EDITOR: Lynne Carmichael _ ISSN 0319. 812Xx_

THE POTTERS GUILD / OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
315 West Cordova Street

Vancouver, 8.C.
V6 1E5

NEWSLETTER June 1977

Hello Potters

The. next General Meeting is Wednesday, June 15, 1977, 8:00pm, at the Unitarian
Church, Fireside Room, N.E. corner of 49th and Oak. The meetings are held on

the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Program: A Special Meeting has been arranged so that we all can. discuss the
Pros and Cons of our 8.C. CERAMICS SHOW, with regard to this past show and the

form of future ones. Also it will be an excellent opportunity for everyone to

¥

express their ideas about our next years JURIED SHOW, to be held in the Spring ©
of 1978. Hope to see you there!

PLEASE NOTE THAT OUR JULY MEETING WILL BE HELD AT FRED QWEN'S FOR A RAKU PARTY.
The date to note is JULY 16th a Saturday, starting at 10am till early evening.
Please bring your pots to be fired in the morning. If you have any doubts about
the quality of your body (clay that is!) call Fred 531-8118. So pack your

- picnic lunch -and bring the whole family for the Potters Guild of B.C.'s final

meeting/party of 1976/77. Address: 15687 Mountain View Cres. White Rock, 8.C.
A LETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP FROM GEORGINA HUGHES * CO-CHAIRMAN

Dear Members,

It has come to our attention that there is considerable dissatisfaction with
our current annual show. You might well ask: "What is so unuaual about that?",
and of course the answer would be: “Nothing at all". Shows have always been
criticized and that is to be expected.

What I can't understand is why there have been only two people who have
openly expressed their disapproval. We have a general meeting each month and
would welcome: your apinions and suggestions. If you are unable to come to

meeting, write a letter or make a phone call to someone on the exeeutive.

I. would like to explain why we have presented an Invitational Show this

“year and the manner in which the participants were chosen. . The comments of the

Jurors at 8.C. Ceramics'76 indicated that they felt that a large part of the

work sent in for their inspection was of a very mediocre quality. It was .
suggested that, just possibly, an Invititional Show of work by well qualified
potters might help people to judge the quality of work required for an exhibition.
At. the November General Meeting we discussed the idea of a biennial invitational
show alternating with a biennial juried show. No firm decision was reached at

that meeting and at the December executive meeting we felt we could wait no longer.
If our show was to be held in May, we were already rather lete in our planning.

If. was unanimously agreeed to go ahead with an invitational. A long lits was mede
of well known and well qualified potters in 6.0. Each person was allowed to

~ choose ten from that list. This was done by secret ballot, the votes were

counted and the seven with the highest number of votes were chosen. I fail to see

how we could have been more democratic. We would have liked more time to consider

this matter but felt that to leave it until January was unfair to the potters.
Judging by the work displayed I feel that a great deal of time and effort was
expended.

Some of you have questioned the honorariums paid to each potter. After
considerable thought and discussion on this matter I feel that it was justified,
in-fast is merely a token in consideration of the effort involved. In previous
years we have spent at least one thousand dollars on awards, which compares
with the amount for the honorariums - one hundred and fifty dol'-rs to each
potter.

We had found in recent years that many of the top potters did not enter the
juried. shows even when quite generous awards were offered. It become obvious that
the only way these people would participate was by invitation.

I think B.C. Ceramics'77 has been well worth the time, effeart and cost. I
would like to thank all the potters who participated, our exhibition committee - :
chairwoman, Hanna-4Kristmanson and her hard working committee, Fred Owen and
his crew who did the display, the many people who are staffing the gallery for
two weeks and all the other people who have contributed to the success of the
show.

Shows are stimulating, depressing, an ego trip, a pain in the neck and one
heck of a lot of work. So why do we have them? Perhaps because they're kinda
fun!! I hope I have answered some of your questions.

Sincerely, Georgina Hughes Co-Chairman