Otaki Potters. Greetings.

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1 Otaki Potters FEBRUARY 2014 Greetings. P O Box 36 OTAKI 5512 Ph x 711 Management Committee Patron: Dates to Remember: Subscriptions due: Twilight Raku: Grant McNab President: Rod Graham rodgrham@xtra.co.nz Vice President: Brent Craig brent@awatealodge.co.nz Secretary: Caitlin Taylor caitlin@twc.co.nz Treasurer: Joy Snaddon joysnaddon@xtra.co.nz Committee: Beryl Rowe Margaret Hunt mhunt@xtra.co.nz Kaye Stead kaye.stead@gmail.com Jennifer Turnbull greensj@xtra.co.nz Stephanie Tidman geeup1@clear.net.nz Russell Kitto russ.flo@xtra.co.nz Others with responsibility: Club Library Carol Elsmann New members Jude Whitaker Newsletter Editor Caitlin Taylor Keys & DVDs Ray Maddock February 8th March Pit Firing & Pizza Party: 29th March Welcome to This year we celebrate 25 years that the club has been in operation. Over that time many have come and gone but we still have a few of the original foundation members and others who have been active members over a long time. So it is with pleasure that we acknowledge the commitment and support of our oldest member. It was agreed at the AGM that Irene Walker be made a life member of the club. It is a fitting way to begin a special year in the history of the club. The presentation will take place at the Anniversary Dinner later in the year. Being our 25 th year, it is fitting to mark it in special ways. Our plan is to have an exhibition and dinner to mark the milestone. We need a convenor and a small organising committee to plan the events. If you would like to be a part of this please let me know so we can get things moving ASAP. The Festival of Pots and Garden Art was our focus for January and all the preparation and hard work paid off. I enjoyed the event so much I spent most of my life there. It was great to meet so many enthusiastic artists and visitors. All agreed that, with the event growing each year, Anam Cara was a superb venue. On your behalf I thank Brent for all the time he put into convening the festival. The good news is that he is willing to do it all again next year. All the adult classes are full, some with waiting lists, and will start in the week beginning February 13 th. We are still accepting enrolments for the Young People s Clay Workshops.

2 The Annual General Meeting was well supported, thank you to those who came. Ian McMillan, our honorary auditor, spoke to his recommendations in his Financial Report. The meeting adopted his recommendation to depreciate capital items and do a stocktake of clays and materials. We welcome Caitlin Taylor as club secretary. Judith Brenan offered her services as assistant secretary and was made an honorary member for as long as she holds the position. Stephanie Tidman and Russell Kitto were elected to the committee. A full list of committee members is published on the front page of this newsletter. Thank you to Carol Elsmann (Library), Ray Maddock (Keys & DvD s), Jude Whitaker (New members). Subscriptions will remain the same for $60 per member ($45 if paid by the last day of February); Married/Partner $90 ($75 if paid by the last day of February). Associate membership is $25. Just a reminder that any outstanding monies owed to the club from 2013 need to be paid before subs can be accepted. People who have not paid their subscription by the last day of March will be removed from the Membership Roll. Key exchange will take place on Wednesday 5th March 10am- 12noon. And at 10am on Saturday March 8th. Outside of these times you need to contact Ray Maddock The costs are as follows: to exchange your key $7, to replace a lost key $10; a new key $15. The rooms are available to members 6.30am 10.30pm every day of the year. If you are a regular user of the rooms (at least once a fortnight) and want a storage space in the rooms please contact Kaye Stead. If you already have one you need to let Kaye know if you want to continue using it. Infrequently used spaces will be cleaned out at the end of February and reallocated. Members are reminded that all are required to do one two-hour cleaning bee during the year or pay $30 for someone to do it for you. Exemptions are considered by the committee on a case by case basis and must be applied for in writing. There are 4 cleaning bees each year the first will be held on Saturday April 12th 10am 12noon. Stephanie Tidman is the Cleaning Bee convenor for th Anniversary Exhibition is planned for July/ August. The venue is yet to be decided. It is likely there will be a guest potter who will select and curate the exhibition. This can sound a bit intimidating to people who are pretty new to the craft but we adopt an inclusive policy in our club and encourage every member to rise to the challenge and submit at least one piece. As soon as the sub-committee is up and running we will publish a set of guidelines to assist members. It is important that we start planning for this NOW so get those creative juices running!

