Mentoring MCA’s Mentoring Program Launched!

How often have you found yourself saying “I wish I could talk with someone about ……” ? MCA has developed a mentoring program specially designed to help you get the advice/council you may want to support you technically and/or with your business questions. Here’s what it is all about. The list of our mentors follows:

1. What is the MCA mentoring program?
This is a MCA benefit for MCA members seeking advice to help them move to another level artistically, technically or business wise. There is no cost to the artist. The mentors are MCA volunteers who have been in business for at least 5 years.

2. How do I connect with a mentor?
Choose the mentor you would like to contact from the list below and then contact the Maine Crafts Association office at 207-780-1807

3. Are there guidelines for working with the mentors?
Yes, as volunteers generously donating their time, we have established the following guidelines to encourage a respectful relationship between the mentor and the mentee:

• The mentor may work with the artist a maximum of 4-5 hours in a twelve-month period
• It is the responsibility of the mentee to cover the costs of phoning or traveling to see the mentor.
• The mentee must be willing to work within the mentor’s schedule.
• The mentor may at any time decline to answer questions they feel may be expose a competitive edge or practice
• The mentor has the option of negating the time restriction set by MCA and offering additional sessions.
• The mentoring program is not meant to take the place of classes offered by MCA.

4. Reviews
Upon the completion of the mentoring sessions, both the aspiring artist and mentor will fill out a review. The benefits of this are:

• Their comments can be used as testimonials for promoting MCA.
• We can keep a record of the effectiveness of a mentor and notes about the aspiring artist.

Who is serving as a mentor now?
Our mentors are willing to consult with you re: your craft and/or business needs. Our accomplished MCA member mentors include:

• Chris Becksvoort – wood
• Alan Bradstreet – wood
• Dan Farrenkoph – concrete turnings
• Gregg Lipton – wood
• Amy Putansu – fiber
• Jan Owen – calligraphy arts
• Nancy Tang – glass
• Suanne Williams-Lindgren –- customer relationships

Interested in serving as a mentor?
We are seeking more mentors in a variety of media. If you are interested in supporting this important program, please contact Ronna Lugosch at: 529-6050 or email ronna@lugoschdesigns.com.

I need a mentor but am not seeing what I need?
Call or e-mail Ronna and let her know. We’ll do our best to support you!