August 2024
AUGUST 2024 | ISSUE #047
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Hello Potters
From the President
July was a busy month for the club with our Xmas in July themed Sunday Social featuring the Grinch, the winners of the magnet competition and the Einbunpin festival celebrated.
Congratulations to everyone who entered magnets, we had a fabulous collection of entries which made it very difficult to choose. I was honestly lost for words with the talent displayed. The best depiction of theme went to Kevin Wilson for his cycling in the foreshore piece. Most innovative went to Angela Bennet for a stunning scallop that looked good enough to eat. Best use of colour went to Diane O’Brien for her fish which with the use of lusters glimmers beautiful.
We had 18 members sell pieces at Einbunpin and 20 volunteers, a great display of club spirit. Thanks to everyone who made the day successful.
I’m sure you all remember that we where successful in getting a grant earlier this year to buy a new kiln. After much deliberation we decided on not one but two Australian made Woodrow kilns. Thank you to Douglas, Clare and Gus for your dedicated research. The kilns have been purchased and will be with us during August. This will bring some upheaval as we move the old ones into the backroom, do some maintenance in the kiln room then install and commission. We will provide some dates when confirmed but please be aware that we will need to close off the kiln room for a week or so. This will also stop work going through the kilns so please prepare yourself. This is an exciting time but patience will be required.
We have recently announced the 2024 SPC Showcase at Et al Gallery and Studio featuring SASart. This is a first for the club and is only possible due to member Alison James and the Et al Gallery. This is a fabulous opportunity for our members to exhibit their work so please support it.
Happy potting
Suzanne
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.
And the Winners Are…
Best depiction of Theme - Kevin Wilson for his biking on the foreshore
Most imaginative - Angela Bennett for her scallop
Best use of colour - Diane O‘Brien for her fish
Congratulations to the winners of the Magnet Making competition. It wasn’t an easy task for the President to choose the winners as the quality of the entries was very high. They really were attractive. Ha ha. The magnets will now go on sale at Einbunpin and the Sandgate Art Society Trail.
Well done to everyone that participated.
click on an image for larger version
Learn + Natter
(workshops + socials)
Finishing Projects + Introduction
to Club Glazes Workshop
Learn how to neaten and finish your projects, and be provided an introduction to the club’s and other glazes.
you will need prepared pieces for this workshop.
When
Sunday 11 August 09:30 – 12:30
Where
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc
_________________________________________________
MUG MAKING
Wheel Workshop - Beginners
Beginners wheel workshop
When
Saturday 17 August 12:30 – 17:00
Where
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc
_________________________________________________
PICK A PROJECT
Tutoring for hand-building project
Come along for some tutoring to complete a project of your choice.
When
Sunday 25 August 09:30 – 13:30
Where
Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc
_________________________________________________
We are trying to cater for all members of our club, therefore providing workshops on other days, not just weekends. Same with the themed socials. So ensure to check availability on Helloclub. If you're not sure how to do this, please speak with a supervisor at the shed.
We are looking for ideas for what other skills you would like to learn or further develop, so please reach out and provide some feedback.
If you would be interested in hosting a workshop or Sunday (or other day) Social, please contact me and I'd be happy to discuss this further or alternatively, if you would like to suggest a workshop or instructor for a possible workshop, please also contact me.
happy potting
Rebecca Mason
WOODFIRE WA 2024
CARLOTTA STUDIO
16th – 21st Sept
Another wonderful group of artists are demonstrating at this year’s event. Fergus Stewart (Scotland) Jann Kesby (NSW) Ted Secombe (Victoria) Robyn Lees (WA) Stu McKay (WA) Mary Wallace (WA) and more, from pop in artists.
There will be salt firing, train kiln firing, kiln building, drum kiln fast firing, pit firing (notes from Mary, re pit firing, will be sent separately after registration) and a little bit of Raku. No previous wood firing experience needed.
What to bring. 12 pieces of BISQUED stoneware clay no taller than 30 cm. No platters but small slab plates are ok. I recommend Clayworks LGH as it will fire in all the kilns with ease. There are plenty of slips for the salt kiln and glazes are provided.
A pair of gardening gloves will be handy when stacking the wood. PPE is provided white stoking the kilns.
