A new chapter for the WC! community

[keustice]

Hi all,

After taking responsibility for WetCanvas! more than 2.5 years ago from Scott, I never imagined how much it would change my life and how much I would learn supporting and growing a vibrant art community with 5+ million posts and 100,000+ members.

Over the last couple of years, my life has changed dramatically outside of WetCanvas! First, getting married and now having a baby. As you can imagine, I have found the job of being a mother to be all-consuming and I have loved (almost :o) every minute of it but it has made it very difficult for me to spend the time WetCanvas! deserves for maintenance and growth while still focusing on my family. Over the course of the next 30 days, I will be stepping down as administrator and owner of WetCanvas! and Art-Agent.

The community is in good hands. The new owner is F+W Publications, the people behind The Artist's Magazine, Watercolor Magic, and Pastel Journal. They have a passion for art and plan to preserve the heart and soul of the WetCanvas! community, while helping WetCanvas! enter the next chapter in its now 8-year history.

How will this change WetCanvas!? It should make the community only better. F+W will be posting alongside this post with their plans and intentions, but I know they have expressed to me their desire to keep all guides, moderators, and forums intact and to use their print publications and conferences to make WetCanvas! even better.

I'd like to thank all of you for your contributions to the WC! community over the years. WetCanvas! only works because of your contributions and passion for art. Please join me in welcoming F+W to the community.

I wish all of you the best and thank you for the time you've shared with me through WetCanvas! Please read on for a special message from David Pyle, Group Publisher for F+W Publications.

Thanks!!!
Kerri

[davidpyle]

I’m David Pyle, Group Publisher for The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic, and Pastel Journal. As you’re no doubt aware, the WetCanvas! forum and Art-Agent.com are now part of our publishing family.

Before I outline who we are and what we’ll contribute as the new stewards of the WetCanvas! community, it’s important to thank Kerri Eustice, the immediate past owner of WetCanvas!, as well as Scott Burkett, the original developer. The extraordinary vision, voice, and values of this community are a direct reflection of their leadership and dedication. We’re all indebted to Kerri and Scott for what they’ve built.

Now, about us… The Artist’s Magazine, Watercolor Magic, and Pastel Journal are the world’s leading technique and how-to publications for artists. We’re part of the F+W Publications group and we also publish North Light Books. But that only describes what we do. What about who we are…

We’re artists and writers. Like you. And many of us – myself included – are painters. Through my long participation with the arts community, I know many of you personally or through reputation. Many of us have participated on WetCanvas! forums, and all of us believe deeply in the power of community. That’s why this marriage with WetCanvas! is so important to us.

Many of our editors and writers will be actively involved in WetCanvas!. And we’ll be announcing the appointment of a new Lead Administrator very shortly.

It’s particularly important for us to acknowledge the current WetCanvas!, administrators, moderators and guides. You are – and will continue to be – essential to the health of WetCanvas!. We’ll do everything we can to ensure that your role continues to be richly rewarding and enjoyable.

In our direct capacity, we see ourselves, first and foremost, as stewards of this community. We will do all that we can to serve, support and maintain the qualities that make WetCanvas! so compelling for its citizenry. We will also invest in this site, offering new content, events, and activities that we hope will add richness and depth to your experience with WetCanvas!. Membership will, of course, remain free of charge.

And we will always listen. As long as we’re in this stewardship role, we’ll look to you to tell us what works, what needs work, and how we can better serve.

So, that’s where we’ll start – with asking and listening. We’d be grateful if you’d take a minute or two to pass along your thoughts on what you love about WetCanvas! and what can be done to improve it.

Please visit http://www.artistsmagazine.com/video/tam_tv.asp?showid=115333 to view a video welcome as well as a link to a survey that will help us better understand our role and responsibilities.

Thanks very much for your participation in this community. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of WetCanvas! with you.

Kind regards,
David Pyle

[keustice]

Also, I have created a Meet & Greet thread in the Site Discussions forum to officially welcome the F+W Publications family to the WetCanvas! community:
http://www.wetcanvas.com/forums/showthread.php?t=428065