A New Year Treat

Steve Harrison is well known by Port Hacking Potters Group for his generous sharing of his lifestyle philosophy and use of local materials for his amazing bowls.  His latest exhibition will be at the Watters Gallery in East Sydney. While you will be able to see some of Steve's latest bowls, this is a small exhibition in which the space will be shared with painter, Brian Hartigan. Steve will have a larger exhbition later in 2011.
So here are the details in larger print:

Watters Gallery  109 Riley Street East Sydney NSW 2010 Ph: (02) 9331 2556

Hours: 10am - 5pm Tuesday and Saturday; 10am - 7pm Wed, Thur, Fri

The exhibition opens on Wednesday 19 January and closes Saturday 5 February. 

Meeting for those interested in Ceramic Master Class - Gymea TAFE

Anyone considering the possible new Ceramic Master Class at Gymea TAFE in 2011 can come along to a meeting on January 27th at 1pm. Further details will be discussed at the meeting.  It is thought there will be enough numbers to get started but the more the merrier! Not from the area or haven't seen the TAFE for a long time?  Follow this link for information about the college:

http://www.sit.nsw.edu.au/ceramics/gymea/

An opportunity for experienced clay workers

The Head Teacher of the Gymea TAFE Ceramic Design Studio is calling for an expression of interest from experienced clay workers who might be interested in a special course in 2011.

More details follow.  Please contact the Head Teacher directly.  TAFE closes for the Christmas break but returns in January.

Hi Everyone,
I am proposing to run a special Ceramic Master Class (Design and Research Program) starting in 2011.  This would be a non-government funded course so any Centrelink exemption would not apply but it will be a wonderful opportunity for advanced guided assistance that can be tailored to the individual participants.

At this stage based on 10 - 12 people I estimate an intensive 10 week 6 hour class would cost approximately $450 - $500.

This would include 6 vouchers to be used for clay, plaster or casting

slip with glaze and firing costs for the clay included (further

vouchers for materials can be purchased if required). 

If we have enough people indicating interest then I would have a meeting to further explain the aims and objectives of the class and the group could discuss their needs so that we could tailor the program and determine the most suitable specialist teacher(s). Participants would ideally be Diploma and above graduates or have a portfolio demonstrating a sound grounding in ceramics. 

Participants would receive a Certificate of Attainment for each 10 week block and receive extensive feedback but no compulsory formal graded assessment requirements. 

Participants would be given freedom to explore their own ideas with the specialist teacher(s) and group structure providing expert advice, friendship, motivation, stimulation and full access to studio equipment would be provided.

In order to keep fees as low as possible this pricing structure does not make provision for the costs of high production quantities as this program is not to be seen as a firing service but rather a unique opportunity to resolve designs, experiment with surface techniques and create high quality one-off pieces that may be exhibited or entered into competitions.

It could also be a platform to resolve designs which could then be mass produced within your own studio.

Although this is a trial we are looking to provide further opportunities with the possibility of up to 3 x 10 week courses per year and based on feedback these may also include advanced workshops on specific areas of ceramics.

Please feel free to promote this program to friends and colleagues.

Regards,

Marian Howell

Head Teacher, Ceramics

TAFE NSW - Sydney Institute, Building A, Cnr The Kingsway& Hotham Road, Gymea Campus NSW 2227

P: (02) 9710 5048 | F: (02) 9710 5026 |

E:  Marian.Howell2@det.nsw.edu.au | www.sit.nsw.edu.au

Sales Events

Congratulations to all our members who took part in the Christmas Sale.  A really good result.

Thank you to all our customers.  I hope you enjoy your purchases and come along again. 

Anna and Therese will trial the Como Waterfront Markets at their special night market, 4pm to 9pm on Saturday 27th November.  Please bring your friends along to buy that special gift or Christmas decoration.

Next will be a sale by all exhibiting members of Port Hacking Potters at
 Cronulla on Thursday 9th    December and Friday 10th December in the foyer of the School of Arts—Surf Road, Cronulla.  Sales 9am to 4.30pm both days.

The students of Gymea TAFE Ceramic Design Studio are holding a sale of works on Tuesday 30 November 2010, 10am - 2pm.

Exhibition of Student Work at Ultimo, The Muse Gallery

All students of the Ceramic Design Studio, Gymea TAFE will be holding their end of year exhibition at The Muse, Ultimo this year.  Details below:

The Muse is easy to get to by train.  Just walk across from Central station to the TAFE College via the pedestrian tunnel.

Many members of the Port Hacking Potters attended TAFE as part of their training so if you can't make the Opening Night treat yourself to a day in the city and check out what the current students are doing.

