A dominant theme of all forms of art in the 20th century is alienation
-from a book on design, as quoted by Pete Pinnell in the March/April Clay Times

"(A basket maker's life is not an easy one economically, but) if a craftsman chases after money his work will be no good"
-Hiroshima Kazuo, rural Japanese basketmaker

"'Ennui was born one day of Uniformity' the proverb says, and it certainly seems possible that we should have perished of ennui or spleen had not ceramic come to the rescue and saved us"
-Unknown Parisian during the Art Noveau period, referring to the Parisian Art Noveau architectural ceramics, quoted by Susan Tunick during her lecture at NCECA

Ceramic Showcase: May 7-9 (see information later in newsletter)

NEXT OPA MEETING: May 14th at Multnomah Art Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland.

6pm: Showcase Wrap-Up Meeting: Time to discuss, evaluate, and congratulate ourselves. Write out your suggestions, complaints, etc, and give them to show chair Mark Heimann. Committee chairs hand in your bills for expenses if you have not already done so. Please note on each bill what budget # it belongs to (this was given to you with your committee chair info). Also note whether treasurer should pay you or the vendor. This goes to Ramona Searle, treasurer and must be turned in by July 31. Checks will not be handed out at this meeting, they will all be mailed.

6:30pm: OPA Business Meeting: The usual announcements, business, etc. To be on the agenda call Cynthia Spencer, 541-753-4606. Bring items for the swap table. Coffee and snacks will be provided at break (please bring some if you have not lately).

7:30pm: Program: The program will be a demonstration by this year's Showcase Award winner!

NEXT BOARD MEETING: 6:30pm, June 9 at Ginger Steele's nursery/studio/meeting room: 3285 NW Susbauer Rd, Cornelius. From Portland, take Hwy 26 west, take Glencoe Rd/North Plains exit, turn left over fwy, go 1 mile to stoplight, turn right on to Zion Church Rd, go 1-1/2 miles to flashing yellow light, turn left and travel 2 miles to New Leaf Greenhouse (just past the Hornecker Rd intersection on rt, there is a picket fence around the retail yard in front). The meeting will be in the green building behind the retail greenhouse. From the south: Take scenic Hwy 47 to Forest Grove, turn right on Hwy 8, go about 3 miles to 19th St in Cornelius. At BP station at 19th turn left, travel 1.6 miles on 19th St which magically turns into Susbauer Rd. The nursery is on the left just after you cross Dairy Creek, come past the retail parking to the green office building just behind the retail greenhouse.

Empty Bowls committee reported on its recent fund-raiser. All of the OPA-donated silent auction items sold and raised a healthy sum for Food for Lane County. The event made about the same dollar figure as last year. The event date may be changed next year. Potters are encouraged to begin setting bowls aside now for next year's event.

The education committee reported. Potters have already established connections with a couple of new schools in the Roseburg area. They will be teaching in conjunction with Arts in Education and the OPA education fund. The committee also presented a plan for what they envision the Education Committee's role to be in our local group.

The workshop committee reported on the success of the Pat Horsley workshop. There will be a Peipenberg raku workshop on May 17 from 9-5 at Georgie's in Eugene. Cost will be $60 and they will need 15 people to sign up to make it happen. The committee also passed out a questionnaire to the group, surveying our wants and needs for future workshops.

The Show committee report that there was a great deal of discussion about the show fees, as well as the logistics of making the show happen. The preliminary list of show committees was presented and individuals volunteered, as committee members and chairpeople. If you are interested in participating in the show, please see the above Clay Fest information and try to attend the nest meeting, April 18th, 1pm at Georgie's in Eugene.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU WANT OPA TO SPEND $$ ON YOUR PROJECT: The board fields many requests for money. Usually for good purposes. The Board establishes a budget for each year that is our guide for spending OPA money. Any expenditure not already budgeted must be approved by the board (large expenditures must also be approved by the membership, which adds an extra month to the process). SO, if you have a request, please submit a written expense request, outlining what the expense is, what for, and show the board that you have "shopped around". It also REALLY helps if you can make your request in person at board meetings so that questions may be asked.

PAPER TRAILS: The OPA is short of some records... If amongst your stuff you have old copies of OPA board minutes, please send them to Cynthia Spencer. She is trying to reconstruct 20 years of decision making wit only a couple of years of records (all of the old minutes were in the President's box in '94- can everyone who has handled that box look around their piles of papers? The president is supposed to have this stuff! -ed)

We are gearing up for the 1999 Empty Bowls project at the Waterfront Park Blues Festival in Portland on July 2-5. Potters sell bowls (lots of bowls!) to benefit the Oregon Food Bank. The money raised goes to help feed Oregon's hungry.

