Guidelines revised and approved by SMG Committee on September 14, 2009, submitted to NMWS Board on September 21, 2009; and approved by Membership.

Signature Group Guidelines

A. Purpose

In 1988 the Signature Membership Group (SMG) began as a satellite group of the New Mexico Watercolor Society (NMWS) to:

1. Establish further long-range goals for members of NMWS;

2. Provide opportunities for professional encounters, both educational and inspirational, for SMG

   members;

3. Provide opportunity for group public exposure for SMG;

4. Help build an educational visual aids library for the NMWS membership;

5. Function as a senior advisory group to the NMWS in an effort to maintain the highest standards

   for NMWS.

B. Eligibility and identification

In order to use the initials NMWS, following his/her signature, the artist must have exhibited in five of the following New Mexico Watercolor Society juried shows: NMWS spring or fall exhibitions, NMWS Southern Chapter spring exhibition, Western Federation of Watercolor Societies (WFWS), and/or Masterworks. The Masterworks Miniature exhibition does not apply. Only two shows per year are counted for eligibility. Only one painting per show is eligible. The total of five shows must have been reached within five years.

Each artist is responsible for keeping his/her own records for verifying membership eligibility. Once the NMWS signature is certified for the artist, the initials may always be used, however in order to participate and exhibit with the NMWS Signature Member Group, each member must:

1. Be a current dues-paying member of NMWS;

2. Have fulfilled the requirements for membership with the SMG as stated above;

3. File an application for membership (to be obtained from the SMG Membership Chairman) along

   with a resume or brochure, two 4” x6” photographs representative of his/her work, and a check in the amount of $10 for initiation fee.

The SMG member can update their photographs or resume at any time in the future. These will be filed with SMG Membership Chairman and kept for reference in answering inquiries about members.

In the New Mexico Watercolor Society Directory and all NMWS official publications, the initials, NMWS, shall follow the name of each member who has earned this distinction. A specially-designed certificate, with the signature member’s name, will be issued to each person at the time he/she has fulfilled membership requirements.

C. Business Management

The day-to-day functions and business of the SMG shall be conducted by a committee (hereinafter referred to as the SMG committee) consisting of a General Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Exhibitions

Guidelines revised and approved by SMG Committee on September 14, 2009, submitted to NMWS Board on September 21, 2009; and approved by Membership.

Chairman, Social Chairman, Special Projects Chairman and special Events Chairman. The past General Chairman shall serve in a non-voting advisory capacity for the sake of continuity and history. There shall be a minimum of two meetings per year of the Committee. A quorum is a majority vote of the SMG Committee.

The calendar year of the SMG shall be January to December. In January, the SMG Committee reviews the SMG Guidelines, makes recommendations for SMG Committee replacements, and handles old and new business. In February, a joint luncheon meeting of the old and new chairmen shall be held. Reviewed and/or revised Guidelines are read, plans for the coming year discussed, committees formed, all chairmen selected and the gavel passes.

The SMG Committee is responsible for seeing that all signature members are informed of activities and events through the NMWS Brushstrokes on a monthly basis.

Offices of the SMG Committee are held for a term of two years. Each chairman shall keep a cumulative record of the committee’s yearly activities and turn this information over to his/her successor. Where possible, it is suggested that SMG Committee members work with an alternate-in-training. Alternates may attend SMG Committee meetings and be proxy for that chairperson. Duties of each chairman are as follows:

SMG General Chairman:

1. Determines that all SMG Committee members function satisfactorily. In the event a replacement is required, is empowered by the SMG Committee to appoint a replacement;

2. Participates as the Signature Member Group representative at all NMWS Board meetings or delegates an alternate committee member as a replacement.

3. Represents SMG at all pubic functions of MNWS;

4. Presents awards of membership during the regular presentation of awards at the reception

   of the NMWS exhibitions;

5. Calls and presides over a minimum of two SMG Committee meetings a year. At the meeting

   in January, oversees the review of the SMG Guidelines, accepts recommendations for SMG Committee replacements, and handles old and new business. The second meeting in February shall be a joint luncheon meeting for the changeover from outgoing to incoming chairmen. The general chairman passes the gavel to the new one. Any other SMG Committee meetings during the year may be called at the discretion of the General Chairman.

