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MARCH 2012
DATES TO REMEMBER
24 March - Club raku
14 & 28 April - Raku workshop
with Maureen
Hunter
18 April - Next gas firing
12 May - How to Apply Glaze
Workshop
26 May - Beryl Buchanan
Lustre Workshop
23 & 24 June - Scraffito
Workshop with
Vivian Rodriquez
P O Box 36 OTAKI 5512
Ph: 06 364 8204 x 711
Management Committee
Patron: Grant McNab
President: Rod Graham 027 457545/ 06 364 5065
Vice President: Brent Craig 04 293 2404
Secretary: Jenny Rose 06 368 9218 [email protected]
Treasurer: Joy Snaddon 06 364 6938 [email protected]
Committee: Beryl Rowe 06 364 3030
Margaret Hunt 06364 8053
Jude Whitaker 06 364 8642
Christine Hardy 06 364 6339 Others with responsibility: Club Library & Workshops
Carol Elsmann
Newsletter Editor: Diana Litton
Keys & DVDs: Ray Maddock
Otaki Potters
PIT FIRING AT
BRENT’S: Loading the pit on Saturday morning.
Greetings -
Autumn is here. There is a chill in
the air not to mention the odd
weather bomb that caused the pit
firing to be delayed. You do have
to admire Brent’s optimism. When
he said it was on rain or shine he
meant it.
At the time of writing we have 60
paid up members for 2012. If you
are one of the few who have yet
to pay your sub ($60 single/ $90
married or partner/$25 associate)
please do so promptly. If you have
paid your sub and need to
exchange your key you will need
to contact Ray Maddock (06 364
6355).
Adult classes are ticking along just
fine. The programmes for term 2
will appear in this newsletter.
Jennifer Turnbull-Green is happy to
take an evening class to cater for
those who can’t make it during the
day. Please direct any inquiries
concerning adult classes to
Margaret Hunt.
A small group of Japanese
students visiting the College took
part in an afternoon clay workshop
as part of their programme. Thank
you to Beryl and the team for
handling this.
Our first Cleaning Bee of the year
will take place on 21st April 10am-
12noon. The list is on the wall
beside the door. All members are
required to take part in one
cleaning bee each year or pay
$30 and we will pay someone to
do it for you. Cleaning bees are
held at the end of each term and
run for two hours. It’s a great way
to get alongside other members
and tackle those jobs that are not
on the cleaner’s list.
The wind-up meeting for the
Festival of Pots and Garden Art
2012 has been held. The event was
reviewed and recommendations
for 2013 were noted. Thank you to
those members and exhibitors who
passed on comments. A profit of
just under $10 000 was made.
Some of this will be retained in the
Festival account; $8 500 will be
donated to the club. The 2013
festival will be held from January
12th – 20th will the opening on the
11th. Jude Whitaker is the
convenor. If any members would
like to be part of the organising
committee, which will start
meeting in July, please contact
Jude.
Vera Burton (Wellington Potters)
contacted me to let us know that
Gus Calderwood would like some
of Hazel’s plaster moulds to be
donated to Otaki Potters we are
grateful for this generous donation.
Hazel was an inspiration to many in
our club. If anyone is going to
Wellington soon and could pick
these up please let me
or Brent know.
Report on the PIT FIRING 2012 by Brent
The adult classes had been slaving away for weeks, learning the skills re-
quired in making pots for the annual Pit firing 2012. The author had advised everyone that
the event would take place on his Peka Peka farm “come rain or shine” on the 3rd & 4th of
March. But, he hadn’t accounted for the horizontal gale force winds and rain which necessi-
tated the deferment of the event to the following weekend. One hardy sole did turn up on
the Saturday morning, and as she leaned into the wind with rain dripping off her
hood she was heard to mutter: “Well you did say….”
Anyway the 10th was a beautiful day and the pit was prepared by a helpful band of
hopeful potters. The main brick kiln ( 2m x 1m x .75m ), a 44 gal drum, and a smaller
20 gal drum waited patiently with their mouths open. The rules were explained and
then the painstaking process of placing
pots and chemicals made way for the
joyful bucket-line of brick layers &
wood stackers. We used ( cut up ) pal-
lets this year as the base, and a load
of macrocarpa as the main fuel source.
