The New OWA+DP Website is Alive! Click Here
Become a Member! | Login https://owa-usa.org/newsletter.php?v=313

Newsletter | May/Jun 2003

Volume 31:3
Previous | Next | Current | Archive

If you would like to see corrections to this newsletter or to submit articles or suggestions for future newsletters please contact the Newsletter Editor.

In this issue:
Editor's Note - Mui Ho
Visit ArchVoices - John Cary

Editor's Note

by Mui Ho    |    Share #470

The Steering Committee has approved in our February meeting to hire Tara Lane as our new Administrative person and she will be furnished with a Mac laptop as the movable OWA office where OWA membership, bank account and other related information be stored. Tara will continue picking up mails and taking care of our transactions with our bamk and with our tax accountant.

San Francisco Bay to Breakers

by Mignon O'Young    |    Share #471

Sunday May 18, 2003
OWA meeting time: 9am

OWA meeting point: the giant BOW & ARROW sculpture on the Embarcadero between Folsom and Howard Streets.

Get ready for the infamous, wacky, and fun filled event of the year! OWA members, friends, and families will be participating as a group in this year's San Francisco Bay to Breakers. The race was born in 1912, and has attracted more and more people each year.

Real reason for you to join us in this race? To have fun, be with your friends and look at all the other crazy people in this great city! There will be water stops and first aid stations, and plenty of people to cheer us on. We'll have both a running group and a walking group and we'll find a way for both groups to meet up at the end of the race.

We'll be meeting on the afternoon of Sunday, May 11 to paint our cloth banner and brainstorm for more ideas. Additionally, please wear a red top of any shade so we can identify ourselves as a group and make it a little easier to spot each other in the crowd. And remember to layer your clothing since we have such unpredictable weather in San Francisco.


Distance:

Starting point:

Walkers start:

Runners start:

Course:

Finish line:

Registration:


12K / 7.46 miles

Howard and Spear Streets in San Francisco’s Financial District
Spear Street

Steuart Street

Howard Street (SOMA) ( Hayes Street ( Fell Street ( JFK Drive in Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park at the Great Highway

Adults = $32
Children 18 and under = $27

Registrants receive a runner number bib and race packet. Please note that registration ends Thusday, May 15, 2003. There will be no race day registration available. Visit www.baytobreakers.com to register of for further information

Race benefits: The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, Junior Achievement of the Bay Area, and Community Education Services

Post-race festival with food and entertainment: Footstock in Golden Gate Park.

At the end of the day, we'll need a few volunteer drivers to pick us up in Golden Gate Park. Please contact Mignon O'Young at 510-652-7176 if you are interested in volunteering in any way.

OWA Gala Dinner Recap

by Mui Ho    |    Share #472

The Gala Party came off with flying colors--the setting was beautidul; the food was great; the dance was wonderful; and we got to talk with new and old friends. The 140 attendees filled the 14 tables as planned. Members that we have not seen for over 20 years came and expressed interest in becoming involved with the organization again. They were most pleased to find the organization is still alive and well, and doing a good job for our growing membership and women in the design professions.

The value of small organization is the opportunity to get to know one's collegues and work closely with them. Our 30th Anniversary Gala planning started as far back as August 2000. Many members played a role in realizing the event, but we worked most closely with a six-person planning committee, which included Gilda Puente Peters (chair), Marda Stothers, Mignon O'Young, Danica Truchlikoca, Betty Woo, and myself. Together, we have been meeting contiuously for two and half years, and I think our work paid off.

I think it's important to point out that, very early on, our committee decided to extend the celebration throughout the whole year with an array of activities. At the same time, our committee also made a crucial decision to carry out the tasks ourselves, instead of hiring other professionals. This decision obviously limited the types of events we could manage with our limited time--after work. We did, however, have to forgo a few great ideas, such as producing a 30th Anniversary memorabilia, because of the design and production time was more than we could have taken on.

Each celebration event throughout this year has been headed by a member of the 30th Anniversary Committee. This person has been responsible for conceiving of and coordinating their respective events, with the help of other members. We found this to be a very fluid and sustainable model, and we also had the pleasure of working closely with each other in many different capacities. Most importantly, since the chairperson was only in charge of one event, we reduced the chance of people getting burnt out.

The good news is, our year is only half over, and there's many more exciting events ahead.

OWA Gala Dinner Photos Available

by Janet Crane    |    Share #473

Our event photographer, Lisa Lefkowitz, has arranged for the photographs of OWA's Gala Dinner to be available for purchase from the Pictage.com website. We have a set of proofs that includes casual shots of individuals and small groups, views of the room with the lovely table settings, and, of course, the large group shots. The photos are terrific and will make great mementos. The website is available until mid-September 2003.

