503-222-0533

NEXT OPA MEETING: Friday, January 12th at Multnomah Art Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy in Portland.

6:30pm: OPA General Meeting: Call Sandy Brown  to put items on the agenda. Bring items for swap table, Empty Bowls donations, announcements for room divider, snacks to share during the break, etc.

7pm: Program: Jean Nicolas Gerard, a French ceramist, will be visiting and working in Portland for three months with his wife, Vivianne, and 14-year old daughter Clemence. They make their home in Valensole, Provence. Jean Nicolas is a highly regarded potter who has exhibited widely in Europe and is presently having an exhibition of his work in Paris. He will be a visiting artist at Oregon College of Art & Craft and have an exhibit of his work at Contemporary Crafts. He will be giving a slide show of his work and work of other contemporary French potters.

NEXT NEWSLETTER DEADLINE: February 10, 2001. Send submissions to Janet Buskirk, 3624 SE Yamhill, Portland, OR 97214

NEXT BOARD MEETING: February 8th, 6:30pm at Natalie Warrens’ house, 3625 NE 16th Ave, Portland (near NE Fremont St).

MEETING DATES FOR 2001: Mark your calendars! OPA general meetings will be: Jan 12; March 9; May 11; July 13; Nov 9. September picnic date to be decided later.

We have a few nominations for board members and officers for 2001, but we are still looking for a few more! Being on the OPA board is a great opportunity to meet a few more potters while gaining points toward Showcase entry. Below are the positions which are open. Positions marked with a ** have no nominees

President, 2001: Sandy Brown (voted in last year)

President Elect (President in 2002)

President Emeritus: Nancy Hart

Board Members at Large** (several positions open, we have a few nominees but need more)

Greater Eugene Chair: Merry Newcomer (voted earlier this year by the Eugene Committee)

Greater Eugene Chair Elect (to be voted in February by the Eugene Committee)

Program Co-Chairs (2 people)

If you are interested in a position, please contact Nancy Hart before January 10th  6161 SW Salmon, Portland OR 97221). Elections will be at the January General Meeting, and we ask people who are running to write up a short description of themselves and their experience, and include a picture if possible (these really can be brief). We post these on the wall before voting.

COBALT AND TIN are still available from the last group buy. There are three 5-lb bags and one 3-lb bag of cobalt carbonate at $15.40 per pound. There are also 25 lbs of tin which were ordered but not picked up by an OPA member, and if they are not picked up soon they will also be available for $6.90 per pound. If you are interested in tin or cobalt, send a check to Victoria Shaw (made out to OPA), 2809 SE Stark St, Portland OR 97214.

OPA RELIEF FUND: OPA member Geri Lynn Enos recently had a disaster in which her studio was flooded with sewage. She lost all of her equipment and her work in progress. She has filed an insurance claim with the city of Portland, but has been given no assurance that they will pay for anything. As we have done in the past, the OPA is collecting money to help her to defray her rebuilding expenses. If you are able to, please contribute to her relief fund by mailing a check made out to OPA (but labeled for Geri Lynn) to OPA Treasurer Ramona Searle, 131 Schilling Rd, Lyle WA 98635.

OPA JURIED SHOW: OPA members Victoria Christian and Ted Vogel are planning a juried regional show of ceramics which will be run by OPA. Their current plan is to include claywork from various western states. The show will probably be spring 2002. They are considering the gallery at Lewis & Clark College or Contemporary Crafts, and are negotiating with both of them.

OPA MEMBERSHIP: If you did not renew your membership with your Showcase application, then look for the application in this newsletter. Remember, we must get your renewal by February 5th to put it in the membership list. OPA membership is available to any serious studio potter living in Oregon or Southwest Washington.

Clayfest Committee Chairs are guaranteed a booth in the show and get to select their booth location. Please contact Cheryl Kempner if you are interested in any of these positions.

ClayFest Chair, 2001

Sales Tags Bookkeeper 2001

Pipe & Drape (new chair for 2001)

Sponsorship Trainee

Security Trainee

Registrar Trainee

Kids Clay Area Trainee

VISA Trainee

Please call Cheryl if you have any questions about these positions.

