|
|
OREGON POTTERS ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTERFEBRUARY-MARCH, 2005NEXT
OPA MEETING: Friday, March 11 at
the 6pm:
New Member Gathering: Welcome
new members! We will have a roundtable discussion with OPA Co-Founder Ellen
Currans, Showcase Chair-Trainee Ginger Steele, and Mentor Chair Shirl
Lipkin to explain the history of Showcase, the “ins and outs” of how it
works and answer your questions. Hope
to see you all there. For more
information, email Shirl Lipkin at cedarrowstudio@ados.com. 6:30pm:
General Meeting: If
you have items for the agenda, contact Larry Nelson in advance at nelson@chehalemmountainpottery.com.
Bring items for the swap table and snacks to share. 7pm:
Program: There
will be two things going on. We will have our SHOWCASE BOOTH SELECTION
(please see info in the “Showcase” section of the Newsletter). There
will also be a program relating to Showcase: MARKETING PROGRAM: SHOWCASE
AND BEYOND: Yes,
it’s Showcase time and many of us are working away like busy beavers
making pots. But whether it’s
Showcase, an Art Festival or a Studio Sale, the goal is to SELL them!
The March Program is designed to help us do just
that. Come hear three experienced OPA members discuss how they
market themselves and their work. Janet Buskirk will focus on retail shows
& studio sales, Natalie Warrens will focus on wholesale
markets/galleries, and Faith Rahill will focus on creating and using the
WEB. Hear how to engage customers, develop a mailing list, develop
effective materials about yourself, your process and/or technique and much
more. Come prepared to learn
and share what you know with OPA Members. ARTIST’S STATEMENT: Do
you have one? Are you baffled
about how to create one? LET’S
SHARE! If you have an
Artist Statement, please bring it to the March meeting to post on the wall
so we can all benefit from the variety of approaches and styles we all
represent. NEXT
OPA BOARD MEETING: Monday,
April 4 at Janet Buskirk’s, SHOWCASE
STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING: March
8 at 6:30pm at OPA
BUSINESS
OPA
MEMBERSHIP SURVEY: A
message from the President, Larry Nelson: Why do only about 30% of the
members regularly attend the general meetings? Why aren't there more
members at the annual picnic? Why is participation for the workshops often
low? It's been a while since these kinds of questions have been asked. A
survey of the OPA membership will be initiated in an effort to determine
how the OPA can better serve its members. Board Members at Large will be
dividing the list of members and calling each one. The survey will include
such topics as: -Why
you joined OPA. -How
you're involved in OPA activities. -What
OPA does for you. -What
OPA could do for you. -How
you think OPA could be improved. -What
kind of programs and workshops you'd like to participate in. -How
we can communicate better. -What's
working well. I
realize this survey will take some of your time, maybe 30 minutes. Maybe
more. Consequently, we really want to make the time count. Please be
thoughtful and let us know what you're thinking. Individual responses will
be handled with strict confidentiality and trends from the aggregate of the
responses will be reported back. The Board will consider the survey results
and consider how to adapt the way the organization works to better meet the
needs of the membership. THIS
MAY BE YOUR LAST PRINTED NEWSLETTER: The
OPA is about to change the Newsletter to an electronic format. This should
get Newsletters to members a bit more quickly, as well saving OPA an
enormous amount of money in printing and postage. If OPA does not have your
email address, you will still receive the old fashioned paper version. For
the rest of you, we plan to contact you via email or the telephone within
the next two months to ask how you would prefer to receive your Newsletter.