Tea and coffee is available around the clock. Bring your lunch. There is a fridge and microwave in the studio. You can pre order lunch from the Lavender Farm 300 metres away. We are totally off the grid so if we deplete the battery storage the generator will top them up and the power will be restored. In this event a little patience is required.
Weather: September and it’s spring but bring warm clothing for chilly nights.
Accommodation: There are plenty self-contained, BnB’s and camping facilities in and around Nannup and Carlotta (14km south of Nannup).
The cost for the workshop is $500
If you have any questions or need a registration form please contact me.
0408 904 271 - if I don’t answer please send me an sms or email me.
2023 Woodfire WA workshop results are still available to view on the website
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cher Shackleton
Cohorts Down Under Workshop
Announcing an exciting workshop with 2 ceramic artists direct from the United States who are dedicated to advancing the frontiers of clay.
Simon Levin, a potter and educator living in Pawnee, Illinois, has more than 30 years' experience working in clay and building community along the way.
Ann Marie Cooper, a potter and gallerist living in Bellingham, Washington, has more than 20 years’ experience working with artists in the gallery sector, and 15 years as one herself.
During this two-day workshop, join Simon Levin and Ann Marie Cooper as they teach techniques and pushing students’ creativity. Through quick demos, and hands-on teaching, participants will bolster their studio practice with new ways to create.
Discussion and questions will be used to drive ideas and creativity. Be ready to ask the questions you have wanted to ask about all things related to clay, wood & soda firing as well as the inspiring Cohorts.Art mentorship program founded by Simon Levin and managed by Ann Marie Cooper.
Special thanks to Bill Powell of CeramX School of Clay and Glass on the Gold Cost, Queensland, for hosting this event.
7 + 8 September 2024
1 Winderadeen Crt. Nerang, Queensland 4211
The Mayan vase. Photo: Esteban Moctezuma Barragán on X.
Woman’s $3.99 Thrift Store Find
Is Ancient Mayan Artefact
When Washington, D.C. resident Anna Lee Dozier picked up a vase at a thrift store in Maryland five years ago, she thought it a faithful reproduction of a Mayan artefact. “It did look old to me,” she told radio KVCR, “but not old-old, like 20 to 30 years old, maybe.” Turns out, it is much, much older than that.
Dozier sent photos and the dimensions of the vase to the Mexican embassy, before the artefact was authenticated by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History. “I got an email saying, ‘Congratulations, it’s real and we would like it back,'” said Dozier.
According to the embassy, the vase dates to between 200 and 800 C.E., during the Classic period of Mayan history, when its civilisation boomed in numbers, creative development, and major construction projects, including the monumental Tikal Temple. Historians have made connections between this particular era with that of Classical Greece and Renaissance Italy.
She also expressed relief at getting the vase out of her home, where she is raising three young boys: “I was petrified that after 2,000 years, I would be the one to break it!” “Giving it back feels so much better than it would if I put it on eBay and I got a bunch of money,” she added.
by Artnet News [edited]
Why don’t you send in some photos and text
for inclusion in the club’s newsletter?
Include your name, the title of your work (if any), and a short description
of what it is or why you made it.
SPCI Exhibition @ et al Gallery
We are pleased to invite expressions of interest for members to exhibit at the 2024 SPCI Showcase @ et al Gallery and Studio, featuring SAS art as well.
Applications including photos will be called for and will be due by
Friday 6 September 2024.
Exhibition will run from 26 September to 6 October
Location - Shop 10, Fifth Avenue, Sandgate. QLD. 4017
Please indicate interest in the event using HelloClub in order to be sent an application when available.
All hands on deck. Good to see potters engrossed in doing their own thing. Even if the weather is a bit on the chilly side.
The Nature of Clay through
Bold, Spirited Masks
Karolina Romanowska adorns each of her masks with a multitude of patterns and raised surfaces that create distinct features, such as curved horns, copious eyes, rosy cheeks, and protruding tongues.
How do you know when your artwork is finished? Do you step back and take a few deep breaths as you listen to your intuition? Or do you keep going, focusing on the smallest of details, and apply the law of diminishing returns? Labouring over whether a work is “complete” is common for creatives, and Karolina Romanowska believes working in ceramics has helped her overcome this inward block.
