I have already worked something together, though not 100% done.  I'd like access to some artwork, maybe some staff chibi's for use on the website. But here is what I've done so far:

http://www.seijinohki.net/jafax14/

It's something we can use in it's current state and add to later as well.  I hope you all like it.  If something better comes along, I'll be fine with that too.

All photoshop. Just the stock tools and patterns.

The background is West Lake here in portage. We took the photo today.

And yeah, I agree about the link height, I'll try to drop it down to 30px each link.

That's the advantage of Photoshop, all the templates and clipart that comes with it.  The GIMP has me drawing by hand or scrounging for clipart on the internet....

Woohoo!  I love having artists on staff.  I do have some specific things in mind, but I'm certainly open to other ideas, if you want to go crazy with it and you have time, go right ahead.

Yeah, the positioning is a little weird, that's easily fixed though, the tough part is the artwork.

You see what Joe's done for the menu?  That's kinda what I'm going for, wood plank signposts.  I've got a template based on a clipart plank I found, but the clipart looks like crap, and my attempt to fix it made it worse.  I like the Photoshop templates Joe used better, especially how they all look like they're nailed to a common post, but they're still pretty.... 1995.  And too widely spaced.  I'm going for something that doesn't look quite so cheezy.  If you can find or make a couple good looking wooden planks on a post, that would be awesome.  I can send you the font I was thinking of using, looks like sloppy paint strokes (same font used for the date and location in the current header).

That header is also way too big, it's like half the page, but I'm already working on that.  For the header we just need those first two lines of text (JAFAX 14 and the acronym expansion), the "Camp Anime" and date/location lines of text can just be on the main page.  I'm toying with a border, I kinda wanted to frame the whole site so it looks like a big sign at the entry to a camp (an idea I stole from Jessica, to give credit where it's due).  I have a sketch on notebook paper I will have to scan to show you what I'm going for.

If you really want to spend some time on website stuff for me, that font I'm using for the main JAFAX 14 logo does not include letters, and some punctuation.  Anybody know how to make TrueType fonts?  I'd love to have numbers in the same style.

We have a little time, by the way; I specifically want to leave the JAFAX 13 site up for a week or two, to let people see the thank-you message and to give that sense that JAFAX 13 isn't really over, it's just winding down.

Edit: sketch posted: http://www.jafax.org/sketch.jpg

Oh, no, forget about the photos entirely, they don't look good and they make the site utterly miserable on dialup.  Backgrounds can just be solid colors, I think, if we dress up the borders nicely.

Good point on the Japanese culture thing, I hadn't really thought of that, I'm not sure how to work that into my concept.  I'm open to ideas; both ways to work that into existing concepts or entirely new concepts.

O_o who's still using dial up these days....
well back to the drawing boards on the background... I'd hate for it to be so boring, but if it'll have to be.
nm, I think I already have a cute idea to not make it so boring.

Yeah, I have to agree on that.  Joe, let's leave the artwork to those on staff who are far better at it than you and I.

I think the point that was trying to get made was this:

We each have something different to bring to the table.  If we try to set the table by ourselves, something is going to be lacking.  If we work together, we can have a totally awesome feast for the eyes.

I know that personally, I want to see every aspect of JAFAX 14 to blow everyone's minds to bits and pieces over the awesomeness of it all.  That won't be accomplished at all if there is any refusal to work together straight from the get-go.

And that's why I'm sharing it with you all as I work on it. 
I just don't want it to be procrastinated til next June like last year... that looked very bad on us.  It becomes even more of a personal insult, when all of my friends know that I'm capable of web design, and ask me why I don't just make it. 

here's revision 2:
http://www.seijinohki.net/jafax14b/

btw, this is meant to patch over our current site.  So the CMS content will be whatever the current site has.

A web designer takes artwork made by either them self or others and pieces it together in their ideal or fashion with a knowledge of how to write the necessary code to do so. It need not be necessarily someone like I who is more of a developer, but it also need not be someone great at artwork either. Though being able to do graphic design art, like my links and background, is helpful.  In any business or organization you put the person in that position to do just that and rely on the fact they can do it.  The same goes with magazines and newspapers.  You wait until they're done with a draft then make suggestions.  The body content (such as what's written in the "home" section) is usually written by a secretary or chair. In the old days they didn't have a CMS to manage that, but instead was typed out, then submitted to the designer for posting. (Much like how a newspaper operates.)

How do I know this?  I was layout and design editor for my high school newspaper for 3 years.

I don't see what you are not understanding here.  I'm going to design something to be submitted, and not necessarily to be decided on at the next meeting, but soon to get this out of the way.  Currently I don't even know anymore who our webmaster/designer is, that's why I'm taking the role on and designing something for approval, or to be suggested for change.  What I'm asking of you all right now, and it doesn't need a meeting for, is that you get me any anime or graphic artwork that I may or may not be able to/decide to use while designing this website, like a normal web designer.  Voting/group discussing every little thing is only going to slow the process down and lead to arguments! Like it is now! 

Liz what you saw with links in the center of the page might have been a glitch because I was working on the site.  This isn't in a final place and when I go to save, there might be a chance you get only some of the data and it gets mangled.  I'm not working on it now, so if you take a look at it, that's what it should look like.  If it mangles and doesn't appear right, then refresh the page.

Not everyone can code the same page. (too many chefs not enough cooks.)