To view the photographs, log on to www.pictage.com. Register your name and email address. Search by our event name "OWA 30th Anniversary Party." You can then browse amongst the photos, which are grouped by location, candids, groups, and speeches. To buy a photo, simply click on the shopping cart icon under it.

The photographs are high resolution digital prints. You can also choose the size from the first group of sizes listed under "Final Prints." The sizes range from 3.5"x5" to 10"x15". (The second and third categories of print size do not apply.) There are also buttons to crop, zoom in, change from vertical to horizontal, etc. The format of the final print is illustrated to be sure you have it right. I spent a bit of time with Customer Support on the phone and got the hang of how to manipulate these instructions. The software is very clever but needs patience to deal with all the loading, etc. And you can always call Customer Support, toll free at 877-PICTAGE (742-8243).

The cost of the prints is shown next to the print size when you select a photo. Prices range from $10 for a 4"x6" to $20 for an 8"x10" and up. The prints take four weeks to arrive.

If you still have problems with the website after calling Customer Support, you can come to my office to look at the proofs or call me at 415-398-4094 and perhaps I can help.

Orit Yanai – Special Effects in Painting

by Orit Yanai    |    Share #474

OWA member Lavina visited my studio a few years ago and encouraged me to join OWA. At first, I was hesitant, because I am not an architect or designer, but she kept sending me invitations to the different presentations and events. Since I am very drawn to the architecture/design world, I decided to attend, and, soon after, I became a Steering Committee member. It is an honor for me to be a part of this lovely organization, and I hope I can offer some of my humble knowledge to other members.

The primary purpose of this notice tell you more about my early painting days. When I was trying to come up with a name for my business, I quickly realized that all the good names related to faux finish companies were already taken. Since my own name is very distinct in this country, I decided to use it. And since what I do is broader than just faux finishes, I thought I should choose a name that captures exactly what I do. So, in 1994, when I started my own business, I decided to call it "Orit Yanai--Special Effects in Painting."

After working for a few years as a "regular"’ house painter for a couple of companies, I decided to become independent. A very good friend of mine studied faux finishes in Kenya, Africa, and she taught me a few basic principles of the trade. We planned on starting a business together, combining her experience in faux finishes and my experience as a licensed house painting contractor. However, shortly thereafter, she left the country--and she left me with her studio, a few professional painting books, and some fancy brushes. From that point on, I’ve been on my own.

I learnes some faux finishing techniqes ( like marble and granite imitation, wood graining, and some wall washers), but I mostly "played" at my newfound studio with different techniques and materials. In each technique I learn, I always aim to find the most subtle way of expressing it, and I always tell my clients that in faux, "less is more."

My jobs so far include wall finishes; different techniques of glaze application, plaster application and manipulation, murals for children’s rooms, kitchen cabinet finishes, floor painting, as well as some furniture finishes. I also do color consultation for both interiors and exteriors. My work has taken me to new and old residences, all over the Bay Area. Best of all, I still have the studio that I ‘inherited’ from my friend nine years ago, which is located in the Artists Community at Hunters Point in San Francisco.

Since 99% of my work is on-location, I use the studio to experiment with different techniques, as well as a gallery of my special effects in painting. I created what I call my "Gallery of Walls," by dividing the studio with panels. Each panel has a different effect on it: glaze washes, plaster applications, and some children's murals.

On Monday, May 5, I plan to host OWA members at my studio for a presentation of my work, as well as my portfolio, which includes pictures of homes I've painted. I will talk in detail about my work from a technical point of view as well as business point of view. I also plan to openly discuss the advantages (and disadvantages) of using special effects in painting. The presentation will take about 40 minutes, plus a brief question and answer period thereafter. Hot tea and goodies will be provided.

Visit ArchVoices

by John Cary    |    Share #475

OWA members are encouraged to visit www.archvoices.org to learn more about a unique grassroots organization, based here in the Bay Area. Emphasizing the many 'voices'’ of our profession, the organization goes by the name of ArchVoices -- an independent, nonprofit (501c3) think tank on architectural education and internship. It was started in May 1999 as a single email to a handful of friends and acquaintances in an effort to start a dialogue about issues affecting young architecture professionals.

Growing by little more than word of mouth, ArchVoices’ now-weekly email newsletter has attracted over 13,500 readers from around the world. In September, ArchVoices has offered to publish a special issue to celebrate the 30th anniversary of OWA. All 150 issues of ArchVoices’ newsletter are available online at the website listed above, and are supplemented by extensive editorials, resources, statistics, and more. The site also includes two pages dedicated to issues affecting and resources for women and traditionally underrepresented groups within the architecture profession. Other ArchVoices initiatives include annual conferences, surveys, and even an essay writing competition, all of which focus on issues affecting young professionals.

For more information on ArchVoices, visit the website listed above, email info@archvoices.org, or call John Cary at 510-757-6213.
Contact us at mail@owa-usa.org
Follow us at  
           

by check or PayPal