It's never too early to start collecting bowls, and we already have the beginnings of a nice assortment, thanks to your donations at last month's OPA meeting. Last year we raised over $13,000 for the Oregon Food Bank, and this year we are shooting for a record $15,000. We can do it if every member of OPA donates at least one really nice bowl. You can bring your donations to the May meeting or drop them off at one of the locations listed below. We will also be visiting you during Showcase, and will be happy to relieve you of having to pack up one of your bowls.

Drop off Locations:

-Mount Hood Community College Ceramics Dept, 2600 SE Stark, Gresham, OR, contact Stephen Mickey, 667-7149

-Janet Buskirk, 3624 SE Yamhill, Portland, OR

-Marylyn Holland, 6107 NW Bernie Dr, Vancouver WA (N end of Lincoln), 360-394-8881

-Thurman St Pottery, 2774 NW Thurman, Portland, OR 228-2477

-Oregon College of Art & Craft, Ceramics Dept, 8245 SW Barnes Rd, Portland OR 297-5544

-Georgie's Ceramic Supply, 756 NE Lombard, Portland OR, 283-1353 (25 lbs free clay with donated bowls!)

-Jan Edwards, 2650 SW Custer, Portland (Multnomah) 245-1583

-Paul Bush, 8406 SW 46th Ave, Portland (Multnomah) 293-2420

-School Bus Services Building, 16655 Bluff Rd, Sandy (near Sandy High School)

-Lynn Boyle, Clatsop Community Action, 1010 Duane #207, Astoria OR 325-1400

-Naomi Jackson, Central Oregon Comm. Action, 2303 SW 1st St, Redmond 541-548-2380

-Pauline Parks, SW Or. Comm. Action, 2110 Newmark, Coos Bay 541-888-7024

-Debbie Benham, Malheur Council on Aging, 842 SE 1st Av, Ontario, 541-889-7651

-Ben Benjamin, ACCESS Inc, 3630 Aviation Way (behind Costco), Medford, 541-779-6691

-Nancy Smith, Lincoln Co Food Share, 535 NE 1st, Newport 541-265-8578

-Paula Chavez, CAPECO, 1605 NW 50th Dr (call first), Pendleton, 541-276-4707

-Margaret Grant, Marion Polk Food Share, 2305 Front St NE, Salem 581-3855

-Miki Ingebo, Mid Columbia Community Action, 312 E 4th, The Dalles, 541-298-5131

-Carmen Coe, Comm Action, 1504 Albany, LaGrande 541-963-7532

-Niki Sampson (call first) Klamath/Lake Co Food Bank, Kingsley Air Force Base, Klamath Falls, 541-882-1223

-Bobbie Schmidt, Josephine Co Food Share, 317 NW B St, Grants Pass 541-474-5440

-Cheri Garr, Yamhill Co Comm Action, 800 N 2nd, McMinnville 472-0457 x225

-Tracie Smith, Columbia Pacific Food Bank, 474 Milton Way, St Helens 397-9708

OPA will arrange for your bowls to be transported from the drop-off location to the Blues Festival. If any of these points are not convenient for you, or if you do not have transportation, call and we will arrange for a pickup from your studio.

Georgie's has graciously agreed to donate ram press bisqueware bowls again this year, and Janet Buskirk and Jeanne Charles will be holding their annual majolica decorating party around mid-June. They will also take any bisqued bowls that you want to donate but do not have time to decorate and fire. Call Janet (231-2810) if you want to participate.

RAMBLINGS FROM THE SHOWCASE CHAIR, MARK HEIMANN: Greetings everybody and welcome to the seventeenth annual homestretch! I trust you have all gotten the 1999 Info-pack (If you have a booth and have not received yours, call Sam Bernardi (835-0331). If you are in the gallery and have not received one, call Susan Fishel (541-461-5313))... answers to all of your Showcase questions should be there. Please read it carefully.

Thanks to Sam Bernardi for assembling the overall packet, and to Susan Fishel for her Gallery-Only contributions. We look forward to a rockin' good time with Sam's cajun-zydeco band, Acoustic Squeeze on Friday night!

**Reminder**: Setup starts at noon Wednesday May 5. We are not driving in to the exhibit hall this year-- Doug Hively and his crew are setting up all of the pipe & drape before artist set-up. Doug is also rounding up some large carts for hauling big booth stuff, these will be available at the rear doors. We will not have a lot of the carts, so please use them quickly and immediately move your car to the big lot (parking is free on Wednesday & Thursday, tell the attendant you are an exhibitor).

We also encourage you to bring your own handtrucks, dollies and assistants. Please treat the traffic committee folks courteously-- they are trying to keep the loading zone clear, and are not bugging you just to be rude. While unloading, protect your valuables and report any suspicious persons or incidents to OPA or Convention Center security. We are a big family helping each other!

