President’s Message I hear through the claylines that the Northern Clayfest was a super successful event. Well done! I wish I could have gone myself, but family commitments took me in a southward direction instead. As we head into our busiest time of the year, mark your calendars with two October events: The Pottery Market and Raku U at the Lougheed Town Centre, Oct. 7 and 8; and the Tajimi exchange exhibit opening and slide presentation Oct. 21 (see separate article for details). Don’t forget to sign up for the new spring showcase event; the deadline of November may seem early, but we need to know if it 1s worth putting more work into organizing 1t. 2007 is the Year of Craft and this event will be included in the promotional calendar, but we need a good name—anyone can put forward suggestions, even 1f you are not participating. So get those creative juices running! You will have read last month that our landlord, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), 1s raising the rent. It is quite a substantial increase and 1t means we have to be even more tmaginative in making the gallery a viable operation. But it 1s do-able with the resources we have—our wonderful staff, volunteers, artists and supporters. It will mean some minor changes, such as cancelling the members’ December show, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be other opportunities for general membership participation. The opportunities will come in a different format—look out next month for more news on one such event. I just want everyone to remember that we are subject to the rise and fall in the local economy, the tourist industry, and societal trends; retail 1s a volatile business and we have to twist and turn to face those challenges. I think we’ve done a pretty good job over the past twenty years and we will continue to do so over the next. Jinny Whitehead important Notice: Only Two More Paper Issues to Come This newsletter should also be coming to you via electronic mail (email); beginning in 2007, the paper version will be phased out. If you have not received an email newsletter, please assist us by updating your and sending your correct email address to membership@bcpotters.com. membership information If you are receiving the email newsletter, then you don’t need to do anything as we have your correct information. If you do not have an email address and/or a computer, now would be a good time to get yourself one@ —>—_———EEiirrr