3 Twilight Raku. Our first raku for club members and Adult class students will be held on March 8 th, 3pm 8pm. We will have a shared pot luck tea at 6pm. Techniques in burnishing, using terrasigilata and naked raku will be taught at adult classes. If members need advice please talk to one of the tutors. Our Pit firing and Pizza party will take place on the weekend of March 29 th /30 th at Awatea Lodge, Peka Peka. Wanganui potters have provided us with a list of their raku firings for We are invited to visit. The list is posted on the notice board behind the wheels also included in this newsletter. They organise their Garden Art Weekend on the same weekend as the Kapiti Arts Trail. They have supported us by exhibiting pots at the Festival of Pots and Garden Art and hope we might reciprocate. I will organise a collection of garden pots to take up. If you are interested let me know. The pressure is off on painting the buildings this summer so it will move further down the maintenance schedule. FESTIVAL OF POTS & GARDEN ART : RAFFLE PRIZE WINNERS The Stallion by Judy Page: R. Heath. Upper Hutt. Bird House by Linda Mikkelsen: Jean Galloway, Waikanae. Set of 4 Goblets by Mike Page: B. O Reilly, Auckland. Reptile Orb by May Hastings: Pat Barry, Otaki. Thank you to the above artists who donated work for the festival raffle. All winners were delighted with their prizes. Let s make 2014 a year to remember! Happy potting. Rod Festival of Pots & Garden Art On the 2 nd July 2013 the dynamic team of Rod, Carol, Joy, Jude, Karen & Jeavons, began the planning process for the Festival. Late in August the Trinity Farm venue became unavailable, so various other sites were investigated. Anam Cara, became the venue of choice, and a written contract was signed with the owners, Shona & Robin Hartendorp. The Kapiti Coast District council insisted that we needed a resource consent, as it was a non scheduled activity on rural land. We approached the Mayor, Penny Gaynor & James Cootes for assistance in having the consent waived. We were unsuccessful so applied in late October at a cost of $758. The permit was granted on the 20 th December at 4pm on the last day of office hours for the council. We were only granted the consent for one year because the next door neighbours live in Canada & we were unable to attain their signatures. A large crowd gathered on Friday night, and the Festival was opened by Shona Hartendorp, who spoke of her intentions for Anam Cara. We were blessed with the weather being fine for most of the event, and subsequently drawing the crowds. It was also a good choice to be open on Wellington anniversary weekend with 988 visitors. What a great venue, with many complimentary remarks from our visitors.

4 The Café was successful and a busy operation with a great team of helpers ( & Rod in a pinny ). The food had been baked at home and was of high quality. The setting was nice & relaxing and a great place to chat. The demonstrations from the various potters, and stone carving and metal work were adjacent and well received. There were 51 exhibitors. Items sold: people visited ( 820 on the first 2 days ) Sales were in excess of $ The final tally is not complete. There are a large number of Club members to thank, & in fear of missing someone out, who is deserving of my praise I ve not named anyone. For those who patiently operated the off & on again Eftpos machine, thank you for your patience in working through the process. As is usual with most events, once it is all over, only the faithful remain behind to clean up, and those folks have been thanked personally for their skills in housekeeping and transporting of props, tables, & screens. A great effort everyone. Brent OTAKI POTTERY CLUB Creating in clay with Paula Archibald A one-day workshop for students 8 18 years Creative Crafts A workshop programme for young people 8 18 years supported by Creative Communities NZ. Mondays pm. 12 places. 8 weeks. (start date tba) $ 70 per student (or two payments of $35). Includes firing and all materials. Programme will include hand building with clay, an introduction to the wheel and working with colour on white clay. with Paula Archibald. Thursdays 9am 3pm. (start date tba) 26 places. $35 per student. Includes all materials and firing. Workshops are run once a term. Each workshop is different and includes time on the wheel. Enrol at the Club.

5 Festival of Pots and Garden Art. Opening Night and Exhibits.

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8 PIT FIRING AND PIZZA PARTY at Awatea Lodge, Peka Peka, for club members and adult classes. Saturday 29 th March, 10am load pit. Sunday 30 th unload pit. Pizza Party at 5pm. A family affair. Please bring your pizzas ready for the wood fired oven, something to drink and a small salad or dessert to share. SUBS ARE NOW DUE. $60 per member ($45 if paid by the last day of February); Married/Partner $90 ($75 if paid by the last day of February). Associate membership is $25. TWILIGHT RAKU for Club members and Adult classes. Saturday 8 th March. 3pm-8pm Potluck tea at 6pm. Sender: Otaki Pottery Club Inc P O Box 36 OTAKI 5542