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Blue Ridge Potters Guild, Incorporated
March, 2004 Newsletter

The object of this guild shall be to share knowledge
and appreciation of ceramics.

Officers:
President, Meredith Poole:  poolepot@earthlink.net  540-772-1669
Vice president:  Paul Proffit, paulspottery@aol.com 540/819-1827
Secretary Linda Jernigan, granjern03@cox.net  540-774-4286
Treasurer, Carol Rosenberg:  Mortrose50@cs.com  540-774-5297

Committee chairs 2004: 
Finance:  Bob Campbell, 540-989-5349
 Membership:   Paul Proffit, paulspottery@aol.com 540/819-1827
Nominating  chair Brenda Goad:  potterybybrenda@aol.com  540-344-6361
Program:  Rich Moon, moon@roanoke.edu,540-989-5349
 Publicity/Newsletter chair Ann Hess:  annhess@swva.net  540-382-8235
Show/Sales chair Martha Legg: legg360@cox.net 540-342-0893  
   

Blue Ridge Potters Program:  "Second  Biennale World  Ceramic Exposition", April 17, 2 pm at the Roanoke County Library on Electric Road  Ann Hess will share photos of the Second  Biennale World  Ceramic Exposition as well as of Korean potters who opened their studio to her visit October of last year.  The first exhibition was held in 2001.  The exposition has sites in three Korean cities with historic pottery traditions which continue to present day with literally hundreds of potters in the compact area.  Ann will share a few of the pieces she was able to bring back.  Korean pottery served as the link between the tradition started in China and through conquest into Japan.  The rich simple beauty of Korean ceramics will entrance you.  Additionally, the exposition featured the best of contemporary ceramics throughout the world with an exhibit of winners of the international competition.  Come be inspired.


Cave Spring High School News, Offers and Requests

Cave Spring High School (CSHS) Silent Auction:

To help support the arts program at Cave Spring High School, members are asked to contribute one of your best pots for the auction held on May 8. 
 
Please carefully pack and label your piece with minimum bid information.  It can be brought to our meeting on April 17, to the Brambleton Center designated for Paul Proffit to collect, or to the Mud Puddle Pottery on Starkey Road.  We would like to get an idea of who will contribute to this now. Please call or email Martha Legg (342-0893, legg360@cox.net) as soon as possible it will save trying to contact you.
 
We ask all our members to consider helping with this project.  If you were able to benefit from our association with Cave Spring by selling at our successful show, you have an extra incentive to participate.  If you plan to apply for the 2004 show, you also will have a special interest.  the school and the art teachers were a tremendous help in making the show a success.  Pots should have a minimum bid.

The auction will be held before and during intermission of the production of Annie Get Your Gun (automatic large audience).   Please send a  digital images by email to Anne Pfeiffer, apfeiffer@rcs.k12.va.us.  of any donated pots to put on flyers and posters by early April.

Blue Ridge Potters Invited to Join CSHS for Raku Fire

Jim Gorman will be doing a Raku workshop/firing at CSHS on Saturday, May 1st. Members are welcome to participate.  Please contact Anne Pfeiffer, apfeiffer@rcs.k12.va.us.

He can fire up to 100 pieces and CSHS students are estimated to have about 60 pieces, so there is room for a few more participants. There will be a per pot charge for non students.  Register with Anne and she will provide you with additional details.  Join these delightful young people and share the joy of raku.


2004 Show Report: 

 Show dates for 2004 are October 8, 9 and 10 at Cave Spring High School.  This is the 5th year for the Blue Ridge Potters Show.  Help make this a sensational anniversary.  Share your ideas and volunteer by contacting Martha Legg, show chair, at 540-342-0893, legg360@cox.net or at:  3602 Ridgewood Ln, Roanoke, VA 24014

Prepare for success:  Share any photos of your pottery with Brenda Goad, 2309 Maiden Ln, Roanoke, VA, 24015, potterybybrenda@aol.com, 540-344-6361 for future advertising use. Make now any items that you will be featuring at the show.  We will again ask members for pots to consider for photographing and inclusion in the 2004 show brochure.