**Food for thought**: How do YOU view the gallery? As a static exhibit, as a busy and ever-changing sales area, as an expression of our wildest clay dreams, as a welcome for new artists? Are three pots too many or too few to sell from there? Is it staffed and organized efficiently? We need a creative mission statement to help define its role within Showcase. Got any ideas or opinions? Please share them with anyone on the Steering Committee.

Other news: I received a letter from Thomas Orr of the Portland Center for Contemporary Crafts (PCCC- formerly Contemporary Crafts Gallery). He expressed great enthusiasm for an expanded connection to the local and regional ceramics community. To that end, PCCC is inviting the winner of the Showcase "Best of Show" award to exhibit in their gallery during the year 2000 exhibition schedule. The proposal goes to the Steering Committee April 15 for approval. It sounds great to me, I hope it starts a tradition.

Showcase Dates: Showcase 1999 is May 7-9. Showcase 2000 is scheduled for May 5-7

Artists are encouraged to be present during Showcase. They may not employ representatives or agents to market their work.

Rebate checks will be mailed when all Showcase bills are paid, most likely in the 4th quarter of the year

$75 Deposit checks will be returned with Showcase earning checks.

No reimbursement claims for items valued at $20 or less

Report all breakage claims to Showcase Chair immediately, so that a timely investigation can begin

Payments for broken pieces will be determined at the Steering Committee meeting following Showcase.

1. Your committee chair

2. Building chair- Farshad Barman, 223-2302

3. Workshift chair- Carol Lebreton, 238-0394 (this number was wrong in the packet!)

4. Committee Placement chair- Nancy Hart, 292-2165

Committee Chairs Wrap Up Meeting will be Tues June 1 at 5pm at Mark Heimann's house, 22009 S Lost Mountain Rd in Estacada, 631-8686. From I-205 take Hwy 212/224 east to Carver, Turn right, cross Clackamas River. Left onto Springwater, approx 5 miles to Harding Rd. Right turn, right again onto Fischer's Mill Rd, 1/2 mile, left onto Mattoon Rd, 1.2 miles, pass McKenzie Lane, see black mailbox on left (22009 Lost Mtn), left up steep gravel road, bear right at fork, up to gate. Hello & welcome! Potluck dinner! Nancy Hart will be sending a reminder card & map to committee chairs.

Voting for Awards: There will be awards for the Best of Show, the 2nd and 3rd Place Best of Show, Best Booth, and the new memorial award for Bennett Welsh, for the Finest Decoration on a piece. Each OPA member is entitled to one ballot for the Best of Show awards and for the Bennett Welsh award. For the Best Booth award, the people in the group booth are only entitled to one vote for the entire group. Ballots are in this newsletter, as well as in every Showcase booth and they will be available in the gallery during the voting. If you cannot find a ballot, come to Pamela Mattson-McDonald's booth (B-17) for one on Wednesday or Thursday. Ballot boxes will be in the gallery near the demonstrations area. Voting will be Thursday from 5pm to 11pm and Friday morning before 9:30am.

Workshifts: If you are participating in the show, you have been assigned workshifts. If you are unable to work the shifts listed on the workshift schedule in the information packet, please call Carol Lebreton at 238-0394 ASAP (THIS NUMBER WAS WRONG IN THE INFO-PACK! IT IS CORRECT HERE!). If you switch workshifts with someone, please call Carol (or send a postcard!) with those changes so that the printed schedule can be kept accurate. It is each participant's responsibility to know when their workshifts occur and to see that those shifts are covered if a last minute crisis prevents you from doing so. Please check all three days for possible workshifts! If any volunteers and newcomers would like to help, there is still time to donate your invaluable time and energy by working a shift. It is a great way to see fabulous pottery, meet marvelous mud mavens, and be part of this fantastic show!

Photographer at Show: Once again this year, Courtney Frisse will have a photography studio set up in one of our storage rooms. She will be photographing pots, and may be willing to do booth photos as well. Talk to her at the show and/or call her at 331-1671 or 460-0697. Her rates will be approximately $30-35 per slide. You can also schedule an appointment with her for these prices during the week prior to Showcase.

Articles & Announcements About Showcase: Please watch your local papers for mentions of Showcase. Clip and save anything you see and turn them in to Audrey Graham or Linda Haworth at Showcase. This is for our Archives, and it really is important. The Publicity Committee sends information everywhere, and they are often not told whether it will be printed or not, so they depend on everyone to save articles from their local publications! (Our Publicity Committee does such a great job. Thanks guys!)

The Treasurer Says: Committee chairs must turn in their expenses by July 31, please include your budget # and whether reimbursement should be to you or to the original vendor. Also, Showcase checks will be mailed to participants, not handed out at the May meeting.

