January 2023 Newsletter
vcpg.org
Members' Meeting: Monday, January 23rd
6:30pm gathering / 7:00pm meeting
(See below for details)
For Your Calendar:
January 23rd……..….Members’ Meeting @ 6:30pm
February 2nd……..….Board Meeting @ 3:00pm
February 27th…….….Members Meeting on Zoom
March 2nd……….….….Board Meeting @ 3:00pm
March 27th…….….….Members Meeting on Zoom
April 6th………….….….Board Meeting @ 3:00pm
April 24th……….….….Members Meeting on Zoom
May 4th……….….….….Board Meeting @ 3:00pm
May 22nd….…….….….Members Meeting on Zoom
June 1st…….…..….….Board Meeting @ 3:00pm
June 26th…..….….Members Meeting on Zoom
President’s Message • January 2023
Putting our Culture into Club Express
As we designed our new website we wanted to reflect our community as community and as individuals. We wanted to show who we are and what we do — in pictures and in words. But primarily in pictures; the first impact layer.
We’ve used no stock photography. Every photo on the site is our clay creations, our making spaces, our selling spaces and places, our history, our interactions. Three-quarters of current photos came from those Wyn, Terry, and Foz had access to. We want to expand our reach.
We want your photos!
Our request is that each of you send us three favorite photos of your work. You can add to these your favorite photos of work in process, work in your studio, teaching, selfies with other Guild members, photos at events. And, as you continue to live into your pottery life and take pics you love please continue to send them.
As you can see on the site, almost all photos used are square. If you can take them square or crop them square that saves us some time. If not, and you love the photo send anyway. We’ll process them.
Send your photos to: photos@vcpg.org
Who are you? What do you make?
In your Member Profile you can add a Bio, your website and social media links, and create member accessible photo albums.
From “Member Directory” in the “Members” website menu you can search for a member, members in a specific city, specific zip code, or just wander through clicking on member names and discovering how they bio themselves and photo album(s) of their work. (Of course, this richness depends on us to populate this information by participating in this community aspect of our new digital home.)
Pages and Pages
If you’ll invest the time to look at each page on the website you’ll find most of our community activities represented. Our bi-annual Clay Challenge. Our growing Video Library. Our Book and DVD Library. Registration forms and important documents for Jurying, Shows, and Residency. Team Service signups. A Contact Page with a form to send an email to the Board of Directors and Team Leads. Our Online Store and Gallery. And… coming soon — our History and Document Library.
Club Express gives us a wide range of tools to provide easy access and integration of our many, many activities and functions. What you see now is Phase 1. There will be more tools arriving over the next few months.
A free tour of the basic functions will be provided at our January Member’s Meeting on January 23. We hope you join us. Find the Zoom link in the newsletter and on the Home Page of our website. If you’re not able to make it, a video of the tours and how-tos will be posted on YouTube with links added to the website.
And, next month… a return to more philosophical questions, “What Color is Your Life?”
Happy potting.
Wyn Matthews, VCPG President
50+ year potter
Have you forgotten to Renew your Membership?
Go to our Guild's new website - vcpg.org, click on Member Login.
If you have already have a username and password sign in with it.
If not, click on Forgot My Username/Password.
You will need to enter your email address and your first name.
Then check your inbox for an email from membership@vcpg.org.
This email will contain all the information you need to sign-in to the website as a member and to renew your membership.
Send your questions to:
Judy Winard, Membership Chair
membership@vcpg.org
January 2023 Member Meeting Program
At our January member’s meeting we will introduce and give you a “tour” of the Guild’s new web home. We will be recording these introductions and they will be posted for member access on the Guild’s YouTube Channel.
The program will be organized into three parts.
Part 1 will be a general overview to why the site was developed, how to access it, where to find up-to-date information on Guild activities and how to access the full range of resources available to our membership.
We will cover how to explore, sign-up for and keep track of Team Service activities.
Part 2 will be three concurrent breakout rooms that will offer more in-depth information about features important to you as a member of our Guild community. We are targeting our presentation in the rooms to be about 30 minutes long. We will go longer/hangout if those attending have questions.
Room 1 -Member Profiles - A deep look at all where you can share as much as you want about yourself and your ceramic work. The Member Profile is also a place where you can check-in on your membership, any team service scheduled or completed and it is one of the gateways for accessing Guild forums.