If we do not hear back from you, and we have an email address for you, we
will email you all future Newsletters. Please check your email address in
the Membership List to make sure we have the correct one. HAVE
YOU CHANGED YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS? All
changes of address, phone or email should be sent to the OPA Membership
Chair, Peter Meyer. He will then send them on to everyone else in OPA who
needs to know. Also tell him if any of this information is misspelled or
inaccurate in the enclosed Membership List. OPA
T-SHIRT AND APRON DESIGNS NEEDED for
2006, OPA, Showcase and NCECA sales. Think
broad appeal, originality and graphic clarity. Mail to Jeanne Henry, OPA
STORAGE UNIT: The
new person in charge of the storage unit is Sandy Brown. Contact her if you
need the key. THANK
YOU TO RAMONA SEARLE, our
fearless OPA Treasurer for many years: “I would like to say thank you to
Ramona for all her hard work as the Showcase/OPA Treasurer over these past
years. Her dedication to our organization and the countless hours of work
are much appreciated. My job has been made much easier thanks to her
excellent work. I’ll miss her- but look forward to working with our new
Treasurers.” from Artheen Horsley, OPA bookkeeper and auditor. OPA
FINANCIAL REPORTS from
Artheen Horsley are printed in the paper versions of this Newsletter and
are sent as attachments in the electronic version. SHOWCASE
is
April 22-24, 2005 at the SHOWCASE
RETREAT: Come
help us steer the course for Ceramic Showcase at a half-day retreat. March
5, 9 am-1pm(?) at Ginger Steele's: SHOWCASE
INFO PACKET: Showcase
chairs, please read last year's Showcase Info Packet and get any changes
for your area of the info packet to Cynthia Spencer by March 1:
541-753-4606, cjspencer@cmug.com. SHOWCASE
UPDATES: As
Showcase is only a couple months away, here are a few reminders from your
Showcase Chairs, Natalie Warrens and Ginger Steele: WE
NEED YOUR CARDBOARD BOXES: Please
start collecting boxes for Showcase. Everyone should bring 25. They should
be flattened and bundled with string (not stuck in another box), so they
can be stacked. Boxes should be clean, especially clay boxes. Please sponge
off the outsides. Best sizes are clay boxes, liquor or wine boxes, and
produce boxes. A few larger ones are good too, but smaller ones are hardly
ever used -- bags are more convenient. Please do not bring other packing
materials. Any specialized materials needed for your own work must be
stored in your booth. -- Chris Nielsen and Shirl Lipkin WANTED:
4 OPA POTTERS WHO CAN CONFIDENTLY THROW VERY BIG POTS: The
"Celebrity Throwing" committee is looking for four brawny guys
and gals to throw BIG POTS on stage at the same time Friday at 4:30-5:15
before the headliner celebrity throwing event. Who is game for this event?
Call Jeanne Henry, henryjl@teleport.com PHOTOGRAPHY
AT SHOWCASE:
Once again, Courtney Frisse will be available on site at Showcase to
photograph your work, as well as your booth. Jury quality slides of
tabletop sized work are priced at $45 for the first piece, 2nd and 3rd @
$40, additional pieces @ $35. This includes all film and processing, as
well as a duplicate set of originals for future Showcase publicity. Wall
pieces, floor pieces, groupings, and very reflective works by quote. Booth
slides are $30. Slide dupes,
color prints, digital files on CD (including "zapplication"
format) can be ordered as well. Call ahead to insure a space in her
schedule: Courtney is also looking to trade photography for help in
loading her equipment in and out of the Convention Center on Wednesday
morning and Sunday afternoon of Showcase. If you are interested in a trade,
have a vehicle with some cargo space, and are willing to carry equipment up
and down stairs, give her a call. SHOWCASE
DISPLAY CALLING FOR GARDEN ART: The Showcase Garden Display is calling for interested participants with ceramic art suitable for the outdoors to submit photos, copies, line drawings, etc, including dimensions of work and any concerns about display to: Rhoda Fleischman, 25672 Gap Rd, Brownsville OR 97327 ART
WORK FOR THE LOBBY DISPLAYS: There
will two displays in the lobby this year. The first will highlight the
founders of Showcase. The second will be a return of the popular teapot
exhibit from a few years ago. Anyone interested in having their teapot in
this display please contact Lyn Sedlak-Ford, (due to time constraints I
prefer email) sedlakford@mac.net.
NEW
THIS YEAR: We
will have a display of work by three potters from
LOCAL CLAY & CLAYFESTCLAYFEST
2005
is well into the planning stages. The dates for the show are Saturday and
Sunday, October 15th and 16th at the Lane County Fairgrounds. For those of
you considering applying, here are some important dates : -Application
available: 4/13 -Deadline
for applications: 5/18 -Booth
Selection Meeting : 6/2 As
always, entry into this show is open to all Local Clay members and is
determined by the number of volunteer points you have and the postmark date
on your application. Volunteer points are only earned by participating in
the management of ClayFest as a Committee Chairperson on the show’s
Steering Committee. Committee Chair positions are open to all Local Clay
members. Trainee positions for this year’s show have been filled (thanks
to all those that showed an interest in volunteering) and we’re in the
process of finalizing the budget and promotional plans. For more
information you can visit our website (www.clayfest.org)
or contact Show Chairperson - Don Clarke (chairperson@clayfest.org) POTTERY NEWSNEW
BOOK: Hot
off the press is a new book, Chinese Ceramic Cultural Sites: A
Traveler's Handbook, written and published by Guangzhen "Po"
Zhou and Guanlu Zeng, with the English edited (mostly) by Deb Bouchette.
