6:30 pm: General Meeting. Call Ginger Steele to put something on the agenda. Bring Empty Bowl donations, snacks for the hospitality area, items for the swap table, or announcements to hang on the room divider. There will be a brief discussion of the OPA’s application for non-profit status (see below for more info).

7:30 pm: Program. We are pleased to announce that the program will be a presentation by Susan Thayer. Susan makes exquisite china-painted teapots, each with elaborate imagery that tells us a story. A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design in ’82, she has worked with porcelain since then. She started out making functional production work and found that people weren’t interested in function. Teapots, however, elicited a strong response and became a great take-off point for her. She has lived in Portland since 1993, occasionally shows at the Margo Jacobsen Gallery, has pieces in such museum collections as Newark, RISD, Boston, and the Smithsonian, and sells much of her work in the Ferrin Gallery in Lennox, MA. You can view her work at their website: ferringallery.com . Come to see her detailed forms and rich colors, to learn about water-based china paints, and how one might successfully market teapots in the four-digit price range. 

OPA has both Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, and any alteration of the Articles requires a vote of the general membership. The changes to the Articles are minor; language has been added that is required by the IRS.

CPA Mary Merskin will be available for a 15 minute question-and-answer period at 7:00pm.

There are several benefits to OPA obtaining non-profit status. The first is financial – we will no longer be required to pay federal income tax. We will also be eligible for reduced postal rates on our 40,000+ pieces of mail each year, and will receive preferential rates on our advertising for Showcase. Reduction of these three expenditures will result in savings of $6,000-$8,000 per year. Costs of our actual IRS filings will increase modestly. OPA and Showcase accounting procedures will be primarily unchanged by becoming a non-profit organization.

Secondly, the potential for grants and sponsorship for our organization and activities is enhanced. Showcase costs are rising steadily, and there may be funds available to OPA as a non-profit that can help to keep costs down for individual potters.

As many original OPA members know, the Articles were previously amended in preparation for non-profit application in 1985. The present alterations include language presently required by the IRS. Here is the text of the new articles of incorporation. Both the 1983 Articles and the amended 1985 Articles may be viewed at the OPA’s website.

ARTICLES OF AMENDMENT OF THE OREGON POTTERS ORGANIZATION:

Pursuant to ORS 65,431,et. seq., Oregon Potters Association hereby submits for filing the following articles of amendment to its articles of incorporation:

1. The name of the corporation is Oregon Potters Association.

2. The articles of incorporation are amended so that Article II reads "Said organization is organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any further federal tax code). Within such limits, the purpose of the Oregon Potters Association is to serve its members and the general public in the following areas:

" - To promote pottery education and awareness

" - To facilitate the exchange of knowledge and information about all types of ceramic arts

" – To serve as professional liaison between ceramicists and the general public, galleries, businesses, publications, and arts agencies.

" Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code (or corresponding section of any future federal tax code)."

3. The articles of incorporation are amended so that Article VI reads "No part of the net earnings of the organization shall inure to the benefit, or be distributable to its members, trustees, officers,

Please come to the meeting with your questions for Mary Merskin. Thank you from Ginger Steele, 2002 OPA President

1. Showcase should be looking toward the future, and the needs of our potters and customers. We recommend ongoing research into growing the show, even though the survey of Showcase participants shows a majority are not in favor of expanding at this time. Further study will include financial impact on Showcase participants, and how we can reclaim elements that have been done in the past.

¥ New members have shown a willingness to participate, but lack of space can be discouraging. New energy is always needed to run the show. With the reduction in space this year the wait may increase.

¥ Many current participants who are limited to half booths would pay for a larger space if one were available. Likewise, some potters might pay for 15 ft. or 20 ft. booths if this was possible.

¥ Need for ongoing education of public: "Environments," showing how ceramics are used was a part of Showcase until we became so large. This was a positive experience for customers that has been lost due to our need to include more ceramic artists. Additionally, sponsorship and school programs in area could be included in show if space allowed.

