Communications

There have been major changes in this committee area. Rachelle Chinnery
resigned after a long spell as Chair and Don Jung took over. He has used his
remarkable skills to transform the website and provide invaluable service in all
areas of our computer welfare. In addition, we had to find, after 5 years of
dedicated expertise from Letia Richardson, a new newsletter Editor. Dennis
Vance has taken the position and he uses lay-up help from Martin Hunt. While
there have been a few teething problems for the new team, the Newsletter will
develop its own flavor and continue to be our main vehicle of communication.
As well as coordination and proofreading by Gillian McMillan and Carole
Matecha, an essential part of the newsletter team is the quietly dedicated
group that comes in every month to stuff the envelopes. Without people like
this the Guild would not function.

Ongoing telephone and email enquiries have been ably fielded by Jay
MacLennan- it’s an unglamorous but essential job and typical of "stuff just
getting done".

Events and Fundraising
The star event was the “Too Good For the Shard Pile” sale of donated seconds

held at the Lougheed Mall. Thanks to all those who donated pots to, Linda
Doherty, who organized it, and to all those who helped at the sale. It’s a
brilliant fundraiser. We hope it will be a regular feature.

Markian Kyba ran four raku-u events. These will continue; they generate
money and promote both the Guild and pottery awareness.

An Oktoberfest Stein Sale unfortunately ran up against the unexpected
competition of a major beer festival. Future efforts in this direction would be
limited to a simple booth space selling steins and promoting potters. Our
major fall workshop had to be cancelled due to lack of numbers but we did
manage a smaller, stimulating evening event with visiting Maori potters. As
well as being the main publicity arm, through the newsletter, of the bi-annual
Clay Symposium which is organized by the Canadian Clay Symposium
Committee, the Guild this year did the lunch; thank you John Cloutier. Assefa
Kebede, helped by Maggi Kneer, ran an “after Symposium” get-together so
that participants could wind down and discuss the day over food and drinks.

Gallery
In a difficult retail climate the Gallery has had its best year ever and it speaks

volumes of both Tamara Ruge in her first year as Gallery Manager and the
outstanding hard working Gallery Committee- Jinny Whitehead, Sheila
Morrissette, Maggi Kneer, Pia Sillem and Celia Rice-Jones. The gallery has
been revitalized with repainting, new shelving and a move of the exhibition
space to increase regular sales space. The rear wall changes colour several
times a year, which underlines the constant rotation of displays by the
excellent support staff. Long-term staff Kristen Chursinoff, Sheryl Wilson and
Dale Delanson have moved on to other ventures but we continue to be blessed

June 2004 Potters Guild of British Columbia Newsletter