KOREAN
POTTERY TOURS: In
conjunction with the Korean
National Tourist Organization (www.tour2korea.com)
and the World Ceramic Exposition Foundation (www.wocef.com),
tours are being organized to take potters to visit the studios of potters
and other artists, some of whom are Human Cultural Treasures. Participants
will have the opportunity to work with KILN
FURNITURE: A
new company is producing kiln furniture that appears to be similar to the
Advancer and Crystar kiln shelves from Saint-Gobain. Nordic ceramics has
been producing advanced silicon nitride bonded kiln furniture since 2003.
They are in
COMMENTS
FROM A SHOWCASE CUSTOMER: Mark
Heimann recently heard these comments about potters
and their booths at Showcase. A Showcase customer stated that she did not
buy work from one artist because she could never find her at her booth.
Mark and the customer agreed on three things: 1.
Potters need to be at their booths more (to talk with interested
customers). 2.
If a potter can’t be at his/her booth, have business cards available. 3.
If first two items not possible, at least have a mailing list, personal
note or something to enable customer contact! DO
YOU KNOW ABOUT GAS KILN BURNERS? “Please
help! I need someone to help me figure out and install burners on my kiln.
I need help as soon as possible. If you just want to be helpfull and nice,
great. If you would like
payment that can be arranged. If you just want food or something I might
have hanging around. Let me
know! I want to be running as soon as possible.
Please call.” Kristin
Yount PRICING
YOUR WARES: The
results have been tabulated from our OPA Pricing Questionnaires. 31 people
responded. The responses are below, the prices on the left are for the “plain,
small, undecorated pieces.” The prices on the right are for the “fancy,
large, decorated or complicated pieces.” The first number is the average
price. The numbers in parentheses are the range of prices and the number of
people who responded. If the average and median price were substantially
different, the median price is in italics. So, “$22, $20 ($7-48,
15)” means the average price was $22, the median price was $20, the
responses ranged from $7 to $48, and 15 people responded. Item:
Plain:
Fancy: Mug
$15 ($5-22, 19)
$22 ($7-28,15) Teapot
$61 ($35-110, 11)
$113 ($53-250, 13) Dinner
Plate
$26 ($16-36, 15) $46,$31 ($20-150,
16) Salad
(smaller) Plate
$18 ($9-26, 13)
$24 ($15-33, 15) Large
Platter
$66,$48 ($30-125, 15)
$146,$98 ($40-600, 19) Small
(cereal size) bowl
$15 ($8-24, 18)
$24 ($12-52, 15) Small
serving bowl
$26,$20 ($14-50, 18)
$38, $38, ($14-75, 17) Large
serving bowl
$47,$40 ($24-95, 17)
$82, $60 ($35-250, 18) Small
pitcher
$22 ($12-45, 12) $32 ($18-65,
13) Large
pitcher
$41 ($24-95, 11) $67,$52 ($28-180,
12) Small
jar
$24 ($8-40, 9)
$45,$35 ($12-138, 11) Large
jar
$52,$60 ($18-80, 9)
$83 ($24-200, 12) Small
vase
$19 ($4-50, 17)
$43,$31, ($15-200, 20) Large
vase
$62 ($15-150, 16)
$196,$120 ($30-1000, 19) Ikebana/flower
frog
$26 ($16-35, 4)
$28 ($18-53, 5) Casserole
w/ lid
$53 ($30-68, 10) $73, $64 ($40-140,
9) Lamp
w/ shade
$141 ($65-200, 4)
$223,$163 ($105-400, 3) Pie
pan
$23 ($15-32, 8)
$32 ($25-42, 7) Flower
pot
$14 ($4-25, 5)
$29 ($19-40, 3) Garden
ornament (on stick)
$41 ($41, 1)
$17 ($6-30, 4) Pump
jar
$18,$14 ($12-30, 7)
$23 ($14-40, 5) Small
(fits in hand) sculpture
$18, ($3-35, 5)
$53,$48 ($5-90, 5) Medium
(tabletop) sculpture
$68 ($35-120, 6) $343, $311
($75-900, 8) Large
(big!) sculpture
$533,$350 ($350-900,3) $922,
$750 ($125-2300, 9)
People
listed a few other items, most of which were too specialized to be helpful
to everyone. A few notables were: French
butter dish, $23 ($20-28, 3) Sake
set (pitcher w/ 2 cups), $37
($33-40, 2) Colander,
$37 ($33-40, 2) Obviously,
functional ware was much easier to categorize and had less variability in
the pricing. People also tended to make more work that fit into functional
categories, so the larger sample size there gave better averages.