Do you any have fairly recent series of photographs of yourself creating a typical piece in your work area?  If not, Meredith Poole is interested in visiting various members this year and taking such sequences to see about creating some posters to mount on the walls or stands at the October show.  I think these can be educational, give customers something to look at while waiting in line, increase interest and appreciation of the pottery customers buy, and also provide a place for communicating information about the pieces (food-safe, temperature shock-sensitive, etc.). If any member would like to advise, inform, or help share the responsibility of this project, contact Meredith Poole. (poolepot@earthlink.net  540-772-1669)

Guild Business Updates
 
Update:   Blue Ridge Potter Guild, Incorporated:  Process is proceeding to secure the 501-c-3 tax status form the IRS.  This status will allow us to receive donations which will be tax deductible.  It gives us entry into the non-profit arts community and other benefits.


For those few who have not renewed:  The new calendar year runs January 1 to December 31.   Renewing members are credited with half dues,  because we were on a fiscal year that was July 1 through June 30.  For 2004, renewing members will pay $10.   New members joining any time during 2004 will pay $20.  All of us will have to renew since with the incorporation this is a new organization.  Make the check payable to "Blue Ridge Potters Guild" and mail with the membership application to Carol Rosenberg, Treasurer 3466 Windsor Rd.  Roanoke, VA 24018.  Thanks to those who have renewed.

Thanks to Linda Duncan:  Board member and trusty past show treasurer, Linda Duncan is taking a break to focus care for her mother.  Richard Moon is taking leadership as co-chair of the committee.   We all wish her and her mother well and will miss her quiet wisdom on the board.  Thanks Linda for you extensive contributions to the Guild!  We look forward to improved health for your mother and your return to active participation on the board.

Please Help Your Guild:  If you did not indicate on your membership application the committee or job you could help with, Please, do so by contacting the chair.  Nominating committee is limited to those appointed, but the other committees can use your help.  Sharing the load does not leave any one of us over burdened.  Do your part!

Program Committee: Co chairs:  Rich Moon and Linda Duncan, members: Lyn Jordan,          Claire Barton, Cindy Patterson, Cyndy Hubbell, Nancy Keenan, Linda Jernigan
 
Show/Sales Committee:  Martha Legg, chair,  members: Lucy Farrell,Yolanda Eddy
 
Finance Committee:  Bob Campbell, chair,  members: Carol Rosenberg
 
Publicity/Newsletter:  Ann Hess, chair, members:
 
Membership Committee:  Paul Proffit, chair,  members: Gail Speidell. Bill Speidell
 
Nominating Committee:  Brenda Goad, chair, Nancy Lewis, Yolanda Eaddy

Board Meeting Notes and Notice:  

Secretary notes from January 31, 2004 board meeting: Twenty-four potters have paid their dues this year to date. All committee chairs have been voted on and approved.

Planning of the BRPG Show/Sale this fall has begun.  An application  fee structure was agreed which would open the show to the public at a charge greater than for members.  (As a non-profit we are required to open participation in all events to the public, but can charge a premium and can give preference to members to participate.)   A deadline of July 1, 2004 was set for this application fee. A $10.00 late fee will be charged after July 1st.

Cave Spring High students are having an auction on May 8th to benefit their arts program. Anyone who wishes to donate some of their pottery for this student fund raiser must turn in their pieces by  April 17th at the board meeting or to Paul Proffit at the Roanoke County Rec.Center Studio.

The Korean Workshop details were discussed. A fee structure was agreed to which would open the workshop to the public at a charge greater than for members..

The guild is looking into setting up a web site.

The next board meeting will be on April 17th, after the program at the Roanoke County library.  Contact Meredith Poole,  poolepot@earthlink.net  540-772-1669, if you have any agenda items.


BRPG Workshops: 

Techniques in Korean Handbuilding and Decorating
 
September 11 and 12 with Arthur and Mary Park. Rich Moon will host the event in his studio in downtown Roanoke.    Mr. Park has studied with internationally recognized potters in Japan and Korea.  The Parks are conducting a workshop in Seagrove at the NC Pottery Museum later in the month.  Costs are  $95 for guild members and $115 for non-members and include supplies.  Reserve a place now, as enrollment is limited.  Send your check with a note to Carol Rosenberg.   A flyer is being drafted and will be sent later.

