March 2025
MARCH 2025 | ISSUE #054
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Hello Potters
From the President
What a month! We have been flat out at the studio inducting all our new members, if you are one then welcome and thank you for being apart of our clay loving community. Sadly we are almost at capacity again so memberships will be closing any day soon.
Our workshops are in full swing with a full calendar of sessions ahead with more to add soon. Check helloClub if you are interested.
You may have noticed some new fans cooling down the studio on these hot muggy days. Thank you to Robyn for your kind donation
More fabulous glazes have been added to the orange cupboard along with some P2 masks for sanding for $2 each.
Speaking of safety, please make sure that you use a damp cloth to wipe down your shelves regularly to keep the dust under control. And remember to mop or vacuum the floors, never sweep.
The clubs AGM was held and the new committee elected. I would like to take the opportunity to thank Barb Fletcher who stepped down from the committee after three years for all her hard work and support. The rest of the committee was reelected with Melina Wales filling the role of Vice President and Steve McConnell joining as a general member. Welcome Steve and thank you to the committee for their continued dedication to the club.
Happy potting
Suzanne
Here’s the link to helloClub to sign up
March
1st and 4th - induction for new members
1st and 2nd - beginners wheel workshop
2nd - intro to hand building workshop
8th - Cleaning Bee 1pm [volunteer opportunities]
9th - Workshop ‘Construct a Greenman’
9th - 25th The Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence
14th - intro to slab rolling and textures workshop
16th - throw bigger and better bowls workshop
19th - 5 week hand building workshop begins
22nd - Committee meeting
23rd - Workshop ‘Pick a Project’
30th - Easter Sunday Social
April
7th - SAS Easter exhibition entries close
18th - Bluewater festival club stand (sales and volunteer opportunities)
17th to 19th - SAS Easter Exhibition
May
16 to 25th - Sunshine Coast Open Studios
23rd May - Ekka entries close
June
4 weekends - Samford and Surrounds Art Trail
Construct a Greenman or Greenwoman
You will learn how to sculpt a portrait of a Greenman or Greenwoman in a wall plaque form. Through demonstration and practice you will create an exaggerated likeness of a face and plant forms. You may not finish your piece on the day however you will learn enough skills to complete it afterwards.
Suitable for beginners to intermediate experience. Bring along some pics for your inspiration.
Arrive at 8:30 for a 9:00am start.
Please bring lunch to share.
Sunday 9 March 2025
08:30 – 15:30
Shorncliffe Pottery Club shed
Here’s the link to HelloClub to enrol
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5 Week Handbuilding
for Beginners
Wednesday nights 6-9pm, starting March 19th.
More details on Hello Club
Wednesday 19 March 2025
18:00 – 21:30
Shorncliffe Pottery Club shed
Here’s the link to HelloClub to enrol
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Pick a Project
Hand building workshop for tutoring on your chosen project.
HelloClub has more details!
Sunday 23 March 2025
09:30 – 13:30
Shorncliffe Pottery Club shed
Here’s the link to HelloClub to enrol
Do you have any tips to share? Have you found the most useful tool, tip, or process for working with clay? If so, pop them in the Tips Box at the shed or email them to shorncliffepotteryclub@gmail.com and we will publish them here for all to share.
Here are some of the tips so far, courtesy of Suzanne B:
Getting started
# YouTube and Pinterest are great for ideas
# check out your digital library for a magazine called clay craft
# keep good records
# patience and practice
Kiln gods
# don’t fall in love with your piece until it comes out of the glaze kiln, the kiln gods are not always friendly
# keep your bottoms clean
Glazing
# read the label and make sure you match clay, glaze and firing temperature
# test tiles can save disappointment
Favourite tools
# potters thumb
# glad wrap over clay when using cutters
# textures are everywhere from bark to buttons
The Siliceous Award for
Ceramic Excellence 2025
The Siliceous Award for Ceramic Excellence is a recognition and celebration of artistic excellence and innovation in ceramics. Since its establishment in 2015, the Siliceous Award has grown in profile and now receives local, national, and international media coverage. It attracts a high standard of entries from both full-time career artists and enthusiasts from around Australia.
The Main Prize is $7,000 and acquisitive, with the winning piece added to Ceramic Arts Queensland’s Permanent Collection. The Permanent Collection comprises over 200 pieces from significant Australian makers, such as Gwyn Hanssen Pigott and Milton Moon.
When: Mar 09 - 25
Where: Brisbane Institute of Art
41 Grafton Street, Windsor, QLD, 4030
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Ekka Entry Details
Entries are open for Queensland’s most creative types who are encouraged to enter the Creative Art and Craft Competition at Ekka 2025.
