LETTERS

——a

Monbors,

ft 4s with a real ceep regret that I am having ta
write thia letter, J had hoped to be telling you
the date of the January "95 meting and other
information about Made In Clay bet (netead am
{rferming you that [ an ne lenger the coordinator
for the sale.

A key purpose in rewitalixing a Potters Guild of
8.C. sale was to get moambers invalved in making the
sale happen. Our motto, “by the potters for the
potters" ic the must important principle. This has
meart that we work together to make the cale a
reality ard any Gecisiona regarding the sale be
voted on democratically by the participants
fewolwed. Lag year we Gomtributed our can money
on an unknow) and worked hard to make this sale
happen. f believe this 18 a good foundation from
which to build, However, 1 ig mot possible to
eserdinata an event whan the beard votes on matters
regarding Made In Clay and believes they have the
power todo so. [t ia too frustrating to be
undermined on key tssues and feel you have no say
1A something you believe in and have helped to

beg in.

T think I need to clarify and give examples. In
last manth's newsletter the last line of the
application fers states; NOTE: The Guild takes 10
percent share of gross sales for this evant to pay
eosts. I was totally unaware of this. The board
veted on this and have made this decision and are
urwilling to wait unti] it can be voted on at the
all participants meeting in January. Also excluded
from the last newsletter without my being made
aware was the End paragraph of my article. I would
like ta include this entire paragraph now.

“The other area that people have bean asking me
about ig the 10% eansiesion the Giild would like to
take for general Potter's Guild of 8.0. revere.
This was discussed at the wind up party after the
Sale last year and | fee) it needs to be discussed
and voted on by a larger number of Mada In Clay
participants. The budget was ao tight last yaar =
having that 10%, or a portion go directly into tha
Made En Clay furd would be a real asset in sale
expanses and hele keeo booth orioes down, This 102
would only be deducted after you meat your booth
eapensas, "Oo Matter where the money want te — if it
should at all. Another good reason to come te @
meeting which #17] be scheduled late January "95.
If you reslly dislike this 10% comission idea

3

please register anyway, Remember, Mace [n Clay js
a first come first serve registration and if you
watt ¢471 the meeting to register it could be too
late (your $100.00 will be refunded then tf you do
not want to participate because of the 10%
conmiiasien).

If your lack of input imto decisions, or you de not
agree with the decision of tha board to take this
10% commission I suggest you get your refund now,

How I personally feel about this 10% is mot the
issue here - I hope this message is clear - the
principle that participants make the deciston is.

Unfortunately, I no longer have the energy to
endure the politics of the guild further. I can't
say enough about my committee last year and all the
incredible work they put into Made in Clay. The
effort by al] participants and the comraderia we as
potters axperterced during tho sale makes this a
very anetional ard difficult decision. I will
really miss the experience and wish you all well.

Cathi Jefferaan
MORE MADE IN CLAY

In this response to Cath Jefferson's letter, I
write from the perspective of a) a guild marnber
with work in the gallery, b) a guild momber who is
currartty serving on the board of directors, c) a
quild marber whe was a participant in last year's
and previous guild sales and d) as a guild merber
who is 2 registered participant for the 1998 Guild
sale. The anphasis fs intentional because the
heart of this issue 1s the wall being of the Guild
and Cathi has teken a personal, emetianally loaded
position that is potantially, axtramaly divisive to
the coherence and well being of tha Guild as an
antity.

I wart to make it very clear that we should all be
mctrene ly grabeful to Cathi for her treredible
tina, effort and drive that last year spearheaded
the re-inatitutian of the tradition of a Guild sale
- and it is a lang tradition, What was new last
year was that the Guild as an organization received
absolutely no benefit from the sale. All the
profits from the sale want back imto the pockets of
the participants. {1 was one of the participants
that baneftted from the sale and [ feel
uncomfortable that the Guild did not benefit.) He
are getting the exhibition space at a reduced rate
because of the Guild's status ag a non profit
organization; the participants banatit practically