Kia ora koutou
It’s been a rough week weather-wise, but as always it’s toasty and warm in the studio – come along and get some of that heat in ya bones 😊 In the meantime, check out all the latest news below…
WSP School Holiday Programme
The school holidays are fast approaching, and we’re putting on some fun workshops for the kids again. We received such great feedback about these workshops last year, and it was awesome to have so many kids in the studio exploring clay. Check out the programme below and spread the word to your friends!
Full Day Pottery Programme
Monday 30th June, 9am – 3pm OR
Monday 7th July, 9am - 3pm
In this full day programme, your child/ren will get to make their own pottery pieces using a variety of techniques, including:
Pinch Pot Creature - using the pinch pot method and adding features to create an animal or any creature in their imagination.
Freestyle Hand-building - let their imagination run wild and bring to life the creations in their minds.
Wheel Adventures - have a fun, messy time spinning clay and making pots on the pottery wheel.
Paint a Pot - choose a pre-made pot to paint with underglazes.
Find more info and enrol for the 30th June workshop here.
Find more info and enrol for the 7th July workshop here.
Freestyle Hand Building
Thursday 3rd July, 10am – 12noon OR
Thursday 10th July, 10am - 12 noon
In this kids session your child/ren will use their hands and other tools to create anything that their heart desires. They can bring their own ideas and imagination, or work from the project sheets we will have in the studio.
Find more info and enrol for the 3rd July workshop here.
Find more info and enrol for the 10th July workshop here.
Adventures on the Wheel
Thursday 3rd July 2025, 1pm - 3pm OR
Thursday 10th July 2025, 1pm - 3pm
In this kids session your child/ren will get to have a go at making pots on the pottery wheel. We will then glaze and fire their pieces for them, and they will be able to collect their pieces 3 weeks later.
Find more info and enrol for the 3rd July workshop here.
Find more info and enrol for the 10th July workshop here.
Fresh Baked – WSP Annual Members’ Exhibition
We’re excited to start putting together another glorious annual exhibition of your creations, and we can now confirm the entry and prize categories – take a look and get some inspiration – and get making!
And remember, our annual exhibition is a celebration of all our members and their work, no matter what level of their pottery journey they are at! Everyone is guaranteed to have at least one entry selected, you can enter up to four separate works, and there is no entry fee 😊
We are delighted to announce the judge for Fresh Baked is Richard Fahey.
Richard Fahey is a senior lecturer within the School of Creative Industries, Unitec, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. His research activity has largely focused on material culture within Aotearoa via the historical and institutional contexts of education, collection and exhibition. These activities take the form of writing, curating and active participation in the visual arts sector as a teacher, speaker, assessor and advocate.
Entry categories:
Entry category 1: An open category – make anything you want!
Entry category 2: An open category – make anything you want!
One of the above two entries may be a set of up to 6 pieces maximum, priced as a set.Tile category: This piece must be able to be hung on the wall and be no more than 25 x 25 centimetres. Tiles don’t have to be flat – 3D is encouraged.
Mug category: Mugs must be functional and have a handle.
Awards categories:
Open Awards open to everyone
WSP Premier Award $1000
Bot Pots Merit Awards (x 3) $500 vouchers
Kiwi Underglaze Surface Decoration Award $250 voucher
Tile Challenge: $150 sponsored by Yasmin and Mark Davis
Best Mug Award: $50 sponsored by Jenni Taris.
People's Choice Award: $150 sponsored by Chris Jones, announced at the close of the exhibition
Special Category Awards
CCG Emerging Artist Award $250 voucher, open to those with less than 3 years pottery experience
Kiwi Underglaze Young Artist Award: $250 voucher, open to those under 16 years of age on 15 August 2025
President’s Award: A term’s class at WSP, open to those whose main making space is Open Studio or Play with Clay.
Key dates:
1st June - Entries open
3rd August – Entries close
4th August - 9th August – Delivery of works to WSP studio
14th August, 5.30pm - Opening preview and awards evening
15th August - 14 September – Exhibition runs
16th September - 23rd September – Collection of unsold pieces from WSP studio
Enter online or pick up an entry form in studio.
Reminders
Unorthodox Pottery with Hawi Winter **ONE SPOT LEFT**
Saturday 14th June, 10am - 4pm
Hawi wowed the crowd at this year's Festival of Clay with his ingenious home-made pottery tools. So he's here by popular demand to lead a fabulous fun-filled day of invention, exploration and creativity. This workshop caters to all levels from absolute beginners to experienced potters. There will be multiple workstations and a variety of different modules that you can choose from. Hawi will combine demonstrations with hands-on activities. Clay will be provided and is included in the price.
Find more info and snap up the last ticket here.
Studio Closure, 14th July – 27th July
Hamilton City Council are replacing the roof over the whole Ward Park Arts Centre complex, and so we and our neighbours will need to close our workshops for two weeks for this to happen. The closure will begin on Monday the 14th of July and we will re-open on Monday the 28th of July.
Inaugural WSP Matariki Celebration with optional pit firing and catered hāngī
Saturday 28th June 2025
2pm for the loading of the pit fire
5.30pm onwards for the karakia, hāngī and hooley
We're getting together to celebrate Matariki at Caroline Hamilton's property in Tuhikaramea, where we can share a kai, good company and convo, and a pit firing. We'd love for all our WSP friends to join us. Partners and children welcome too.
Find more info and get your tickets here.
Raku Firing
Saturday 5th July, 10am – 2pm, Members and non-members welcome.
We’re raku-ing again! Get involved in this awesome, fast-firing process! Our raku expert, David Kenny, will run this event providing you with an opportunity to fire a few items each.
Find more info and sign-up here.
Save the Date - Mighty Waikato Pottery Throwdown
With more clout than Clay Gulgong and more prestige than Portage, the most hotly contested pottery event of the year is just around the corner! It’s the WSP’s own Mighty Waikato Pottery Throwdown. This year’s event will take place on Saturday the 23rd of August, and will be as fun, frivolous, and FREE, as always. More info to come soon!
Kiln Technology Workshop at Rahu Road Pottery
Date: 5 July, 9am to 4pm
Booking opens: 9am on 8 June
This workshop looks at various kiln designs including electric, gas and wood. We cover the principles of how heat affects your clay and glazes, including key temperature points, ramp rates, heat saturation and ventilation. Kiln repair, maintenance and good kiln practice are also covered. There will be an opportunity to bring up any specific kiln firing issues you have and hopefully find a solution. Maximum 6 students $220 (includes refreshments and lunch)
Studio Schedule
Here’s how things are looking for the coming week, but as always, check the online calendar before you come in 😊
Friday 6th June
9.30am –4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Intro to Pottery Class
Saturday 7th June
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Teresa! xx
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
Sunday 8th June
10am – 1pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Monday 9th June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Hand Building Class
Tuesday 10th June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Play with Clay – thanks Margaret and Stacey! xx
Wednesday 11th June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Play with Clay - thanks Yasmin, Sade, Kristen, Silke and Mark! xx
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
4pm – 5.30pm, Kids’ Play with Clay
6pm – 9pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Thursday 12th June
9.30am – 12.30pm, Sculpture Skills Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Friday 13th June
9.30am – 4pm, CLOSED for Diploma
6pm – 9pm, Intro to Pottery Class
Saturday 14th June
CLOSED for the Hawi Winter workshop
Sunday 15th June
10am – 1pm, Wheel Throwing Class
