Kia ora beautiful pottery people
We hope you’re all coping with this sudden heat! It’s surely hot here in the studio, but the sunshine is a blessing.
We have just over 2 weeks until the end of the WSP year – how did that happen?! Most classes finished up this week, with a handful of Monday and Sunday classes finishing next week. And there is only one more Tuesday night PWC, and two more Wednesday and Saturday morning PWCs left!
The new kilns have not arrived yet sadly, (apparently, we’re “at the mercy of international shipping”), but it does mean that we haven’t had any further down-time in our firing schedules from installing them (yay?) We’ll keep firing, right up until our last day, as long as there’s enough work to fill a kiln, so you can drop pieces off for firing and we’ll do our best to get them fired 😊
New workshop – Kurinuki teabowls and more with Elena Renker
A two day workshop
Saturday 5th April - Sunday 6th April 2025
10am – 4pm
Kurinuki is an old Japanese technique of hand building. The pots are formed from a solid block of clay by carving and cutting in quick, gestural movements. The pieces are then hollowed out to form the inside space. This more sculptural approach allows for complete freedom in the shaping of the vessels. We will use this technique to explore various forms from tea bowls to sake bottles, vases and boxes. The Kurinuki technique is also great for making sculptural forms. It is suitable for all levels.
Elena Renker
"My aim is not perfection. On the contrary, my belief is that imperfections make the bowls come alive, make them easier to relate to, make them more human. Nature’s perfection lies within its own asymmetry."
Known internationally as 'the queen of wood-firing', Elena Renker was born in Germany in 1959 and came of age surrounded by artworks by the likes of Henry Moore, Klee, Miro, Calder and Picasso ceramics. Renker's first studies in pottery were in 1977 in Pondicherry, India, after which she returned to more formal studies in southern Bavaria and then Munich. Renker emigrated to New Zealand in 1984, raised a family in rural Auckland, and returned to pottery in 1998 when her youngest child started school. 2002-2007 saw her completing both her Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Ceramic Art from Otago Polytechnic. Renker has since undertaken a number of international Residencies in China, Korea, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan, and conferences on wood-firing in Germany and Denmark.
2025 Term 1 Classes
The 2025 Term 1 classes will be live on our class bookings page tomorrow from 8am! Check them out and see if anything takes your fancy 😊
WSP Christmas Party!
We're getting together on Tuesday the 17th of December at 5.30pm 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 17th, so come celebrate the fantastic year that we’ve had at WSP instead!
Working Bee – 20th 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 clearing out the kitchen and foyer area, as we'll be having the walls painted and the concrete floor ground and polished over the holiday period. Flaaaash!
We'd be ever so grateful if you could spare some time to help us move everything out and then prep the walls for the painting. 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.
Thank you xx
Working Bee 2.0 – January 13th
If anyone could also spare a couple of hours when we reopen on Monday the 13th of January, to pop in and give us a hand to shift all the heavy stuff back into the kitchen again, we would be super grateful! Please get in touch with Josephine to let her know if you can help out – thanks xx
Out with the Old, In with the New
Before the working bee, we’ll be doing a thorough (and strict!) clear out of the wet cupboards, drying shelves, bisque shelves and finished work. Please do make time to come and collect your work, or move it through the firing process before the 16th of December!
In particular, please note that we will be completely emptying the wet cupboards before the break, so the work and batts aren’t sitting in there going mouldy. If you have pieces in there, please do finish them off and put them through for firing, or take them home before the 19th December.
End of Year deadlines
These are our closing, firing and kiln booking deadlines for the end of the year, please keep these in mind as you plan your making.
17 November – Last day for private kiln bookings
2 December – Last day for pre-holiday bisque firing drop offs
You will still be welcome to leave work for bisque firing after this date, and we will do our level best to process it, but we can’t guarantee that it will make it through before we close for the holidays.
9 December – Last day for pre-holiday glaze firing drop offs
As above, you are still welcome to leave work for glaze firing after this date but we can’t guarantee that it will make it through before we close for the holidays.
10 December – Last Tuesday evening Play with Clay
17 December, 5.30pm – Christmas Party!
19 December – Last open studio for the year
20 December – End of year Working Bee and closing day
The studio won’t be in a state for any potting to take place, but you are still able to pop in and pick up your pieces. In fact, this will be your last chance to do so before we re-open on the 13th of January.
Treasures in the Landscape exhibition at The Sculpture Park
14th December – 4th May
A rare opportunity to experience exceptional New Zealand sculpture!
Treasures in the Landscape – Sculptures from The Arts House Trust Collection (14 December 2024 – 4 May 2025) We are pleased to announce a collaboration between The Arts House Trust and The Sculpture Park at Waitakaruru Arboretum, enabling a unique exhibition of sculpture made by New Zealand artists.
Over the past 30 years, The Arts House Trust acquired an extensive collection of major sculptures. Its collection contains works from many established NZ artists, some have not been on public display since their acquisition. This is a rare opportunity for the public and sculptors alike to experience them out in the open again.
A selection of 30 sculptures will be displayed within the captivating landscape of The Sculpture Park & Arboretum. The exhibition features works made by Paul Dibble, Terry Stringer, Brett Graham, Greer Twiss, and many other well-regarded NZ artists.
In conjunction with the exhibition, there will also be organized presentations and workshops to engage the public and create a meaningful sculptural dialogue and meeting point, in the unique landscape the park and arboretum offers.
Studio Schedule
Here’s how the studio is looking this week but, as always, remember to check the online calendar before you come in.
Friday 6th December
9.30am – 2pm, Members’ Open Studio
2.30pm – 4.30pm, CLOSED for Private Lesson
Saturday 7th December
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Tim, Lydia and team!
10am – 2pm, Raku firing – Thanks David!
Sunday 8th December
10am – 1pm, Class, Wheel Throwing
Monday 9th December
9.30am – 12.30pm, Class, Wheel Throwing
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class, Hand Building
Tuesday 10th December
9.30am - 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Play with Clay – thanks Margaret and Stacey!
Wednesday 11th December
9.30am – 12.30pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Mark and Yasmin!
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
Thursday 12th December
9.30am –4pm, Members’ Open Studio
Friday 13th December
9.30am – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Class, Intro to Pottery
Saturday 14th December
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Teresa, Amy and team!
Sunday 15th December
10am – 1pm, Class, Wheel Throwing