Sandra played the role of enthusiastic
pyromaniac and the kilns were well alight by the
time the Potters left at midday. By approx
1.30pm the flames were 3 - 4 metres high and I
was hosing down the fencing rails in my yards to
prevent them from catching fire. By 4.30pm the kiln was covered with iron and left to “cook”
over night.
At 4pm on the Sunday, with a threat of showers overhead,
the crowd gathered for the opening of the kiln, & much to
the delight of the 20 (+) potters all was revealed
snuggled in a duvet of gray ash. There were a wide
range of coloured “flares“, and the usual unpredictability of the pit-fire process.
Betsy’s smile was almost as bright as her large urn. My 4 wee pots made all the
preparation well worth while. It was a very good firing with some great results.
We all retired to the patio at the house and cranked up the pizza oven, and in great
company cooked and ate some really great Piz-
zas. Including one delicious desert
pizza. Some of the colourings on the
cooked pizzas were similar to those
on the pit fire pots. Strange that ? It
was a fantastic atmosphere and thor-
oughly enjoyed by all. Those who
missed out. Well there’s always next
year.
I am just about to leave for the
Woodstoke Potters Convention at
Whangamata. The focus is on
wood, salt and soda firings with
Chester Nealie leading the
charge so I am looking forward to
playing with fire. It’s been
sometime since I have been
camping. I have scrounged some
gear so 7 days of tenting may be
a bit of a challenge. By the time
you read this newsletter I will be
back and full of inspiration and
enthusiasm. HAPPY POTTING, Rod
BOOK FOR SALE
Conetendown
by Moyra Elliot and
Damian Skinner.
"A beautifully photo-
graphed and in-depth
account of the Anglo-
Oriental pottery movement
in New Zealand,
Conetendown is the story of
how ceramica became the
most popular art form of the
1960's and 1970's, used in
homes around the country.”
I was given the book” as a
present and already have a
copy. I would be happy
with selling it for $30, the
recommended retail price is
$50. Anyone interested can
ring me on (06) 364 8642 or
e-mail me
JUST TO REMIND YOU -
If you are on email and
would like to receive your
newsletter in colour please
contact Joy on
Club Day: Wednesdays
10am friends and visiting
potters are welcome.
Club Night: Mondays 7pm.
Come along and do your
own thing.
Classes will be in operation
during the following times in
term two:
Mondays 3pm-5pm*
and 7pm-9pm.
Tuesdays 7pm-9pm.
Wednesdays 7pm-9pm.
Thursdays 3pm-5pm*
and 7pm-9pm.
Fridays 9:30am- 12.30pm.
*dates of Clay workshops for
young people are posted on
the notice board beside the
door.
FESTIVAL OF POTS AND GARDEN ART 2012
Hi Everyone, Firstly thank you once again for your support at the
Festival. What a result record sales, largest number of items for
sale to date, visitor numbers substantially up totalling
1139!. Great for everyone involved and Otaki Pottery Club are
naturally delighted with the success of the event and boost to the
funds!
Now to give you the facts. Total Sales were $35,539.70. 615
pieces of work were sold. The breakdown was pieces under $20 -
280 items, $21-$50 - 182 items, $51-$100 - 90 items, $101-$150 -
32 items and $151-$200 - 11 items and $200 and over 12 items. I
hope this gives you some insight into what sells, and will be helpful
when deciding what work to bring next year.
We have set the dates for next year to be: 12th - 20th January
2013, so please put these dates into you diaries and starting
planning your work for next year. There will be some changes to
the timing for setting up and taking away the unsold work which
will advised nearer the time.
Please feel free to comment on anything you feel could be done to
improve the Festival from any perspective as we are keen to keep
expanding the variety of work on show and to increase the visitors
and sales year by year.
