Hi potters!
You may have seen on the socials that our two new kilns got delivered this week – whoop whoop! We’re so excited to be able to offer increased capacity for our firing service and to lower everyone’s stress levels over our busy times 😊 Read about the install dates for them, plus all the other news below…
New Kilns
These two glorious beasties arrived in the studio on Wednesday!
We have a bit of shuffling around to do to before we can have them hooked up to the electrics, including uninstalling the old “Kiln 2”, and moving it out of the way. But we have Paul Mann, our kiln electrician, coming to do all the power install on Monday the 3rd of March. And we will be doing a bit of pre-shuffling with a pallet jack on the Saturday afternoon before then.
We will need some help on Monday the 3rd of March from 9am-11am ish to lift the kilns off their pallets and shuffle them into their spots. If anyone is available over that time, we would be so grateful to have some help with this job as they are heeeeeaaavvvy, so the more person-power, the better! If you can help with this, please email Libby😊
After the 3rd, there is likely to be a bedding-in period where we adjust firing programmes to get the bisque and glaze temperatures sorted, do any fine tuning, and work through any trouble-shooting.
Please note that while we will be doing our best to get them up and running as quickly as possible, there will likely be an impact on firing times, as we will have only two kilns running to process all the work until we are confident that the new beasties are firing happily and consistently.
Saturday Afternoon Members’ Open Studio Sessions
We have had a wonderful response to our call out for volunteers to run these new sessions, and these lovely members have signed up to provide you all with another Members’ Open Studio slot on Saturday afternoons from 1pm-4pm:
Kelly Lowen, Stephen Leyburn-Williams, Ginny Lane, Alexis Waine, Jessica Bradley, Sue McConnchie, Andrew Carnell, Shelly Martin, Trudie MacIntosh, and John MacIntosh.
Please give these people a hearty thanks when you meet them during these sessions, we are so grateful to them for giving their time to you and the club 💖
If you’re wanting to attend any of these sessions, the standard Members’ Open Studio guidelines apply: check the online calendar to make sure the session is running, pay for your studio session or clip your card, pay for your clay and firing, and get making!
Open Day 2025 – The Big Day of Clay
Saturday 12th April, 10am – 2pm
We’re doing it again! On the 12th of April we’ll be opening up the studio and running lots of potty activities for anyone and everyone who wants to come and take a gander, make a few pieces, and see how good working with clay is.
This year we’re hoping to stagger the timing of entries so we can manage the crowds a little better. So, entry will still be free, but we’ll be issuing tickets with an allocated time slot. All activities will be $2 to $5, which makes it’s an affordable, fun day for the whole family. Spread the word!
And of course, we can’t run this awesome day without the contribution of our beautiful volunteers! If you’re keen to help us show the world how fab our club is, we’d be stoked to have you with us. Whether you can help for a couple of hours in the morning, or in the afternoon, or even for the whole day, there'll be a range of activities running, so there will be something everyone can help with, no matter your pottery skill level. Things like:
Selling activity tickets
Selling raffle tickets
Helping people underglaze their paint-a-pots
Showing people how to make and decorate pinch pots
Helping glaze the raku pots
Helping smoke the raku pots
Showing people how to make a wheel-thrown pot
Slippery dip helpers
If this sounds like a bit of you, sign-up for a time slot here, or on the register in the studio.
Thanks lovelies! xx
The Latest Classes and Workshops
We’re gearing up for another year of fantastic learning opportunities and currently have the below offerings in the calendar. Take a look and see if anything tickles your fancy!
Workshop: Chucks, chums and lids with Tess May
A two-afternoon weekend workshop
Saturday 10th May 1.30pm – 4.30pm AND Sunday 11th May 1.30pm – 4.30pm
Intermediate Level Throwing
Ever had difficulty with turning pots on the wheel?
Learn how to create chucks and chums to minimise damage to rims and finish off narrow necked shapes professionally, whilst cutting back on the time it takes to turn. A chuck is a hollow, hourglass-shaped clay support for pots to sit in. A chum is a cone shaped support for pots to sit over.
You will learn how to make your own chuck and chum to fit your pots, which can prevent your beautiful clay creations from tipping over or gouging, and trim pieces with narrow, uneven, or fragile rims. Also learn how versatile chucks and chums can be to easily turn lids.
Day 1
Participants will throw cylinders, bowls, narrow-necked pots, a variety of lids and a chuck and a chum.
Day 2
At leather hard stage the above will be turned to create well-crafted feet using a chuck and a chum. You will also learn how to turn lids using these devices.
Alternative Firing: Phoenix Wood Firing with Duncan Shearer
Friday 25 April Prep day: organize wood, prep shelves and kiln
Saturday 26 April: packing kiln
Sunday 27 April: firing kiln
Saturday 3 May: unloading kiln
A limited number of spaces are available to share the use of the kiln on this upcoming wood firing.
