SPRING HAPPENINGS

With Spring comes all the festivals and shows that make being involved in the pottery world so much fun!!

The meeting at Jerry’s in St. Augustine was fun and informative.
- We started out by previewing Jerry’s garden where we had our “Ceramics in the Garden” show and sale the following month (more on that later in the post). With wandering paths and “innies and outies” everywhere we were sure this was a perfect place for the third annual show.
- Next, Marcia enticed us with information that we are getting close to being able to bring in a known artist for a workshop in October. We are not sure yet, but we are pursuing the possibility of a two or three day alternate firing workshop in the fall. Details will follow, but we are sure members will have the first opportunity to sign up, so be sure your membership is current.
- We ended with a fun program exploring various knobs and handles our members have used or have found interesting, We all left with new ideas! Check out the pictures!

“Ceramics in the Garden”
- This spring show and sale was held in Jerry’s garden on April 30, 2011 10am to 4pm. It was his third annual event.
- Twelve ceramic artists displayed their works, from fanciful to functional and everything in between.
- The garden was beautiful and provided the PERFECT background for our pottery. Did you see that stag horn fern? It was enormous!!!
- Another benefit of membership is participation in group events like this one, sponsored by Clay Network. Clay Network provided a central packing and collection point, collected state tax and provided each artist a check for the net amount of his or her sales. All this for 10 % to the organization and no entry fee! How easy is that?

The Clay Network of Northeast Florida is an organization where clay artists have the opportunity to improve their knowledge, to foster interest in sincere, creative craftsmanship and to educate the public in the appreciation of ceramics in our community. If you have an interest in ceramics and pottery, please join us at our next meeting, May 22, 2:00 pm at Karen's near Craig Airport. She is going to demonstrate a process she saw recently at a Knowledge Clinic held at St. Pete Clay given by Jennifer Hoolihan, Technical Advisor for Highwater Clays. It is a combination of reverse painting on a plaster bat and making a tile using low fire commercial slip ending up with a hand painted tile.

Another incredible benefit of membership is use of our extensive library of books, CDs, and DVDs on all aspects of ceramics and pottery. The library is available at each meeting, so join us and browse the library.

Join us for fun and informative meetings. Be sure to bring your favorite food item to share during our traditional potluck dinner that follows each program.

If you would like more information and directions to the meeting please contact our secretary, Mary Ellen at ClayNetwork.com@gmail.com.

May 16 Meeting - TOTEM INSPIRATIONS

WOW!  What and eventful meeting!

Our Library display schedule is finalized through April 2011.  Member’s works are displayed at local libraries to increase awareness of the art of pottery.  Although no selling is allowed, artist information is displayed along with the art.  Displays typically remain in place for four weeks and then are moved to the next venue.  If you would like your art displayed at one of the libraries, contact our secretary at ClayNetwork.com@gmail.com.

The meeting schedule for the rest of the year is as follows:

-         The July meeting will be at Marcia’s.  She will demonstrate how to prepare items for Raku firing.

-         A horse hair firing is in the works for our September meeting at Karen's.

-         Our November meeting will be at the Wild Ginger Studios in Green Cove Springs with Christie sharing what she learned at a recently attended workshop.

We discussed the many sales opportunities coming up including the Fall St Augustine Art Festival, ARTrageous, and the Bark ’n Art festival.  Details for these events can be found in the column to the right labeled “Opportunities”. 

Marcia announced the board will be developing the protocol for giving scholarships to members to help them attend workshop, seminars, or national meetings.  The recipient would be required to host a program sharing what they learned with the other members.

          

After the formal meeting, Vina shared personal totem poles that she and some of her students created.  These totems were opportunities to build garden sculptures with very personal themes.  One was a memorial for a lost child; the others were combinations of individual pieces with special meaning to the artist.

-          Some segments were built using the tar paper support system

-          Some used the extruder

-          Some used drape molds of foam that had been carved.

-          Extruded pieces were used as spacers

-          The totems were assembled using a metal bar for reinforcement

THANK YOU VINA AND STUDENTS FOR SHARING A GREAT PROJECT!

The Clay Network of Northeast Florida is an organization where clay artists have the opportunity to improve their knowledge, to foster interest in sincere, creative craftsmanship and to educate the public in the appreciation of ceramics in our community.  If you have an interest in ceramics and pottery, please join us at our next meeting.

Clay Network sponsors different selling events throughout the year.  We have a tent and shelves. We split the entry fees, take care of applications, and we help each other. This is an easy way to get involved in art festivals.  Selling opportunities are only a small part of the advantages of membership in Clay Network.  As a member, you are also have the opportunity to borrow the tent for your own event for a small fee.  If you would like more information please contact our secretary, Mary Ellen at ClayNetwork.com@gmail.com.

Join us for fun and informative meetings.  Be sure to bring your favorite food item to share during our traditional pot luck that follows each program.

November Meeting Notes

at the St. Augustine Fall Festival
Wow!
There has been the St. Augustine Art & Craft Festival, Empty Bowls, the sale at the Arboretum, new shirts, banners, and more.

Here's what happened at our November meeting
We met at Marcia's house on Sunday November 15th.
We finalized our plans for the Empty Bowls Luncheon.
We talked about the St. Augustine Art & Craft Festival.
We made a decision to donate $350.00, in remembrance of our friend and former President Jo Nell. Her church, Christ Episcopal Church in Ponte Vedra Beach, will receive our gift.

We got our new Clay Network T-shirts! They look great! There are some extras, so if you would like to have one they are $20.00. The Clay Network banners are ready to display at our upcoming events and they are bold and beautiful.

Jennelle, sent us information about “Art & About” in Orange Park on April 24th. Submit your application by Jan. 24th.
Mary Ellen requested donations for Habitat for Humanity.
More information about these events has been posted on the side under “Opportunities”.

Don't forget that Dues are due in January. For 2010, they will be $25, or $40 for a couple.

Marcia showed her “photo cube”.
She uses 60w daylight florescent bulbs, and rip stop nylon, to make the light diffusing side panels and top. Foam core is cut to make the frame. She has some high quality paper for the backdrop. Please let Marcia know if you want to make your own, she will be glad to advise you. She would like to sell her extra backdrop paper.

You are invited to bring your clay art and camera to the next meeting to make high quality photos after the meeting.

Mary Ellen asked about the seaweed sagger firing. Margaret will collect seaweed to dry.

There was discussion regarding next year's officers. Mary Ellen will lead the nominating committee.
Please let her know if you are interested in a board position, or if you would like to nominate someone.

Our Program featured Randy our web Master. He showed us the “under construction” web site he is preparing for us. The new Clay Network web site will give us space to display our Member's Gallery pictures, and other content, with the newsletter incorporated (linked) as an important part of that site. We won't have two separate sites when this is done. It will be one. One address to access everything. This Malleable Times Newsletter will be accessed by clicking the Newsletter button on the menu.
If you have ideas for the structure of the site, or photos of your work for the Member's Gallery, please contact Marcia. She will pass along the CDs or other information to Randy.

Some members took the opportunity to photograph their work with Marcia's Photo Cube.
We all enjoyed a delicious pot luck meal, and good conversation.

A big "THANK YOU" to Wild Ginger Studios for donating clay for our demonstrations at the art festival!

More photos from the St. Augustine Fall Art & Craft Festival