Entries close 23 May 2025
Our neighbour Lynn sent this over - The garden community is very grateful for the Pottery Club’s generous donation with the making, glazing and firing of their new garden sign. Thank you.
Current Clay in Stock
We have a large range of clay in stock, all at great prices. Just ask your supervisor next time you are down at the pottery shed.
Blackwattle Cone 6 White
Blackwattle Terracotta + Grog
Blackwattle White Stoneware Paper Clay
Chris’ Light Speckle
Feeneys Buff Raku Sandy
Feeneys Buff Raku Trachyte BRT
Feeneys Fine Blend FFB
Feeneys Raku Gold
Feeneys Red Raku
Keane Dark Matter
Keane Red Earth
Keane Mid Fire Lumina
Keane Mid Fire 6 Speckled
Keane Mid Fire 33
Keane Toast
Keane White Earthenware 37
Keane White Raku
Northcote Clayworks JB1 Porcelain
Northcote Clayworks Cone 6 White
Northcote Clayworks Mid Fire Granite
Terracotta
Walker Stoneware 10
Walker White Handbuilding EW / SW
What is a cookie?
A cookie is also called a sacrificial saucer. These are pre-fired pieces of clay which are placed under your pieces in a glaze firing so that if glaze does run off your piece, then it stays on the cookie and doesn't run onto the kiln shelf and damage it. They should be thin and flat to avoid warping the piece. They are reusable for 5 to 10 times.
To protect the kiln and kiln shelves, cookies must be placed under all items in the kiln. The club will provide cookies but any which are damaged will be charged to you at $2 each (to cover cost of clay, kiln wash, firing etc). If you have damaged a cookie a note will be left with your fired piece. Show this to the supervisor when paying.
If you wish to provide your own cookies they must meet the specifications below. If they don't then the club cookies will be used.
Cookie Specifications
• Flat and thin, any shape is fine
• Made from stoneware clay
• Not made using trachyte or similar materials
• Textured on one side
• Bisque fired
• Large enough to catch any glaze from your item (wider than the base)
• Clearly marked with your name
• Kiln washed
• Replaced once they show wear or damage
• Place under your piece on the firing shelf
Clean Clear Plastic Jars Needed
If you have any clean clear plastic jars with lids, can you bring them to the shed and leave them out in the back room. Make sure they are clean thanks.
The Sandgate Art Society Art Show is happening again this Easter. Cash Prizes will be awarded across 2D Art, 3D Art, Photography/Digital Art and Textile/Mixed Media.
The Grace Cross Memorial Textile/Mixed Media award has been established to honor the late Grace Cross. Grace was known for her intricate layered media textile artworks, incorporating elements like rusting fibres, paper, stitching, beading and/or embellishments. Submissions in this category can be either 2D or 3D and must incorporate stitch + mixed media. Spread the word and start preparing your entries.
17 – 19 April 2025
Entries close 7 April
We’re excited to announce that the Arts Trail is returning in 2025.
WHEN: 4 weekends in June (starting on Saturday 31 May) from 10am-4pm
WHERE: in various studios, galleries and art spaces across the Samford, Dayboro, Clear Mountain and surrounding region.
Artist Registration is Now Open: trails@creativesamford.com
We have popped all of the published tips, hacks and techniques onto the ‘Tips’ page on our club website so that you can refer to them easily.
What is Terracotta?
Courtesy artist: Nacera Kaïnou
Terracotta, also known as terra cotta or terra-cotta (from the Latin terra cocta 'cooked earth'), is a clay-based non-vitreous ceramic usually fired at relatively low temperatures.
Terracotta clay has a few unique characteristics, in particular a red brown colour that typifies its appearance in ceramics. It's widely used as a material for tiles or pots for the garden, which is why we see so many pots take on this red brown colour. It is made out of a fairly coarse, porous type of clay that is high in iron oxides. It is also highly used for sculptural pottery due to the rigidity it achieves from the amount of grog in its composition.
One of terracotta's most unique traits is its ability to draw moisture out of the soil, something plastic and glazed ceramic planters simply can't do. However, due to this porous nature, terracotta can crack as the water expands and contracts in fluctuating temperatures.
Terracotta can also be fired to higher temperatures and become a vitrified ceramic. But beware the grog within the clay converts to glass and can produce a surface with small, sharp protuberances. Sanding is highly advisable to alleviate this issue.
Our Committee
President: Suzanne Bell
Vice President: Melina Wales
Treasurer: Sandra Roveda
Secretary: Laura Ogden
Committee Members:
Clare Houston, Rebecca Mason, Steve McConnell, Kylie Smith
Newsletter Editor: Ed Trost
edtrost1961@gmail.com
email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com
follow us on
website + instagram + facebook
…Until next month…
HAPPY POTTING!