The wood will need to be collected, prep'd and stacked a month earlier (end of March) to ensure it is dry on the day. The firing coordinator will be in touch with participants to organise a date for this.
Workshop: Surface Treatments for Wood Firing with Duncan Shearer
Saturday 29th March, 9am – 4pm
Morning session – Raw slipping techniques
Learn how to apply slips to raw pots, including application methods, resists, traditional slipping techniques such as sgraffito and slip recipes. Slips work with the underlying clay body to produce the broad range of surfaces and colours that we can achieve in the wood fired soda kiln. They can also incorporate local clays to create distinctive surfaces. Students will need to bring a selection of pieces (up to 6) that are at the leather hard stage and one piece at the bone-dry stage.
Afternoon Session – Slipping and glazing on bisque ware
This session looks at application of slips and glazes, including using the spray gun, pouring aids, resists, layering, use of underglaze and slip recipes. Students will need to bring a selection of pieces (up to 6) that are bisque fired.
We are specifically looking at techniques and slips/glazes formulated for the wood/soda kiln, so may not be suitable for cone 6 firings.
Class: Introduction to Pottery with David Kenny
Fridays, 6pm – 9pm, starting on Friday 7th March and running for 4-weeks
This class will introduce you to techniques for hand-built pottery, wheel-thrown pottery, glazing and firing. It will give you a great foundation in a variety of construction techniques, and there is even an exciting raku firing at the end!
Workshop: Glaze Technology (Intermediate) with Duncan Shearer
Saturday 8th March, 9am – 4pm
This glaze course is focussed on understanding the materials that are used in making up a glaze, including any health risks associated with a particular material. We examine the role materials play in the glaze and pitfalls that can occur when trying to substitute materials. We also have a go at making up test trials that will illustrate how to go about the process and also how to design a test series to reveal useful information. This will also cover how to analyse your results.
We’ll explore different sources of glaze recipes and what to watch out for before making up a new glaze. Glaze slop behaviour and getting a more reliable glazing experience is also covered.
Class: Wheel Throwing Taster with Sarah Steed
Sundays, 10am – 1pm, starting on Sunday the 9th March and running for 4 weeks
The Throwing Taster Sessions are tutored by Sarah Steed, in a 4-week course that will work on your throwing and trimming skills and teach you how to glaze your pieces. This will set you up for one of our longer courses next term, or to try self-directed throwing projects at our Play with Clay sessions.
Alternative Firings: Raku
The first two raku firings have been set for the year – led by David Kenny. These firings are open to everyone, no previous experience required – just sign-up, come along and discover the cool results you can get from raku.
New Glaze Tile Boards
We have beautiful new glaze tile boards! Thanks so much to Margaret De Freitas who designed and built these for us last year, and to Mark Tamura who hung them for us this week. They are such an improvement 😊
New Wax Booth Timer
More new kit! We have a new, easier to use wax booth timer – with big thanks to member Chris Jones who donated the switch and even the electrician’s time to have it installed. Yahoo! Instructions for how to use the timer are on the wall next to the switch.
Rahu Road Pottery Workshop – Taming of the Kiln
Dates: 5th and 6th April, all day. Kiln opens on 9th April
Bookings open 9am, 23rd February
142 Rahu Road, Mackaytown, Paeroa
This workshop is an introduction to wood firing and the soda glazing process. Based around loading and firing of our wood kiln for a soda firing we will also be covering the principles at work in wood fired kilns. Work for the firing will need to be bisque fired and glazed with suitable stoneware glazes (firing to cone 11, 1300 degrees), loading on Saturday and firing on Sunday. The kiln will be unloaded on the following Wednesday. We have a limited range of glazes and flashing slips available, comprehensive notes will be emailed to you once your booking is confirmed.
Maximum 6 students, $440 (includes refreshments and lunches)
Enrol via the Rahu Road website.
Studio Schedule
Here’s how things are looking for the coming week, but as always, check the online calendar before you come in 😊
Saturday 22nd February
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Tim and Lydia xx
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio – Thanks Lydia and Shelly! xx
Sunday 23rd February
10am – 1pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Monday 24th February
9.30am – 12.30pm, Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Hand Building Class
Tuesday 25th February
9.30am - 4pm, Wheel Throwing Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Margaret and Stacey! xx
Wednesday 26th February
9.30am – 12.30pm, Play with Clay, thanks Yasmin and Mark! xx
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
4pm – 5.30pm, Kids’ Play with Clay
6pm – 9pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Thursday 27th February
9.30am – 12.30pm, Sculpture Skills Class
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio
6pm – 9pm, Wheel Throwing Class
Friday 28th February
9.30am –4pm, CLOSED for Diploma
6pm – 9pm, Intro to Pottery Class
Saturday 1st March
10am – 1pm, Play with Clay – Thanks Tim and Lydia! xx
1pm – 4pm, Members’ Open Studio – Thanks Stephen! xx
Sunday 2nd March
10am – 1pm, Wheel Throwing Class