¥ Revenue is not increasing as much as expenses. There may be ways to increase revenue that would take space we presently do not have.

2. The gallery needs to return to looking like a gallery. Customers have made comments on the issue of staleness. The gallery no longer looks like a gallery. It is too congested. Limit number of pieces in gallery to between 50 and 75 pieces.

Last year the gallery was a mass of pottery that was not pleasing to the viewers. The gallery should be the showplace of the show, highlighting the best pieces that we produce. An initial proposal is that all wanting to be in the gallery would submit work the day before for jurying by a group of people outside of OPA. If work was not selected, it would be returned to participant's booth. Work from gallery only people would be placed in the group booth. Logistics would have to be developed.

3. A Budget Committee should be established to review and approve the budget prior to being submitted to the steering committee.

The budget is a major source of concern among Showcase participants. Given the current national issues on corporate accounting and its visibility, a larger group of people would provide the necessary accountability. All local governments in Oregon operate on this basis with their budgets, prior to presentation to the elected officials. This will improve communications about the budget process to a greater number of participants and spread the responsibility for budget planning to more people than just the Treasurer.

We propose a Budget Committee be formed, with the specific task of reviewing the budget and all of its assumptions. The committee would consist of the Chairman, OPA President, one steering committee member, and two showcase participants. The at large positions would be recruited by the Showcase Committee Chair and chosen by the Steering Committee. The Treasurer would prepare a budget, with input from the committee chairs and present it to the Budget Committee for its approval.

After review, Budget Committee would recommend a final budget to the Steering Committee for approval and implementation. No additional points would be added for this effort.

4. Expand contacts with other art groups and educational organizations.

As Showcase has grown, we have focused on

how it works. We need to coordinate our efforts, particularly in the area of education, with ceramic educational providers. Many customers seek further information about class and studio opportunities. The more people know about pottery making, the more they appreciate our craft. Table Tents saying, "I teach at ______" will be available to display at Showcase for our instructor potters.

5. Explore other methods of increasing revenues.

¥ Discussions have been made regarding sale of banners and an admission fee.

¥ Efforts need to be expanded in helping potters increase sales by better booth displays and enhancing the mailing list. Participants need to be aware that increased sales are the lifeblood of Showcase. A workshop should be setup to show how to increase sales and how to set up a booth that will attract customers.

¥ Photographs should be made of the "Best Booth", to develop a history of what display is attractive.

6. Showcase has become the tail that wags the OPA dog.

OPA meetings should be revised to start with the program, follow up with OPA business and then Showcase business. Many meeting have been so dominated by Showcase, that non- participants have no reason to come. Programs are the heart of our own internal education, but are relegated to the end and shortened up to meet the time constraints. If everyone leaves after the program, it speaks volumes about the interest of our members on the business meeting portion.

7. Explore coordination with other art groups (Weavers, Metal and Glass, etc.) to enhance

Ceramic Showcase. This may also be a revenue source for Showcase if larger space were rented and sub-let.

These groups already use the Convention Center the weekend of Showcase. Each group has its own requirements, which if coordinated could make us all more effective.

CLAYFEST was held in Eugene on Oct 12-13. The show was a success, with about 50 clayworkers making about $57,000. It was also a lot of fun and there was some exceptional work for sale. Good job everyone!

