Hi potters, 
We had a great saturday Raku last week with Leigh-Anne as our leader; we will be having another one soon (probably the 10th Aug) so keep a look out for this information.  Saturday 4th, first of the month club morning with Anne,come and pot in the rooms.

August demonstration sprig club night is cancelled but those of us who had pots in the wood firing at Halswell will be bringing their pots to show and discuss; all welcome for a catch-up. So, not the usual club night but you might have some ideas for bowl making for our September 11th 'swap a bowl' night and fill it with Delicious soup and bread all made by our pottery 🍜chef's . I think we have at least three bread bakers, but the more the merrier!
 
Some of the members took part in a wood firing at Halswell potters group this week end, Saturday, all day, it’s great fun with lots of smoke and flames and general excitement. Some  photo's below; come and see the results of the firing on Tuesday 14th club night.

Bisque pots on the shelf: there are a few of the members bisqued pots on the shelf by the windows. These are the first names or marks of the works: Nic, EB,Chris, Sam, mm, wa, LL. We would appreciate that they be paid for and taken away asap as our new term has started and we need the space. If they are still there in a week we will dispose of them. It is a good idea to keep and eye on your work as you have put in the hard work not for them to be disposed of.

The usual club days and nights; continue please support these nights as you can always learn from someone else who might have a good idea or a great way of throwing.
Cheers, your Committee

Leigh-Anne's first Saturday, Club Day, Raku firing was held on 14th July in beautifully fine weather. There were seven hearty souls participating and gaining experience from more practised potters (Thanks, Shona). The report is that the crackle glaze worked well, but the slip "needs a little work".   An action shot and the results:

There were seven of us who attended Renate's workshop, last weekend, discovering the delights and magic of putting engobe and slips onto clay. We had each been asked to bring some leather-hard tiles and bowls to practice the techniques of engobe application.

Renate had some simple rules for us to consider as we embarked on our discovery; importantly, consider the viewer and don't limit oneself in how to apply the engobe and work the surface of the pot.
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To get the best result for the colour of engobe one wants, use the whitest clay possible. The array of colours Renate uses is clear from the samples of her standard range she brought in to show us. Renate also uses a small range of colours from which she blends to achieve the colour she wants. We then mixed up a colour each, using the white slip Renate had brought and shared these amongst us. We then attacked the tiles and bowls we had brought in with some hesitancy as some of us hadn't attempted this before. A sample of the results is shown below.

Being involved in learning something new generated wonderful discussion and debate. Renate has great skill and knowledge in the application of engobes and to watch her demonstrate and see her range of test tiles was wonderful. I think the range of colours and designs  of engobe decorations is only limited by our imaginations.

Thank you, Renate.
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Tracy, from Shona's Wed am class, with her bisque fired ware ready for glazing.

What a great night.
 
Mary Lou Foate – creates her works of art by a variety of different methods. 

Mary Lou lovingly creates these unique, whimsical, adorable and very individual pieces of art: miniature sculptures, plaques, brooches, coasters… by using found tools from nature or the kitchen draw. 

The first method she showed us was by drawing an outline in the clay and then pressing areas away this leaves the main focus, normally the face at a more defined level. She marks the back ground using a whole assortment of objects, e.g.  pens and screws .
Mary Lou lets the clay define the work, and never forces the result.
 
Another method is to add base shapes to the outside of a pot / plate  and then press them into the pot.
She can mark these shapes before and after pressing them and loves the way that pressing the object distorts the figure.
This method she uses for her house tiles and her fish plates. She also builds on pinch pots making them into figurines.
 
Her glazing was amazing.  She uses several different methods; She will often put on a base colour (Waikato blue glaze) and then sponges this off  giving wonderful depth to her detailed work. She combines both clear glaze on top and under colour; no particular glaze on her faces and colours mixed with ball clay (for a matt effect).
Recently she has done some work with BRT clay and added Raku white animals, pressing them in.

 A very inspiring and creative evening.

​Sunday 24 June celebrating Matariki  at the Hub 11am to 2pm there will be stone carving, a Hangi, face painting and a bouncy castle for the younger children , we will have tiles for the public to  carve come and see what goes on when we are not potting.