Ian Lamb's Exhibition at Hazelhurst

Titled "Nehon no Kanji", Ian Lamb will be presenting his new ceramics at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Kingsway Gymea NSW from Saturday 13 November until the 23 November 2010.

You are invited to the Opening on Saturday 13 November, 2pm to 4pm.  The work will be opened by Peter Workman, former Head of Ceramics, Art and Design, TAFE, Gymea.

The gallery opens every day 10am to 5pm (Ph: 02 8536 5755)
http://www.hazelhurst.com.au/

October Meeting

At the last meeting on 6th October, members were asked to bring along one new and one old piece of pottery. Here is a copy of the Newsletter report:

At the October meeting members were invited to bring along one old pot and a new pot for discussion.

Ian brought a beautiful carved Lotus patterned Chinese bowl which was presented in its own wooden box.  The green glaze was thought to be a copper celadon.  The thought was expressed that well made traditional style pots don’t age.  This led to the question, are pots for use or to look at?  Who amongst us would use a Ming Dynasty bowl to serve up a curry?

Gail presented a little slipcast figurine of a girl leaning against a tree stump in soft pinks and cream.  It belonged to her grandmother and has a signature but no company brand. It seemed to be in the style of Staffordshire works of perhaps the 1800’s.

Gail’s second more modern piece was a pair of carved Luang Chuan vessels.  After all trying to guess what they were we were told they were salt and pepper shakers but without holes in the top.  They were thrown with a tube inside and then closed over leaving a hole in the base where they were filled—when shaken while upright the salt or pepper came out of the tube.

Next was a Hamada pot dated from 1978.  Bisque fired thrown and altered bowl with a flat rim with a cut out and additions.

Jamie brought along some examples of his glaze on glaze decoration.  Glazed all over with a Celadon and then he uses a mix of copper red and rutile flour to produce ‘dots’ all over the vessel.  The mix of rutile is approximately 100ml of glaze plus 1 teaspoon of rutile flour.

Ian suggests that a Titanium based glaze can be used and sprayed over bisque wear with oxides eg. 1% Iron + Cobalt .  This mix can also be used for brush decoration.

Next was a souvenir piece from Croatia.  Slipcast, it showed a ‘map’ of the town with lots of raised buildings and place names. 

Anna’s two pots included a small vase made in PNG in the 1980’s and glazed using a Blue Ash Glaze.  Fired in Reduction had given it extra speckle from the iron based clay.  The second piece was a egg cup from an Irish company which employs 3 throwers to produce everything from egg cups to huge metre high vase shapes along the Dingle Peninsula.  The simple combination of a white glaze over temuko with an overlap made an interesting piece.

Therese brought along a bowl with an Australian landscape design.  It appeared to have had the dry glaze sprayed on.  The blue glaze may have contained Barium making it unsuitable for food.

Beth and Jitka spoke of their travels and some of the exhibitions they attended such as Barbara Hepworth in the UK, while Jitka spoke of an amazing copy of the famous Prague clock which a village potter has made.

Get a few potters together and a few pots and we can all  have a very enjoyable conversation.

This plate was glazed in the same way as the egg cup Anna

bought in

Ireland from

http://www.louismulcahy.com/

Raffle Results

Thankyou everyone who purchased raffle tickets during our exhibition.  Our Group likes to be able to support those in the community who need some extra help and the procedes from the two raffles we run each year enable us to do that.

To preserve privacy we are publishing the raffle numbers not the names - the winners have all been notified now.
Our thanks also to those businesses and members who provided the wonderful prizes.

1^st prize won by Orange ticket #F2

Men’s and ladies’ watch, Sydney Wildflower voucher and a handcrafted pot by Gail Sadleir

2^nd prize won by Black ticket #F96

Voucher from Best Fresh  Southgate Sylvania and a handcrafted pot by Delma Gilder

3^rd prize won by Blue ticket #F77

Bunnings, Taren Point voucher and a handcrafted pot by Anna Ryland

4^th prize won by Purple ticket #D35

Eckersley Craft voucher, Sara Lee discount vouchers and a handcrafted pot by Ian lamb

5^th prize won by Black ticket #F80

Greater Union movie tickets, Sara Lee discount vouchers and a handcrafted pot by Ellin Pooley

6^th prize won by Orange ticket number #C63

Handcrafted pot by Ping Dong

7^th prize won by Purple ticket #D60

Handcrafted pot by Helen Blayney

.

And the winners are:

Congratulations to all the winners and congratulations too, to everyone who entered.  The standard of work, the variety and number of entries gave the Judge, Dr Julie Bartholomew a challenge deciding between them all.

