VCPG January 2024 Newsletter
Members' Meeting : Monday January 22nd • info below
For Your Calendar:
January 5th ……...….......Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
January 15th ……...….....Gallery Artists Meeting @ 7:00pm
January 22nd …….....…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
February 2nd ……...........Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
February 8th ……...…......Gallery Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm
February 8th ……...…......Happy Hour 5-7
February 26th …….....…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
March 1st ……........…......Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
March 25th ……..........…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
April 5th ……..........…......Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
April 11th ……...…...........Gallery Committee Meeting @3:00pm
April 15th ……........…......Gallery Artists Meeting @ 7:00pm
April 22nd ……...........…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
May 3rd ……..........…......Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
May 20th ……............…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
June 7th …….........…......Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
June 13th ……...…..........Gallery Committee Meeting @3:00pm
June 24th ……...........…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
July ……...…...................No Board meeting
July 15th ……..................Gallery Artists Meeting @ 7:00pm
July 22nd ……...........…..Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
August 2nd ……..........…Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
August 8th ……...…........Gallery Committee Meeting @3:00pm
August 26th …….............Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
September 6th …….........Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
September 23rd …….......Members Meeting on Zoom; 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
October 4th ……..........…Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
October 10th ……...........Gallery Committee Meeting @3:00pm
October 21st ……..…......Gallery Artists Meeting @ 7:00pm
October 28th ……...........Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
November 1st ……..........Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
November 25th ……........Members Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
December 6th ……..........Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
December 12th ...............Gallery Committee Meeting @3:00pm
December........................VCPG Holiday Get Together
All Board meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88067937721?pwd=ZlZCSElGRGZrbUlNbmo0YWh3NGtFQT09
All Members meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88027588377?pwd=eGtqNkdHNVl1bXBDM25HTjdYYnVHUT09
All Gallery Artists meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89186713636?pwd=REFMTDBhZjJZSTgwZUp5YXZ5cVkvZz09
A Message from Your Board President • January 2024
Greetings VCPG Members and Happy 2024!
This is my first monthly message as the President of our Guild. First, I’d like to thank you all for the confidence and support you showed by giving me your vote. I will do my best to serve this wonderful community and its members.
I plan to focus my monthly messages on keeping members up to date on what’s happening with the Board of Directors, highlighting opportunities for members to participate in our Guild, and addressing issues that float up during the month. Please feel free to contact me if you have ideas for the monthly message; or, if you have questions or suggestions you think the Board should know about. You can reach out to me at president@vcpg.org.
I’d like to welcome Rebecca Catterall as our new Board Secretary – you elected her in October. Your former president, Wyn Matthews, has stepped into the job of Treasurer. And a big shout out to Gloria Sills who stayed on as Treasurer months after she signaled her wish to retire. That kind of dedication to the organization is the norm across the VCPG Board – it’s a
a really great team.
One of the questions that has come up recently is: Why, when I’m renewing my membership, do I have to answer all these questions about participation and my skill set, especially if I’m just going to be a Regular member?
Your Board and Team Leaders want to know about ALL our members: Regular, Plus, Student and Lifetime. We are working to serve ALL of you as best we can. We want to know what you value about the Guild in your life and the larger community; where the Board should focus Guild resources; and who may be a resource for our Guild. Providing the broadest and most responsive opportunities for our members requires a lot of effort. It takes all of us working together to make our community sing!
Over the past two years members have been essential in supporting and growing our Guild and the benefits offered. Plus Tier members -- having access to a greater array of benefits – have agreed to provide a service back to our community. But many members – Regular, Plus, Student and Lifetime - wear multiple hats by participating in any number of service
opportunities throughout the year. Team Service opportunities are posted on the Guild website under the heading GUILD. There are monthly postings and announcements in our
Guild Newsletter.
For more information on how to serve the Guild, reach out to the Team Service team at Team Service Sign Up.
As we go forward for 2024 I will use this message to highlight important tasks we need to work on to keep the Guild humming along. Please consider pitching in when an opportunity arrives that fits your skill set. I promise we will do our best to make the process rewarding and fun!
Service back to the Guild is a great way to interact with other members - many tasks offer opportunities to gather with old and new friends!
More next month. Take care and make stuff.
Stacy Rowe
VCPG Board President
president@vcpg.org
Members Program Meeting • January 22nd
6:30 PM Gathering Time 7 PM Meeting Start
Zoom Link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89186713636?pwd=REFMTDBhZjJZSTgwZUp5YXZ5cVkvZz09
Design is in the Details: How Does Your Pot Sit? Or All About the Foot! Master Potter Wyn Matthews will cover basic principles of design that you might consider when creating your work. He will share how he, over his 50 years as a potter, has learned to complement his work with a foot that adds, presents and/or elevates a piece.
Hand-Builder and Guild member Vera Maguire will offer a quick solution for adding feet to hand-built bowls. This is a great opportunity to revisit basics. A perfect way to gain a “new lens” through which to see your work and the pots of others. It may be a chance to challenge yourself when you begin your next piece.