Mini-workshop with Priscilla Perkins
Sumi brush glaze workshop with Priscilla Palmer, Co-owner of Emerson Creek Pottery.
at the Rich Moon Pottery Center, 309 Campbell Ave., Downtown Roanoke
Saturday, May 1, 2-5 pm. $20 for members, $25 for non-members.  Enrollment limited to twelve (12)  Bring a couple of bisqued pots with smooth surfaces.  We will be learning a cone six glazing technique of creating on-glaze designs, using sumi brush painting techniques.  Priscilla has done this workshop before at the pottery center, and we learned a great deal.  Rich will fire your glazed pieces from the workshop. 
Call Rich Moon Pottery at 345-1900 to sign up.

Other Workshops:  Note the April issue of Ceramics Monthly.  There is an annual list of summer opportunities throughout the United States and internationally.

Arrowmont in Gatlinburg is sponsoring the fourth symposium and exhibition:  Utilitarian Clay IV:  Celebrate the Object September 15-18.  Ann Hess has attended two of these.  It is a wonderful experience, but it fills the first day they open registration.


Ann Hess Recognized as Artist of the Month

The News Messenger, local newspaper serving Montgomery County and Radford, recognized member, Ann Hess in the Leisure section on February 28, 2004.  She recounted how she got into pottery through her son, Jonathan and his first contact with clay in a public school class.  Some simple techniques were shared and a plug for the Blue Ridge Potters also included.


Sales opportunities: ( These are listed as a courtesy, none have an endorsement from your board.) 
Explore Park is interested in starting a craft village at the Park. Also, there will be other opportunities to sell your art and crafts at events held at Explore Park through out this season. If you are interested, please call or email the Executive Director Ms. Deborah H. Pitts at (540) 427-1800 ext 323 Email:   dpitts@explorepark.org.

Deadline March 15,
  Sedalia Center
,1108 Sedalia School Road,  Big Island VA 24526, 434-299-5080/fax:  434-299-6463  $40/site booth fee, Saturday April 24 11-5.
     Claytor Lake State Park Festival, Dublin, VA, June 5 and 6  Contact:  Judy Ison, Fine Arts Center for the New River Valley, P. O. Box 309 Pulaski, VA, 24301, 540-980-7363, facnrv@adelphia.net  $125 booth fee. 
       Old Town Warrenton Spring Festival, Saturday May 15, 9-4, booth fee $100, $120 if application received after 3/15,  Contact:  Old Town Warrenton Spring Festival, P. O. Box 127, Warrenton VA 20188,  540-347-4414
early Deadline March 12,  Montpelier Wine Festival, P. O. Box 146, Orange VA, 22940, Contact Barbara Bannar, 540-672-5216, occc@ns.gemlink.com  Booth fee $150 ($135 if in by 3/12)
Deadline April 1,Early registration  Bridge Day Celebration-"The British Invasion", Saturday, August 21, 10-7, $35, early fee,  $50 until July 1, in Bisset Park, Radford, VA, sponsored by Radford Chamber of Commerce,27 West Main St., Radford VA, 24141, 540-639-2202/fax:  540-639-2228, execdir@radfordchamber.com

Looking for pottery equipment or supplies? 

Member, Mickey Surratt, 575 West Wind Rd., Fincastle, VA 24090, 540-473-3076 buys and sells used equipment.
 
Member Rich Moon, 309 Campbell Avenue, Roanoke, VA 24016 (moon@roanoke.edu)540-354-2529 is a local distributor for Campbell's Ceramic Supply.  He now carries Standard and Campbell's clay, as well as tools and glaze chemicals on site at catalog prices.

Rich also is looking for potters who want to sell their work in his gallery space on commission basis.  Contact him for further information.

Editor's Notes:

Please send news of recognitions and awards as well as information you want to share to Ann Hess, newsletter editor, at: annhess@swva.net, 540-382-8235, 70 Crescent Drive, Christiansburg, VA 24073.  Newsletter will be formally sent quarterly.  Additional information will be shared in a timely fashion. 

Newsletters will be mailed or emailed at the member's preference.  If you want this transmitted to you in a form different than that you received it, please notify me.

 
-- 
Ann Hess
70 Crescent Drive NW
Christiansburg, Virginia  24073

Phone: 540-382-8235
email: annhess@swva.net