***North Beaches Art Walk Spring 2018***

Clay Network will be participating in the North Beaches Art Walk in Neptune Beach, FL for the spring session.  The event is held on the 3rd Thursday of each month (April 19, May 17, June 21).  If you are a member and would like to participate, let us know and we will share the details.  This is a great sales opportunity.

Dana Drake of Om Pottery at March 11, 2018 meeting

Textured rollers and stencil making
(Clay Network Meeting 3/11/2018 hosted by Dana Drake of Om Pottery)

• choose various sizes of 1/2” smoothed edged boards in the size of the dish that you would like to make, eg: 3” X 6”
• on an 8.5 X 11 inch piece of paper, lay the board directly in the center and trace around the board
• now fold the piece of paper in half, and then half again
• the tracing of your board will be visible (a fourth of it)...you will then want to cut around the tracing of the board pattern to create a template (similar to making snowflake designs like we did when we were kids)
• open the template and see that you now have a template to lay on your slab to cut out that will then fit your pre-selected board (texture if first)
• roll texture onto your slab using textured roll pins (you can texture both sides)
• place your textured slab onto a piece of foam...PRESS down on to your textured slab with the board into the foam and VOILA! You just made a beautiful dish!

Dana suggested the following sites for more information regarding texture rollers and such:
www.etsy.com/shop/AlgisCrafts
www.vangilderpottery.com/online-store

She recommends VanGilder’s textured block set, as well as the sponges
www.joann.com/darice-foamies-foam-roll-36inx60in-white

Clay Network General Meeting on May 6, 2018 at 2pm

Hello All!  

Spring is flying by and the next meeting is rapidly approaching!  Our last meeting was well attended and a great success.  We want to thank Dana Drake for her outstanding presentation and attention to detail.  Everyone came home with new ideas and samples of utilizing textured rolling pins and stencil making for "press and go" dishes. Please see the attachment for various sources that Dana uses to make these beautiful dishes and the pictures of our group in action.  Also, post your finished items on our Facebook page or email here to share with all.

Please join us for our bi-monthly meeting on Sunday, May 6, 2018 from 2p-5p. We have altered the date from the second Sunday due to the holiday (Mother's Day). Our meeting will be held at member Christie Rogers' home studio.  Please message here for the address to this meeting. 

Christie recently attended a workshop in Elijah, NC by local Georgia potter, Lora Rust (www.lorirust.com),  and she will be providing a hands-on demo of what she gleaned from the program with the unusual technique of "pushing the clay". Christie will use the simple tools she acquired to demonstrate and we will have several to share, as well as some to be given as a raffle prize. If you would like to participate in the "hands-on" portion, PLEASE BRING A SLAB OF CLAY on a ware board to practice.

As always, our meeting will begin with a fantastic potluck "Meet and Eat". Please bring a dish and a friend to share in the love for all things clay. There will be vegetarian and vegan options available.

Following the potluck, we will begin with the demo/hands-on session. The general meeting will ensue after the demo. Please bring ideas for future meetings, meeting place locations, classes, workshops, tools, tips, ideas, field trips, and pretty much anything clay related!

At each meeting, we have a FREE "Cool Tool" raffle! Who doesn't like FREE?? You don't want to miss that...

As always, our lending library will be available to members for check out. We are always adding new selections for up to date, cutting edge information.

See you at the meeting!

Cindy Ward
Secretary
Clay Network