Once again thank you for your support,
Best wishes,
Jude Whitaker
ADULT CLASSES TERM TWO 2012
Tuesdays 7pm-9pm. Jenny Green. Cost: $80
This class will be making press moulded platters. Provision will be made
for those who want to work on the wheel. The focus will be on using slip
decoration and glazes to 1200 deg. Decorating techniques will be taught.
Wednesdays 7pm-9pm. Beryl Rowe. Cost: $48
This is a hand-building workshop but the programme will include a lesson
on introduction to the wheel. Hand-building will explore a variety of clays
and making different forms.
Thursdays 7pm -9pm. Jenny Daysh. Cost: $80
This is an easy-going class, working with various clays for decorative and
garden pieces.
Fridays 9.30am-12.30pm. Margaret Hunt. Cost: $120
This class will make hand-built ware, using these pots for learning about
glazing. The class will also be concentrating on wheel work. There will
be some new hand-building techniques taught.
Term Two classes start in the week beginning 30 April and run for 8 ses-
sions. Beginners welcome in all classes.
To enrol: contact Margaret Hunt Phone: 06 364 8053 or email:
NEXT GAS FIRING
Wednesday 18 April
Pots need to be ready for loading
by Monday 16 April
Reminding Club Members:
PLANNED WORKSHOPS
Our club Raku 24th March - watch the notice board for times of firings for bisque etc. Rod will be carrying out tests on various clays for Raku firing.
Maureen Hunter's workshop over two days - 14th April for creating, and 28th April for the Raku Firing. Details on the notice board. On the 14th April Maureen will take us through making platters and large pots, then we allow 2 weeks for drying and bisquing. Then on the 28th April she will take us through the glazing and Raku firing. See notes in the box on the right.
Beryl Buchanan's Lustre workshop 26th May 10am to Noon (at this stage) could be subject to change of time. A list for interested parties will be up on the notice board at the end of April.
Vivian Rodriquez's Scraffito workshop for 2 days on 23rd and 24th June 10 - 4pm each day. Particulars will be on the notice
board a month before the due date. She will take us through
making large platters with white clay, drying overnight and making coloured slips. We decorate scraffito style on the 2nd day when the work is leather hard. That will leave members to dry and fire their own work at a later date, but she will leave us with firing instructions. So get working on your designs!
We have a space for one more workshop in August/Sept if anyone has a wish to have a special artist to give a workshop, let Carol Elsmann know.
It won't be long until we start creating again for the Festival of
Pots, Public Raku and then the Christmas raku so Go for it !
CAN YOU HELP? WE STILL NEED…….
1clean 44 gallon drum
Older-type Electrolux vacuum cleaner that blows
Blue glass including pale blue Bombay Sapphire
gin bottles.
Otaki Pottery Club Inc P O Box 36 OTAKI 5542
Please don't forget!
Our first Cleaning Bee of the year will
take place on 21st April 10am-12noon.
The list is on the wall beside the door.
All members are required to take part
in one cleaning bee each year or pay
$30 and we will pay someone to do it
for you. Cleaning bees are held at the
end of each term and run for two hours.
It’s a great way to get alongside other
members and tackle those jobs that are
not on the cleaner’s list.
Maureen Hunter - Additional notes
You will be making pots on the 14th April and have two
weeks to dry them and bisque them. We will mostly be
using moulds (large round moulds) although of course
you can make anything you like. This will be an
opportunity to learn how to make larger pieces.
They will be glazed and fired on the 28th April.
Tools you will need:
Paring knife for cutting clay
Fork for texturing
Medium rubber kidney and metal kidney
Paddle and/ or wooden spoon
Lots of newspaper (supplied by the club)
Dish washing brush for texturing
825gram size clean empty tin
Bowl to mix dry material in (fire clay, grog, china
clay)
Rolling pin
Large bat or board to keep your piece on while
drying
Maureen will be talking about glazing and firing during
the first day so we can prepare for the next stage.
GOOD DEAL ON
FIREWOOD
The College are doing
a fundraiser over
summer. Mixed Gum
and Dry Macrocarpa -
$80 a good trailer load,
very good value.
Contact John Heenan
0274 988 395.
This is a College
fundraiser to assist
students to join sports
teams.
