We are back!
Hello and Happy New Year potters!
We hope you all had an awesome summer holiday and are now feeling very relaxed.
We are back in the studio and feeling refreshed and excited about the year ahead. We are planning great things for 2023 and look forward to accompanying you on your pottery journey.
We are still in semi-holiday mode as Term 1 is still a few weeks away. The classes are all online now and can be booked so please take a look at the classes we are offering if you wish to join one. You know how quickly the evening classes in particular book out so don't delay too long Wednesday evening classes are already sold out).
Schedule changes
A few things for the coming weeks might be unexpected for studio visitors:
We are running one holiday class - Tuesday evenings have a 4 week Introduction to Wheel Throwing with David Kenny - beginning tomorrow evening (sorry, it's already sold out.
Play With Clay: the Tuesday evening session has been moved to Wednesday for the next 4 weeks. Sessions for this week are
Wednesday morning 9.30am-12.30pm
Wednesday evening 6-9pm
Saturday morning 10am-1pm
Open Studio (members only)
Monday to Friday 9.30am-12.30pm and 1-4pm, (Wednesday morning this is PWC, so possibly a little busier).
Dates to put in your calendars
The committee is busy planning some events. While the details need to be fleshed out, here are a few dates to pencil in your calendars now:
13 February - Term 1 begins
25 February - Mighty Waikato Pottery Throwdown (the sequel, part 1) 10am-2pmish
25 March - Open Day (we need volunteers, please let Sarah know if you can help)
23 May - AGM 6pm
24 June - Mid-Winter Solstice Feast (just a little late due to studio clashes) 4-6pm
17 Aug-24 Sept - Annual Exhibition
16 September - Mighty Waikato Pottery Throwdown (the sequel, part 2) 10am-2pmish
19 December - Christmas Party
We are also planning a few other treats for our members but hopefully this will give you a few things to look forward to for the year ahead!
Wood firing
We are excited and getting ready for the first wood firing of the year at the end of the month. Participating in a wood firing is a great way to get more involved with a firing process than is usual these days. You'll have an opportunity to learn new techniques and get to know other members around the Phoenix kiln. This only happens at Waikato Society of Potters a few times each year. Work needs to be bisque-fired in advance, and it needs to be suitable for high firing to Cone 10 (most of our clays are suitable but check with us if you aren't sure). Between now and then, we will prioritise bisque-firing for anyone booked on to the wood firing. There are still some space so please book if you would like to participate. First-timers are welcome!
Clay + Ash + Water
Wood fired ceramic art - methods, kilns, practitioners
ArtsPost, Waikato Museum
Opening: 5.30pm on 26 January
Exhibition runs until 27 February
This will be an amazing exhibition and we recommend all of our potters visit. The exhibition is being organised by Janet Smith, Duncan Shearer and Mike O'Donnell.
This will be the first curated exhibition in New Zealand that focuses on the process and work from potters who use wood kilns as both the means of expression and a functional tool to fire their work.
The exhibition will show the diversity of work produced and also the variety of designs of wood fired kilns that potters throughout New Zealand have created.
This resourcefulness of potters has forged a distinct culture in the ceramic community that relishes the dance with fire and the unpredictable nature of this elemental practice.
