VCPG August 2024 Newsletter
Program Meeting : The Anatomy of a Handle
For Your Calendar:
August 2nd ……...............…No Board meeting
August 22nd ……................Gallery Committee Meeting @3:30pm
August 26th …….................Program Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
September 6th …….............Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
September 14th & 15th.......Mug Event
September 23rd ……...........Program Meeting on Zoom; 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
September 28th ……...........Beatrice Wood Show recepation
October 4th ……..............…Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
October 10th ……................Gallery Committee Meeting @3:30pm
October 21st ……......…......Gallery Artists Meeting @ 7:00pm
October 28th ……................VCPG Annual Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
November 1st …….............Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
November 25th ……...........Program Meeting @ 6:30pm Gathering, 7pm Meeting
December 6th ……............Board Meeting @ 4:00pm
December 12th .................Gallery Committee Meeting @3:30pm
December..........................VCPG Holiday Get Together
All Board meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88067937721?pwd=ZlZCSElGRGZrbUlNbmo0YWh3NGtFQT09
All Program meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86441314653?pwd=dVVRNkRUVXV1VXdmU3ZxN 29xeUFIZz09
All Galley Committee have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85395421088?pwd=Rk5PWWxIdUJpajZqMEQ3TWdNTHUzUT09
All Gallery Artists meetings have the same Zoom link
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89186713636?pwd=REFMTDBhZjJZSTgwZUp5YXZ5cVkvZz09
A Message from Your VCPG Board President • August 2024
Greetings VCPG Members –
I’ve just returned from my summer vacation to North Carolina where I took a woodworking class at Penland School of the Arts. But since it was Penland, and North Carolina, I also got to see a lot of pottery and meet a lot of potters. In particular, I drove halfway across the state to visit Seagrove, NC.
Seagrove, a town of about 300 residents in the center of the state, claims to be home to the largest concentration of potters in the United States – and I believe it! Within a 20-mile radius there are over 50 pottery shops and studios. I probably made it to 10-15 – and it was amazing! Many of the potters there produce work using traditional styles and methods – functional wood-, salt- and soda-fired pieces – some using native clays harvested by the potter. Some families have been doing this for generations. Other potters in the area are producing contemporary art pottery and everything in between! And there were several potteries specializing in crystalline glazes.
For more information on the Seagrove area, visit https://discoverseagrove.com/ and
https://www.ncpotterycenter.org/.
I invite you to view the pdf attached to this newsletter to see some of the highlights of my recent pottery adventure!
PDF:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQVzFQxvMxlRRncKSDPBBnjpQzm?projector=1&messagePartId=0.2
Also, some of you might be interested in learning more about the Penland School of Crafts. This was the third, 12-day workshop I’ve taken there. Two were for ceramics and this summer for woodworking. It has always been an amazing experience to spend time with a diverse group of artists from across the country (the world really) representing a variety of media and life experiences. You can visit https://penland.org/ for more information and I will also be happy to answer any questions you may have.
We are planning to post the websites for a number of craft schools on the “Learning – Classes and Resources” page of Home. Look for those in the coming weeks.
That’s it for now! More next month. Take care and make stuff.
Stacy Rowe
VCPG Board President
president@vcpg.org
August Program Meeting • August 26 • 6:30 Gathering Time • 7:00 Meeting Start
Do my pots leak?
How would I know?
Presented by our very own Wyn Matthews
A few pots have been returned to the gallery in the last 6 months because of leaking. What I’ll address here are the main causes, how to test your clay’s absorption percentage, and how to test your pots.
Primary reasons for leaking.
- Large or small, visible or sub-visible cracks
- Under-vitrified clay (high absorption rate)
- Crazed glaze over under-vitrified clay
Let’s start with the FDA’s requirements for ceramics that can be used for food.
- Maximum of 0.5% (one half percent) absorption rate
- Glaze with no crazes
This is primarily aimed at restaurant ware. I’m not aware of anyone looking at hand made ceramics. But… makes sense that we know what the “rules” are when we’re making our decisions about clay/glaze combinations used with food pots, or pots that will hold liquids for longer time periods.
Let’s start with the clay.
As stated above the FDA says 0.5% absorption rate is required for food related clay.
The Ceramic Materials Workshop has a page where they have tested many common commercial clays absorption rates. Many are not the same as what the manufacturer says. And, the clay that the supplier used for their tests may not be the same as what’s currently being mined. Remember this is earth stuff deposited over eons. Not made in a lab to required specs. So… it’s good to test our clays.
[https://ceramicmaterialsworkshop.thinkific.com](https://ceramicmaterialsworkshop.thinkific.com)
Checking your clay’s absorption rate.
- details in full article on VCPG.org Home —> Talk —> Musings
How to check if your pots that hold liquids for long periods are leaking?
- details in full article on VCPG.org —> Talk —> Musings
Link for program meetings can always be found above and on the Guild’s Home Page. Click the appropriate calendar date and the zoom link and other key info will load. Click on the link (in blue) and you should be taken to our Zoom Room.
Congratulations
to our guild members that won prizes in the Ventura County Fair‘s Professional Arts Gallery.
First place, Elena Berdnikova’s “Secret Agents”
Second place, Genie Thomsen’s “ Ginko Leaves”
Third place, Jacqueline Biaggi’s “ Stone Woman”
Honorable Mention, Jacqueline Biaggi’s “Waiting Woman and Window”
Also showing were Richard Franklin and Michael Maki.
