December 2023
DECEMBER 2023 | ISSUE #039
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Hello Potters
Well it is that time of the year again, gosh 2023 has gone quickly. I hope all of your Xmas pottery creativity has made it through the firings and is getting ready for hanging on the tree etc. As usual we will be closing the Shed for a short period over Xmas to give our supervisors a bit of a break. Open times will be normal up till then, but check first on Facebook before coming to the Shed, just in case.
SPCI FaceBook link
Don’t forget it is also time to renew your membership for 2024. Login to your HelloClub account to renew. If you have any trouble with this contact the Membership Officer here shorncliffepotteryclubincmembership@gmail.com
Have a very merry Xmas from me and all of the Committee and we will see you all down at the Shed in 2024.
SPC Inc AGM 2023
Reminder this Saturday 12.00pm
All SPC Inc Members are invited to attend the Club's AGM to meet fellow members, enjoy some nibbles and hear from the club's current committee on the year that was. At that point all committee positions will become vacant and the process of voting a new committee will commence.
While all committee positions will become vacant the current President Douglas, Treasurer Tamara, and General Member Gus, will all be stepping down from their roles without seeking re-election.
If you are interested in nominating for any role, or if you have any questions about a role, please send an email to this address ASAP and let us know!
shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com
Happy potting!
Douglas and Tamara
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Members Chat
This is a new Facebook group for members to share information, ask questions, etc. This is a member's only group, with questions to answer before admission.
Have You Activated Your Membership Account?
Hello Club is the portal that we manage our membership database (new and renewing) and events through, and hopefully more things in the future.
It is important that our members activate their account as Hello Club is the only way our current members will be able to renew their membership for 2024, along with signing up and paying for courses and workshops etc.
ACTIVATE DON'T CREATE! It is also important that you activate your account and don't create a new one. All members have been pre-loaded into Hello Club so you can continue on with your current membership number, but with just over 50% of our memberships to still activate their accounts we urge all members, particularly if you intend to continue your membership into 2024, to contact us now by return email about how to activate your account. (Activation emails were previously sent out when we launched Hello Club but those links will now be inactive and unable to be used.)
Email the Membership Officer at this address:
shorncliffepotteryclubincmembership@gmail.com
From the kiln room
For those of you unawares, kiln 3 is currently offline. Not the best of timing for those of you flooding us with your handmade gifts to be fired for Christmas.
If you have a worrying deadline it might be best to seek alternate arrangements as nothing can be guaranteed until our kiln tech arrives, and breathes more life into our faithful but tired big kiln.
Thank you to an amazing kiln team for all your assistance
Douglas, Melina, Jean, Amy & Kat
Sunday Social #2
Mould Making With Amy
Sunday 19 November - 9am to 3pm
We had 12 eager members attend the mould making workshop with Amy to learn how to create a plaster mould of an item. There was a large range of items that members brought along to cast, from pottery items they had made themselves or other items from home that they wanted to replicate. Amy diligently reviewed all for suitability before we began. From there members paired off to work as a team, helping each other with each step of Amy's instructions... items were fixed into clay and barricaded with flashing ready for the big pour.
The day was long (or was it only me that felt that way by the time I left? 🙂) and a little messy, but it was informative, fulfilling, a lot of fun (there was a lot of laughter), a number of new friendships formed by members who usually attend the Club on different days, and only a few dry-tears of frustration when at the end of the day two of the twenty-odd items cast wouldn't budge out of the plaster. (Although I am happy to say that I successfully released mine at home later, with the help of a hacksaw!)
Tamara
click on a photo to view larger
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 studio or interacting with other members via electronic means, everyone has a right to feel safe and not harassed.
The Code of Conduct can be found in your membership documentation or you can request a copy from the Membership Officer here or read it here.
Jingle All The Bay is proudly presented by the Sandgate Bayside Chamber of Commerce in partnership with local businesses. The event transforms Sandgate Town Centre into a hype of free festive fun with:
– The iconic Christmas Street Parade
– Market stalls
– Delicious food stalls, cafes, pubs and bars along the street
– Stages of entertainment showcasing live music, dancers and local groups
– Rides, amusements and more
Follow the Facebook page HERE for updates.
BROWSE THREE LEVELS OF MARKET GOODIES
Yep, you heard that right! The Studio Maverik Market is delivering you three whole levels packed with charming market stalls. We’re thrilled to be showcasing 40+ local artists, makers, craftsmen, vintage curators + more. So, bring along a nice big shopping bag, grab yourself a bev from the Warehouse 25 bar and make your way through each unique level.
DETAILS
- Held on Sunday 3 December between 12:00PM - 4:00PM
- Hosted by the iconic Milton Music & Culture Venue, Warehouse 25,
25 Finchley St, Milton
- Open to the public and is a totally free event to attend. So, bring your besties, your family, your date, your coworkers and spread the word!
- Our venue partner Warehouse 25 will be selling delicious drinks, food and refreshments
- This event is cashless, so be sure to bring your debit or credit cards or digital payment methods
- Impeccable vibes and everyone is invited!