NEXT LOCAL CLAY/GREATER EUGENE COMMITTEE MEETING: 6:30pm Thursday, February 1st at Georgie’s in Eugene. Potluck, 1471 Railroad Blvd. This will be the meeting when elections are held. They still have no nominees for President-elect, Secretary, ClayFest Chair, Clay in Education, & Empty Bowls Chair-elect. Future meetings will be the first Thursdays of April, June, Sept, and Nov, 6:30pm at Georgies Eugene. Call Rhoda Fleischmann for more info.

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CATHERINE WYGANT/MEMBER EMERITUS: The Showcase Steering Committee has been reviewing the position of Catherine Wygant, our one Member Emeritus. At a past meeting, the Steering Committee had questioned allowing Catherine into the show due to her living outside of our usual membership boundaries. At the November meeting, it was clarified that she in fact is a member since she was granted the special Member Emeritus status in 1994. For those who are not aware of her contributions to OPA, she was President and Showcase Chair during some very difficult years in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She worked for OPA virtually full time, to the detriment of her paying jobs and her studio work. When she left the area in 1994, the membership gave her the Member Emeritus status in recognition of her great contributions to OPA.

www.onemade.com is a web site which specializes in handmade work. They sent us a letter which does not include any information about costs to sell your work through them, but it might be worth checking out.

CRAFT SALES ON THE INTERNET: The Jan. 2001 CraftsReport has an article about craft sales on the internet. Not surprisingly, people who spend $8000-15000/year promoting their web presence often make more money than people who do not. But two thirds of people who spend nothing in promotions make some money (generally not much, often less than $500/year). My summary of the article is that without a large promotion effort, website selling is not going to increase sales much, but even a small investment could help.

CLAYFOLK HOLIDAY PARTY: If you live in (or want to visit) southern Oregon, think about going to the Clayfolk Holiday Party! Sat Jan 20th, 6pm at the home of Neal Thompson & Jan Stackhouse, 110 Offord Circle in Jacksonville, 899-7593.

MORE ON CERAMIC FIBER, TALC and BALL CLAY: After the last newsletter was mailed, Joe from Clay Art Center in Tacoma called to say that the Vanderbilt Talc, which has been a concern because of the possibility of it containing asbestos-like substances, is not generally available on the west coast. He also mentioned that the ball clays which were contaminated with dioxins have been pulled from suppliers and are not currently sold.

We also discussed ceramic insulating fiber. The new soluble fibers stay in your lungs for 7-14 days, and are available in low-temp (below 1800 degree) or high-temp (very expensive). He recommends coating non-soluble fiber with ITC refractory coating because it stiffens the fiber and tends to prevent its breaking. Fiberfrax brand fiber has the longest fibers of the various brands, which makes it a bit safer. Of course, he was calling to also mention that Clay Art Center sells all of these items. 800-952-8030.

As far as Gerstley Borate replacements go, Joe said that he recommends the Laguna Borate because he knows that they will be a dependable supplier on a long-term basis. It will not stay in suspension the way you are used to, so for every 10-15% Laguna Borate, add 1% bentonite and maybe a little CMC gum.

BLACK SHINO GLAZE: is the topic of Mel Jacobson’s Dec Ceramic Monthly article. He discusses coating the unfired glazed piece with soda ash, as well as how he fires his kiln. This is followed by a great shino analysis article by Tom Buck, this includes 20 shino formulas

GERSTLEY BORATE: In the Nov/Dec Clay Times, Tony Hansen has a great article on the Gerstley Borate substitutes. He reviews Laguna Borate, Murrays Borate, Cadycal, Ferro Frit CC298-C, Frit 439, Gillespie Borate, Ulexite, Colemanite & a new product from South America. Pick up the magazine, check his website at www.digitalfire.com or check his data at www.gerstleyborate.com