CERAMIC SHOWCASE: OPA members have received a special Showcase section with this newsletter. Non-members were not mailed this section. If you should have received Showcase information but did not, or if you would like to receive it for any other reasons, please contact OPA Membership Chair (Mary Orcutt,  mmusic@gorge.net) or Newsletter Editor (Janet Buskirk, 503-231-2810, janetbuskirk@yahoo.com). The Showcase booth application deadline is November 15, the Gallery-only application deadline is January 31 (applications for the gallery received by Nov 15 will be listed on the poster. Others will not)

POTTERY NEWS

DATABASE OF ARTISTS, ETC: The Arts & Crafts Assoc of America (ACAA) is working on a free national registration of all artists, craftspersons, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, show producers, designers, galleries, art/craft mall consignment shops, art education institutions/teachers, publishers/editors, and all related associations, non-profits and guilds. You can fill out the online registration at www.artsandcraftsassoc.com. Questions? Contact Linda Powers at 616-874-1721, acaa@triton.net

ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE ARTS: The fall Craft Organization Directors Association (CODA) Newsletter has a summary of their surveys on the economic impact of the arts. The non-profit arts industry generates $134 billion in economic activity each year, resulting in $24.4 billion in federal, local and state tax revenue. This generates 4.85 million full-time equivalent jobs and $89.4 billion in household income. For more info, check their web site, www.americansforthearts.org/economic_impact

LEARNING AND THE ARTS: An article in the most recent Oregon Arts Commission Newsletter reported on findings from the Arts Education Partnership that learning art develops critical thinking skills and motivations that are needed to achieve higher levels of learning. This report also suggests that disadvantaged and younger children may benefit especially from art education. If you want more info, log on to the AEP web site, www.aep-arts.org, or order a printed copy from the Council of Chief State Officers, 202-336-7016

POLYMER CLAY TOXICITY: The October 2002 ACTS Facts Newsletter had an article about the toxicity of polymer clays (specifically of Sculpey). It is too long to reprint in full here, and they do not like summaries of their articles to be published, but if you heat polymer clays in an oven, you need to be aware of the chemicals that may be emitted. You can contact ACTS (Art, Crafts & Theater Safety) at 181 Thompson St #23, New York NY 10012, 212-777-0062, ACTSNYC@cs.com, www.caseweb.com/ACTS, or contact the Vermont Public Interest Research Group, who did a study on this.

WORKSHOPS/LECTURES/CONFERENCES

TONE ORVIK: SCULPTING HEADS & FACES. Nov 16-17, $50+clay & modeling fees, beginning to intermediate skill levels. Tone will teach basic anatomy of the skull, and will show how to cut a sculpture in half, hollow it out and put it back together. ClaySpace on Puget Sound, PO box 1339, Suquamish, WA 98392-1339, (360) 598-3688, mtimes@telebyte.net

NCECA CONFERENCE: The 2003 National Conference for Education in Ceramic Art will be March 12-15 in San Diego. The conference hotel will be the Town & Country Resort, 500 Hotel Circle North, 800-772-8527, NCECA rates are $120-140 per night. The conference will cost $170 for US residents, $115 for US resident students. For more information about the conference, contact NCECA, 866-266-2322, www.nceca.net.

POTTERY CLASSES FOR TWENTY-SOMETHING YEAR OLDS: Friday nights, Oct 18-Nov 15, 7-9pm, $20 per session, $100 for all five. Materials & firing included, extra lab time is $15/hr. Taught by Amanda Stacey in Adrienne Stacey’s studio, 3434 SE Brooklyn, 503-232-4393. After the New Year, they plan to have Friday night sessions every week, and Adrienne gives private lessons for $45/hour or workshops.

CALL FOR ARTISTS: "Ink & Clay," prints, drawings, ceramic ware & sculpture. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Open to artists from all western states. Deadline Oct 28, show Jan/Feb 2003. pemerrill@csupomona.edu, www.csupomona.edu/~kellogg_gallery

CALL TO ARTISTS: Sculpture Exhibit, Grants Pass Museum of Art, deadline Nov 15, show Jan 2003, open to Oregon artists, PO box 966, Grants Pass, OR 97528, 541-479-3290

CALL TO ARTISTS: "2 by 2: Small Scale Ceramic Sculpture Biennial," deadline Nov 29, show Feb-March, jury fee $25 for 3 slides, send SASE to Gallery of Art, ART 140, Eastern Washington University, Cheney WA 99004, nhathaway@mail.ewu.edu.

