May 1997 Volume 19 Number 2

President's Letter

Meeting activities begin Sunday afternoon, October 26th, with a field trip to nearby petroglyphs. Papers will be presented all day Monday, all day Tuesday, and half of Wednesday and will include a number of presentations on rock Art conservation issues. On Wednesday afternoon, October 29th, a guided tour of outdoor sculpture and other public art will round out the meeting. Please see page 3 for advance information on accommodations.

There's plenty to see and do in the Phoenix area: Taliesin West (and many Frank Lloyd Wright buildings), the Desert Botanical Garden, the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting, the Arizona Historical Society, and the new Arizona Science Center, filled with hands-on exhibits just to name a few. You might even want to take in a movie on the Cinerama screen at our beloved Ciné Capri.

Like the outdoors? Phoenix has the most extensive city park system in the country, featuring large desert-mountain preserves within and around the urban area. Hikers, birdwatchers, and rock climbers will be within easy reach of good sites.

Within a 100-mile radius are destinations such as Sedona and its captivating red-rock formations, the old mining town of Jerome, the remains of many prehistoric Native American settlements (among them, Montezuma's Castle, Tuzigoot, and Casa Grande), and the fabled Superstition Mountains not to mention Tucson with its rich heritage and sites ranging from Mission San Xavier (with its recently conserved interior) to the Titan Missile Museum (descend into the silo and press The Button).

Registration packets will be mailed in late summer, but if you have immediate questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.

Call for Papers

There's no place like a WAAC meeting for presenting a paper. You'll be speaking to an interested audience of friendly colleagues in a relaxed and congenial atmosphere. Sign up! Proposals for your papers should be submitted to me by August 15th. See the Call for Papers on page 3 for more details.

WAAC Board of Directors

The WAAC Board of Directors met in Los Angeles on March 17th. Topics discussed included plans for the annual meeting, our IRS status, our involvement in various AIC projects, nomination and balloting procedures for the upcoming election, our finances, the status of ongoing Internet projects, and ideas for expanding services to WAAC members. Participation on the Board is a highly rewarding experience, and I hope you will accept nomination if approached by WAAC's Nominating Committee (see also Call for Nominations on inside cover).

WAAC's 1997 Annual Meeting

A varied and stimulating program is taking shape for our annual meeting to be held this year in Phoenix, Arizona, October 26-29. Centered in the city's arts district, sessions will be held in two of the region's premier cultural institutions, the Heard Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum.