Associate Membership:

​                              A Testimony

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By Susan Houg

     About a year ago, I jumped into Suzi Birch’s watercolor class at Marble Rim Gallery in Ft. Jones.
The craft was interesting, the teacher welcoming, the companions personable, and I thoroughly
enjoyed myself. The second or third class, I heard about a thing called “Associate Membership”
or “Adjunct Membership.” I forget the exact wordage. I also heard about a need: there were too
few full members (the co-op artists themselves) to keep the store open as much as a store
should be open. Recently retired and with no place of service in the wider community, I decided
to pull the trigger and become that thing that begins with “A.”

     Believe me, I had qualms about ringing up sales, using the Quick Books program and the
Square device. So I asked to shadow someone a few times before going solo. That someone
was Cora Brownell, the de facto administrator of the Gallery. She patiently walked me through
all the procedures of opening and closing, turning on the lights, dusting and vacuuming the
area, picking up the mail, and - the bugaboo - Quick Books. I began to ring up a few sales now
and then and finally ventured a day alone.
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     I volunteer twice a month on days I choose, and attend the monthly business meeting. I love
being a part of something I heartily endorse: locally created fine art. I love the company of these
artists. Though there are many, many needs/opportunities to volunteer in Scott Valley, Marble
Rim Gallery is the place for me.