Lobby Display: During Showcase we will have a display in the lobby. This year the display will feature large work and majolica work. If you have anything for the display, please call Lyn Sedlak Ford (360) 834-9366

ACCEPTING CREDIT CARDS: More information from Discover/Novus: "Want to accept credit cards? Now you can! OPA Members have a unique program through Discover/NOVUS 1999 Credit Card Acceptance Program.

"Just call their Portland Business Market at 800-347-8688 and the Sales/Service Executive will explain the program. One low discount rte for VISA, Mastercard and Discover cards at 2.29%. This rate is for both swiped and hand-keyed cards.

"If you are already accepting credit cards through the Discover/NOVUS program...you will still need to call their Portland office and request this 2.29%. Jut advise them you want to switch to the new OPA Program. You will no longer have to pay extra for hand keyed cards...just one rate!"

HEALTH INSURANCE: A random piece of junk mail came the other day which advertised "Attention Small Business/Self Employed: Introducing the Oregon Health Plan!" It claims that businesses with 1-25 employees can join the Oregon Health Plan for $65/single, $143/2 person, $199.60/family per month. Blue Cross/Blue Shield, QualMed, Kaiser, PacifiCare and KMSB are available, eligibility rules apply, not based on income level. Ages 18-64, rates good through 6-99. This is completely different info from anything that has ever been publicized about the Oregon Health Plan in the past. The ad seems to be from an insurance broker, Randy Coryell, 666-8912, 888-214-9823, fax 667-2592 (Gresham,OR)

MORE HEALTH INSURANCE: The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center is a partnership between the NEA and the Actors' Fund of America. They have information on a community and national basis for artists' health insurance. http://www.actorsfund.org

POTTERS FOR PEACE: Have you admired the Nicaraguan pots that Potters for Peace has been bringing to the USA from the potters with whom they work? If you know any retail businesses who would like to buy them, there are places where the are available wholesale: George Morales, Nicoya Art, 2246 Richmond Ave, Houston TX 77098, 713-529-6292; Matt Silvern, One World Trading, PO box 45822, Madison WI 53744, 608-827-6177, 608-277-7573, oneworldtrade@compuserve.com; Brenda Nims, difapp@accesscom.net, 504-568-0704, A Different Approach, 824 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70116; Wayne Cogswell, wcog@mail.cvn.net

ARCHITECTURAL TERRA COTTA: The New York Architectural Terra Cotta Company Archive contains records of 6248 projects which were done by the New York Architectural Terra Cotta Company from 1886 to 1932. This information is now accessible to researchers via Columbia University. If you work with architectural ceramics and are visiting New York, you may be able to access this by calling 212-854-4110. In addition, there is a series of books published on the Terra Cotta architecture in New York, Paris and Chicago. These range from small $7 "field guides" to larger, $50 books. They are available from the Friends of Terra Cotta Press, c/o Tunick, 771 West End Ave 10E, New York NY 10025, 212-662-0768.

BARIUM & MANGANESE RISKS...The March/April Clay Times has an article by Monona Rossol on barium and manganese. One little-known source for barium exposure is in lipstick. They mention that many lipsticks do contain a moderate amount of barium, and potters who wear lipstick and are exposed to barium in the studio should know that their exposure may be slightly higher than they expected. Barium is known to cause high blood pressure and heart problems in some people. Manganese is an additive in some gasoline which have been, up until now, illegal in the US. This has recently changed, and now they will be used here. This will increase everyone's manganese exposure a bit. Monona Rossol is an industrial hygienist/chemist with an MFA in ceramics and glass. She is known for her expertise in health risks in the studio. Contact her at ACTS, 181 Thompson St #23, New York NY 10012, 212-777-0062, email 75054.2542@compuserve.com

STUDIO POTTER NETWORK: They are now on line! Visit their web page at www.studioptter.org. Information there includes magazine & newsletter articles, workshop info, book & magazine reviews, video library info, information on the SPN bed & breakfast network, and more.

FREE BOOK available to Ceramics teachers for review, Susan Peterson's Working with Clay and Craft and Art of Clay, contact Bud Therier, College Book Division, 201-236-7482

VIDEO AVAILABLE: Robert Sperry: A Northwest Master is the first video in a series from Northwest Designer Craftsmen. The project director is Lynn DiNino, 206-325-9392

RACC REFERENCE LIBRARY: The Regional Arts & Culture Council has a reference library which is open to the public. It contains job bank listings, grant information, and career development information. It is in the RACC office, 620 SW Main St suite 42, Portland OR 97205

PROBLEMS WITH NANCY MARGOLIS GALLERY: Has anyone else had problems with them? If so, please call Joyce Canan, 541-929-6470. Thanks!