Engobe workshop, 7th July, 10.00am to 4.00pm
There was plenty of interest expressed when Renate did her demonstration night on engobes and to give participants the best opportunity to learn as much as possible from Renate, there will be a limited number of positions available. Therefore, we recommend pre-booking your place; details are on the website  http://www.mtpleasantpottery.org.nz Use ‘engobe’ as your reference,  please.

Wood firing, 28th July, at Halswell Pottery rooms
Shona is making a shino and celadon glaze for this firing and will be testing the glazes in their woodfiring at the end of May. A joint  Halswell club woodfiring firing. For those interested in participating in this firing method, please register your interest on the web site use "wood firing" as your reference, bring your bisque ware (no bowls or plates) to the rooms on Tuesday 10th July for glazing. Members participating should be prepared to spend some time, on the day, assisting with firing and wood (fuel) preparation. Kick off to be confirmed.

Saturday club day, 1st Saturday of the month,June 2nd  10.00am till noon starting Saturday 2 June
For those of you who are gainfully employed outside the home, Anne Goddard is intending to have a club day on the first Saturday of the month. Anyone wishing to join her is welcome anne.goddard@yaho.fr. She will put a notice on our Facebook page. Also, Leigh-Ann Smith is intending to start a Raku group that would meet and carry out their firings on this day, too. Leigh-Ann is interested in exploring the wide range of raku glazes and would like others who are interested to join her leigh-ann.obrien@gib.co.nz 

Check out the Club Programme in Club News Page and Diary Page for details on up coming events: we’re planning a soup night in September, 11th; we have booked the pizza oven to bake some bread to accompany the soup. the Hub pizza oven is booked for for our Christmas function on December 11th.

Slip/Engobe Workshop with Renate, Saturday, 7 July, 10 am to 4 pm.


We will start by making our own slips. Basic white clay slurry and additives will be supplied. You will only need to purchase clay stains. Renate will have all basic colours available. Share some colours with a friend. If you have your own stains, please bring them along.
Next we will use our tiles. With paintbrushes and slip trailers, stamps or stencils we will experiment and test a wide variety of application techniques.
Renate will give assistance and demonstrations as required, painting, slip trailing, scraffito, latex/wax resist, printing or stencil resist.
With the experience from working on your tiles you will chose and develop your own designs that suit your pots, taste and skills and abilities
Bring:    

• Jars (with well closing lids) for the slips 
• Slab tiles, some leather hard, some hard leather hard, some dry, suggested size about 8 x 15 cm
• Simple pots (raw, dry and leather hard) to decorate, preferably made of Abbots White or Red, or Mac’s White or Terracotta or Nelson White clays
• Tools, soft paint brushes, sponges, one firm paint brush (if you have one) and any bits and pieces that could be useful    
• Scrap paper and soft pencil (preferably B6)
• Ideas, samples, books, mags…
• Ice cube tray (if you have one)
• Lunch to share
• Workshop fee is $50.00. Direct debit:  Mt Pleasant Pottery Westpac 03 1591 0083454 00 (Please use 'engobe' as your reference)
• We recommend pre-enrollment as numbers will be limited
  

People who would like to learn about engobes but don't wish, at this stage, to make their own are very welcome to participate. There will be no extra expense.

Some paint brushes and slip trailer will be provided. 
For more information please ring Renate: 388 64 80, 021-1336620, or email rgaletzka@gmail.com

We witnessed a wonderful demonstration of engobe decoration by Renate Galetzka on Tuesday evening, 10th April.

Renate was born in Germany and was on her OE in the 1980's when she met a Kiwi chap (and married him); she says she is still on her OE. As part of her travels she discovered the art of ceramics; she took classes, worked for one of NZ pottery's great dames, Frederika Ersten and gained her Trade Certificate in Pottery. The traditional Swiss mountain engobe decorated earthenware became an interest; from this Renate has developed her own designs and style producing wonderfully coloured pieces.

In New Zealand we tend to use the word 'slip' for a clay slurry wether it is natural or coloured, however engobe is the word for any coloured slip.
To make an engobe to Renate's specifications we will be making our own engobes in the upcoming workshop, at the start of July, where Renate will elaborate in more detail on the recipe, do's and don'ts and tips of the trade regarding making, using and decorating with engobes. Keep an eye out for details

Some techniques that Renate has developed are; select good brushes that hold a good amount of engobe and use one brush per colour (this prevents altering the colour onto the pot. Pots should be leather hard; from her demonstration this showed an excellent uptake of the engobe by the pot. When beginning to decorate your work, start with the outside first, the inside next and the rim is last. Use ones free hand to steady the hand with the brush (see this in all the photo's)

Renate's inspiration for her decoration designs comes from Dr Seuss and from her daughter's time as a circus trapeze artist.

