Kia ora tatou,
We're back in the building and Term 3 is off to a rollicking start. It's great to see all your happy faces in the studio again.
Libby, Margaret and the ARs have been hard at work glazing and firing the all the pieces from the school holiday programmes. They'll be ready to be collected soon. Patience please.
53rd annual exhibition: last call for entries
Entries close for the 53rd Annual Exhibition this Sunday 11.59pm.
Your pieces don't have to be finished but you do need to get your entry form in.
This is a great opportunity to showcase how diverse and creative our membership is and the only pre-requisite to enter is that you are a WSP member.
We've got some great prizes on offer this year thanks to the generous support of our wonderful sponsors.
You can enter in one of four ways:
Enter online here
Pick up a hard copy entry form from the studio
Download an entry form as a pdf here
Or if those are too hard email the manager and we'll send you out a pdf.
We need some help please
As you can imagine the exhibition is a massive undertaking and if you have a few hours (or days!) to spare we'd be ever so grateful. If you can help with any of the following please let us know
Monday 11 August (afternoon): transport entries from WSP to Artspost
Tuesday 12 August: set up exhibition
Wednesday 13 August: set up exhibition
Thursday 14 August (morning): set up exhibition
Exhibition opening
Thursday 14 August 5.30pm at Artspost
We’d love it if you could come along to the opening preview soirée. There’ll be drinks, a prize-giving, lots of gorgeous ceramics to ogle and many fabulous pottery people to chat to.
If you can help with any of the following that would be awesome.
Finger food
Bar staff x 2 (please let us know)
Tidy up afterwards
Phoenix wood firing
A limited number of spaces are available to share the use of the kiln on this upcoming wood firing. Experience the magic of heat and flame of a wood and soda firing with WSP legend Janet Smith as Firemaster.
Very much a team effort, it's an ancient technique connecting contemporary potters to a long history of art. To find out more click here
The funniest muddiest day of the year
For members of all ages and abilities.
With solo, duo, and team challenges lined up it's pottery on sugar to the max.
It's a free event for members but please sign up here and let us know what challenges you're most interested in too. And if you're bursting with the best challenge idea ever flick us an email
New booking system for Kids' Play With Clay sessions
We love sharing our passion for pottery with our younger friends and are thrilled that the Kids’ Play With Clay sessions are becoming quite popular.
Because of their popularity, we are implementing a booking system, so we can gauge how many tutors we need to provide for each session, and to ensure the sessions don’t become over-crowded.
We will have a limit of 24 participants in each session, and while we're still happy to accept last-minute walk-ins on the day if we have places available, we recommend you book online to reserve a spot. Online bookings are open up to 3pm on the day of the session.
They operate in a similar way to our regular Play With Clay sessions, except they are designed for kids (of course!) and there will be tutors on hand to help guide them through their chosen projects each week.
The price is $15 per participant, and includes clay, glazes and firing of pieces made at the session.
There's no need to sign-up for a full term of classes, you can just come to one session, or as many as you would like to attend.
While the sessions are aimed at children aged 7-14 years, kids as young as 5 are welcome to attend if a parent or caregiver stays with them. Kids older than 14 are welcome to participate if they would like to, and parents are welcome to join in too. The same price applies regardless of age as we aim to make this an affordable activity for families.
Our dates for Term 3 are:
6 August
13 August
20 August
27 August
3 September
Find more info and links to the online booking forms on our website.
Rahu Road Pottery: Throwing the Jug
One day workshop with Duncan Shearer
23 August 9am to 4pm
142 Rahu Road, Paeroa
This workshop is focused on improving your throwing skills, using the form of the jug as a starting point. This form also has the challenge of having to pour well and has lots of opportunity for individual expression. A range of techniques will be demonstrated that you can have a go at. We will be using Leach treadle wheels or have a go on the Cardew momentum wheel. Some throwing skills essential. Please bring your own clay and throwing tools (we will have the standard studio clay available for you to use as well).
Maximum of 4 people. $220 (includes refreshments and lunches)
Studio schedule
Here's how it looks for the next week, but as always, check the online calendar before you head this way.
Friday 1 August
9.30am to 4pm: closed for Diploma
6 to 9pm: Introduction to Pottery class
Saturday 2 August
10am to 1pm: Play With Clay
1 to 4pm: Members' Open Studio
Sunday 3 August
10am to 1pm: Sunday Wheel Throwing Taster class
Monday 4 August
9.30am to 12.30pm: Intermediate Wheel Throwing class
1 to 3.30pm: Home school class
6 to 9pm: Hand building class
Tuesday 5 August
9.30am to 12.30pm: Beginner Wheel Throwing class
1 to 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6 to 9pm: Play With Clay
Wednesday 6 August
9.30am to 12.30pm: Play With Clay
1 to 4pm: Members' Open Studio
4 to 5.30pm: Kids Play With Clay
6 to 9pm: Wheel Throwing class
Thursday 7 August
9.30am to 12.30pm: Sculpture Skills class
1 to 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6 to 9pm: Wheel Throwing class
Friday 8 August
10am to 12pm: closed for Private Booking
1 to 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6 to 9pm: Introduction to Pottery class
That's it for this week folks. Have a great week and we hope to see you at the studio soon.
