Kia ora e te whaanau
Too many wonderful things to behold on our shelves this week. What stars you all are! With our classes coming to a close we hope you've all had a great year playing, learning, and hanging out with each other. We've certainly enjoyed watching your development and seeing the surprises coming out of the kilns.
But it's not all over yet. There's a few fun and important things coming up in December so read on!
Raku firing: Friday 5 December 6 - 9pm
Head along to our last raku firing of the year with David Kenny and Mark Tamura.
For more information and to sign up click here.
Working Bee: Monday 15 December
It's the time of year again when we have our big clean-up and get a bit of maintenance done around the studio, so we're all set for a fresh new year. This year, we'll be concentrating on a deep clean of the studio and kiln room.
We'd be ever so grateful if you could spare some time to help us remove all that old clay and dust from nooks ands crannies. Whether you can come for the day, or just an hour or two, we'd be thrilled to receive your help. If you can lend a hand, please sign-up on the sheet in the foyer, or online here.
If you can't come on the 15th but can spare some time another day that would be great too. Please let us know when suits.
Thank you.
Special General Meeting: Tues 16 Dec 5.30 - 5.45pm
AGENDA for the Special GENERAL MEETING of the WAIKATO SOCIETY OF POTTERS INCORPORATED to be held at the Club Rooms at the premises, Norris Ward Park at 5.30 pm on Tuesday, 16th December 2025 for the purpose of accepting the draft constitution as the new constitution for WSP to reregister under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
The 2022 Act modernises the laws and the way societies need to operate. The Act requires the Waikato Society of Potters to update our constitution, call a Special General Meeting (SGM) to present the draft constitution for membership approval. It is imperative that this meeting be well attended.
The Draft Constitution can be downloaded here.
The members have an opportunity to feedback to the WSP committee on the draft constitution by emailing the committee waikatopotters.committee@gmail.com
Please send any feedback by the 12th of December. This will give the Committee time to collate all comments.
The committee looks forward to your feedback and attendance.
WSP Christmas Party: Tues 16 Dec 5.45pm
We're getting together on Tuesday the 16th of December at 5.45pm for our annual Christmas Party, all welcome, feel free to bring the family!
Our traditional Stealy-Secret-Santa game will take place again – for those who want to join in, please bring a small, wrapped gift. Handmade is nice, a piece of pottery is great, but any little treat is fab!
And we'll share a kai, so if you can, please bring some food to share. Juice and soft drinks provided. BYO alcohol welcome, but please drink responsibly and make sure you can get home safely.
Of course, this means there’s no Play with Clay on the 16th, so come celebrate the fantastic year that we’ve had at WSP instead!
New year classes
Our term 1 classes for 2026. will be posted on our bookings page in the next day or two. We just have to sort a few little details. Don't miss out!
Coffee time
The lovely Ronda Smale has donated this little espresso machine and milk fluffer-upper.
B.Y.O. coffee pods and please remember to recycle whatever you can.
Thanks Ronda!
Nelson Clay Week: contributing artist call out
Expressions of interest are now open for Nelson Clay Week.
Call out to contributing artists across the motu. They are looking for Workshop Tutors, Exhibitors, Event Producers, Market Traders, Demonstrators and more.
Nelson Clay Week is a celebration of contemporary ceramics and clay arts. From 3rd to 9th October 2026, the city of Nelson will transform into a vibrant hub for clay makers, collectors, and enthusiasts. This week-long festival includes a diverse programme of workshops, exhibitions, demonstrations, community events, and talks by nationally and internationally recognised ceramic artists.
They’re looking for bold and brilliant proposals to shape the 2026 program. Whether you are an artist, a creator, a workshop facilitator, or just really love clay - if you have an idea for an event or activity, they want to hear from you!
They welcome Expressions of Interest for:
Workshop Tutors
Exhibitions
Demonstrations
Special Events
Market Stalls
Expressions of Interest close 15th December 2025.
Ready to start creating your Clay Week event? You can find a link to the application form on their website: www.clayweek.co.nz
If you have any questions regarding the application process, please contact andy@acn.org.nz
Waiclay National Ceramic Awards
Waiclay celebrates Aotearoa’s finest ceramic art, highlighting innovation, craftsmanship, and the dynamic expression of New Zealand clay artists.
Guest judge Andile Dyalvane (pictured above along with some of his work) is one of South Africa’s foremost ceramic artists, hand-coiling monumental forms, predominantly from terracotta. Guided by a deep spiritual connection to his Xhosa ancestors, Dylvane's complex large scale artworks are a metaphorical vessel through which he seeks to honour his cultural traditions and share his journey of healing. His work is widely exhibited in museums across the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Vitra Design Museum, Iziko South African National Gallery, Pérez Museum in Miami, Denver Art Museum and the Design Museum in Gent to list a few.