POTTERS OF SCOTLAND are featured on a CD-Rom produced by the Scottish Art Council and features work from 157 artists. They also have a Potters Map of Scotland. Contact Susan Gavaghan, phone 0131 226 6051 (sorry, no address or email)

DISCOUNT POTTERY TOOL, BOOKS & VIDEOS: The Potters Shop, 31 Thorpe Rd, Needham Heights MA 02494 has a long list of clay-related books & videos at good prices. This includes children's books, some non-english titles, and a variety of other interesting stuff

MAILING LISTS AND POSTCARD PRODUCTION are the topic of an article in the April Crafts Report. The article discusses who to mail to, how to do marketing by mail, and who to contact for postcard printing. Among other things, they mention the National Mail Order Association's free postcard production kit which helps you to design an effective postcard. It includes design ideas, postal specifications and other tips. NMOA, 2807 Polk St NE, Minneapolis MN 55418, www.mnoa.org

INSURANCE: Business Insurance is covered thoroughly in an article in the March Ceramics Monthly. It covers what the professional potter needs in general liability, workers comp, property/casualty, auto, and umbrella policies. A good article to read before you shop for a policy! (Your editor says make sure to read your policy when it arrives- when I bought new business insurance last year, I read the policy and discovered that it did not apply to me! After many phone calls, I got a policy that did cover my business for about $150/year)

TILES FROM AROUND THE WORLD are being gathered by Janet Kaiser for her International Potters' Path at the Chapel of Art in Criccieth, Wales. Want to donate a tile? Contact the Chapel of Art, 8 Marine Crescent, Criccieth, Gwynedd, Wales

PRICING WORK: An article in the March/April Clay Times has a great overview of how to price work. It covers "costing" (determining your production, overhead & selling costs), the difference between your wages and profit (profit being the extra money which the business generates- the gravy, the money to use for future expansion, etc), whether to discount your work if you sell it directly from your studio (don't), keeping prices consistent, how to price commissioned pieces. It is a really good article. It is excerpted from a new book The Potter's Professional Handbook by Clay Times columnist Steven Branfman (Krause publications, 210 pg, $29.95)

COLORED EPOXY PUTTY: For those of you who have never used epoxy putty, it is an epoxy that has added stiffeners in it to make it a clay-like consistency. It can be molded like clay and is great for repairing sculptural work. Gray or green epoxy putty is often available at your local hardware store, but at NCECA we ran into East Valley Supply, carries a white and an off-white epoxy putty and has a color-kit containing terra cotta, yellow, mustard, green. blue, brown, blue-green, white and black colorants for epoxy! The color kits can only be purchased as a mixed-color kit (no, you cannot get just blue or just terra cotta...). $16.50/lb for the epoxy, $16.50 per color kits, $4.50 shipping. East Valley Supply, 4635 East Valley Rd, Andover NY 14806, 607-478-8178, www.EVSupply.com

LUSTER PIGMENTS: For the few of you who have ever tried clay paste lusters (the ones where you do a third firing with a clay-based paste applied over your glaze, fire until the glaze is barely soft, and voile, you have iridescence!), there is an interesting article in the March/April Ceramics Review. It includes formulas for glazes which accept lusters, for pastes, and information on firing cycles and temperatures.

REFRACTORY KILN COATINGS: Two OPA members, Richard Roth and Don Adamaitis, have been working on their own formulas for refractory coatings for your kiln. These are to be used in a similar way to ITC, the commercial coatings which reflect heat and protect your kiln from salt and other corrosive substances. As with all new formulas, test samples on kaowool or firebricks, firing them to your usual temperature to see if they meet your requirements. Use all appropriate safety procedures for mixing and application. The authors accept no responsibility for the use of their formulas. Also keep in mind that new bricks may shrink in their first firing, so coatings may fit differently on bricks which have been fired already and bricks which have not.

RICHARD'S COATING: This has only been through one firing so far in his soda kiln, but it has not flaked off. He coated the kiln, shelves, posts and flue. Numbers are parts by weight:

1 milled zircon

1 opax

2 kyanite 100

2 alumina hydrate

1 veegum

DON'S CONE 6-12 SALT KILN COATING: This is currently used at Oregon College of Art & Craft in their salt kiln. It has been through many firings in the last several months. They applied it using an old Sears canister sand blaster, which worked well. Home Depot sells a very good sand blaster with a suction tube at a reasonable price:

45% SCAR-80*

30% Mullite**

15% Alumina Hydrate***

10% Dolomite

Dry mix the ingredients together thoroughly and add four cups of a pre-mixed solution made up of 3 parts sodium silicate and one part water for every thousand grams of dry mix. Add water to dilute to the consistency you desire. The mixture contains anhydrate calcium alumina cement and does not keep well, o mix only the amount you will be using.