SCRAP SCHOOL & COMMUNITY REUSE ACTION PROJECT: This is a project to keep materials that could be used for art out of the landfills. They have a store (3625B N Mississippi in Portland, 97227) which carries weird and varying items (watercolor paper remnants, binocular lenses, fabric samples, corks...). They are currently trying for a major grant which necessitates them raising some extra money. Would you like to help them out? You can send money to the above address, or contact them at 503-294-0769, scrap@teleport.com

VANCOUVER BARRACKS/ARTSPACE PROJECT: Artspace, a well-known arts development group from Minneapolis, is under contract with the city of Vancouver, WA, to develop 16 buildings in the Fort Vancouver area which date from the late 1800s and early 1900s. They are looking at a wide variety of art disciplines which contribute to historic interest, economic sustainability, public use, education, and other interests. If you want more information, contact Madeleine Dulemba (360-696-9870) or Chris Velasco (800-229-5715)

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Below 2002", show of clay work fired to under 2002 degrees, $20 entry fee up to 3 entries, deadline Feb 16, show May 3-June 24, juror is Richard Shaw, winner gets 1-week residency with Vladimir Tsivin, Russian ceramist, at Sitka Center, Contemporary Crafts Gallery, 503-223-2654, 3934 SW Corbett, Portland 97201, ccg3934@aol.com

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Artists on their Own: Ideas of Function", Jan 19 deadline, Greenwich House Pottery, 16 Jones St, New York NY 10014, 212-242-4106

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "1st World Ceramic Biennial 2001 Korea" In conjunction with World Ceramic Exposition, Initial jury by slide, final jury by actual work, www.worldceramic.or.kr, Jan 1 deadline

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Ceramics 2001: 3rd Biennial North American Clay Exhibit" juror John Glick, Jan 8 deadline, Guilford Handcraft Center, PO Box 589, Guildford CT 06437

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Clay Cup VIII" deadline Feb 12, show Mar 21-Apr 15, juror John Gill, at University Museum, Southern Illinois Univ. at Carbondale, Call Brenda Quinn for prospectus, 618-453-4315, bquinn77@siu.edu

CALL FOR ENTRY: "Ewers" deadline Jan 1, show March 2-April 14, $10 fee per entry, send SASE to Pewabic Pottery, Director of Galleries, 10125 E Jefferson, Detroit MI 48214, 313-822-0954x16

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Feats of Clay XIV" deadline Jan 27(Feb 27 final deadline, add $5), show April 27-May 27, work not to exceed 36" in any direction, entry fee $15/one entry, $25/2 entry, $30/3 entry, Lincoln Arts, 540 F St, Lincoln, CA 95648, 916-645-9713, linarts@psyber.com, www.lincolnarts.org

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Strictly Functional Pottery National", deadline Jan 16, show April 6-June 3, juror Linda Christianson, entry fee $20 for 3 entries, Market House Craft Center, PO Box 204, East Petersburg PA 17520-0204, 717-560-8816

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Origins in Clay II", Jan 5 deadline, show Mar 1-30, $20 entry fee, send SASE to Ron Boling, University of Texas at San Antonio, Art Gallery, 6900 Loop 1604 NW, San Antonio TX 78249, rboling@utsa.edu

ARTICLES SOUGHT: OPA member Catherine Wygant has been exchanging email with Pottery Making Illustrated magazine, and they mentioned that they are always looking for how-to articles on any aspect of pottery. Do you have anything to share? Bill Jones, editor, PO box 6136, Westerville OH 43086-6136, http://www.potterymaking.org 614-794-5890, potterymaking@acers.org

CALL FOR ENTRIES: "Stretch Invitational" deadline Jan 15, show mar 19-Apr 14, work that stretches & pushes limits of clay, $10 entry fee, artdoc@carolina.rr.com, send SASE to Afro American Cultural Center, 401 N Myers St, Charlotte NC, 28202

RESIDENCY AVAILABLE: Five 11-month residencies for pre-professional artists, deadline Feb 1, residencies June 2001-May 2002, Contact Bill Griffith, Arrowmont, Box 567, 556 Parkway, Gatlinburg TN 37738, 865-436-5860, info@arrowmont.org