You are warmly invited to attend the Waiclay exhibition opening at Waikato Museum Te Whare Taonga o Waikato on Friday 12 December 5.30 pm. Guest selector Andile Dyalvane will present the awards along with the several sponsors. Please RSVP to alex@mysterycreekceramics.co.nz if you would like to attend.
On Saturday night (13 December) there is a dinner with Andile and his wife Alexis doing a performance. Tickets are $40 and places are limited. Please email tunnicliffef@gmail.com to register.
And on Sunday night (14 December) there's a hangi for the evening meal available at a cost of $30. Again numbers are limited so please email tunnicliffef@gmail.com if you wish to take part. This would be your chance to meet Andile, Alexis, and Nathi (Andile's videographer).
Waiclay exhibition will run until March so please go along and view this year's amazing pieces.
The Salon
The Salon – A Celebration of Clay and Creativity.
The Salon showcases a vibrant selection of ceramic works that didn’t make the main Waiclay 2025 exhibition, but still shine with talent and individuality. Opening 10am, Saturday 13 December at David Lloyd Gallery, Hamilton, this fun pop-up exhibition celebrates the passion and creativity of Aotearoa’s clay community. Make a weekend of it - catch both Waiclay and The Salon in Hamilton, 13 - 14 December
NZ Diploma in Art & Design - Ceramics
Take your ceramics to the next level through exploration and experimentation.
NZDAD is delivered by WSP alongside Otago Polytechnic. The program is 2 years full-time study or 4 years part-time study. The theory courses, including glaze technology and art history, are delivered online and the practical part of the course is delivered through the studio at WSP. From 2026 the practical tutorials will be held in-studio every Friday morning during term time with students encouraged to stay on for the afternoon Open Studio session..
Find out more here
Applications and enrolments are now open here
End of year dates
Sunday 30th November - Last date for private kiln bookings
Book in early to make sure you can hire a kiln before this cut-off date.
Monday 8th December - Bisque firing deadline
We recommend dropping off your pieces for bisque firing by this date, to make sure you get them back in time to glaze them and fire again before we close. You will still be welcome to leave work for bisque or glaze firing after this date, and we will do our best to process it, but we can’t guarantee that it will make it through before we close for the holidays.
Monday 15th December - Glaze firing deadline
We recommend dropping off your pieces for glaze firing by this date, to make sure you get them back before we close. You will still be welcome to leave work for bisque or glaze firing after this date, and we will do our best to process it, but we can’t guarantee that it will make it through before we close for the holidays.
Monday 15th December, 10am - 4pm - Working Bee
Annual working bee - we'll get sign-up sheets sorted for this soon, but please save the date in the mean time.
Tuesday 16th December, 5.30pm - Special General Meeting (see above)
Tuesday 16th December, 5.45pm - Christmas Party
No Play with Clay, come along to the Xmas party, share a kai and take part in the Secret Santa thievery instead.
Friday 19th December, 4pm - Studio Closes
This is your last chance to get into the studio for 2025, and last day for pick-ups. The studio will close at 4pm, and will reopen again on Monday the 12th of January.
Studio schedule
Here’s how things are looking for the coming week, but as always, check the online calendar before you come in 😊
Friday 28 November
9.30am – 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6pm – 9pm: Intro to Pottery Class
Saturday 29 November
10am – 1pm: Play With Clay - thanks Teresa!
1 - 4pm: CLOSED for Private Booking
10am - 4pm: Pit Firing at Caroline Hamilton'
Sunday 30 November
10am – 1pm: Wheel Throwing Class
1.30 - 3.30pm: CLOSED for Private Booking
2 - 4pm: Pit Firing - opening the pit and digging out the pots.
Monday 1 December
9.30am –4pm: Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm: Hand Building Class
Tuesday 2 December
9.30am – 4pm: Members' Open Studio
6pm – 9pm: Play with Clay – thanks Margaret and Margaret!
Wednesday 3 December
9.30am – 12.30pm: Play with Clay - thanks Yasmin and Kristen!
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
Thursday 4 December
9.30am – 4pm: Members' Open Studio
Friday 5 December
9.30am – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm: Intro to Pottery Class
6pm - 9pm: Raku Firing
Saturday 6 December
10am – 1pm: Play with Clay
1pm – 4pm: Members’ Open Studio
Sunday 7 December
10am – 1pm: Wheel Throwing Class
1.30 - 4.30pm: CLOSED for Private Booking
That's it for this week folks. Have a great week and we'll see you in the studio soon.