“Clay moves with the maker. It’s alive and it has a spirit of its own,” says the Madison-based artist. “It’s a constant dance that demands discipline, and the nature of the material forces me to be finished. Once the piece comes out of the bisque fire, I can no longer change its structure. I have to accept it, nurture it, and decorate it one colour and texture at a time.”
Courtesy the artist and This is Colossal
click on an image to view larger or click here to view in your browser
We have popped all the published tips, hacks and techniques onto the ‘Tips’ page on our club website so that you can refer to them easily.
Fixing Cracks in Clay Handles
Clay handles can be tricky to dry properly. They can quite often crack at the joint as your pottery dries out. Or, even if they are attached well, they might crack in the middle of the handle splitting it into two parts.
But what can you do if your handle has cracked before it is fired? Do you always have to put your pottery in the reclaim bucket? Not always. There are ways to rescue cracked handles. Here are 5 of the best.
Vinegar Slurry
Take a small amount of bone dry clay. The amount of clay you need will depend on the size of the crack. But normally about 100g will be enough. You can always keep whatever is left over in a sealed jar for future use.
Mix some vinegar with the clay until toothpaste consistency. Vinegar is a flocculant, which means that it causes the clay particles to attract one another. It is often used to thicken clay slurries.
Before applying the paste to the cracked joint, dab some vinegar on the joint with a sponge or a soft brush. When the two surfaces are damp gently work the paste into the crack with a modelling tool. Once you have worked the clay paste in, smooth the surface with your finger.
The crack may re-open a little as it dries. Simply repeat the process again refilling the crack. You may have to repeat the process 3 or 4 times.
A Damp Box
Another way to approach fixing handles is to rehydrate your greenware. One of the best ways of rehydrating pots and mugs evenly is by using a damp box.
A damp box is any sealed container that traps moisture in the atmosphere to keep the air humid.
You can make a damp box very easily. Simply pour a couple of inches of wet plaster mix into a plastic storage box. When the plaster has set, you keep it moist by adding water. Place your greenware on the plaster and put an airtight lid on the container.
There needs to be enough water on the plaster to make it moist. But not so much that the greenware is sitting in a puddle. The water in the plaster will keep the atmosphere in the container damp. And it will rehydrate dry clay over a number of days.
Once the cracked piece has been rehydrated, you can re-attach the handle using slip as usual.
Re-Wetting the Mug and Handle
Another way to rehydrate greenware is to wrap it in a moist cloth and cover it in a plastic bag. It’s best if the cloth is lightweight and untextured. This reduces the chance of getting an impression of the fabric on the pottery.
Alternatively, you can wrap your pot in damp paper towels. However, you need to make sure the paper towels don’t dry out. If they dry out they can dry your mug out even more.
Once the clay is workable again and has an even moisture level, you can slip and score the cracked handle. And then reattach it to the body of the mug.
Spooze ( See last month’s Tips for the recipe )
Spooze has a thick paste-like slurry consistency. It creates hard bonds between cracks in dry clay. In addition to being good for fixing small cracks, it can be used to build up a thick layer to fill wider gaps.
To use the Spooze mixture, moisten the two surfaces that you want to join with vinegar. Then paste a bit of the Spooze onto either surface and press them together. Hold for half a minute and then let the join dry.
After the joint has dried you may need to sand off any Spooze that has squeezed out of the join.
Off the Shelf Products
Mayco’s AC-306 Clay Mender - simply apply a little to the two surfaces to be joined. Then score the moistened surfaces. Then apply another generous layer of the clay mender. Press the two surfaces together and hold them for about 20 seconds. Once the join has dried, you can sand away the excess.
Apt II - Porcelain/Stoneware Enhancer is used to thicken all brands of slip and clay bodies. It adheres to greenware, bisque, and glaze-fired surfaces. For wet, dry, or stress-cracked greenware, apply Apt II and press pieces together to bond, then clean the excess and let dry. Fire normally.
Our Committee
President: Suzanne Bell
Vice President: Rose Kelly
Treasurer: David Grugeon
Secretary: Amy Stevens
Committee Members:
Ken Bull, Barbara Fletcher, Clare Houston, Melina Wales
Newsletter Editor: Ed Trost
edtrost1961@gmail.com
email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com
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