Room 2 - Member Portfolios - If you are a Plus Tier member or are considering the benefits of an online digital album of your work attending this breakout room is a must. We will cover creating a online digital photo album, set-up of the portfolio, editing of images and suggestions for keeping the portfolio fresh.
Room 3 - Q&A - If you have already spent time exploring the site, have added your member portfolio or maybe just have questions this may be the room for you. We will cover general member questions and listen to feedback you may have to offer about your experience in this new Guild space. This room will remain open as long as there are questions.
There will be a separate, yet to be scheduled time for team leads/event coordinators to receive a more detailed introduction to tools that are available for your activities/events.
Zoom VCPG Monthly Member Meeting
Program: Introduction to our Guild Community’s new web home - vcpg.org.
Time: Jan 23, 2023 06:30 PM Gathering time - 7 PM meeting time .
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88027588377?pwd=eGtqNkdHNVl1bXBDM25HTjdYYnVHUT09
Meeting ID: 880 2758 8377
Passcode: 893843
Board Meeting Link • 02/02/23 @ 3:00
All Guild members are invited to attend the monthly VCPG Board of Directors Meetings.
Please contact Stacy Rowe at secretary@vcpg.org if you would like to receive the Agenda Packet in advance of the Board of Directors Meeting.
Topic: VCPG Feb Board of Directors Meeting
Time: Feb 2nd, 2023 03:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88067937721?pwd=ZlZCSElGRGZrbUlNbmo0YWh3NGtFQT09
Meeting ID: 880 6793 7721
Passcode: 558245
Gallery Valentine's Day Special Event: 02/11/23
Sales Venue for Juried Plus Members
On February 11 there is a special event at the Ventura Potters Gallery.
The theme is Valentine's Day so start making your heart/love items.
The display will be set up outside the gallery from 11-6.
Juried members participating will be required to sign up for a work shift on the day.
Gayle Swanson has donated a beautiful heart shaped wall hanging to be given away at the event and she will be our featured artist.
If you would like to participate, please email Jody Cooper at marketing@vcpg.org.
Beatrice Wood Show • July 8th - August 20th
This year we are honoring Beatrice Wood on the 25th anniversary of her passing away.
Use her work to inspire you to create your entries. Take an element from her pottery that inspires you and transform it into your own interpretation.
The show runs from July 8th – August 20th.
Stay tuned for application details.
2023-Winter Clay Orders information
VCPG Plus Tier members
It's time to get our Winter Clay order started. For those of you who haven’t participated, this is a quarterly service the Guild offers to our “Plus tier” members. We order from two suppliers each time; Laguna Clay and Aardvark. The deadline to submit your order is January 20th.
The order form was sent via Announcements last week.
By going in together we are able to reduce our individual shipping and clay costs.
Any questions? let me know and I’ll do my best to find the answers.
clayorders@vcpg.org
Clay & Supplies Order Team
Lynn Render, Team Lead
The VCPG Library
Interested in learning more about a specific area of ceramics?
Check out VCPG's extensive library!
Visit the Library page on VCPG.org under the Member Menu for everything you need to know.
Do you teach Pottery Classes?
If you are a Guild member who offers instruction/classes and are interested in listing your information here, please send your information to WebServices using the Contact Us form no later than the end of February. We will list your website or social media links, but will not be listing emails or phone numbers on the website.
Past Members Meeting online:
December 2022 Members Meeting: Clay Challenge: Sgraffito
Visit the Videos page on VCPG.org under the Learning Menu to view this and other Meeting Programs.
Happy Potting,
Maree Cheatham
videos@vcpg.org.
VCPG Board
President: Wyn Matthews
Vice President: Interested? Contact President via Contact Form
Secretary: Stacy Rowe
Treasurer: Interested? Contact President via Contact Form
VCPG Committee Chairs
Programs: Foz
Sales/ Shows: Interested? Contact President via Contact Form
Workshops: Interested? Contact President via Contact Form
Communications: Ruty Levy
Membership: Judy Winard
Gallery Chair: Arnie Kubelum
Finance Chair: Wanda Ferrin
Jury Chair: Jenchi Wu
WebServices: Terry Wilson
Marketing: Ellen Wohlstadter
Team Services: Foz
Outreach: Interested? Contact President via Contact Form
If you wish to contact a Board Member or a Committee Chair, use the Contact Form
Our Mission Statement:
The Ventura County Potters’ Guild is a nonprofit organization committed to stimulating public interest in ceramic arts by providing networking, education and sales opportunities in an inclusive environment for all levels and interests.