New Book
”Potters Save the World”
Hi potters! May I introduce you to a new book on ceramics? My book, 'Potters Save the World: Learn to Make Sustainable Ceramics and Help Protect the Earth,' has just launched and is now available in paperback and e-book!
Are you a ceramicist like me who believes in protecting our precious planet? If you're passionate about pottery and equally concerned about its environmental impact, I'm sure you will like this book. Well, I really hope so!
By reading 'Potters Save the World,' you will:
Understand the environmental impacts of ceramic art and craft
Be confident in making sustainable choices in your studio
Practice the best techniques in eco-friendly pottery
Join the community of like-minded artists
I wrote it for all new and experienced ceramicists, aiming to answer the most common questions like 'How to fire a kiln sustainably?' or 'What to do with unsuccessful ceramics?'. The potters who have already had a look inside say it's insightful! Recommended by John Britt, Robert Harrison, and Linda Bloomfield. Get this book now and start your journey to become a more eco-friendly, world-saving potter.
Available on Amazon https://mybook.to/PottersSaveTheWorld
and Etsy https://hereandnowpottery.etsy.com/listing/1604775525.
XOXO
Yuliya Makliuk
How Joyful Gentle Hobbies
Took Over Television
Fourteen seasons in, Bake Off has inspired an entire extended TV universe, where kind people showcase their passions and inspire us to pursue our own. When Bake Off premiered in 2010, reality TV was best known as a blood sport. Competition shows in particular existed to raise and dash dreams, mine traumatic personal stories and trade friendships for double-crossing alliances. Bake Off, on the other hand, was inspired by quaint English village fetes. In the decade since, Bake Off has become one of Britain’s most-watched shows, and has spread its sticky fingers around the world.
If you haven’t seen this television show style before, it basically go likes this. The skills may vary – between glass blowing, haircutting, woodworking, pottery and weapon making – but the format is the same. An eclectic collection of amateur enthusiasts gather in a theme specific setting (tent, shed, cabin, forge, etc) to battle it out across three challenges that showcase their gentle hobby.
First they present what is called a “signature”: their take on a classic task that demonstrates foundational abilities. Then comes the dreaded “technical”: a skills test where competitors aren’t given the details ahead of time. Finally it’s the “showstopper”: a chance for competitors to demonstrate the reach (or limits) of vision and aptitude. One person is eliminated in each episode, and another is crowned best of the week.
The Judges are a balance of sweet and nurturing versus tough but tender. Pottery judge Keith Brymer Jones has earned a reputation for his tendency to weep over the beauty of ceramics and the personal stories that inspire them. The Hosts too are kooky, distracting, encouraging and are usually loaded with innuendo and personality.
These contestants come from all walks of life, and political and social realities; you’d rarely see them sharing the same space. But in the tent/shed/forge they come together to improve themselves, honour their families and do something they love. While a handful find post show fame, most return home to continue pursuing excellence off screen, after work or between school runs. In that way, all these shows succeed in asking us to imagine just how good we could be.
The Guardian
[ Ed - The Great Pottery Throwdown, Series 1 - 6 is viewable on Binge and Foxtel. It is a must see television show for all potters. Series 7 is in production now in the UK. Stay tuned. ]
Clay Gulgong
Is a biennial event that takes place in a region of north-western New South Wales, that is globally recognised for its strong links with the field of ceramics. Mansfield Ceramics is committed to bringing the best national and international artists to the beautiful town of Gulgong. So put it in your diary the next event is scheduled for:
15–21 April, 2024.
For further information:
50 Years of Handy Hints
Is a collection of tips and techniques gathered and published in Ceramic Study Group Australia’s newsletters since the 1960’s. Each month we will bring to you snippets of their collected wisdom.
Plus we have popped all the tips, hacks and techniques onto a ‘Tips’ page on our club website so that you can refer to them easily.
July 2013
Grind up some dry clay of the type you are using, fire it in a bisque firing and keep it in a jar. It can be put through a fine sieve and mixed to a paste with sodium silicate to fill cracks in bisque ware. Dry and sand before firing.
The grey sponge brushes that are very cheap in 2 Dollar shops are great for laying on smooth slip areas, especially when banding on the wheel. With a pair of scissors the foam edge can be cut which will enable several thin bands to be done at once.
If you make really good fitting lids and at the leather hardstage they have the habit of getting stuck, pierce a small hole in the bottom of the pot and blow into it. Like magic the lid pops off with no damage to pot or lid. Then a small amount of clay rubbed over the hole seals it without a trace.
That’s it for the Collected Wisdom book of tips and techniques, but don’t worry we will still have more tips coming next month. Remember you can look up all of the tips to date on the Tips page on the SPCI website.
President: Douglas Ainsworth
Vice President: Ken Bull
Treasurer: Tamara Vitale
Secretary: Rose Kelly
Committee Members: Suzanne Bell, Barbara Fletcher,
Gus Saunders
Newsletter Editor: Ed Trost
email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com
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