RESIDENCY AVAILABLE: Artists from the west coast can apply for a Multnomah County residency. Two residencies of $10,000 each for community-oriented artists. Deadline Feb 1, contact Regional Arts & Culture Council, 503-823-4196, pkendellen@racc.org

CERAMIC DESIGNER WANTED: Graxia Ceramics Company in Italy seeking a 6-week resident designer to design contemporary patterns for dinnerware. Royalties paid when patterns sell. ugrazia@tin.it

SAUSALITO ART FESTIVAL: Sept 1-3, deadline March 1, $25 application fee, $35 after Jan 15, booth fee $900, PO Box 10, Sausalito CA 94966-0010, artfest@best.com, www.sausalitoartfest.org

FOLKLIFE: May 25-28, deadline Jan 11, juried from actual work or slides, no jury fee, booth fees $190-250 + 15% commission on sales over $1000, 206-684-7300, http://www.nwfolklife.org Folklife@nwfolklife.org

PORTLAND & SEATTLE GIFT & ACCESSORIES SHOWS: "Craft Gallery" area, 5x10 booths, Jan 13-16 (Portland), Jan 27-31 (Seattle), no deadline mentioned, $150-175, Western Exhibitors, 2181 Greenwich St, San Francisco CA 94123-3493, 415-346-6666

EDMONDS ART FESTIVAL: June 15-17, booths $30-175, 20% commission, $10 jury fee, deadline Jan 16, 425-771-6412, 23632 Hwy 99 #F290, Edmonds WA 98026-9026, www.edfest.com

PORTLAND ARTS FESTIVAL: June 15-17, deadline Jan 31, booths $350-400, $25 jury fee, Portland Rose Festival, PO box 5155, Portland OR 97208-5155, 503-227-2681

OREGON WINE & FOOD FESTIVAL: Feb 16-18, Oregon State Fairgrounds, Salem, 503-588-8171, 503-743-4807

ART FESTIVAL GUIDES: Two publications about art festivals which people commonly refer to are Art Fair Source Book, www.ArtFairSource.com, one book of best 300 fairs and one for next best 300 fairs in the nation, $75-150/ year, 800-358-2045. Festivals Directory, 3,300 festivals in the northwest, 1 year $30, 253-863-6617, info@festivalsdirectory.com

GAIL NICHOLS, ADVENTURES IN CLAY & SODA: April 13-15, $200, using high alumina clay bodies & introducing solid sodium carbonates into kiln to produce "soda ice" surfaces. Oregon College of Art & Craft, Portland, http://www.ocac.edu, 503-297-5544

PHOTOGRAPHY FOR ARTISTS & DESIGNERS: Jan 24-Feb 14, Tuesdays 7-9pm, at Wilson High School in Portland, PCC non-credit class, $34, lighting & photographic techniques using common equipment you already own, filters, backgrounds, special effects, 503-731-6622

BARB CAMPBELL, SPONTANEOUS CONSTRUCTION: Spontaneous, playful, soft clay slab building, using texture, stains. Jan 13, 9am-4pm, $70, MT Sherman Ceramics Center, Salem, 503-581-7275

BARB CAMPBELL, ANAGAMA WORKSHOP: Firing anagama for color, with building work & glaze preparation, Feb 3 (wet clay/glaze), March 10-11 (loading), March 15-18 (firing), Stephen Mickey’s anagama in Brush Prarie WA, $220 includes 10-12 cu ft firing space, call Stephen 19806 NE 224th Ave, Brush Prarie WA 98606, mickeys@teleport.com

JUDY ALISON, CONTROLLED SMOKE RAKU: Use clay slip to do smoke line drawings on raku pieces, Feb 24-25, $90, MT Sherman Ceramics Center, Salem, 503-581-7275