Pottery Jams
Anyone willing to open their studio for a Pottery Jam or who would like to offer a skills session or host a general gathering time for members in another member’s studio space, please contact Foz at programs@vcpg.org.
Many of you have great skills that can be shared with a small group of 10-12 members. The weather may be improving so it could be the time to offer to host an outdoor event?
It’s here! Beatrice Wood Center Show
The deadline for the Beatrice Wood Teapot show is September 1st.
Enter online through the VCPG.org website and send images to geniethomsen@gmail.com or geniethomsen@att.net.
The annual show is scheduled for September 28 - November 16.
The theme this year is “Non Traditional Teapots”.
5th Annual Marvelous Mug Event
Saturday Sept. 14th & Sunday 15th
Our Gallery's Mug event takes place the same weekend as the Chalk Festival at the Harbor. As in past years, these two events bring large crowds to the gallery.
Juried plus members and consignment artists are invited to participate by displaying their mugs for sale outside the gallery. All sales will run through the gallery and the gallery will keep 20% commission. Each artist who participates will need to sign up for 1 shift on Saturday or Sunday, 11-2:30 or 2:30-6 (we will need 2 artists per shift).
We are only having 5 members outside, so if you are interested please let me know as soon as possible. There are 3 spots available.
Gallery members, you too will want to have lots of mugs on your shelves.
Please email Jody Cooper at jcooperceramics23@gmail.com, or text, 805 701-7797 if interested in participating or if you have any questions.
Please consider donating
a Bowl for Foodshare's yearly fundraiser
We have started discussions with the FoodShare organization regarding tying in with the VCPG’s upcoming Bowl of Thanks event at the Harbor Village this fall.
They are having their yearly fundraiser September 21st and have asked if the VCPG could donate 20 ceramic bowls to their event. This would be a great opportunity for the VCPG to start a relationship with this wonderful organization.
Please contact me if you can donate a bowl for this event. They have made no size requirements. Please place donated bowls on the back table of the gallery or contact me for pickup by August 23rd.
Jody Cooper 805 701-7797 or jcooperceramics23@gmail.com
The VCPG Library
Looking for artistic inspiration, or trying to solve a glazing or firing issue?
VCPG’s Library offers members an abundance of practical information, as well as being a great source of artistic inspiration. 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
Surface Decoration for Low-Fire Ceramics by Lynn Peters gives clear, step-by-step instructions for slip trailing, sgraffito, terra sigillata, maiolica, and decals, techniques that Peters has taught in classes and workshops for many years.
The text is supplemented by vivid illustrations and inspiring examples of finished pieces. What sets this book apart is its emphasis on experimentation and creativity, which the author calls the “coffee percolator school of art.” By addressing both technical and artistic aspects, Peters ensures that readers are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to execute their creative vision successfully.
VCPG members should be aware that although this book is not currently available in the VCPG library, it can be checked out of the public library.
The Marketing Team urgently needs Graphic Artists
This role involves designing, creating, and updating marketing materials for the gallery and guild. If you have any experience with graphic art and are looking to contribute to the guild and earn team service, please contact Ellen Wohlstadter at (818) 321-8706 for more information. Thank you.
New Website Feature: Community Calendar
We have opened a new Community Calendar section on the Home and Classes pages for non-guild events.
A lot of people have asked for this, and now it is a reality. (See the Team Service description below for more details.) I know a lot of our members are involved in pottery happenings that are not guild-related, and now these can be listed at the website.
If you are a member, please use the Guild --> Submissions page to submit these events. If you are not in the guild, please use the Contact Us page to submit your event (Community Calendar, in the drop down menu). You may continue to announce your event at MemberConnect, but use the Submission page to actually get it on the calendar.
At the same time, we are renaming the Resources page to Classes & Resources (in the Learning menu), and will be adding a little more content.
We are seeking a coordinator for this Team Service option to reach out to entities holding events. I can't stress enough what a plum job this is. People in business know that networking in general will open all kinds of doors in unimaginable ways, and here's a chance to get to know people throughout the clay community.
The Team Service position is listed in Web Services. Here is the description:
Community Calendar Coordinator
This person will research, identify and communicate with entities holding pottery events to be posted on our community calendar, and keep in touch with them if they have ongoing events. We're looking for workshops, classes, pop-up sales, lectures, markets, exhibitions and any other pottery-related activity. It could be an individual or an entity such as the Ojai Clay School or Ventura College. Web Services will add the events to our separate community calendar. Your job is to identify events, field inquiries and submit appropriate items to Web Services via our submission form; also to initially reach out to regional studios, schools and other pottery event organizers, then keep in touch as appropriate.
We will ask guild members to submit their own events through our submission form. You may be asked to assist some members with completing the submission form.
Program and Workshop Team needs members
Do you want to be part of identifying, selecting and introducing programs for our monthly meetings?
Please consider joining the Programs and Workshops Team.
A few creative and enthusiastic members are being sought to join the effort of bringing great program offerings to our members.
We try to meet once a month until the year’s program and workshop calendar is scheduled. Then, in small groups or individually, members shepherd their program or workshop. Mentoring and coaching will be offered.
If you are interested in joining this team, please reach out to Foz at programs@vcpg.org and we can at least talk.
Pre-Sale Sale
Ceramic Slip Casting Molds.
Huge local shop closed; selling thousand’s of plaster molds.
Delivery available.
Call or text for appointment: (858) 361-1811.
