Updates: September 1st 2022

Hey everyone!
Hope you have all had a chance to go out and enjoy the sun! I know I have been trying to take advantage of the rays.
As always, when spring comes, the club gets busier and busier! Please read these updates and it is important if you are involved in some of the activities.
All updates will be posted on the website under club news.

Pit Firing

​I am busy most of the weekend, so I will start the pit firing bisque on Sunday Evening when I come back to town. Please have your pots on the members shelf ready to fire! 
The pots should be ready to pick up on the following Tuesday!! Exciting times.

PIT/DRUM  FIRING INFORMATION FOR SATURDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 10AM
MAXIMUM POTS 5
Arrival time is 9.30 if you want to do a foil saggar.  Please note this is not necessary & you can get wonderful colour just by putting your pot in.  If you are doing a saggar please bring wide foil to wrap your pot & copper sulphate if you have some (you may find it in your gardening kit at home) & any other bits you may like to wrap with your pot.  I have a box of organic bits I am willing to share if you would like some.

If you are not doing saggar please come at 10am.

Please note you will all be required to help with the firing.  This includes carrying wood & other bits to the kiln etc & maybe even straightening the bricks a little on the walls of the pit.
You may need to bring your lunch as the estimated time of lighting the fire is around 11.30/12 or so. 
 I will price your group of pots before placing them in the pit & this money will need to be paid in cash on the day along with a visitors fee of $5.  Helen will be in charge of this &  she will have a book with these charges written in it.  You will need a change of $8 to $13 approx. (this includes the visitors fee)  The firing charge is small but depends on the size of your pots.

If you have access to natural hardwood or un-tanalized offcuts of wood, dry seaweed, dry driftwood, dry small pine cones, walnut shells etc please bring on the day.
Also bring any organic bits, dried fruit skins, dry egg shells, dry pine needles etc along to put by your own pots in the pit.  Bits pulled from a copper scouring pad are also effective.  You can wrap copper wire tightly around your pot for a lovely effect as well.
Please listen to directions from our small pit firing team & do not attempt to do anything without their knowledge.  A list of rules has now been made for this firing & will be attached.

Look forward to seeing you there
Susan

Gallery Room Updates

The wonderful Sheila is in the middle of updating and cataloguing our pottery collection in the gallery/exhibition room!
Currently there is some tape on the glass and shelves where the pots are, PLEASE LEAVE THESE.
They are there for identification.

We are also looking for someone who is handy with a camera to take some photos for documentation. 
If it sounds like you, please give us an email or let Sheila know.
Anguchen96@gmail.com

Di's Demonstration 

Di is doing a demo on the 13th September Tuesday evening 7pm. This is an awesome opportunity to see a great potter at work! 
She will be showing some wheelwork with tips and tricks. I think everyone has seen the stunning work that new potters are putting out from her class..
Makes a person curious about all the knowledge the tutor is teaching!

Time: 7pm
Date: 13th September
Cost: $5

We are also looking for someone who can host the demo.
A host will make sure everyone is signed in and that Di has what she needs. 
They will also help tidy up and set up the room.

As a host, you can attend the demo for free!
Give me an email if you are keen!
Anguchen96@gmail.com

Shona's Slab and Slip workshop - October Sunday 30 th 9.30 to 3.30pm

A working workshop on slab platters with a coiled foot ring, a coiled vase, slip decorating 3 different
applications.

1. decorating directly onto the work by brush, slip trailer, stamping etc.
2. decorating on newspaper like a transfer, plan a design then rub it on your slab.
3. decorating on a plaster slab, building up a picture sort of mono printing by putting clay over the
4. top and making a vase, cup, earrings, napkin rings etc.

Materials to bring: clay that you are working with, small plaster bat if you have one, water
sprayer, clay tools, apron, towel, any slip colours, masking tape, sticky shapes circles, squares
etc., wax, rubber latex, Stamps, any glazed tile for mixing slips, scissors, newspaper. A smooth
slight curved dish glass plastic, an old wok that type of shape as we will be working on top of the
hump mould old towels for working with, brushes any, Eco shop have a good supply of curved
lamp shades. If you don’t have all of this we will share.
We may not get it all done, but you will have the knowledge to work at home.
Bring a shared lunch.
Cost $40
Email Shona for enrolments claytech1@gmail.com

The Estuary Trust’s Bird Expo

The Estuary Trust’s Bird Expo is on at the Mt Pleasant Community Centre. It is an exhibition of bird photos and paintings from local professional photographers and local artists, including Sheila Brown and Jo Ogiers.  We will have a Mt Pleasant Pottery Group table of items for sale also. Each item will need to have an estuary bird theme.
 If this is something that you are interested in contributing to, then contact me, stace.rod@gmail.com or 0211829600

Paper Clay Demo - Tuesday 11th October 7pm - 9pm

Why use Paper Clay? It has exceptional strength before bisque firing, it's light and can be made out of scrap clays. You can build large structures and add wet to dry clay. It's fast drying, versatile and can be filed, carved or drilled. It's ideal for slab work and tiles as it doesn't warp or crack when fired. It can be stored dry in flat sheets and then cut with scissors or a Stanley knife before joining or reconstituting. 

Lesley Towart will be giving a demonstration of paper clay making along with some of its applications.

Wood Firing

We have also been invited to the Halswell wood firing! This is a great opportunity to do some firing in a reduced atmosphere and also meet some people from both clubs!
The firing is on the 16th October 9am start. The kiln will be stacked on Friday the 14th October.
Pots should be glazed on the inside with a splash on the outside. Leave some naked clay so the wood can color the pots.

The roster is Sunday 9am to 12 12pm to 3pm 3pm to 6 or later
We will require 4/ 5 people on each shift on each firebox taking turns getting wood ready and opening
the lid and putting in the wood this can be hot work as it is good to share the load.
Email Shona: claytech1@gmail for your rostered time.
This new date will give you all a bit more time to make your work.
Requirements are. pine cones, bring water and your lunch if on lunch duty. Long sleeves and trousers
and a band or hat to keep hair in, leather gloves.
You can use your usual glazes inside and a splash outside. It is best not to glaze all the outside as we
want the wood and ash to work on the naked areas. You can use glue squeeze on the top part of your
pots and sprinkle wood ash over, this will make a sort of decoration add interest to your work.
Google wood fired pots and see what others have done. 

Cheers Shona

Addition: I am planning on making some Shinos and Celadons as instructed from Shona. These glazes will be available at a later date for people to put on their pots for the wood firing - Angu

Stacked Garden Sculpture Class

 We have a new 8 week class coming up in October!! Stacked Garden Sculpture class.
Please find more detail in the image below.