A massive organic TAIL swept from the pond greeting early Friday arrivals at the annual conference of Latvian Artists in the Catskill Mountains. The tail, constructed of locally foraged natural materials, evolved during the day Friday – a mutual installation by Maruta Auģis, Rita Grenze, Linda Treija and Sarma Muižnieks Liepiņš. During the week-end the partially submerged pond TAIL continued to grow as other artists added their personal touches, compositional elements, even color.

Although TAILS was the 2011 concrete visual theme, the underlying themes of all the ALMA annual conferences continue to be genuine curiosity about recent works by our colleagues, discussions about recent shows, techniques, art reviews, curating decisions, film, literature, multi-media, inspiration, motivation and craft. Even the mandated business meetings of ALMA members on Saturday and Sunday mornings required frequent patient but firm steering back to the core agenda by the newly elected ALMA president Linda Treija. She managed this challenging task of focusing the energy of so many creative minds in one room with sensitivity and flair.

Random creative impulses were also quenched at a centrally located work-space outfitted with colorful abandon by Anna Annus Hagen. Plenty a quirky tail was “Made in the USA” – on site. And plenty an interesting tail was seen in the artworks at the annual show of ALMA member work premiered on Saturday afternoon.

The 2011 special lecturers were architect, photographer, blogger Anita Līce-Ribaka from Massachusetts, intriguing installation artist and sculptor Rita Grenze from Illinois and Janis Oga, book publisher and Director of the Latvian Literary Center from Rīga, Latvia. With classic Northern European reserved but candid humor Oga described the current book publishing industry in Latvia and curious regional laws encountered by Latvian book sellers at International Book fairs. (For example, strict fire codes in Sweden required the Latvian Book stand constructed entirely of specialty cardboard to resemble the new National Library of Latvia to be guarded around the clock by a crew of Swedish firefighters!)

Saturday evening was a literary treat, a true Book Fair, as Oga honored the ALMA authors of recently published books: E. Šturma (art criticism), V. Avens (poetry), N. Bulmanis (art criticism), L.Kaugars/L.Treija/U.Nīgals (Latvian folk costumes), I. Rumpeters (drawings).

The literary evening was enhanced by Laila Saliņš’ musical performance of mystical ballads, many adapted from the poetry of her late father G. Saliņš. Add to the mix the celebration of the 50th wedding anniversary of two of ALMAs founders I. and V. Avens (with a congratulatory note from President and Mrs. Obama read by Avens’ granddaughter), the annual fundraising auction and a midnight visit in the rain by some of the conference attendees to the nearby grave of poet L. Tauns to celebrate the publishing of his collected works and it was almost dawn before all was quiet.

Sunday morning discussions were dominated by future projects including the upcoming art exhibition at the XIII Latvian Song Festival in Milwaukee in 2012 and other exhibition opportunities. Treija and conference attendees introduced ideas on how to engage more of ALMAs members in the Midwest, Southwest and West Coast.

The hospitality of our host J. Briģis and her crew, as well as A. Berķis and D. Marga from ALMA and many volunteers kept others from having to fret about rooms, meals, technical equipment and clean-up. Thank you to all for a well organized, inspiring week-end!

by Sarma Muiznieks Liepins, ALMA 2011-2012 board member

Please make plans to join us in Elka Park, NY next fall for our next ALMA conference. The dates are: September 28th – 30th, 2012. Latvian artists, their friends and family are all welcome. Although most of the lectures and the annual meeting is conducted in Latvian, visual materials have no language barriers and everyone is accommodating of our members and guests who may feel more comfortable asking questions or adding comments in English.