Artist Support Group Holds First Meeting

The first meeting of the Artist Support Group will be this Sunday, April 3^rd , shortly after 12 noon in the Guild Room of St. Paul's Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103. Bring your own lunch.

This meeting will be a guided discussion of benefits which the group could offer such as tips for the business side of your art, income generating through your art and aids to productivity.

Many artists have expressed interest in this group on various levels of need. Some are concerned about a lack of inspiration and being "blocked". Others feel the need for an accountability group to aid their productivity. Still others want to know how to make a living without curtailing their art.

All of these needs are related: without inspiration your productivity is lowered which, in turn, limits the art that people will invest in, or base various kinds of financial support upon. Without financial support the artist has to do something else and the world is the poorer for it.

Under the sponsorship of St. Paul's Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, we hope this group will help artists work out solutions to these challenges and that more art will flow as a result. It is based on the model of mutual help, networking and occasional guest speakers.

All interested artists and arts supporters in all artistic disciplines (including writing and filmmaking) are invited to come. For more information call Donna's cell 760-445-9470, or e-mail Mark markarturner@gmail.com .

Get Gifts for Helping Our Film Grants

At the encouragement of some new advisers with experience in obtaining grants, we are developing proposals to submit to foundations.
These proposals will focus on gaining support for testing our idea of the Film-Gallery-Café, the venue with a conversational atmosphere where we envision exhibiting short art films and the physical art used to make them.
To Make A Prototype
The idea needs a prototype to be demonstrated in order to gain understanding and following. This requires special funding. For instance, production of "To the Diggers", one of the films in the initial collection, is making slow progress because computer programs need upgrading and Mark's time is taken up with immediate income crises. With proper funding this and other films awaiting production could take on a continuous daily schedule and have the right tools.
With major funding we could attract collaborators in the gallery and café expertise.

Where You Come In
Foundations are more open to funding projects which have a good donor base of individual, monthly pledges. You could be part of helping us attract major funding by pledging even a small monthly amount.
In appreciation for your pledge we have prepared gifts from Mark's Artingle shop for 2011 Pledgers!

For Pledges of $10, or more per month - a Christmas ornament to craft (click here to choose one)

For Pledges of $20, or more per month - Two Christmas ornaments to craft (click here to choose two)

For Pledges of $40, or more per month - The Nativity scene for you to craft (click here see it)

For Pledges of $100, or more per month - The Christmas Celebration Kit (click here see it)

Pledge by e-mailing to info (at) horizongate.org with a short note stating your pledge of any amount and your choice of ornaments (if applicable). We will send back a confirmation with your gift and our heartfelt thanks.

We Have Power of Place

Arts Home Base - Main house viewed from office/studio -- Here we can produce our films and art, house collaborating artists, and hold events. Situated in a mountain retreat setting near a historic California gold mining town, we neighbor other facilities which can house larger retreats and temporary production space. Helping us keep this property is a substantial boost to the creation of art and films which draw people to God. Through this place you can be an important factor in art and films which give countless people hope and courage to do great things.

When you apply for a job you expect the establishment to have some structure in which to work. Even if the job is out in the field, or on the road, you have someone someplace to relate to. We usually steer clear of a "business" which can not be found on the map.

So, too, artists usually need to operate out of more than the trunk of their car.

Ten years ago we were helped with a major gift to begin purchasing the place for our arts ministry. You can be part of the beauty and inspiration which now flows from this arts haven in the mountains around Julian, California. From here we have created art for ministries in Africa, Australia, North America and the global Internet. From this home base we assist and teach arts in our city as well as overseas. Having this place has made it possible to create art that carries the light of Christ around the world.

Please visit our "Art Gets Home" page http://indiegogo.com/Art-Gets-Home . Watch the video there to see pictures of the place. Listen to Mark's three-and-a-half minute presentation and peruse the levels of contribution from as low as $20. We are giving away signed art, photography and films as "thank you's" for contributions.

Use Our Landing Page to Go Everywhere

It is easier to find all our web sites. Artsgate.info is a landing page which we are using as the portal to the vision and support vehicles of Horizon Gate artists. You can click on links to web sites, Facebook pages, blogs, and Twitter. When we add another site, we will add it to Artsgate.info. You will also find videos, and you can tell others to use the buttons there to get this newsletter and to donate.

To Generate Money Think Outside the Box

Some arts and ministry supporters make giving a priority and sacrifice to honor it. But most supporters donate on the basis of discretionary income which, these days, is slim if any.

Our imaginative creativity and ingenuity can go beyond donating “as able”. Assets could be established which generate on-going income for ministry and the arts. Assets are things which earn money without you having to run them: investments, bonds, real estate, intellectual properties, residual income, etc. Many of us were not taught the difference between assets and liabilities, or, if so, we forget.

So, we accumulate many things which drain our income (liabilities) instead of thoughtfully purchasing assets which would generate income to support those missions and causes that tug at our hearts. Instead of paying the banks for a large collection of liabilities (debt with interest), imagine the abundance of being out of debt with the ability to give substantially to ministries and the arts. That would be a lot more fun!

Ask Mark and Donna, or visit http://www.graceproceeds.com , about their tool which makes that kind of fun possible.