*SCAR-80 is a no-iron calcium alumina oxide cement once sold by High-Temp (503-222-3770). A similar product is sold by AP Green (227-7944). Jscar-80 is a dry cement and is sold in 50 lb bags, buying it as a group buy is more practical.

**There is nothing special about using mullite (melt point 3254^F) as this material is used as an aggregate, you can substitute Kyanite (melt point 3245^F) or Ione Grog, depending on the "tooth" you desire. The main thing that you want is that the aggregate has a melting point above 3200^F and contains NO IRON!

***I use Alumina Hydrate because it is cheaper. Alumina Oxide works just as well, the hydrate ends up in the oxide form after the first firing.

DON'S MEDIUM TEMP (RAKU TO CONE 6) COATING: These directions will produce about one gallon of coating material. It may be more than you need, save the extra for later use or share with a friend. It will store well if sealed tightly. It can also be used to coat shelves, saggars, and repair burner port chips.

200g dolomite

400g Lincoln 60 fireclay

200g alumina hydrate

200g talc

Dry mix well, then add four cups of a solution made up of 3 parts sodium silicate and 1 part water. Mix thoroughly to a creamy consistency. To this mixture, blend in one 32oz container of gray High Temperature Refractory Furnace & Retort Cement. Grant Wilson is one brand sold in most hardware stores. Another product is Master Plumber High Temperature Furnace Cement, this is distributed by TruServ, Chicago IL, 60631-3505 and sold through Tru-Value Hardware Stores. Don purchased his a Parkrose Hardware on Sandy Blvd in Portland (256-3103). You can thin this mixture with water to desired consistency as needed. This coating will probably work well up to cone 10, but it has not been tested yet at that temperature. It also works well to repair cracks for glaze re-firing and is a good kiln repair cement, but do not apply it to your elements because of the iron content. This coating is not suitable for soda/salt firings.

MAJOLICA WHITE DOTTING: The April issue of Ceramics Monthly had an item in the "Suggestions" section about white dots in majolica. The author suspects that the problem lies with the difference in viscosity between the base glaze and the overglazes. They added a bit of kaolin to the overglaze colors, which they felt helped to make them more viscous and reduce the white dots. Their formulas for glaze and overglaze are on page 82 of the magazine.

REPAIRING GREENWARE, BISQUEWARE, ETC: Various formulas have passed through my hands lately for repairing cracks and joining troublesome seams.

SPOOZE (greenware) FIX-ALL (green or bisque repair) FOR GREENWARE:

1/3 part dry clay 1000g dry clay body 2 parts dry clay body

1/3 part vinegar 2% gum (CMC, arabic, etc) 1 part soda ash or frit

1/3 part corn syrup 2% neph sy enough corn syrup or vinegar

a few drops of peroxide 2% bentonite to make a paste

FOR GREENWARE: LEATHERHARD CLAY OR FOR BISQUEWARE

(no amounts listed) GREENWARE (no amounts listed) powdered bisqued clay

zircopax sugar grog

calcined kaolin dry clay vinegar

water water a few drops sodium silicate

a few drops sodium silicate

FOR BISQUEWARE: FOR BISQUEWARE:

1 part zircopax 1 part Sairset

1 part silica with water 1 part calcined clay body

1 part glaze (as goopy as possible)

Some of these formulas are not explained exactly, but they should give a general idea of where to start with repairing problems.

MAKING BRUSHES: A good article in the March/April Clay Times describes how to make a brush, with nice drawings and step-by-step instructions.

VICTORIA SHAW: At Lower Columbia Community College in Longview, May 22, 9-5, rm 104 in the Main Bldg, 1600 Maple. $25 for public, students $10. Contact Joe Batt 360-577-3415 or Dan Sheridan 360-578-2951

TOM COLEMAN: At Fire's Eye Gallery near McMinnville, June 4-5, he will demonstrate throwing, discuss glazes & techniques and fire a Geil kiln. $90, limited enrollment, call Dan Wheeler 503-843-9797 (there will also be an exhibition there June 5-30, reception June 5, 6-8pm)

KEN TURNER May 15-16, $95, hands on, focusing on the well-made teapot. Seward Park Art Studio, Seattle 206-722-6342

TERRY SIEBERT: The Chemistry, application and firing of majolica glaze, June 5-6, $95, Seward Park Art Studio, Seattle, 206-722-6342

MATA OTRIZ POTTERS: GABRILLA DOMINGUEZ & CESAR DOMINGUEZ: June 14-18, $400, make and fire pottery in the Casas Grandes style, Oregon College of Art & Craft in Portland, 297-5544