The winner of the Port Hacking Potters Award was
Tim Manzouridis- "Ambiguous Perception 7"

Winner - Open Wheelformed - Amanda Hale - "Geology"

Merit Awards:

- Megan Puls, Sohae, Keiko Matsui, Natalie Velthuyzen, Ian Lamb

Winner -  Open Handformed and Sculpture - Dianne Brock - "Urban Canopy"

Merit Awards: 
– Ping Dong, Jenny Papalexandris, Lisa Johnson and Inga Svendsen

Winner - Decorative Techniques - Lynda Fraser - "The Flying Trapeze"

Merit Awards:

Patrice Cooke

Winner - Paper Clay - Anna Ryland - "Boudoir Nostalgia"

Merit Awards:

Carol Forster and Joe Simone

Winner - Student Wheelthrown - Maree Anderson - "Bowl Stack"

Merit Awards:

Gail Sadleir and Christine Skrobek

Winner - Student Handformed - Raoul Arens - 10 Sculptures

Merit Awards: 

Naomi Krieger, Maree Anderson, Raj Naji (2 awards)

Winner - Encouragement Award - Carol Forster - 

Winner - The People's Choice Award - Ping Dong - "The Four Sisters"

 

 

Competition Key Dates

Well the entries all now in and the variety and quality is just astounding!

Here are the Key Dates:

Thursday 30 Sept - Delivery of Pots (done :^) )

Friday 1 October - Judging takes place

Saturday 2 October at 2pm - Official Opening, Presentation of Awards followed by refreshments

Exhibition continues to 12 October.

Wednesday 13 October - 10am to 4pm Collection of pots from the Hazelhurst Gallery.  Pots will be signed out with the PHPG Committee before you take them away.

Hope we see you at the Opening.  Let us know if you have checked out our BLOG.

46th National Pottery Competition and Exhibition

Our Biennial Competition opens at 2pm on Saturday, 2nd October at Hazelhurst Regional Gallery and Art Centre, Cnr Kingsway & Talara Road, Gymea.  
Our Judge for this year is Dr Julie Bartholomew who will present the Awards and talk about the entries.  Guests are welcome and refreshments will be served.  Visitors will have the opportunity to vote for the People's Choice Award or to purchase a unique ceramic work.  Hope we see you there.  For more details on the gallery go to their website and look under Community Gallery for our exhibition listing:  http://www.hazelhurst.com.au/

Here are some images of winners of the 2008 Competition.

Andrew Halford - Wheel thrown spherical form

Brett Smout - Moulded beakers

Helen Blayney - Hand formed

September Meeting

Sandy Lockwood was our guest speaker and shared images of her work and information about her own woodfired, salt fired and soda fired works.  Check out her website:
http://www.sandylockwood.com.au/

Raku Day at Bundeena - Results!

Once the reduction sawdust and the pots in it have cooled enough, the lid is removed and the pots carefully removed and placed on the ground or a surface that can take a still hot pot.  The pots are left to cool in the air and then when they can be handled are cleaned up with water and steel wool.
Some people had unexpected results but we were all happy with the pots we took home.
Thanks again to the team at Bundeena.  Port Hacking Potters had a great day! Thanks again too, to Arlon Roese for the great photos!

Still smoking

Tongs still needed

The results are revealed as the ash is removed

Are they cool enough yet?

Discovering some great results

Raku Firing at Bundeena - Unload and into reduction

This is the exciting part of any Raku firing.... so some safety precautions needed.  Heat proof gloves, long handled tongs, face masks to protect eyes and lungs from fumes and ash.

Team Work

Hot, hot, hot!

Work needs to be removed quickly but carefully

This big old case held the sawdust for the reduction

The hot pots are placed on the sawdust and some more sawdust is placed on top

Safety gear definitely needed when adding the extra sawdust

Wet newspaper is placed around the edges to minimise smoke

Raku Day at Bundeena - Firing up

Our host potters had the kilns up and running with their own wares which meant we could start packing as soon as we had glazed our own pots.

Our first firing was soon underway

Raku Day at Bundeena - getting started

Our hosts had everything all setup and ready for us to get glazing:

At the glaze table

We all wanted different effects and so we used brushes, dippers, wax and stencil resists as well as dunking in more than one glaze.

Raku Day at Bundeena - Setup

Thanks to Anna's nephew, Arlon, we have some fantastic photos of our Raku Day at Bundeena.  Thanks to Jane, Marian and the crew for a great day.  We all got some good pots, some of which I hope to see in the Competition.

This is one of the kilns we used.  It is fibre lined and powered by LPG gas

All organised with glaze tests to help with our choices.

Some of the glazes have wonderful names.