11/24/2025
We had our annual Art Tour Meeting on Saturday at the Ojo Sarco Community Center. Thank you to all who attended.
Please consider taking on the role of Secretary. We need someone to take notes during the once-a-month meetings and email them to all participants of the tour. This would include a once-a-month agenda as well.
Also... we need people to be members at large to attend the monthly meetings and chair committees like:
Site Packets, Distribution, Brochure editing, Advertising, etc.
Please join us. It's time to step up.
……………High Road Artisans(HRA) Annual Meeting
…………………Saturday, November 22, 2025 2:00pm
……………….. Ojo Sarco Community Center
Mission: To provide vision, direction and tools to develop the arts of northern New Mexico as a means for residents to make a living from their craft while residing in their communities.
Program Description: Cooperative projects administered by HRA: the High Road Tour, a website advertising venue, and arts business education.
1. Call to Order, 2:08pm. Present: Joe Ortega, Nick Beason, Jean Nichols, Marge Garcia Loehr, Sadie Cooper, Judy Goldberg, Thayer Carter, Annalia Ariatti, Kimberly Polis, Melanie Maestas, Gloria Maestas, Ann Hendrie Nancy Davis.
2.Quorum reached (13 persons present)
3.Agenda approved by all, following the modification request that Policy Decisions (heading E on agenda) be discussed earlier in meeting so that Gloria might leave early.
4. Minutes for Meeting of September 6th to be sent out electronically so that all members are familiar with discussions. Approval of said minutes will be postponed until next HRA meeting in December.
5. OLD BUSINESS
Joseph Montoya video: all artists on list had videos taken. Fernando’s hard drive crashed and the last 2 were lost and must be redone (Marge Garcia Loehr’s and Kim’s). The final product will take 2-3 weeks after last person has been refilmed.
Thank you cards to Sponsors discussion: whether personal notes were sufficient or whether an ad in the Taos news or on social media would better amplify our gratitude? (The names of our sponsors are already published in the brochure). Since the holiday season is upon us now, it was decided that an ad would fail to communicate strongly. Rather, an ad around the dates of the Tour(late September) would be desirable for next year.Thank yous will be mailed out, as well as mentioned on social media.
The Brochure digital master copy is with Jeff Spicer; Kim will procure this master disc and back it up on hard drive of laptop
6. NEW BUSINESS
(E. on Agenda) Policy Additions regarding the Penasco Community Center: Gloria is advocating for scholarships to be permanently eliminated, as no complaints or requests arose from the membership regarding the fees to participate in the Tour this year. All agreed.
Penasco Cleaning Deposit: all agreed to charge unparticipating person/peoples a non-
Refundable Fee of $50.
The (entire) Penasco Community Center is now(already) rented for next year (2026) to avoid conflicting interests in controlling access to Center. The Youth Art Show could also be housed there, saving the $400 usually paid to the Theater to monitor the show. Instead, this money could be used for prizes. Thanks to Gloria for this footwork.
Report given on the ads posted in New Mexican Magazine ($500), Taos News ($3,300), Pasa Tiempo, Tempo, and digital on-line ($1,200). We spent a fraction of what was paid for ads in 2024($22,000). Kim managed to recover those funds with her grant writing and we have $21,363.68 in our bank account presently, which will enable us to apply for federal grants next year.
3 phases of advertising strategy: 1.) Rack cards in Taos: very successful; will propose to add Santa Fe to next year’s distribution. 2.) 18,000 brochures published. First invoice paid by Rio Arriba’s Lodger’s Grant. We have also a free ad in the Gifting Catalogue of the Santa Fe Community Foundation, which is seen by many wealthy art patrons.
3.) Distribution of brochures by Board members to a lengthy list of businesses, RV parks, visitor centers and artists’ clientele. Postage paid for with Rio Arriba Lodger’s Grant.
Items pending: Jeff Spicer is still owed $280 for Taos Winter Guide. Final meeting in December will show total of monies spent and final report of budget.
HRA new computer has been uploaded with the files from the old computer. There is a backup at Electric Sheep. Site files will be stored in SPOT container, along with flags and signs. ($50/yr)
Dreaming Forward: Real estate / building for Gallery Space
Sam.gov is a tough site to maneuver, so we paid someone to do it, and will continue to do so ($500). It is all up to date now and federally compliant Kim fixed all the non-compliance issues and fees were waived. It was very time consuming. 501 C-3 status saved.
Nomination of new Board members for 2026: Kim-President/ Bookkeeping.
Treasurer in training-Sadie Cooper (who is already familiar with Quick Books)
Vice President- Melanie Maestas
Members -at-large: Annalisa Ariatti, Marge Loer Garcia
Need a secretary, who has computer skills.
If possible, more chairmen of various committees are needed, who would also attend Board meetings (a chairman of site packets, advertisement, etc.).
Always need more people to be involved in all areas of organization!
Compilation of visitor numbers will hopefully be ready by next meeting.
NEXT MEETING :
December 28, 1:00pm Art for the Heart, Penasco
7. Adjournment at 4:00pm