In general, there did not appear to be a difference in price
ranges for work fired in different types of kilns. The people who sold
their work for higher prices seemed to also sell their work in a larger
variety of parts of the country. The two people whose work was the least
expensive both mostly sell in MEMBER NEWSDAN
SCHMITT: “New
Works in Clay,” Jan 7-Feb 19 at the White Lotus Gallery in HSIN-YI
HUANG has been
accepted to the Visual
Art Showcase, Feb 6-20 at the Beaverton City Library. ANNE
STECKER is
the featured
artist at OCAC Hoffman Gallery for the month of February. OPPORTUNITIESCALL
FOR ENTRIES: “Craft
Biennial: A Review of Northwest Art & Craft,” deadline May 2, show
July 14-Aug 28, looking for work
that investigates and redefines the object, or work that demonstrates
excellence in the traditional form of the object. Contact Hoffman Gallery
at CALL
FOR ENTRIES: “Visions
in Clay 2005,” deadline June 30, show Aug 30-Sept 24, $12 entry fee, 25%
commission, cash awards, juror Adrian Saxe, juried from slides, sponsored
by the San Joaquin Potters Guild & Reynolds Gallery, University of the
Pacific. Send SASE to Visions in Clay, CALL
FOR ENTRIES: “Pots:
Objects of Virtue,” contemporary ceramic vessels, deadline March 15, show
June-August, juror Mark Pharis, $35 jury fee for 3 slides, www.bedfordgallery.org,
Bedford Gallery, 1601 Civic Dr, Walnut Creek CA 94596 CALL
FOR ENTRIES: “Mad
Hatter’s Tea Party,” deadline March 1, show March 15-April 16, open to
fun, wild, wacky teapots, juror Debbie Weinstein, $15 jury fee for 3
entries, send SASE to Armory Art Center, Attn Mad Hatter, 1700 Parker Ave,
West Palm Beach FL 33401, www.armoryart.org.
CALL
FOR ENTRIES: “For
Two,” deadline March 5, show April 1-May 5, open to ceramics using “2”
or “pairs” as theme, send SASE to Carbondale Clay Center, 135 Main St,
Carbondale CO 81623, info@carbondaleclay.org.
CALL
FOR ENTRIES: “In
Our Cups,” deadline June 24, show Aug-Sept, open to drinking vessels, $25
jury fee for 3 entries, send SASE to Art Dept, SUNY Geneseo, 1 College Cir,
Geneseo NY 14454, reinholt@geneseo.edu.
CALL
FOR ENTRIES: American
Bamboo Society award for using bamboo as a material or design motif,
deadline July 1, contact Nancy Bess, RESIDENCY
AVAILABLE: At
EMPLOYMENT
FAIRSINLAND
CRAFTS: Nov
11-13 at the TAPESTRY
ARTS FESTIVAL: Sept
3-5, deadline April 4, juried from 3 slides+booth slide+artist process
slide. Booths $420-1000 for 10x10 or 10x20. STERNWHEELER
DAYS: June
24-26 in Cascade Locks, booths $50-150, deadline March 1 (late deadline May
15), contact Christina McGhee, ANACORTES
ARTS FESTIVAL: Aug
5-7, deadline March 1, 505 O Ave, Anacortes WA 98221, 360-293-6211, www.anacortesartsfestival.com.
BEND
SPRING, SUMMER & FALL FESTIVALS: May
7-8, July 9-10 and Oct 1-2. Booth fees $100-145, 10% commission. $25 jury
fee per festival, deadline Feb 28, late application accepted, www.c3events.com,
541-419-4766, C3 Events, SILVERTON
FINE ARTS FESTIVAL: August
20-21, deadline March 30, booths $225-425, $15 jury fee, juried from 3
slides, www.silvertonarts.org,
503-873-2480, SUN
VALLEY ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL: August
12-14, deadline Feb 28, $20 jury fee, booths $400 for 10x10, $800 for
10x20, www.sunvalleycenter.org,
208-726-9491, PO Box 656, Sun Valley ID 83353 VARIOUS
LOCAL SHOWS: For
information about: Artists’ Marketplace Corvallis (part of Home Show);
Artists’ Marketplace Eugene (part of Home Show); Mother’s Day Art &
Craft Show Albany; Western Art Show Salem (part of Rodeo); Mayor’s
Invitational Art & Wine Festival Tillamook; Art in the Park Salem (part
of The Bite Salem); Art in the Park Vancouver (part of Taste of Vancouver),
contact cameroniii@aol.com.
