paye 4

Summary: Made in Clay 96

was also a feeling chac as the coerdinator
was paid, she should take che responsibility
foreverything. The job desenption was

The Summacy was made from comments
received back from participants, buyers
and an analysis of sales and visinoss. A
complete analysis of figures is available
from Jacqui, and the following are a few
highlights.

Geoss Sales: 1994 $46, 283,67
1995. $41, 154.72
L996 $54, 319.

1996 Breakdown:

Advertising $1,792

Visa machine, Wrapping

Tene & Supplies 31,955

Performance Works Renral

Coordinamr $1,200

Postage $428

Misc. $311

Total Expenses $8,291

Beoth & Table Income 494,922

51,416

$1,600

The most popular of all items sold were
mugs and bowls. This was discussed ar the
meeting ac facqui's ag to whether we
should use this a3 an advertising acrategy or
perhaps do a tie in wich the catering.
Conversely, it was also put that we should
target our advertising to che more up
market buyers with a larger purchasing
power.

Among the suggestions puc forward were:
We should have a personality during the
event such as Norm Grohman or Phil
Reimer.
One area of publicity thar should be
explored is in the local community
newspapers with a write up (fee) featuring

the local artists in each area whe are in che

Made in Clay gale.

[t was also felc chat we needed both small
and large posters to be put up at different
locations. This year the banner will be
booked early!

Job descriptions should be put into the
Exhibicors kit, so each participanc is aware
of their job, and pucs in a maximum effert.

Made in Clay is a sale by pocters for
potters, and part of che original mandate
was that everyone should put in a certain
amounce of hours to help with the show.
Unforcunarely, this year, the bulk of the

voluntary workload fell on che shoulders of

a few of che original participants. There

to be a central figure who knew the
answers, oversaw the budget, advertising
and promotions, liaisons with the Board
and was responsible for delegating che
work load co che sub-committees. Jacqui
reckoned that her average hourly rate
wad abour 20 cence. As no one was
willing ta take om the work load, and che
Gallery staff are overworked as is, che
only solution for the continuation of the
sale was to have a paid coordinator,

We only had abour a dozen participants
ac che wrap up porluck/diseussion, and
one of che copies discussed was the
inequality of the work load. In fact, a
couple of our stalwart hands indicated
thac chey did moc wish to take part if they
are expected to do the same job again.

Wich the original Made in Clay sale,
each participant was assigned to a
subcommittee with the idea chat one
member of che subcommittee should take
over the leadership of that particular
subcommittee for che following year. If
that was not possible, the previous head
would cry co teach another person the
job, Obviously, with the hiccups we had
in previous years, this procedure was nor
followed. Ac the meeting, it was
proposed that we should revert to the
standard Craft Fair formula, which
would make the booth cost around $450,
wich each pocrer handling cheir own
sales, wrapping, etc., thus doing away
with the central sales desk, the wrapping
area and the security floonwalkers. The
additional cast would cover all che
expenses, the coordinator, and one
additional paid person to ogerace the
credit card machine and to complete all
the book-keeping at the end of the show.

Along with chese changes, booth size will
be increased and each booch will be
draped with standard curtain walls. Only
two participants will be allowed to share
a booth, unless ic is an established guild
booch. Ultimately, a move off Granville
Island is contemplated, with a larger
space and more accessible parking so
that che sale can be more inclusive.

Please recum your comments by
Sepeember 30, so we can make che
necessary arrangements for [SO7, You
are all invited to an informal potluck
barbecue 2¢6:30 pm on Qetober 11 ch ac
Maggi Kineer’s place oo discuss ideas and
ways and means to make our 1997 show
even more successful. Everyone is
welcome, and you don's have to be a
participanc in order to join in. Bring
some food, pop or booze, swimwear and a
towel fora soak in the hor cub if the
stress level pees coo high! The addreas is
4125 Fair way place, North Vancouver.
Take the Doilarcon Highway, left on the
Dollar Road at che Dollarton Shopping
mall, and second left onto Fainvay,
Please call Magy ac 929 - 3206, if you
will be corning.

Laura Wee Lay Laq Workshop

Laura's workshop , held in May &
June,was one of che bese [ have ever
attended. [t ran four weeks, focusing on
the the process of sawdust firing of
burnished pots. In the first class she
showed slides of her work, demonstrating
the art form she is renowned for. She
also made clear whac could be done with

this primitive process,

The second week was hand building,
using a pookie, which is a thick, rough
pad of fired clay or plaster chat the base
of the pot is buile in. The pookie often
has a rounded bottom so that it can be
rotated by hand as the por is builc up.
Flattened coils were attached to che
bottom of che gor, using a rib co smooth
them up. In the chird class, we finished
the rim of che por, somewhat like rolling
a cigarette, gently rolling the clay down
and in. The surface was covered in
black, brown and white slips.

In the fourth week we prepared the brick
kiln by closing any air space and placing
a sheet metal jacket inside the kiln. This
done, we placed sawdust ( a mixture of
kiln dried oak, pine, herslock ec.)
inside. The firing took owo days,as is
usual, uncil the smoldering was finished.
The pieces were chen removed and
cleaned off to many oohs and ahs.!

Mark Wallin