February 2022
ISSUE #017
Hello Potters
Well the New Year has certainly come and gone fast. Time to get down into some serious mud flinging. The Six Week Wheel Workshop is currently underway and progressing well. Covid is still creating havoc – see below for the latest Qld government club attendance rules.
If you haven’t renewed your membership don’t delay it any longer – there are lots of good things for members in the works. There’s a link to the Membership Renewal Form here and also below in the club news section.
Plus there is a useful pottery tip further down that may make your creative pottery life much easier – so read on.
We really want to see our talented members’ work, so upload your pics to our instagram or facebook page, or email them for inclusion on our social media.
Ed Trost - newsletter editor
club email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@hotmail.com
Hi Everyone and welcome to our February 2022 edition!
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc.
T-shirt - $30
How great do our black uni-sex SPCInc Club t-shirt’s look?! Did you see them for sale at Expressions last year but missed out on getting one before they sold out? Well despair no more! We will be putting in an order for more very soon and we are taking pre-orders now to ensure everyone can get one in the size they need. These t-shirts are super comfortable as they are 100% cotton, which means they’re breathable.
To pre-order a t-shirt please email the Club by Monday 7 February with the size you would like and we will confirm payment details. Sizes available: XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL. (Large is similar to a size 14, as shown in the pictures above.)
2021 Volunteer Grant Success
You may remember in the June 2021 newsletter we advised that, on behalf of the Club, Ken B. and Linda R. had attended a Volunteers Recognition morning tea held by our local federal member for Lilley, Ms Anika Wells MP. What we didn’t tell you at the time was that we had also put in a funding application for a 2021 Volunteer Grant, and we found out at the start of December 2021 that our application had been approved! What a great early Christmas present for the Club, and now that the funds have been deposited into the Club’s bank account we wanted to share the good news with our members!
This grant money will be spent on a new standalone Square payment system for the Club which will help make it easier for our volunteer supervisors to take payments during our open sessions, as well as taking payments more easily at our community event stalls, like the Einbunpin Festival, and at our annual Expressions exhibition.
Like most technology purchases at the moment there is at least a 6 week wait for parts to arrive, so we will make an announcement when the new system is finally in place. Sending a huge thank you to Ken B. and Celia S. for writing a winning grant application, and to Anika Wells MP for supporting our Club to receive the funding!
So keep an eye out for improvements within the Club’s shed this year.
Cheers and happy reading!
Tamara Vitale – President, SPC Inc.
Tuesday + Wednesday + Thursday
+ Saturday Mornings
9:00am—1:00pm
Thursday Evenings
6:00pm—9:00pm
SESSION FEE — $7.00 per visit, payable either in person using your debit or credit card or by EFT to the club’s bank account.
Account name: Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc.
Bank details: BSB 064124
Account number: 10518225
Please let us know via email if you are intending to come to the club so we can maintain COVID-19 regulations on numbers within the studio.
From the Kiln Corner
Well a bad start to the year, Kiln 2 has decided that load number three was enough already this year – the Stoneware firing didn’t reach temperature. Some will have to be refired once the kiln is repaired and after discussion with owners. We are waiting for an electrician so there will be a delay with Stoneware and Mid Fire until it is fixed. Kiln 3 will have to wear the brunt of the load for now with Earthenware and Bisque, and possible mid firing if Kiln 2 is out for an extended period.
Time to start planning for the year so there is not a last-minute rush for firing to get your winning entries ready for the SAS Easter Art Show and Expressions. There has been some forward planning already, some Christmas decorations are in the first Glaze Firing.
Remember to clean the bottoms of your pots to safeguard our shelves. Using the sacrificial plates has decreased shelf contamination.
So keep up the good work.
Also, a brief reminder that when we are loading or unloading kilns please go outside and around to dump the water in the yellow bin. The kiln area is a small space and the chance of bumping and dropping pieces is high.
There is still a supply of clay at the club although our regular clays are not yet back in full production.
And importantly… don't forget to fill out your firing forms correctly and place your maker’s mark on all your pieces.
Gus, Linda, Catharine and Gabriel
Do you know anyone that shows an interest in your pottery?
If you do, why not invite them to come and try pottery for themselves. The first session is free and you know that once you have made something with clay…
you’re hooked!
REMINDER
Remember you need to be a member of our club to use the facilities and have first access to join the workshops.
Membership Renewals for 2022
Last year has flown by and your membership is due. Being a member allows you to continue to enjoy the use of the club facilities, buy clay at discount prices, have access to club glazes and firing, and attend a variety of our workshops. This year the club has grown in membership and this strengthens our support base. We have plans to keep offering new and exciting things in the coming year.
The fees are remaining the same, but we are streamlining the process using a digital format. This format will make it so much easier for the membership secretary and will make the information in our database more accurate.