WILSONVILLE
FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS: June
11-12, for artists for Wilsonville and nearby, contact Wendy at
503-981-5647, WendyR@CenterStageVA.com.
FESTIVALS
DIRECTORY: This
lists fairs and festivals in WORKSHOPS, LECTURES & CONFERENCESOWEN RYE: There will be two Owen Rye workshops in April 2005. At Mount Hood Community College, 26000 SE Stark, Gresham OR 97030, send checks c/o Stephen Mickey, Visual Arts Dept: He will demonstrate throwing techniques oriented toward woodfiring. He will make miniature pots 2 inches high and large ones 3 feet high using the coil and throw technique. He will also make setters for the large pots; these are used to overcome problems of ash and glaze running down the pots during the firing. $100, April 8-10. Free slide show Friday, April 8. At Clatsop Community College and the Astoria Dragon Kiln in Astoria, OR: Six day workshop involving loading and firing of Astoria’s 19-year-old Anagama kiln, with particular emphasis on his exploration in cooling techniques. Also discussion of design and firing of other wood kilns. April 12-17, unloading April 23. $200 includes accommodations. Contact Richard Rowland email at rrowland@clatsopcc.edu The
following workshop is at GAIL
KENDALL: “Handbuilding
Functional Pots,” April 9-10, $75 ($60 for OPA members). RICHEY
BELLINGER: “Glaze
Calculation and Formulation,” The
following workshops are at DON
SPRAGUE & PATRICK HORSLEY: June
25-36. Their stories are fun and watching these two work is enlightening,
stimulating and inspired. PETER
KING: Early
August, date TBA. He will create a piece and install the piece he made last
year. TRASH
CAN RAKU: Call
for dates DOROTHY
STEELE: Individual
pottery workshops offered on weekends and during the week. Learn to
create your own unique hand-built pottery. Call for times and cost.
503-309-1259 PATRICK
HORSLEY: will
be teaching a workshop March 2-3 at 2005
EXCELLENCE
IN CRAFTS LECTURE SERIES: These lectures are coordinated by Contemporary
Crafts Museum & Gallery, but they take place at Pacific Northwest
College of Art, BRAD
CLOEPFIL: March
9, 7pm. A BUSTER
SIMPSON: April
13, 7pm. An innovative thinker about art in public places and engaging
citizens in aesthetics, politic and the envirnment. SHAMELESS ADVERTISINGFOR
FOR
FOR
FOR
FOR
NEW
ITEMS AND DISCOUNTS from
New
Items: New
red, orange and yellow stains available (you won’t believe how bright
they are). Freeze proof wax resist from Reed wax. Swan Creek cone 6 clay,
similar to DWS and Dakota White for throwing & handbuilding. Husky
White, low fire white earthenware with small amount of grog. Save your
pipes with the new Glenco clay traps. Check out the new quieter &
smoother controller used in Thomas Stuart wheels! Discount
items: High
alumina English kiln shelf scraps, 6x24x1”, 100 of them, $10 each or $75
for 10. Used small Soldner mixer, updraft 28x27” gas kiln and used
electric kilns available. FREE:
400
lbs bagged clay, pretty dry
but not totally, cone 1, warm buff in oxidation. Come and get it - it
is FREE! Marilyn Woods ( WANTED:
100
to 200 cu ft downdraft gas kiln, call Mike 250-286-3089 ( WANTED:
A
nice spray booth. Contact Anne Stecker, , annestecker@comcast.net.
WANTED:
Brent
SR 14 Slabroller. Janet Buskirk, janetbuskirk@yahoo.com.
STUDIO
SPACE FOR RENT: New
Industrial Studios, DATES
TO REMEMBER: March
5: Showcase Retreat March
8: Showcase Steering Committee Meeting March
11: OPA General Meeting April
4: OPA Board Meeting April
10: Newsletter Deadline April
22-24: Ceramic Showcase
|