances, chemicals, or other agents (except those used, stored, generated, and disposed of by sub-lessee in the operation of its allowed use of the sub-subleased premises) on, into, or from the sub-subleased premises or any adjacent lands or waters. Sub-sublessee shall only use, store, generate, and dispose of such hazardous substances in strict accordance with the law.”

The EPA holds a non-household facility, like Artists’ Workshop, to tighter disposal restrictions than it would for a household.

What does this mean to us?

We have consulted Jennifer Stirk, an environmentalist at the Tomoka Landfill about proper disposal of our waste water. She told us that

  1. We cannot dump waste water onto the ground.
  2. She also said that any waste water containing toxic substances cannot be poured down the sinks or disposed of in the Tomoka landfill. The list of EPA toxic substances is: arsenic, barium, cadmium, lead, mercury and selenium. Cobalt is not on this list and “hues” of these are usually okay, such as “Cadmium Yellow Hue” as they are made of other yellows, not using cadmium.
  3. It is best to discard a solid instead of washing everything down a drain. Allow unneeded paint to dry on the palette or in the jar and discard it in the trash.
  4. Acrylic pigments cannot be poured down the sinks.

What are we doing to address this?

We will be using 2 processes, the pigment disposal process and the sand disposal method. The first method is described on the “Just Paint” newsletter March 1996 from Golden Paint. The second process has been recommended by Kevin Tobin, a Golden Paint representative. Watercolor, gouache and glue waste water can be emptied into our sinks as long as no toxic substances are present. (If using glue with an acrylic project, it is recommended that the artist keep the glue water separate and pour it down the drain. It doesn’t pour well through the filter system in the pigment disposal process.) The pigment disposal process can be used for acrylic waste water as long as no toxic chemicals are present. The sand method can be used for both watercolor waste and acrylic waste either with or without toxic substances.

In both instances, artists need to wipe their brushes and palettes on paper towels and rags before rinsing in the water to reduce the amount of water used. These paper towels and rags will be put in the Tomoka Landfill garbage for proper disposal in the landfill. Once wiped off, rinse out the brushes in no more than two inches of water in your waste water container.

Pigment Disposal Process

This process uses a chemical reaction called flocculation to separate the water and the pigment. Once the clear water is skimmed off the top, the pigment is filtered and the filter is disposed of in the trash. This process cannot be used with toxic paints.
It uses common garden chemicals which are hazardous so read label precautions. Gloves are provided.

The instructions are as follows:

  1. Dump your waste water into the 5 gallon container in the studio filling it to either the one or 2.5 gallon level. 2.5 gallons is the maximum that can be processed in the 5 gallon container.
  2. Using the glass jar, mix the proper amount of aluminum sulfate into the jar, add a few ounces of clean water and mix thoroughly. For one gallon, use a well-rounded half Tablespoon. For 2.5 gallons of water, measure 1.5 Tablespoons. Pour into the waste water and stir vigorously with a wood paint stick.
  3. Add the proper amount of powdered lime and stir vigorously. For one gallon, this is a scant ¾ Tablespoon. For 2.5 gallons of water, measure 1 ¾ Tablespoon lime. Within a few minutes, flocculation of the solids should begin to occur. You should start to see a clear layer of water forming very quickly as the solids settle to the bottom. If, after several minutes, flocculation has not occurred, repeat steps 2 and 3.
  4. After the solids have settled, scoop off as much of the clear water as you can, using the pitcher, and pour it down the drain or outside.
  5. Assemble the filtering equipment as follows: Place TWO filters in the metal funnel and put them over another empty 5 gallon container. Pour the remaining dirty water onto the filters after flocculation has occurred. After the dirty water has been poured through the filters, the water in the 5 gallon container should be clear. If it is not, pour less into the filters in steps and let it filter through before adding more dirty water.
  6. Place the used filters into the garbage can with the other waste going to the Tomoka Landfill. The clean water in the 5 gallon container can now be poured outside on the ground or down the sinks.

Sand Disposal Method:

This process uses evaporation of the water out of the sand in a bucket.

Instructions are as follows:

An alternative method is available for disposing of waste water resulting from washing off brushes used for acrylic paints. There is an orange 5-gallon container in the large (north) studio filled 3/4rds of the way up with playground sand. During classes and open studio sessions, the bucket will be kept outside in the full sun. It is important that the bucket receive 5-6 hours of sunlight and that the lid be kept open (assuming it’s not raining). In the event of rain, the bucket will be kept indoors and, when not in use, a lid has been provided only if it must be kept outdoors. A ‘dent’ was first made in the top middle of the sand. After each day’s session, monitors or instructors are asked to simply turn over the sand lightly and restore the depression in the top surface of the sand.

As acrylic artists paint and need to clean off their brushes, they should first wipe them off on rags, paper towels or old phone books. We will attempt to keep some old phone books in the studios for our use. Once wiped off, rinse out brushes in NO MORE THAN TWO INCHES of water in your waste water container. No more water than this is needed to rinse off brushes and it is critical to the success of this process that acrylic artists don’t use too much water. It doesn’t matter if you use Cadmium-, Cobalt- or lead-based paints, or mix your colors with medium. The waste water is then poured into the sand bucket, which is, ideally, going to be kept outdoors during studio hours. The bucket should be kept in a sunny location, one which gets between 5-6 hours of sun per day, and in the event of rain, under an eave or awning to protect it.

The bucket has been placed on a luggage cart with wheels so that it can be moved easily in rainy season/weather to a shielded area. The sand bucket should be kept uncovered, and at the end of the day, brought indoors to one of our studios. Thanks to the sun, the waste water evaporates, leaving only the pigmented sand behind. Periodically (as mentioned above), the sand should be turned over with the trowel. This method is advocated as an alternative by Golden paint and by one of its artist representatives, Kevin Tobin. Kevin has used his sand bucket without ever recycling the sand for twenty years. In fact, he brought it here from CA! If the AWI ever needed to get rid of the sand (but it would never need to do that), Kevin has advised that it would need to cover the bucket and take it to a hazardous waste dump site. Golden alternatively suggested using the pigmented sand to create a sculpture from concrete. Kevin developed this method after consulting the local DEP and federal EPA.

The trick is to ensure that folks don’t use a lot of water in their buckets (no more than 2″) and that they first wipe off brushes of excess acrylic paint/medium before dunking them in rinse water. If artists use too much water or don’t wipe off excess paint, the sand method will not work.

Assuming our 5-gallon bucket works out, we will purchase another one or two containers for the sand method. Everyone’s cooperation in introducing this alternative method is requested.

Environmental Considerations: Disposal of Paint Waste Water
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