Workshops | Kiln licence | Shelf clearance times |
Kia ora potters,
It’s been another brilliant week in the studio. Mark Mitchell’s workshop was a treat last weekend. Those who attended his masterclass had a great time, learned a whole new way of mold-making than they had known before, as well as the secret to some of his breath-taking decorating techniques. If you attended, I would love to see what you made. Send a photo, if you have one. This weekend is going to be a good one: our ex-manager Bea is volunteering along with Teresa at Play With Clay, and Duncan Shearer is here to fire up the Phoenix wood kiln! Let’s all cross our fingers that they get some fine spells in between the showers. Check out the newsletter to find out what else is coming up.
Have a great weekend!
Sarah
STUDIO BUSINESS
- Please make sure you check out the last chance shelves in the kitchen corridor. We are moving into our new time limit for how long your work will be kept in the bisque, glaze and work in progress shelves: 1 month for work in progress shelf, 1 month for bisque ware and 2 months for glaze ware. Please take your bisque home if you don’t have time to glaze it. If we find bisque on the work in progress shelves, it will be removed as this is for raw work only.
- Play with Clay is running tomorrow. 10am-1pm. Thank you to Bea and Teresa for volunteering. Sessions for next week are below:
- Play with Clay: Tuesday 6-9pm, Wednesday 9.30am-12.30pm
- Open Studio: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 1-4pm (note, no OS on Monday but an extra session is on Thursday afternoon).
- Reminder of changes for commercial potters using the studio. If you are selling your work, remember that there have been some changes recently that will apply to you.
- There is a separate “commercial” firing sheet now for any work you make and plan to sell which includes a small price increase. If you have a mix of personal and commercial work to fire, you can use both sheets as appropriate for your items.
- There is a small increase in price ($10) for commercial potters wishing to hire kilns.
- Commercial* potters who are members are welcome to use our glaze facilities and equipment (sieves, spray booth etc) but must now use their own glazes.
*Commercial defined as any work that is offered for sale: eg. via the internet (e.g., your (or a group) website, Facebook, Instagram, Etsy etc), supplied to any shop or gallery, presented at markets or exhibitions (by yourself or on your behalf) or created to fulfil a commission or contract.
If you are teaching private classes and getting student work fired at WSP (please see manager or studio assistant if you are a community group as this may not apply).
Higher volume of work: More than 4 items of work with a volume of more than 20cm cubed in a week is automatically categorised as commercial production.
Exception 1: members who make the occasional pot for sale are excluded. Occasional is defined as less than 3 pots for sale per week.
Exception 2: any work produced specifically for entry into the WSP members exhibition.
Glazing 101 with Yasmin
Saturday 28th August 2021 2-5pm
This popular workshop is being run again next month. Do you want to be able to successfully glaze your ceramics? Do you want to learn some tried and true techniques on glazing the what to dos and the what not to dos. Yasmin will teach you “the magic” in ceramics. Glazing your work is not always absolutely necessary, however it can enhance the fired clay piece both on an aesthetic and functional level. Book your place
Kiln Licence Workshop
Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th July 2021
This workshop is for people who want to hire an electric kiln at WSP, but useful for anyone who wishes to learn how to safely use a kiln. The course will be split over two days. The theory class will be held on Saturday 24th July for 2 hours and Practical will be held on Sunday 25th July for 3 hours. You must attend both parts and pass a written test to receive your license. This course will cover how to load and unload kilns in a safe and appropriate manner, what is happening inside a kiln during a firing, chemical changes in the pottery, what can go wrong in a kiln and what kind of damage can be done and how electric kiln programs work. To hire a kiln and fire at WSP you will need to hold a valid WSP Kiln Licence.
OTHER NEWS
Art in the Park | 23 — 25 July 2021 | Eden Park, Auckland
WSP tutor and former artis-in-residence Wilhelmiina Drummond is exhibiting at this year’s Art in The Park show at Eden Park. We’ve recently been watching some of Wilhelmiina’s beautiful pieces emerge from the raku kiln and are thrilled and so very proud to see her selected to be part of this curated show. Wilhelmiina will be there representing her work the whole weekend and will give her artist talk on Saturday 4pm. If you are free, she would love to see you there.