A five sided vase was produced and Renate proceeded to demonstrate some of the techniques that may be used to get an engobe decoration design onto a pot: paper resist, where a cut-out pattern of some paper provides a profile, sponging either randomly or in a pattern, drawing/dotting with a slip trailer (produces a texture as well) and sgraffito.

After bisque firing the pieces are glazed with a clear glaze.

​Renate's demonstration showed us what we can all produce pieces of beauty and interest using the techniques that she uses. It may take us  a little longer but we can enjoy the process in the meantime. Thank Renate.

​March Club Night - Tuscany, Italy with Eve Hope


After viewing some of Eve’s platters, bowls and cups from her collection from Rampini Ceramiche she proceeded to demonstrate her decoration technique on one of her casserole dishes.

​Hi potters, just an update of where the club is this month.

Our  web site is up and running at last, please check us out. We will have all our information there; what is planned for the rest of the term and who is teaching. This will become our main contact; we also use our Facebook page (don't forget to 'like' us!). Quite an achievement for us with a small working committee. The constitution has been re-written; this will be checked out soon and we will call a special general meeting to pass these amendments. Contact mtpleasantpottery@gmail.com for a copy.  I hope you will support us by being at the meeting as a quorum of 16 is required. The date is yet to be confirmed.

Club night: (Second Tuesday of April), 10th April at 7pm
Eve Hope will discus her experiences working in Italy at a majolica studio/factory. Eve will give us an idea how the pieces were made and will have some samples of their work. It will be interesting to hear what working in a controlled workshop is really like.

Hub interest day is Friday 23rd March; come and see what is going on at the hub. The potters have made tiles for the pizza oven surround; these will be fixed to the base soon. They have been made by some of the groups in the hub and we have just made another seven to complete the surround. 

The raku area is under construction in front of the rooms. This will be a small safe area for raku firing. The burner is fixed, so we just need to pick a saturday in April for firing? Anyone interested contact us mtpleasantpottery@gmail.com
 
Wood firing: we can share the wood kiln at Halswell for a combined firing for anyone interested in June/July. A little work will be involve stacking and chopping of wood, also a roster of morning & afternoon stoking. Perhaps a Tuesday night discussion on what is expected in a wood firing, some time in May would be good. Everyone who is interested please contact us at mtpleasantpottery@gmail.com 

Subs are due; if you have received a friendly reminder to pay, please pay; if not and you haven’t paid, please pay and advise and also, if not, many thanks to those who have responded. It makes the running of the group a lot easier (it’s about cash-flow).

Kiln firings are hotting up (boom boom); if you would like your work fired, contact us and we will arrange a time that is suitable for you and to help you load the kiln. The last two weeks before classes finish, the kilns are booked for students only. The dates are Monday 2nd to Friday 13th April. Prepare your work before or after these dates, please.

I (Shona) spent a very pleasant two hours, two weeks ago, at Canterbury potters learning to  repair broken pottery by Kintsugi (meaning connecting things). One of my earlier works, a toilet roll cylinder, broke and it had been sitting for a while (five yrs), this opportunity came up and now I have a gold masterpiece!

Welcome to our new students and members, we hope you enjoy our group. Any questions: please email us and we will endeavour to answer them. 

Cheers - Your Committee

Classes will be starting with two new tutors, Monday pm 12th Feb. with Allan Mauger, Wednesday 14th, pm with Michael Michaels, both experienced potters. Wednesday 14th, am with Shona Clarkson, classes are filling up if you have booked and not paid please contact Shona as you will be now on the waiting list for next term. Welcome to all our new class members.

Subs are now due $45 please pay direct banking Mt Pleasant Pottery Westpac, 03 1591 0083454 00 please write your name as reference. Brochure included for ease of renewing subs. email return to mt pleasant pottery group.

