The December 1995 newsletter printed the following:
     "Several Guild members participated in very successful Studio Tour weekends organized by COVA in October:
Mary Coman, Carol Leach, Marie Wordell, M. Sue Hiatt, Ken Goldman, W. Haase Wojtyla, Edwin Wordell, Johanna Hansen, Annette Paquet, Susan Osborn, Stephanie K. Goldman, and Holly Weston.

     This was in the August 1996 newsletter:
Tour to Balboa Art Conservation Center
     "On July 25th the Artists Guild members toured the facilities of the Balboa Art Conservation center with raving reviews. 'Informative, fascinating, invaluable information for artists and it's free!' We would like to thank the staff of the conservation center for their gracious hospitality."

     In the August 20, 1996 minutes this was recorded:
     "Judith Jarcho reported on the Mondavi Winery as a location to replace the Lyceum."

     The Guild co-sponsored with the La Jolla Athenaeum Music and Arts Library an "Artists Books Juried Exhibition and Programs." It included an exhibition, a juried All California Artists Book Exhibition that ran from July 27 through August 31, 1996, and a series of lectures.

     This was recorded in the September 17, 1996 minutes:
     At the board meeting David Kencik announced that a form for the Guild's use of SDMA name and logo was being made.
     This was recorded in the October 15, 1996 minutes:
     The Board unanimously rejected a proposal that their exhibitions be self-supporting without SDMA underwriting.
     This was recorded in the November 19, 1996 minutes:
A committee for setting up a memorial fund for future exhibits. It was announced that Helen Dowd had passed away and her name would be added to the fund. It was also voted "that the museum pay for all costs of all Artists Guild exhibits in the Museum. The San Diego Artists Guild will reimburse the museum with 50% of revenues taken in at each show."
     This was recorded in the December 17, 1996 minutes:
     Steve Brezzo said it was difficult to have more than one juror. He also "was not closed to the idea of a monthly, museum-juried Guild member art piece being placed next to the elevator in the Museum foyer with a portion of any sales going to the Museum. However, he pointed out that the Museum cannot act as a gallery."
     This was recorded in the January 21, 1997 minutes:
     It was suggested that a brief history of the Guild be placed in the Guild show catalog and hung on the wall at the Mondavi exhibit as well.

     The Guild continued its annual tradition of having "Winter Galas" throughout the 1990's. They were the premier social event for the members to get together and have a party.

     On Feb. 7, 1997 the Annual Artists Guild Exhibition opened to a surprised Guild. The juror, Lynn Schuette, President of the Guild, Tamara Krupchak, and Director, Steve Brezzo jointly decided it would be an open show, salon hung and all entries accepted. The Board of the Guild was not consulted or notified. The reaction from the artists was for the most part, one of outrage, both at the show itself and the lack of consultation about the juror's decision. However a small minority thought the show was outstanding, including Robert Pincus, art critic for the Union Tribune, who gave it a very favorable review. The opening drew 1,100 people.
     On February 11, 1997, the Guild Board held a special fact finding meeting. "We understand it was the juror's idea. The purpose of this meeting is fact finding, so that we can resolve problems that currently exist in the membership concerning the change in the format of the exhibition. Tamara has graciously consented to answer our questions. We will give her our uninterrupted attention while answering these questions. At the end of these questions you will each have an opportunity to ask your own questions."
     A very long questionnaire for the membership was drafted, which covered all of the Board's concerns, specifically why they were not informed of the change of procedure by the juror. (Note: Tamara told the author that the reason behind not informing the Board was that she felt that they would overrule the juror's choice and the show would not be allowed to continue as planned. she did however get the approval of the SDMA director, Steve Brezzo.)

     The following was recorded in the February 18, 1997 minutes:
     Several artists criticized the planning and handling of the current Guild exhibit. Jeannie Branscomb, Secretary wrote: "The principal criticism was lack of communication (as to status of the show after the jurying) between the President, Tamara Krupchak and the Board. It was felt that it was Tamara's responsibility to inform the Board of changes to the Exhibit made by the Juror (Lynn Schuette), and/or the Museum Staff (Steve Brezzo and David Kencik)… Instead Tamara accepted the concept for the Board. Wanting to surprise the artists, she thought that the artists would be thrilled to discover at the reception that all the art entries were included in the exhibit (not only the Juror's choice). Unfortunately, the surprise was not well-received by some of the Board Members, causing anger, confusion, and resentment."
     There was a lot of discussion and comments from letters were read and a committee was formed to set up strict guidelines for future exhibitions. It was announced that the next Winter Gala would be held at Judith Jarcho's home on March 8, 1997 from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

     The Board of Directors also sent out to the entire membership a member survey called the Board Evaluation worksheet for the 1997 Artists Guild Juried Exhibition. Along with the questionnaire was this letter written on Feb. 18, 1997:

     "Juror's statement:
     'I have decided to alter the traditional notion of showing only the selected works. The selected works are exhibited alongside of all the work submitted. Thus a show has been created to make clear visually the context within which my choices were made.'
Lynn Schuette

