Letter to the Editor: Dealing With Change

In the last issue, the editor wrote about change and I wrote about process. It strikes
me that we were really writing about the same thing. The whole process that we
potters pursue 1s really all about change. We take the material that is created through
geological change, re-form it and make it permanent rock again through a series of
changing processes. When the changing 1s complete we are done with it. Change is
the essence of life and we can easily apply that as a metaphor for our organization. If
we stop changing, we will be done with it.

Last year was the guild’s 50" Anniversary and it was remarkable to look

. a
back to our beginnings and celebrate the growth and changes. Some of
the changes have not been the most comfortable and on a personal level, 66
I have been in the role of President at a couple of particularly difficult The challenge

times of transition. for us is to take
Currently the guild is vital and exciting with great energy. This energy the tradition Ss of

comes from a relatively few dedicated individuals who really believe in

potters having a provincial voice. the past and
A new editor will bring new ideas and the newsletter will change again. ad apt them to

I have been around long enough to have seen it evolve through many

changes. Gisela Kaempfter has seen many more—she has every edition, the present day”

all carefully filed. One could forgive Gisela for wanting hard copies to

archive with her collection. If she has problems with her printer Iam sure -Chester Nealy,

the guild will oblige, as 1t would with other special requests.

I am really new to the electronic world having made it through a whole
teaching career with a pen, and sure, Pd rather have the newsletter to
curl up with over a coffee rather than reading it on a screen but I can
always print it off it is that important. How much easier it will be to
store 1t though and what a boon it will be to far flung guilds. Printing and
postage is killing us—let’s put the money to better use for our guild and
community.

It 1s the new ideas and fresh energy that new personalities bring to an organization
that keeps it vital—and 1t’s great to see some younger blood on the board! Unfortunately,
there are always the nay-sayers, the ones who are “too busy” to contribute and can
only complain about the efforts of volunteers trying to do the best they can for our
guild.

A long time ago, I found lots to complain about what I saw wrong with the guild
and gallery. It was suggested that if I saw so many problems, perhaps I could become
part of the solution. It began a long involvement with the board and an increasing
understanding of the challenges but tempered by the huge positives of being part of
the action.

In the words of Robert Frost from his poem, “The Road Not Taken”: “And that
has made all the difference"@ Keith Rice-Jones

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Flagstaff
Oct. 2006

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