April 2025
APRIL 2025 | ISSUE #055
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Hello Potters
From the President
After a fabulous response memberships have now closed for the year. If you missed out they will reopen 1st February 2026.
The studio was very lucky to avoid any major issues with the cyclone and subsequent rain, in part due to the preparations that were made so thank you to everyone who helped before and after.
After a delay due to the cyclone the cleaning bee went ahead with a great turn out. Thank you everyone for coming and making the studio look so good.
Big thank you to Sandy for donating some shelves for the back room and Steve for helping reinforce the clay storage shelves so we can fill them up as much as possible 😁
We have some exciting new additions to our calendar, a mother’s day pop up stall at the studio 3rd May and a celebration on the 28th June for our 20th anniversary at this location. Stay tuned for more details. Our magnet fundraiser is also returning with a new theme, see below for more details.
Happy potting
Suzanne
Here’s the link to helloClub to sign up
April
7th - SAS Easter exhibition entries close
8th - 5 week wheel course begins
13th - Introduction to Handbuilding workshop
18th - Bluewater festival club stand (sales and volunteer opportunities)
17th to 19th - SAS Easter Exhibition
27th - introduction to slab rolling and textures workshop
May
3rd - SPC Mother’s Day pop up stall (sales and volunteer opportunities)
3rd - Mug wheel workshop
18th - Sunday social Water Etching
June
14th - Large coil vessel workshop
28th - SPC studio 20th Anniversary open day
Make a Mug
Beginner Wheel Workshop
2 days where you will learn how to throw a mug and trim it.
Head over to HelloClub for more details and to book.
When: May 3rd and 4th, 1:30 to 5:30
Where: Shorncliffe Pottery Club
Here’s the link to HelloClub to book
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
5-Week Guided Wheel Course
Learn to develop your skills and confidence on the wheel,
with this 5 week guided course.
HelloClub has all the details and booking tab.
It starts from Tuesday 8th April 6-9pm.
Limited spots for individual feedback, so get in quick.
Remember to refer to conditions of workshops on the Clubs website.
Here’s the link to HelloClub to book
Magnets – It’s on again!
After a very successful inaugural magnet fundraiser last year we are excited to run again this year. This year’s themes are related to the 20th Anniversary of our studio - Shorncliffe/Sandgate/4017 and home.
Look out for posters in the studio outlining more details.
Ensure you leave enough flat space to attach a magnet
Mark the back with SPC, 2025 and your membership number
Kiln for free, bisque and glaze
Glue and magnets supplied by the club
Members will be given the chance to vote for the people’s choice award.
The first round of magnets are due 20th June and magnets will be displayed and sold at club events. We can’t wait to see what amazing creations we get.
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.
• add 10% vinegar to your water sprayer to improve clay adherence
•. use cling wrap on your slab to improve your cuts
•. an old dishwashing scourer pad makes an excellent sanding tool
•. Zip seal bags are excellent for keeping pieces of clay in working condition
•. Hair Spray your glazed pottery prior to re-glazing
•. Use Cooking Oil spray in the extruder to ease extrusions and clean up
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
How did you get started in pottery?
I was tied up with PCYC since 2001 and helping the maintenance crew for club and pottery when you came along. I joined up because Margaret told me to, I wasn't going to argue with her and have not regretted it.
How long have you been a member of SPCI?
Since SPCI became SPCI and a member of Shorncliffe Pottery Club from shortly after they became a PCYC activity moving into the shed.
What’s your fave way to volunteer in the club?
Almost anything when I can get there.
When you aren’t doing pottery what do you do?
Generally having a nap or watching the clouds roll over the mountains. I am a member of the Lockyer Valley Art Society and potter on Monday and Friday.
What type of pottery do you make?
I generally don't know until I start and something appears, odd animal/ people hybrid, some bowls. Mostly I experiment and break the rules to see what happens
What is your favourite clay?
Raku Gold, some Terracotta, clayworks sculptural fine, CTC and CTS BRT and BRS but I have a wide range of clays and try mixing to see what happens. Sometimes good some epic failures
Are there any ceramic artists that you admire?
Garry Mudge at LASI, he makes some fantastic animals and small birds with fine detail and quite quickly.
What is it about pottery that rocks your boat?
I get in my own little space and something comes and it is great when it works out well.
If you were marooned on a deserted clay island what pottery tool would you want to have?
It would have to be a kiln that would double as a fast pizza oven and could make baked fish. How would a fish go wrapped in clay and cooked inside a clay casing? Would it retain its moisture?
Here are some photos – the three headed dog represents my kids dogs, the grey head has a moving clay ball in its mouth like the real dog.
Bluewater Festival
Volunteers Required
Good Friday 18 April
This is a lovely event down at the Shorncliffe Pier with lots of stalls, food and music. We are looking for support from members, those who wish to provide pieces to sell, volunteers to run the stall and of course pop down with friends and family to support.
Volunteer timeslots
[click on link to book your time]
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 White Stoneware Paper Clay
Chris’ Light Speckle
Clayworks YG Speckle
Feeneys Fine Blend FFB
Feeneys Raku Gold
Feeneys Red Raku
Feeneys Buff Raku Sandy BRS
Feeneys Buff Raku Trachyte BRT
Granite Mid Fire
Keane White Earthenware 37
Keane Ceramics Red Earth
Keane Ceramics Dark Matter
Keane Ceramics White Raku
Keane Ceramics Mid Fire 33
Keane Ceramics Mid Fire 6 Speckled
Northcote Clayworks Cone 6 White
Walkers White Handbuilding EW/SW
Walkers 10 Stoneware
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
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 MidFire?
MidFire is a kiln firing range that uses clay designed to mimic stoneware at a lower temperature – this saves around 30% in firing costs!
MidFire clays are a type of pottery clay that are fired to a temperature range of 1180-1240°C. About 20°C below Stoneware firing temperature. They are gaining popularity among potters because they achieve the sought after qualities in Stoneware of strength, durability and finish but are fired to the lower temperatures of MidFire.
This is also better for the kiln element's longevity and can therefore be cost effective on maintenance and energy bills.
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!
