Last night the Chuck Jones Council for Creativity, the volunteer arm of the Center, held their last meeting of 2012. They gathered 'round a groaning board of potluck (corn pudding! fried chicken! lasagna! homemade cheesecake with pomegranates! salads! breads! rustic tomato soup! apple pie! did I mention homemade cheesecake with pomegranates? OMG everything was so delicious I'm repeating myself!) and stuffed themselves silly.

All that food was followed by a recap of this past season's events, future plans, and setting the date for the 2013 Red Dot Auction — Saturday, May 11 — artists start your engines now! There was also a few minutes of uncontrollable laughter (it's good for digestion.)

The Center has seen tremendous growth this year, not only in programming, but also in exhibitions and special outreach due in no small part to the wonderful work done by our volunteers, the Center's Board of Trustees, and the Center's part-time staff. 

And 2013 is shaping up to be an awesome year as the Center continues its forward march as the place for creativity in southern California and beyond. Two upcoming exhibitions of note: a Chuck Jones Centennial Retrospective will open at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco February 9 and run through May 5; the Toonseum in Pittsburgh will be the host of the art of "The Phantom Tollbooth", Chuck Jones's only feature film, beginning in July of 2013 and running through September. Put them on your calendars!

Linda Jones Clough, daughter of Chuck Jones and a founding trustee of the Center, shows off the new coloring book available soon on ChuckJonesCenter.org for a nominal donation.

The Council also surprised Craig Kausen, chairman of the Center, with birthday wishes and a gift, a remote controlled helicopter. Craig's shown here with the Council's president, Tracy Tanner, who's tireless efforts have made many positive things happen for the Center's remarkable growth. 

Boys and toys, need we say more?

The Chuck Jones Council for Creativity, from left: Steve Smith, Tracy Tanner, Pam Marsden, Rina Jacobson, Robert Patrick, Linda Jones Clough, Stephen Russo, Craig Kausen, and kneeling, Wayne Todd. Missing were Becky Yasick, Juls Aspinall, and Dave Lowenstein. A special thank you to Stephen Russo for his wonderful photographs last night and throughout the past year.

P.S. Chuck Jones is now on Tumblr: DirectedbyChuckJones.tumblr.com!