PATTY MALY: Jan 27, Mt Hood Community College, Gresham, making large platters & vessels, the use of color & image & the relationship to those forms. $25, send check to MHCC Ceramic Club, Stephen Mickey, 26000 SE Stark, Gresham OR 97030

BRAD SCHWIEGER, FORM & CONTENT: Mar 3-4, $142, thrown & altered forms which address utility & sculptural concerns, Oregon College of Art & Craft, Portland, 503-297-5544, http://www.ocac.edu

LISA CONWAY, PAPER CLAY: Feb 17, Mt Hood Community College, Gresham, she will make & use paper clay to build vessels & sculpture, demo painting techniques, share glaze ideas/recipes. $25, send check to MHCC Ceramics Club, Stephen Mickey, 26000 SE Stark St, Gresham OR 97030

DON ADAMITIS, RAKU KILN BUILDING: He will teach how to build domed fiber raku kiln he designed (see article in Pottery Making Illustrated), contact Katy McFadden, 503-244-1351 for dates & costs (at Clackamas Community College?)

LYNNE JOHNSON will demonstrate techniques she learned while in Japan, making thrown & altered teabowls, lanterns, etc. Artspring Centre, Saltspring Island, BC, Feb 10-11, $85 Canadian, 250-537-2184, katepwa@saltspring.com

KATY MCFADDEN just completed a large outdoor installation at the Oregon Education Assoc on Haines Rd, Tigard

FRANK GOSAR will have a solo show of ceramic sculpture Jan 23-April 29 at Alder Gallery in Coburg, reception Sat, Feb 3, 2-4pm

DENNIS MEINERS recent show at Graystone Gallery is in the Up Front section of the Nov issue of Ceramics Monthly, as is NAO TAJIRI’s recent show at 5th Element

DULCIE LINDSOE-JOHANSON is participating in "Seasons" at Gresham City Hall, Dec 5-Jan 4. She and DAVE & SUE ENNA are also in the Wy’East Artisans Guild Retrospective at the Sandy Public Library, Nov 30- Jan 5

BARB CAMPBELL’s recent show at 5th Element is in the Up Front section of the Dec Ceramics Monthly

JANET BUSKIRK received a purchase award from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts from the "Focus on Function" show at University of Minnesota. She also has had a photo accepted for the book Beautiful Use, Contemporary American Pottery" by Kevin Hluch.

GIL HARRISON will be giving a slide show & workshop at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, Feb 8&9. He also will give a slide show on the life & business of a full time potter (including background on the OPA) to a group of potters in Salt Lake City on Feb 10.

LILLIAN PITT has opened Kindred Spirits Gallery at 1468 NE Alberta in Portland, 503-528-1155

VICTORIA CHRISTEN is featured as the cover article in the Nov/Dec Clay Times magazine

FOR SALE: Cress kiln model B-24-H in excellent condition, 7 cu ft, cone 6, w/ kiln sitter, includes shelves & posts, $700, Elizabeth, 503-245-4047

FOR SALE: Electric table wheel w/ custom table, 2 speeds, good condition, hearty motor, $350 obo. Amaco electric kiln, cone 10, kiln sitter, 18x18x18", good condition, $300, Andrea, 541-302-5758 mailbox #3 on answering machine

FREE: Large bag Lincoln 60 fireclay and bag black garnet sand, you pick up? N Bonneville, WA (in the Columbia Gorge), Evelyn 509-427-4699

FOR SALE: 1992 Ford E-150 cargo van. Good points: paneled inside, new tires, 107,000 highway miles, excellent shape, knows the way to Bellevue & Park City. Bad points: all your friends & relatives will borrow it to move things. $5800 obo, Joyce Canan & Larry Evans

FOR SALE: Brent CXCK wheel, one horsepower, good condition, $800. Cress electric kiln, 24x24x30" good condition, $600 w/ kiln sitter & vent system, John & Mary

LOOKING FOR STUDIO SPACE: Seasoned clay artist looking for studio space in Portland (eastside preferred) Established space or could form new space with others in clay or other media. Natural light would be great. Maria Simon  mariasim2000@yahoo.com