Over the next 30 days we invite you to email pictures of the foot of your pot(s) to programs@vcpg.org. If we get enough of a response we will share the images on the Clay Challenge page of the Guild's website.
Stay tuned for more info.
Wyn and Vera will both be at the meeting and ready for questions.
VCPG is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: VCPG Monthly Member Meetings
Time: 6:30 PM- Gathering Time, 7 PM- Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88027588377?pwd=eGtqNkdHNVl1bXBDM25HTjdYYnVHUT09
Meeting ID: 880 2758 8377
Passcode: 893843
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,88027588377#,,,,*893843# US (San Jose)
+16694449171,,88027588377#,,,,*893843# US
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kfccJZUbf
VCPG Valentine Pottery Market
Saturday, February 10, 2023
Celebrate Love with handmade pottery this Valentine’s Day at Ventura Pottery Gallery. Our one-of-a-kind pieces are crafted with the loving hands of local artists. Giving pottery is a unique way to honor those you care about the most. And pottery will last year after year – long after the flowers have wilted and the candy is consumed.
While the Gallery is open daily in Ventura Harbor Village, we invite you to join us for a special one-day Valentine’s sale on Saturday, February 10 from 11-6. Not only will there be work inside, our artists will set up a special display outside the Gallery giving you a wide selection of heart-themed work including mugs, jewelry, vases, kitchen items, sculpture and whimsical pieces.
In addition to finding a perfect gift for your Valentine, attendees can register and be entered into a drawing for an original candle holder by Gallery member Ming Clayton. As a studio artist and teacher, Ming works in stoneware clay and is known for her playful, functional art. Each piece is expertly crafted and sure to become a family favorite. The drawing will be held on February 10 at 6pm. The winner will be notified and does not need to be present. No purchase required.
This event will be held rain or shine. The Gallery is located at 1567 Spinnaker Drive, Suite 105 in the Ventura Harbor Village. There is plenty of parking at the Harbor and great restaurants to enjoy while visiting. Don’t miss this chance to support local artists.
More information can be found at Home and you can also visit our online store at Ventura Pottery Online (Public)
The Guild has adopted a new jury process
Please check the website after 1/22/24
The new procedure will take place in two steps; first step will take place in the week of 1/26/24 and the second step will take place in the week of 4/19/24.
Locations, times and other details will be on the website starting 1/22/24.
More info to come.
Next Guild Happy Hour
Will be Thursday, February 8th from 5-7 at Margarita Villa in Ventura Harbor, right across from the Gallery. There is an elevator near their back steps.
We plan to be outdoors on the front patio (up the front steps) unless the weather is bad. If you are new to the group, or have trouble finding us, just ask the hostess.
No need to RSVP - just show up, Margarita Villa allows for separate checks so folks can come and go as needed. It's a great excuse to talk about clay with other Guild members. Guests are welcome too.
We would love to see you! Rebecca Catterall and Sue Cline
https://margaritavillaventura.com/
It’s coming! Beatrice Wood Center Show
Our annual show at the Beatrice Wood Center is scheduled for September 28 - November 16. The theme this year is “Non Traditional Teapots”.
Let your imagination go wild, from fantasy to abstract. Have fun with this challenge.
It is open to all guild members and you can enter up to three pieces.
The VCPG Library
Interested in learning more about a specific area of ceramics? Check out Library professional library. Our collection currently contains 42 DVDs and over 140 books. There is something for everyone, so please take advantage of this amazing resource!
Browse the collection by visiting the Library page under the Member Menu on VCPG.org. Click
on Check Out Item to complete the check out request form. Items will be shipped at no cost to
you. You can return items via mail (at your cost) or to the gallery.
VCPG Library Book Review
From Mud to Music: Making and Enjoying Ceramic Instruments by Barry Hall is a fascinating and comprehensive coverage of ceramic musical instruments worldwide from ancient times through the present day. The book is divided into chapters on skinned drums, wind instruments, stringed instruments, sonorous objects, and hybrid musical instruments.
Instruments created by modern ceramic artists and step-by-step instructions for making several
The instruments are also covered. In addition, a delightful CD not only showcases particular
clay instruments, but is an “excellent listen” on its own.
The author’s passion for the subject shines through, and may inspire readers to embark on their own creative journey in creating musical instruments from clay.
Surface Development – A One Day Hands-On WORKSHOP with CJ Jilek
February 17 or 18, 2024. (No more spaces for the workshop.)
See Guild/Calendar for more detailed workshop info.
For Sale
Tent; 10X10, perfect condition, alum. Frame
4 zippered sides with wheels storing and carrying a case.
$300.00.
Victoria Littlejohn, 805/448/1869.
Also, assorted tools; 3 , 3 shelf rolling carts.
2 small 2' X 3' work tables with 1 drawer ea.
2 ,4 shelf free standing, 1 folding director chair