     A valued tradition of the Artists Guild has been a juried membership exhibition at the Museum. As professionals we are fully cognizant of the possibility of rejection - as well as the rewards (personal and professional) of acceptance.
     As you are probably aware, the current exhibition has had a major change in its presentation and format. The juror's decision to include all of the entries represented a complete departure from the original prospectus. This constituted a dramatic change of rules, requiring salon hanging as opposed to the more traditional museum style.
     Our President, Tamara Krupchak, accepted this 'concept' on the day of jurying without Board knowledge or approval. Numerous Board members attempted to discover the format and content of the exhibition, however the President had made the decision to keep this information to herself. We were thus deprived of the opportunity to voice our concerns and be part of the decision-making process. Understandably this refusal to communicate had triggered a strong response from the Board and many of the members of the Guild.
     We add our voices to those of you who feel deprived of the right to exercise freedom of choice in deciding your level of participation in this exhibition. The Board wishes to assure you that in the future our members will be fully apprised of the circumstances under which they are exhibiting."

     This is the review of the show in the San Diego Union-Tribune February 24, 1997 by Robert Pincus:

"I think we sometimes forget that there are so many productive artists at work." LYNN SCHUETTE
Art guild decides to stick its no's into show
     "Lots of institutions have annual rituals. Baseball stadiums have their opening-day festivities. The mission in San Juan Capistrano has its arrival of the swallows. And the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park has its Artists Guild exhibitions.
     The local Artists Guild, established in 1915, began mounting exhibitions in 1926 and has done so regularly since the late 1940s. In alternating years, there is either a juried exhibition of the guild members or a show open to all California artists.
     This time around, the members' show is on view. Its profile in the community has shrunk through the years, but the 1997 Artists Guild Juried Exhibition (through March 16) is different: it's been a recurring topic of conversation about town, and the opening was packed. Nearly 1,100 people attended, making it the biggest reception for any Artist Guild show.
     Credit that new-found interest to Lynn Schuette, painter and former executive director of the nonprofit showcase Sushi Perfomance and Visual Arts. She had a novel notion of how to assemble this show. And both Tamara Krupchak, president of the Artists Guild, and Steve Brezzo, the museum director, supported her experiment.
Perspective
Opinion divided over all-comers exhibition
     Normally, a juror looks at all the submissions (actual works or slides) and, according to personal taste, separates the aesthetic wheat from the chaff. The chosen art then becomes the exhibition.
     Following convention, Schuette sifted through all the pictures and sculptures on hand and made her choices. But when it came time to hang the art, she declared every item to be wheat. No art was sent packing.
     The result: There are two interwoven shows in one room. Or as Schuette refers to it in the exhibition brochure, 'a show within a show.' The selections that would have hung in a conventional juried exhibition have a special designation on the wall. But they're scattered, salon style, among the other submissions.
     Walking through the galleries, Schuette explains that she viewed the selection process from the vantage point of the artist as much as the administrator or curator.
     'Artists always have the fantasy that they will have everything they sent accepted,' she muses. 'And here it came true.
     'I think we sometimes forget that there are so many productive artists at work, because art seems to be valued so little in our society now. Why do artists make art when they're mostly ignored? Simply because they're committed to making it, whether anyone pays attention or not.'
     So the show is her form of homage to artists in general and a way of getting away from her own taste.
     The exhibition offers a broad array of styles and genres: landscapes, interiors, still-lifes, nudes, abstractions, assemblages, stone sculptures and so forth. And Schuette readily admits that not everything is to her liking.
     Some works, however, did captivate her. She awarded one of two top prizes (a Gold Award) to Junko Yamamoto for a bold mingling of imagery titled '#2 Nov. 15, 1995, 8:15 p.m.' In it, the head of a nude torso, its arms crossed, is concealed by a gloved hand.
     Schuette found Yamamoto's work gripping and unsettling. Only after singling it out for recognition did she learn that the composition derived from a traumatic incident in the artist's life. Members of a gang broke into her home, tied up Yamamoto and her family and destroyed most of their possessions.
     The other Gold Award went to Jeff Crusberg for his painting 'Pairs of Opposites,' a meticulously rendered interior filled with all sorts of intriguing props.
     Opinion is divided about Schuette's novel approach to jurying. Tamara Krupchak couldn't be more buoyant about this show.
     'She's celebrating all artists. It's about inclusiveness,' she says.
     Steve Brezzo calls Schuette's approach refreshing.
     'It opens up dialogue, pro and con,' adds Brezzo. 'It was also a challenge for the installation crew.'
     Holly Weston, who's appeared in many guild shows through the years and numerous other venues, represents the other school of thought about Schuette's show.
     'She has made a statement at the expense of the artists,' declares Weston, who feels the show draws too much attention to the juror. 'Nor was the show hung to the benefit of the artists. It looks like they were blindfolded and the lights were turned off when they installed the show.'"

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