6. At the end of the SMG Committee year (December), prepares and distributes to all signature members (through the Brushstrokes) and NMWS Board, an annual report in the form of a letter reviewing the past year’s activities and plans for the future. As a matter of information, the letter should inform the NMWS Board and signature members of the incoming SMG Committee Chairmen and the state of the SMG Treasury.

Guidelines revised and approved by SMG Committee on September 14, 2009, submitted to NMWS Board on September 21, 2009; and approved by Membership.

SMG Membership Chairman:

1. Maintains records of all membership, current and pending;

2. Keeps records of all NMWS exhibitions including filing current catalog for reference, working

   with NMWS and General Chairman and SMG to assure that certificates of membership are

   prepared for those who become qualified;

3. Verifies applications, processes new members, keeps SMG members’ slide/photograph file,

   and works in cooperation with the NMWS to keep accurate records of all signature

   members;

4. Assumes the position of SMG General Chairman in the second year of a two-year term;

5. Assures that the criteria for signature membership is included in the prospectus of each

   NMWS exhibition;

6. Submits to Brushstrokes, prior to each exhibition, criteria for SMG membership, along with

   the SMG Membership Chair’s contact information, enabling prospective members to request an application for signature membership.

SMG Secretary-Treasurer:

The Secretary shall:

1. Keep minutes of all SMG Committee meetings, as well as any general SMG meetings;

2. Provide SMG Committee minutes to the chairmen;

3. Handle necessary committee correspondence.

The Treasurer shall:

1. Manage finances in accordance with the section of these SMG Guidelines under D>

   Financial Policy;

2. Make a report on the bank account at each official meeting of the SMG Committee;

3. Prepare a financial statement for the General Chairman’s annual report;

4. Make the SMG financial statement available to the NMWS Treasurer at the end of the

   fiscal year (June 30) to be audited when the NMWS accounts are audited.

SMG Exhibition Chairman:

1. Plans and executes an annual juried exhibition for signature members, recruiting other signature members for assistance;

2. Each current chair will arrange a location and date of exhibition for the following year for the incoming chair;

3. Works with the SMG Committee to determine method of selection of entries, and set entry fees to deter exhibition expenses;

4. Coordinates transportation for the paintings if exhibition is out of town.

SMG Special Events Chairman:

1. Plans and executes a retreat or educational opportunity, including but not limited to, painting, critiques, art education and planning sessions. Other signature members may be recruited to assist.

Guidelines revised and approved by SMG Committee on September 14, 2009, submitted to NMWS Board on September 21, 2009; and approved by Membership.

SMG Special Projects Chairman:

1. Acts as head of a resource group. These resources become the property of the NMWS library.

2. Functions as SMG Historian.

SMG Social Chairman:

1. Plans and executes one or more social events throughout the year, in cooperation with NMWS workshop chairman, giving signature members the opportunity to exchange ideas with visiting workshop artists, etc.

2. Works with SMG Committee on budget for the events and submits report and receipts on all expenses.

3. Makes sure all signature members are invited to the functions, either by mail or notice in the Brushstrokes.

D. Financial Policy

In 1994 a separate operating account was set up for the Signature Member Group to be managed by the SMG Committee. Checks are signed by the SMG Treasurer and co-signed by the SMG General Chair. Monies shall be disbursed with approval of the SMG committee. A statement of the account shall be audited when the NMWS accounts are audited at the end of the fiscal year (June 30). The General Chairman shall include a financial statement in his/her annual report to SMG members and the NMWS Board.

Sources of Funds:

1. Each year when the NMWS Directory is published, the SMG shall receive from NMWS, 10 percent of NMWS dues for each dues-paying SMG member.

2. A one-time $10 initiation fee is charged each new Signature Member applicant, by SMG, to finance activities and mailings.

3. Any incidental funds coming to SMG through socials, retreats, exhibitions, etc.

It shall be the financial policy of SMG that members participating in its activities shall pay their own individual expenses and the SMG committee shall manage funds conservatively.

E. Amendments to the SMG Guidelines:

Any amendments to these Guidelines, approved by the SMG Committee, shall be:

1. Submitted to the NMWS Board;

2. Printed in the Brushstrokes in letter form to the Signature members;

3. Presented for a vote by ballot to SMG members