CALL TO ARTISTS: "International Ceramics Competition: A Ceramic Spoon," deadline May 2, show Sept-Nov 2003, ceramic spoons no larger than 16 inches, www.carouge.ch, Musee de Carouge, Place de Sardaigne 2, CH-1227, Carouge, Switzerland

CALL TO ARTISTS: "The Word Made Clay: Ceramics in its Own (W)rite," deadline Dec 15, show Feb-March, clayworks using interpretation of the book format, $25 jury fee, Tile Heritage Foundation, foundation@tileheritage.com, 707-431-8453, La Jolla, CA

CALL TO ARTISTS: "11^th Annual Strictly Functional Pottery National," Jan 15 deadline, show April-May, send SASE to Market House Craft Center/SFPN, PO box 204, E Petersburg PA, 17520, www.art~craftpa.com/sfpnapp.html

CALL TO ARTISTS: "Feats of Clay," Feb 21 deadline, show April-May, $15-30 jury fee, send SASE to Lincoln Arts, 540 F St, Lincoln CA 95648, www.lincolnarts.org

CALL TO ARTISTS: "NCECA 2003 Regional Student Juried Exhibition," deadline Oct 28, show March, no entry fee, open to undergraduates or graduate students living on the west coast, Alask & Hawaii, send SASE to NCECA, PO box 777, Erie CO 80516, www.nceca.net

CALL TO ARTISTS: "2^nd World Ceramic Biennale 2003 Korea," juried in 2 categories: ceramics for use or ceramics as expression. Deadline Jan 13-Feb 7, show Sept-Oct 2003, contact Office for International Competition, Exhibition Dept, WOCEF, Icheon World Ceramic Center, Gwango-dongSan 69-1, Icheon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea 467-020, cebiko@worldceramic.or.kr, www.ceramicbiennale.org

CALL TO ARTISTS: "Jackpot!" March 31 deadline, show May, sculptural or functional teapots no larger than 36", $20 jury fee, Contemporary Arts Collective, 101 E Charleston Blvd, ste 101, Las Vegas NV 89104, 702-382-3886

CALL TO ARTISTS: "Winter Festival" at McMinnville High School, Dec 7. $35 for 8x10’ space. Contact Kathy Beyer at 503-474-3617, kbeyer@msd.k12.or.us

CALL TO ARTISTS: Georgie’s Ceramic & Clay Co invites ceramicists to participate in the Basic Fire Christmas sale, Dec 13-15. $25 promotional fee, contact Anne Goodrich, 503-286-1453, anne@georgies.com, 940 NE Lombard, Portland OR 97211

CALL TO ARTISTS: Show and sell your work in a downtown Portland window gallery. One or two pieces at a time, or show a body of work. A great venue to have your work seen, and there is no commission on sales! Call James DeRosso, 503-232-6816

ONLINE GALLERY SPACE: Georgies is adding an online photo gallery to their new website design that is scheduled to go online by the end of November. They will include artwork provided by clay artists and can link their site to yours if you have one. All work displayed at Georgies will be automatically included. Depending on response, separate pages may be created for work by OPA and/or WPA members. Contact Lisa Conway to arrange showing your work at Georgies. You may make a few sales, Georgies commission is 25%. To include your work in the online gallery, email brief bio info and JPG photos to 'gallery@georgies.com' or contact Morgan Blackwind at Georgies (503.283.1353).

DON SPRAGUE is showing with Chris Kroupa and Reid Ozaki at Northwest Craft Center in Seattle Center, Oct 4-Nov 17.