Please fill in the online form on our website:
www.shorncliffepotteryclubinc.com.au/membership
Select your payment method on the form (via direct deposit into the Club’s bank account, or via Square when you are next at the Club’s shed) and hit ‘Send’. The form will then be automatically emailed to the membership secretary.
Alternatively we have a PDF form we can email to you, which you can complete and email back. Please make a request for the form to:
shorncliffepotteryclubincmembership@hotmail.com
Ann Gillespie – Membership Secretary
COVID–19 NOTICE
Proof of Vaccination Required
for Entry to Shed
All members will need to use the QR code to check-in and provide proof of vaccination, via their Check-in Queensland app, to the volunteer supervisor on duty to gain entry to the shed… and don’t forget your mask!
If you are an unvaccinated member who wants to continue to ‘Play With Clay’ at home you may designate a vaccinated person to drop off and pick up your firing pieces during our open hours. (The designated person must QR code sign-in and show proof of vaccination to gain entry.)
Please contact the Club’s management committee via email to discuss your options.
Questions? Contact: ShorncliffePotteryClubInc@hotmail.com
Wheel Throwing Workshop
With Clare
The Level One wheel throwing workshop started last Wednesday evening. We have the maximum number of participants and things are progressing well. We will post some photos of progress in the next newsletter. If there is enough interest and members are keen, the club will hold more workshops in the near future.
Hand Building Workshop
With Gabriel
Again the club is very fortunate to be able to offer skill building workshops to our members. Gabriel, one of our experienced hand building members is offering to lead a six week hand building course. This will have a similar format to those workshops currently being run by Clare. These classes will run in a block of 6 weeks with a minimum of 5 participants for the class to proceed. The class size will be limited to a maximum of 8.
These will be conducted on a Saturday afternoon, so that participants and tutor have the shed to themselves, and will be able to spread out.
About Gabriel :
Gabriel turns to art to help unwind after spending 8+ hours a day in front of a computer. A principal theme of her work is the natural world which she explores in different mediums, including pottery, oil and acrylic painting, and photography.
After completing a ceramics course at the Brisbane Institute of Art, Gabriel joined the Shorncliffe Pottery Club, where she continues to ‘play with clay’. She is best known at the club for mixing Stoneware and Mid-Fire glazes and loves to explore surface decoration techniques such as sgraffito and carving.
A regular exhibitor at Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc’s ‘Expressions’, Gabriel has also exhibited photography at the RNA, winning several awards. You can find her art in numerous private collections.
A summary of the curriculum includes: clay safety, clay preparation, building small 3D forms, pinchpot method, making slip, using coils for a 3D form, slab mug and box, recycling clay, glaze application. The first 5 weeks will be held continuously, and then there will be a one week break to allow participants to finish off pieces and have them bisque fired. The last week will be on glazing techniques using the club glazes.
Start date is Saturday 5th March, 2022.
Times will be 11.30am to 2.30pm, of 3 hour’s duration.
The cost will be $230 for 18 hours tuition in a 6 week block, payable in advance. This represents excellent value for money at $12.70 per hour for tuition. The usual $7 entry fee is included in the price. Firing of pieces will be at the usual club rates.
Please notify the club of your intention to be part of this workshop series on this email shorncliffepotteryclubincmembership@hotmail.com . Payment instructions and confirmation will be emailed to you.
Club Clay Options and Details
These are the current clay bodies that we generally have in our store. If you have another clay that you prefer, speak to Gus or Linda to see if they can get it in for you.
Being Respectful, Feeling Safe
The club’s Code of Conduct was written to guide the safety and respect of members. Developing friendships, being co-operative, sharing ideas and skills as well as being respectful to each other in words and actions is something in which the club takes great pride. When members are working in the SPC Inc. studio or interacting with other members via electronic means, everyone has a right to feel safe and not harrassed.
The Code of Conduct can be found in your membership document or you can request a copy from the Membership Officer here or you can read it here.
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc. has signed up with Containers for Change - a simple recycling system for cans and bottles. It’s easy to do. Take your recyclables to a Containers for Change site and use our unique Scheme ID number for the money from the recycling to go directly into the Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc. bank account.
Club’s Scheme ID number: C10465553
If the Scheme ID isn't working (argh technology!) and you get cash instead from the recycling machine, just pop the money in the tea jar in the club’s kitchenette.
Each month in the newsletter we will update the amount generated from the recycling. So don’t throw out those cans and bottles – recycle them for the benefit of the club and watch the dollars grow.
$126.21
thank you!
Club Tuition for Members
by Members
Tuition could be in wheel throwing, handbuilding and glaze making. The rate is $35 per session for up to 3 hours, but could be less dependent upon session length. From this, the club will take 20% commission. All payments must go via the club.
The club entry fee of $7 will apply for the learner member, but the tutor will be admitted as a volunteer for that session.