ROBIN HOPPER: Glaze & Colour Development, July 5-16, $650, Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts, Victoria, BC, Canada, 250-391-2420, email missa@pearson-college.uwc.ca

DON SPRAGUE: Throwing, July 5-16, $575, Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts, Victoria, BC, Canada, 250-391-2420, email missa@pearson-college.uwc.ca

PATRICK CRABB: Tiles, July 5-9, $330, Metchosin International Summer School of the Arts, Victoria, BC, Canada, 250-391-2420, email missa@pearson-college.uwc.ca

VICTORIA SHAW: Circle Of Life Clay Sculpture, Aug 1-7, Creative Arts Community at Menucha in Corbett, OR, $525 includes room & board, 281-2204

DENNIS MEINERS: Narrative Ceramics. Aug 1-7, Creative Arts Community at Menucha in Corbett, OR, $525 includes room & board, 281-2204

GLASS CLASSES: Clay Art Center in Tacoma offers a variety of glass workshops: cutting, fusing, slumping, kiln casting, painting on glass and more, 253-922-5349

DON SPRAGUE at Clay Art Center in Tacoma, Sept 25-26. 253-922-5349

CERAMIC MILLENNIUM CONFERENCE will be in Amsterdam in July. Registration fees range from $400 to $750. For more information, contact the Ceramic Arts Foundation, 666 Fifth Ave suite 309, New York NY 10103, www.ceramicmill.com

CALL FOR ENTRY: 99 Cups: Oct 12-Nov 13, open to all work about cups. Entry fee $20, juried from slides, Galeria Mesa, PO Box 1622, 155 N Center St, Mesa AZ 85211, robert_schultz@ci.mesa.as.us, 602-644-2056, July 6 deadline

CALL FOR ENTRY: Northwest International Art Competition: July 10-Aug 28, $8 fee per entry, from slides, contact Allied Arts, PO Box 2584, Bellingham WA 98227, alliedarts@alliedarts.com, 360-676-8548, April 23 deadline

ARTIST NEEDED: To make "award plaques" for a race in June. Plaques will be slab-built, about 4x6", about 100 are wanted. Call for more info and budget. Julie 227-4164 (Oregon Runners Club, Blue Lake Ultra Relay)

TEACHERS NEEDED: Salem Art Association is creating a pool of teachers from Salem and surrounding areas to teach a variety of art classes for students of all ages and abilities. Classes are one time or 5-week sessions. Salary negotiable. Contact Marce Nielson 503-581-7275

CALL FOR ENTRY: Beaux Arts Societe's Annual Christmas Sale, Boise, ID, Work selected from slides, deadline May 14 for the October show. Michelle Walsh, 208-345-8330 x26

CALL FOR ENTRY: 1999 Pacific Northwest Annual exhibition, July 5-Aug 22, Bellevue Art Museum, all media, $25 application fee for up to 6 works, April 23 deadline, 425-454-3322 x 110, miriams@bellevueart.org

CALL FOR ENTRY: 2000 International Orton Cone Box Show, deadline next February 14, show in April, pieces must fir inside cone box. Baker University, Po Box 65, Baldwin City KS 660066, www.bakeru.edu

CALL FOR ENTRY: Albany's 14th "Going to Pots" Sale, April 23-25, seconds, one of a kind pieces, 20% commission, deliver April 22, Connie Petty, 541-926-8718, Mildred Nelson, 928-9214

BOOK CALL FOR ENTRY: A Chinese edition magazine and book, The Influences of Mainstream Art Movement on American Ceramics is looking for photos of ceramics, no entry fee, send 5 slides, resume, statement & SASE to Guangezhen Po Zhou, PO box 64392, Sunnyvale CA 94088, 408-245-6271, pozou@msn.com

BOOK CALL FOR ENTRY: Beautiful Use: Contemporary American Pottery (tentative title), creative, unique & beautiful pottery that exists because it was originally intended for use in everyday life. Send resume, 3-5 publication quality slides (w/ your name, clay body, temperature, techniques, title, photo credits), statement, your marketing venues, SASE to Kevin Hluch, 102 E 8th St, Frederick, MD 21701, 301-662-0369

CALL FOR ENTRY: By Candle Light. Candle holders of all media, Oct 29-Nov 21, Send slides & SASE to Bainbridge Arts & Crafts, 151 Winslow Wa E, Bainbridge Island WA 98110, 206-842-3132, atn Mary Jane Rehm, curator, July 1 deadline

NEW POTTER WANTED: State of the Arts Gallery is looking for a new potter, 40% consignment, in business for 7 years, send slides, retail price list and SASE or set up appointment, Deb Martz Moody, State of the Arts Gallery, 500 Washington St SE, Olympia WA 98501, 360-705-0317