DENNIS MEINERS had a show with Lynn Rothan at the Hanson Howard Gallery in Ashland in September

GINGER STEELE has a show with Harold Walkup at the Valley Art Association, 2022 Main St in Forest Grove, through Oct 30

RICHARD MOODY has a show at Artemisia Gallery, 7829 SW Capitol Hwy in Portland, through the end of October

JEANNIE CHO, MICHAEL FROMME, MARK HEIMANN, MOKO HORI, NAO TAJIRI, KEN PINCUS, RURI & LEW are displaying sake related pieces at Gallery Zen, 525 NW 10^th Ave in Portland, through the end of October

MELISSA RAY, DOUG SIGSTAD & KRISTEN WEIGERT-YOUNT, among others, are in the "Clay Carnival" show at Eager Wally Gallery, SE 3^rd Ave at Alder in Portland, opening receptions Oct 18 & 25, 7pm-10pm

DOROTHY ST HELEN has pieces on display at Bacchus Restaurant and Decadillies home décor (both in Vancouver). She also is a representative for an herbal supplement that purports to bind with and remove heavy metals from the body. If you want more info on this, call her at 360-891-2617

FOR SALE: Bluebird de-airing pugmill, model 440. $1800, Randy Lloyd, 425-557-6773. Delivery available

FOR SALE: Parts to build a George Wright-style gas kiln (I was going to build one, but changed my mind). 270 NEW (unused!) K23 insulating brick, asking $650 (worth over $900). One really cheap new 2" Eclipse mixer w/ 4 Eclipse burner tips, $150. Two 8’ pieces of chimney pipe, $20. Or buy entire package for $725. DJ Miles, 360-686-8188 (Vancouver, WA)

STUDIO SPACE SOUGHT: I’m looking for clay studio to share, or someone interested in teaming up to look for studio space together. Prefer Portland east side, but negotiable. Must be out of current studio by Dec 31. Maria Simon, 503-235-9403, mariasim2000@yahoo.com

STUDIO/LIVING/GALLERY space available. 1 space remaining for residency, gallery & studio at Georgie’s Basic Fire studio. $500/month. Professional studio includes updraft, downdraft, raku & electric kilns. Contact Anne Goodrich, 503-286-1453, anne@georgies.com, 940 NE Lombard, Portland OR 97211

DONATION SOUGHT: Kiln and Envirovent sought for ceramics program at SEI (center for Self Enhancement, Inc), a non-profit after school program in N Portland. Contact Ben Rosenberg, 503-230-7735, benrosenberg@earthlink.net

PROPERTY FOR SALE: Pottery studio with giant Skutt kiln, art gallery and classroom space on main street in Condon, OR. Next to refurbished Hotel Condon & Powells Books. 2400 sq ft of retail space, attached 7759 sq ft warehouse, full bath & small living space. $115,000. Local financing possibly available. Boyd Harris, 541-384-5114, boydharris@jncable.com (incable.com?)

POTTER SEEKING MENTOR: Experienced pottery student wanting to work with a mentor and learn more.  Available all days and I have lots of energy to work and lots room to learn.  Great throwing skills and a great love for pottery. Please call Romaine Harris 503 285 2757.

PHOTOGRAPHER AVAILABLE: Photography for portfolios/marketing. I have 16 years experience and good communication skills. David Burch, 503 827 8000.

"It was quite an experience going through all the old membership cards to see the trends that have occurred in OPA. It shows what a dynamic organization we truly are!  In 1980, OPA had 80 members. Membership grew steadily in the 80's so that by 1990 the membership stood at 243. The 1990's showed some up and downs in membership. Our lowest year was 1991 with 241 regular members. Our highest was 1995 with 416 memberships. The year after that high, we slipped back to a count of 379 members. The count has increased steadily again from that point on. As of October 8, 2002, OPA has 417 regular members.  The first newsletter[-only] subscription was in 1981. No data was kept on permanent newsletter subscriptions, those sent to ceramic businesses and organizations that support OPA. As of 2002 we send out nearly 80 newsletters every time Janet writes up this wonderful bulletin. 21 of those go to past members or those interested in the happenings of OPA. 

"If you'd like any other fascinating statistics from Mary Orcutt's findings, email her at mmusic@gorge.net." -Mary Orcutt, Membership Chair