If this is something that you would like as a tutor or a learner please contact the committee using the club email : shorncliffepotteryclubinc@hotmail.com
Better Hurry To Get Into This One:
Toolkit #1 Raku Firing Workshop
Ceramic Arts Queensland’s first Toolkit Workshop for 2022 is a raku day with Shirley Battrick.
Shirley is a well-respected potter based on the Gold Coast, she has been doing raku firings for 20 years and makes and designs her raku kilns and glazes. Ceramic Arts Queensland is pleased to present this workshop at Shirley’s studio in Mudgeeraba on the Gold Coast. In this workshop there will be an option to use horsehair and feathers to create stunning effects in addition to using raku glazes and combustibles in a reduction bin.
The details:
9am–4pm Saturday 19 February 2022
The Clay Studio Gold Coast – 23 Hardys Rd Mudgeeraba
A list of what to bring will be sent to attendees but participants will need to bring 5 smallish bisque fired pots suitable for raku (Walkers Special SW, porcelain, LGH)
It’s best that the pieces for the horsehair and feathers are burnished or polished with terra sigillata – this gives a nice clear impression
BYO lunch. Morning and afternoon tea provided
$15 material fee per person (included in fee)
Cost CAQ Member fee $100 | Non-member fee $135
2022 Biennial North Queensland Ceramic Awards
ENTRIES CLOSE : 5pm, Friday 15 April 2022
EXHIBITION: 22 JULY – 25 SEPTEMBER 2022
The biennial North Queensland Ceramic Awards has long aimed to increase public exposure to a high standard of pottery from around the nation. A showcase for both well-known and emerging artists, this competition displays the diversity of ceramic art currently being produced in Australia.
The City of Townsville Art Collection Award of $10,000 continues to provide both opportunity for artists to become a part of one of the nation’s most significant ceramic collections, as well as ensuring the continued growth of this important subsection of the City of Townsville Art Collection.
Ceramic Artist: Mahala Hill, Armoured Mist Frog, winner 2020
Ancient Healing Dog
Anyone who has ever had a dog knows they are good for your health. Dogs can be trained to help people suffering from such disorders as seizures, and petting a dog can lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of stress-related illnesses. The healing power of dogs was well known in antiquity, too. At Epidaurus, the sanctuary dedicated to Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of medicine, sacred dogs (and snakes) are said to have licked the wounds of pilgrims who came to be cured. An inscription found at the site records that a growth on a boy’s neck was healed when one of the temple’s dogs licked it.
Three tombs, an urn, and a terracotta dog statue (pictured) were discovered in Rome’s Appio Latino district during work on the city’s water system. According to Italy’s Ministry of Culture, the tombs were part of a funerary complex constructed between the first century B.C. and the first century A.D.
It’s possible that the statue was associated with a cult center not far from where the hoard was found. Representations of dogs are very rare and they are often associated with healing.
Thanks to Ken B. for the story.
(c) 2022 Archaeology Magazine. Edit Ed Trost.
To all our valued members who are having a birthday this month, we hope you have an exciting day and are spoilt rotten by your loved ones:
Carmela Anile, Carolyn Campbell, Amanda Francis, Simone Mackie, Cheryl Ryan, Alice Vosten, Rochelle Wolff
If we have missed anybody, our sincere apologies – drop us an email so that we can include you next time!
The BGS Art Committee is excited to announce the date of the 53rd Annual BGS Art Show. The premier ticketed Gala Night will be held on Friday 6 May, with the exhibition continuing through into the BGS Open Day on Saturday 7 May 2022.
Connect and celebrate with the BGS community at the Gala Night exhibition for the opportunity to experience and purchase works from our outstanding curated collection of emerging and established artists.
Artists & Crafters New Exhibition
POSTPONED – TBA
Brisbane Showgrounds
Unfortunately due to the covid-19 situation we have reluctantly decided to postpone the exhibition again, with a new date yet to be decided.
Join the newsletter to stay informed at artisanexhibitions.com
Speed Dry Your Clay
Don’t throw trimmings into a plastic container and let them sit for a week or so to dry before reclaiming. Reclaiming works best when the clay is bone dry. Here is a simple technique to speed the drying process. Purchase a wastepaper container from an office supply store. It is made out of expanded metal so it contains many holes. This container is sprayed with black paint, so it does not rust but you can use a plastic bin as well, as long as it has mesh like sides. When you trim or carve your pieces, throw the scraps in the container to air dry. It will take half the time to dry and you can wash out the empty container with water to easily clean it.
Courtesy Ceramic Arts Network. Edit Ed Trost.
President: Tamara Vitale
Vice President: Ken Bull
Secretary: Caroline Schleimer
Treasurer: Robyn Brown
Committee Members: Gus Saunders, Linda Rosenthal,
Clare Houston & Ann Gillespie
Newsletter Editor: Ed Trost
email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@hotmail.com
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