CALL FOR ENTRY: ArtSplash 99, an all media art show & sale, Aug 27-29, Tualatin High School, June 1 deadline, Martha Wolfe 692-5201, Fran Hepp 638-6718

CALL FOR ENTRY: Different Stokes: The 1999 International Juried Woodfire Exhibition. $20 jury fee, May 1 deadline, work needed by Sept 1, exhibition Sept 30-Oct 31. Write to Chuck Hindes, University of Iowa, School of Art, 150 N Riverside Dr, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 (in conjunction w/ international woodfire conference)

TASTE OF BEAVERTON: July 16-18, deadline May 10, 45 booths, $150 booth fee, Jayne Scott 526-2288

ARTS FOR SMARTS, Aug 21, Gresham, deadline May 1, 661-4444 x310

BEND SUMMER FESTIVAL: July 10-11, deadline April 30, $100 booth fee +10%, $15 jury fee, 3 slides, write to 1293 NW Wall St #1402, Bend OR 97701

MOTOKO HORI, VICTORIA McOMIE, KIM MURTON & KATE PURCELL are in "Eating Right" at Portland Center for Contemporary Craft, 3934 SW Corbett, through May 2.

FOR SALE: Skutt kiln model 231, cone 8, 2300^F, $675, Jon 239-4181 (T-F)

FOR SALE: Delta model 40-640 20" scroll saw, excellent condition, $275 obo ($375 new). For sale or trade 4 Eclipse TR-10 burners. Steve Gerould 221-7253

FOR SALE: An Eclipse TR-10 burner with 2 stick-tite nozzles, manifold with basso valve, $175. Also compressor, 3/4 hp, 7 1/2 gallon, 2.7 cfm @ 40 psi, 115 volts, 10 amps, $95. Pat Horsley 503-771-5156

FOR SALE: Cone 5-10 bronze glaze, 5 gallons (includes bucket & lid) $35. Laura Speirs 590-6002

FOR SALE: Kiln, Skutt 1227KM, 6 1/2 yrs old, elements 2 1/2 yrs old, great kiln for bisque or glazing, $600 or $650 with blank ring. Mark Hebing 859-3433, mhebing@wvi.com

FOR SALE: Seat for Brent wheel, attaches directly to models B, C and CXC. This sturdy seat will stand up to years of abuse. Adjustable height & distance from wheel. New $165, asking $80. Like new, Lynne Ledbetter (Ashland) 541-482-3784, can work out transportation

FOR SALE: Four kilns: Down draft gas kiln, 15 cu ft, 27hx32wx24d", includes triple wall stove pipe, $650; Olympic Up draft gas kiln, 27hx23 3/8w", includes kiln posts & shelves, 25 gal propane tank, 6x6' metal shed, $600; Skutt electric kiln, 27hx23 3/8w", includes kiln posts & shelves, wire & 50 amp breaker, $600; Raku kiln, 30 gallon galvanized can, includes 2 5-gallon smoking cans, 3 gallons of glaze, $250. Also, fiber blanketing, 2' wide, 2" thick, 14'8" long, still in box $40. Derek 541-547-3450

FOR SALE: Electric kiln bricks, 25 cents each obo. Never used, Wally Schwab 591-8876

FOR SALE: 900 insulating firebrick...K23 & K26, mostly straights, some arches, best offer, Charlie Gluskoter 503-843-2462

FOR SALE: Mazda Truck, 1991 cab-plus, 5 speed, 59k miles, canopy, roof rack, am/fm cassette, alarm, excellent condition, $5700/offer. Also Craft booth canopy, includes heavy legs, 10x10 or 10x8' conversion, heavy duty white tarps, easy to set up by yourself, $150. 3-shelf step rack for display, this simple light weight, yet sturdy apparatus holds your 12" wide shelves, made by Craft Canopy, $25/pair. Gray carpet, 10x6', great for half booth or full booth if you have pedestals around perimeter, $10. Marilyn Cony (Portland) 503-234-5020

WANTED: Insulating fire brick for a kiln building project, Eugene area, but I will travel for then right quantity, Steve Daniels 541-343-7882, stevo@efn.org

WANTED: Looking for 6 Eclipse TR-6 burners in good condition, Steve Gerould 221-7253

FREE STUDIO SPACE AVAILABLE: Living & meals in exchange for studio & household work and help with children. Charlie Gluskoter 503-843-2462

HOUSE-SHARE: 1 bedroom available on 80 acres of wooded land, 45 min from Portland, 15 min east of Sandy, pets negotiable, Cindy Clark 695-2458

May 7-9: Showcase

May 14: OPA Meeting

June 1: SHowcase Wrap Up Meeting

June 9: OPA Board Meeting

June 10: Newsletter Deadline