VCPG February 2026 Newsletter
Program Meeting • January 23rd • 7pm - Gathering 6:30pm
• Handbuilding with Porcelain • Malene Foyd
For Your Calendar:
February 3rd …….............Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
February 9th …….............Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
February 23rd ……...........1st Jury critique
February 23rd ……...........Program meeting @ 7pm • Gathering @6:30
• Handbuilding with Porcelain - Malene Foyd
March 1st ……...................Pottery Jam • Put your best pot forward with Wendy Butler
March 10th ……...................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
March 21st ……................... Pottery Jam - Making Your Mark Using Digital Design
(Tech skill needed for this Jam to be meaningful) with Maureen Schultz
March 23rd …….................Program meeting @ 7pm • Gathering @6:30
April 14th ……....................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
April 13th ……...................Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
April 18th ..........................Pottery Jam - Wiring Lamps and Fountains Basics with Mike Maki
April 20th ……....................Gallery Artists meeting @ 7pm
April 27th ……....................Program meeting @ 7pm • Gathering @6:30
May 12th ……......................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
May 17th............................ Pit fire (in lieu of program meeting)
June 9th ……......................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
June 8th …….....................Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
June 13th &14th …….........Ojai Pottery Market
June 15th ……...................2nd Jury critique
July 14th ……......................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
July 20th ……....................Gallery Artists meeting @ 7pm
August 11th …….................Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
August 10th ……................Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
September 8th …….............Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
September 26th ……...........Beatrice Wood Show (thru Nov 7)
September 28th……..............Program meeting @ 7pm • Gathering @6:30
October 13th ……...............Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
October 12th …….............Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
October TBD …….............Annual meeting -- potluck @ 2pm
November 10th……..............Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
November 23rd……..............Program meeting @ 7pm • Gathering @6:30
December TBD ……............Holiday potluck @ 2pm (in place of the Dec meeting)
December 8th ……..............Board Meeting @ 4:30pm
December 14th ……............Gallery Committee meeting @ 7pm
The complete calendar is always listed on the home page. Log in to see everything.
You will find links to all Zoom meetings/events on the VCPG.ORG home page calendar. Just click on the meeting/event to find the Zoom link.
A Message from Your VCPG Board President • January 2026
Greetings VCPG Members –
When was the last time you poked around our fabulous website: VCPG.org ( Home )?
We all logged on to renew our membership but since then a number of fun events have been added to the Guild Calendar by our Program Team. You can now sign up for numerous jams and the Pit Fire in May. The Guild Calendar also provides links to various meetings that all members are welcome to attend, such as the VCPG Board Meetings and Gallery Committee meetings. But there are many more resources available to our members, including a list of local, national and international classes and resources; member portfolios (I show people my portfolio when people ask to see my “website”); and lots more. We want to make sure you know how to access these and other resources.
Starting with the February 23rd Program Meeting we will be hosting a 15-minute website tips and tricks session at 6:45 – during our Gathering time. Each month we will highlight something of interest or a resource on the website and members of our Guild’s web team will be on hand to answer questions.
This month the focus will be on how to have information about your sales, exhibits, classes, studios or those that you follow added to the Community Calendar and/or the website’s resource page.
I would also like to direct you to the Tutorials currently available under the Member drop down menu. There you will find helpful videos on how to do things like: Forums and Member Connect; Member Portfolios, Photo Tutorials and more.
Expanded summer hours at the gallery;
It’s official, the Ventura Pottery Gallery will be open from 11am to 8pm every Friday and
Saturday starting May 22nd (Memorial Day) through September 5th (Labor Day). So bring
your friends and family to the Habor Village on those long summer evenings and stop by the Gallery.
Gallery Artists: Shifts on the extended days will be 3-hours long and we are looking to fill them the same as any other shift. Also, Gallery Calendar slots are available for you to sign up for your annual Gallery Special event shift! Sign up now while there are plenty of options. And a reminder: small/half space Gallery Members need only
schedule 5 shifts during the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2026. Please remove your 6th shifts
from the Gallery Calendar for those two quarters if you already scheduled them.
Changes to the VCPG Board meetings;
Starting March 10th , the VCPG Board of Directors will meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month, at 4:30pm via Zoom. We are moving from the 1st Tuesday to the 2nd to allow enough time for our Finance Committee to close out the books for the previous month.
All members are welcome to attend. The link to Board meetings can be found on the Guild Calendar on the VCPG.org Home page. You can contact Secretary on the Contact Us page if you would like to receive the Agenda Packet in advance of the Board of Directors Meeting.
Reminders and Updates
The Team Service sign up is now LIVE on VCPG.org. Please pull out your calendars and schedule your Team Service commitment early. Did you work the Ojai or Ventura Pottery Markets last year? The Pit Fire? Was it fun? Then sign up now. I cannot stress how much this will help the teams that are planning the events.
We also have range of TS commitments that can be completed from home and/or via Zoom meetings. All Plus tier members are required to complete one Team Service commitment each year.
If you have questions or need assistance, email teamservice@vcpg.org.
The annual show at the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts will be September 26th through November 7th with the opening reception on September 26th. The theme of the show is Dining in Style.
Participants will be able to submit place settings of three or more items (the idea is that you can eat or drink with them). And you can submit up to two different settings! Stay tuned for more information about the submission process.