We had a great cleanup day on January 27th, we cleaned the garden outside ready to put down gravel to make it a permanent raku area, and inside all nice and tidy for the year thank you to the 10 who attended we appreciate your cleaning skills.
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Web site will be up and running very soon, we would like our members to bring along one or two pieces of their work on Tuesday 13 club day for photographing; this will be on our website gallery showing our work to the public. Size of the work.name and any other information would be helpful. It doesn’t have to be an exhibition piece, one that you like and are proud of. If Tuesday is not suitable we will make a Saturday available. This will be on going for a month or two until we have a picture gallery on show.

Club night’s demonstrations for this term starting with Andrew Carron on Tuesday 13 at 7pm 
"Everything melts-- glaze materials in your own back yard"

First get together of the year with Question time on glaze materials, chemicals, glaze ingredients, etc with keen potter and retired soil scientist Andrew Curran. 

I believe Andrew has made glaze with soil from his veggie patch! Andrew will have lots to share and show. With his knowledge and analytical mind every glaze problem can be solved. This is a great opportunity for newbie’s and old hands alike. Bring your questions, samples, pen and paper.

$5 for club members and $10 for non members all welcome.

CLUB DAYS & CLUB NIGHTS
 
Club Days are on Tuesdays, 10am to 3.30pm and 7 to 9pm. Club day charges are $5 for a full day $2.50 half day. This keeps the electrical equipment running for your pleasure.

Club Demonstration Nights are on the second Tuesday of every month.
 
We are hosting guest speakers and demonstrators who will be sharing their knowledge and expertise on a wide range of topics relating to pottery and ceramics.

We would appreciate a $5 donation for the nights demonstration please.

To get most out of our Demonstration Club Nights please get in contact and let me know which topics you would like to know more about. I will try and make it happen!
Renate 021-1336620, rgaletzka@gmail.com

Weekend Schools
Due to interest we will be reintroducing a number of weekend or one day workshops throughout the year. Please let me know what your interests are and I’ll make that happen too 😊

Programme
 
2018
 
February
Tuesday 13th, 7pm
Feldspar, Lead, Cobalt Oxide… What?
First get together of the year with Question Time on Glaze materials, chemicals, glaze ingrediences etc with keen potter and retired soil scientist Andrew Curran
Bring your questions, samples, pen and paper
 
March
Tuesday 13th, 7pm
Majolica Decoration with Eve Hope
Eve worked in a Majolica decorating pottery in Italy, how cool is that! Eve will talk to us on how they applied the majolica glaze and decorated their ware.
 
April
Weekend/one day workshop
Slip/Engobe workshop
Making use and application of colour slips
 
May
Tuesday 8th, 7pm
Special Group Meeting to authorise changes to our constitution.

June
Tuesday 8th, 7.00pm

July
Saturday 7th, 10.00am
Engobe workshop with Renate, $50.00. More details in Club News.

Tuesday 10th, 7.00pm

Saturday 28th, Halswell Club for a wood firing.

August
Tuesday14th, 7.00pm
Nikki to demonstrate stamp and sprig making.

September
Tuesday 11th, 7.00pm

October
Tuesday 9th, 7.00pm

Saturday workshop to demonstrate the best/correct use of our glaze spraying equipment and booth. (date to be confirmed)

November
Tuesday 13th, 7.00pm AGM
 
Phillipstown hub open day all welcome Friday 2nd March 10 to 2pm all welcome come and have a look and see what is going on there might be something for you the potters will be open.
 
Ben carter is coming this is a must on your potting calendar keep the dates booked May 11.12.13 a weekend workshop times, costs will be revealed soon, all welcome book in first  at CPA and secure your place canterburypotters@gmail.com  see poster below.

Committee for 2018
Chairman: Shona Clarkson - claytech1@gmail.com
Secretary:     ................
Treasurer: Ken Doidge - ken.doidge@gmail.com
Class coordinator & Membership: Shona Clarkson - mtpleasantpottery@gmail.com
Newsletter and web manager: Graham Maguire - gjmaguire@xtra.co.nz
House hold and maintenance: Lorraine (Rudi) Jansen - rblanjan@xtra.co.nz
Club day roster: Bill Bromley - bromleybill@hotmail.com
Minute secretary: Brenda Benge - brendabenge@outlook.com
Facebook manager:  Anne Goddard - anne.goddard@yahoo.fr
Leigh-Ann Smith leigh-ann.obrien@gib.co.nz
Allan Mauger alinos@outlook.co.nz

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