Odie, it appears that you regard electing directors in much the same way as electing candidates to public offices where they make rules and pass laws that have some direct effect on individuals; what is referred to as "representative democracy".
If I understand you correctly, you wish to be able to choose to have someone
represent your particular style or interest. AAW Directors, however, serve a very different function. They are "mere" managers charged with carrying out the rules and goals that have been established by the Membership. In that context, AAW Directors do not and cannot represent any particular segment of the AAW membership, and their obligation as directors is to properly manage the entire organization so that its stated mission and purposes are carried out for the benefit of all members.
As the AAW gets larger, directors' management skills and experience in a number of areas having little or nothing to do with woodturning will become increasingly important to the organization as a whole. If you look back of the AAW's 25-year history, I think you'll see that this has actually been gradually happening.
I know that you personally post many pictures of your work. Others, however, may not be so interested in "sharing" what they do. That doesn't make them less able to perform the job of director, and it's certainly not some kind of character flaw that would justify their being disqualified. Were that the case, the entire Board should be limited to professional turners, and I don't think any of us wants to go there.
Candidates who wish to share pictures of their work will usually have posted those pictures somewhere that is accessible to you and anyone else who is interested enough to seek them out. It seems to me that should be enough.
) A member of the board is not taking up seating space in order to produce turnings for the AAW. They are there for their governing and leadership abilities.