You do not need to be juried or a Plus Tier member to participate in this event.
That’s it for now. Keep making stuff.
Stacy Rowe
Guild President
president@vcpg.org
Program Meeting • February 23rd • 6:30 Gathering time
NEW • Website Tips • Q & A • @ 6:45 PM •
Overview of How to Get Events, Exhibits, Classes and Sales Posted for members and the public to see.
7:00 PM Business and Program
Program: Handbuilding with Porcelain - Malene Foyd
Born on the isle of Fyn in southern Denmark, ingrained in its simple, modern industrial art and design tradition, Malene’s work is a melding of the aesthetics of the Scandinavian traditions with a touch of the wildness and beauty of the Canadian west coast.
Malene works out of her studio in Victoria, BC, Canada.
Handbuilding with Porcelain - Malene Foyd
Clay Challenge Theme – June Program Meeting – BIRDS!
This is the first of two Clay Challenges in 2026
It is an opportunity for you to explore new ideas, techniques and a chance to try your hand at something new or push your current work.
It is a chance to spark your imagination, generate conversation and encourage you to investigate new techniques.
In June you will be invited to submit digital images of your BIRD(s). These images will be put into a slide presentation that will be shown at the June program meeting. There will be an opportunity for each submitting artist to speak to the zoom group about their piece and answer questions about construction and finishing. These sharing are always a great opportunity to learn more about each other, our interests and knowledge bases.
Looking forward to your creations!
Information of submitting your images will be posted in early June.
Pitfire
Registration is open for the May Pitfire Gathering!
Please join the fun on Sunday, May 17th, for the pit fire at Arroyo Verde Park in Ventura. We will enjoy time together with a mini workshop, clay swap meet - free and priced items, and of course a breakfast and lunch pot lucks!
Everyone is invited to spend time enjoying the event and our Guild family, even if you are not participating in the firing.
Please read below for details and required registration and payment.
Location:
Arroyo Verde Park - All the way to the back on the left at the larger group picnic site.
https://visitventuraca.com/business/arroyo-verde-park/
5000 Foothill Road, Ventura, CA 93003
7:30 am - Unloading and stack wood. Ready Fire & Breakfast Potluck
8:00-8:30 - Assemble Pots
8:45-9:15 - Light Fires
Mini-Workshops throughout the day
Noonish: Lunch Potluck
3 pm - Pot Reveal
4 pm - Clean-up
Day Use parking is $3.00. You might plan on carpooling? Another great way to meet members who live near you!
Separate workshops on Saturday, May 16th will be held in Ojai and Ventura for those who want help or company putting their pots, should be bisque fired "into potion filled saggers".
This will be an opportunity for those members who have prepared pots (no larger than 6" X 6" and no more than three (3) to ready them for the fire!
Separate registration is required for a prep session and to participate in the pit fire event. Stay tuned for this sign up on the home page.
We are collecting $15 with your registration to cover the cost of wood and materials. Payment is non-refundable.
Questions should be directed to programs@vcpg.org
Janet Neuwalder
j.neuwalder@gmail.com
www.janetneuwalderart.com
Pottery Jams Update
• If you were late at finding your way to a Jam sign-up, please join a waiting list. Register for a Jam or Jam Waiting List using the Guild Calendar/website post for the specific date of the Jam you are interested in.
• Sometimes a spot will open up a day or two before the Jam and we would love to fill it with an
interested member.
• If the Jam is a topic you are interested, please sign-up on the waiting list so we have an idea of the level of interest.
March 1st - Pottery Jam - Put Your Best Pot Forward with Wendi Butler.
This Jam has 1 spot available.
March 21st - Pottery Jam - Making Your Mark Using Digital Design (Tech skill needed for this Jam to be meaningful) with Maureen Schultz. This Jam has space available.
April 18th - Pottery Jam - Wiring Lamps and Fountains Basics with Mike Maki.
Jam is FULL Waiting List Only
The Program Team is working with members to nail down the details for a few more Jams. Keep an eye out in your email for announcements of the new Jam offerings.
We are always interested in hearing from members about an idea, a Jam host or the offer to open up a studio or home for a ceramic focused hangout with other Guild members.
The Program Team spends time each month working on ideas and plans for our Jams.
Please use this form to share your ideas and/or interest with us:
https://vcpg.org/content.aspx?page_id=1478&club_id=108313&item_id=13257
NCECA Conference, VOLUMES, Detroit, MI • March 25-28, 2026
Look for a Forum on the Guild website, Home, where I will post more on important NCECA dates: conference registration, volunteer opportunities, block hotel room availability, art bus tour sign-ups and more as is released.
Also, I am looking forward to a Guild member meet up at a gallery or program during the conference. Please feel free to email me at: vcpg.nceca@vcpg.org
Janet Neuwalder
NCECA website
This includes link to Preliminary pdf of 2026 Conference
YouTube video of 2026 NCECA
The VCPG Library
Visit the library! Please email and make an appointment with me to come see the books we
have to offer and grab them off the shelf! They are at your disposal. They must be enjoyed.
Nancy Currey
VCPG Librarian
For Sale
A 17” wide 1968 electric cress kiln with a kilnsitter that is free to anyone that wants to pick it up. It goes to cone 5. Pictures and more information upon request.
Bethany Anderson