Welcome to 2014

Here we are, halfway through January of our new year already! I hope you have all had an enjoyable break full of happy times with families and friends, good food, fun conversations, and lots of sunshine and relaxation as we head towards a busy 2014. How are all your plans looking?

I bet there are already a bunch of abandoned resolutions lying scattered in your wake! Regardless, I am looking forward to a new bunch of experiences and explorations, both in my everyday life, and my creative journey.

I have already had a play with making some spinner rings at one of our days we opened up the studio. I have been meaning to have a go at these for a while now, and have learned a few things trying them out.

Needless to say, my joins need work, they really feel the strain when stretched out as I expand the edges to contain the spinny bit of the ring. Then there is the accidental tightening up that occurred as I got over enthusiastic with my metal moving! Actually, I think there is potential here for a bit of further exploration. That is how it goes, more ideas from random 'mistakes'!!

Have you spotted any of our members in the world of art over the holidays? You lot are very quiet about what you get up to out there! Let me know and I can give you a wee bit of a promotion...

What have you been thinking about? We are keen to hear what you would like to have in the members' monthly workshops this year. If there is something you think you would like to learn, and/or teach, please get in touch with Arthur craftyart2002@yahoo.co.nz. We had some fun collaborative workshops last year, such as the enameling workshop Michel Boston and Anita Parris took. It is a exciting sharing new skills, and might be a good way to test run a workshop you go on to share elsewhere as well. Whatever you have in mind, please let us know so we can get the calendar sorted.

Getting ready for the start of the year - our version of rolling up your sleeves!

Our first committee meeting of the year is on Monday 3rd February, at 7pm in our Studio. Please come along if you would like to.

Classes start up Tuesday 4th, Wednesday 5th, and Thursday 13th February.

The first members' monthly workshop is on Saturday February 15th, 10am. We will be doing cuttlefish casting and using the Delft Clay as well, so get all your scrap together and book your place by ringing Arthur or Tui on 3821332. $20 for the day.

We also need you to be thinking about how you can help out in the guild later this year. We hold our annual AGM around July, and this will involve the election of new committee members and a new chairperson. Arthur has done an amazing job holding us all together over the earthquake aftermath, and getting us a established in our new studio workshop, and will continue to be available to help us in all sorts of ways. Our constitution rules that no-one should hold the chairperson seat for longer than 3 consecutive years. Arthur has  been doing this for 4, unusually demanding, years, and it is time for somebody new to step up and take those reins. Please think about how you can help out, it is a really rewarding committee to work in, and there are such a lot of opportunities for the guild to grow and develop further.

I am still looking for someone to take over the newsletter. We are planning a move to Nelson this year, and it would be good to be able to show someone how this blog/newsletter works before I am too far away to do so easily. It isn't difficult once you get the hang of it, and you might get really excited about making one of your own in the process! It is possible to share the editing with someone else if I set things up to do so, so you don't have to go 'cold turkey'! Go on, there must be someone keen to give it a shot! Contact me joannacrompton@gmail.com even if you just want to ask me something about it.

John Weeber and family are also moving away, to sunny Golden Bay, so he will no longer be here to be on our committee and help out with workshops and lending a hand. John has been our resident Delft Clay, and lost wax support person/technician/expert, so we will especially miss his presence when we run these workshops. He ran a memorable found object weekend where we had a very windy day at Birdlings Flat collecting all manner of finds, followed by a creative day in the workshop at SIT conjuring up some really lovely wearable art! Perhaps we can persuade him to come back to Christchurch from time to time... We wish you all the best John.

A wide range of work was on display.

Our Members' Exhibition was a great week of showing off some of our work, getting together to celebrate a whole year at Tanner St, and meeting old and new friends who managed to find us and drop in for a visit. A good effort foreshadowing many more to come! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard to get it up and going, and everyone who exhibited, came along, and sent their good wishes if they couldn't get there.

Gems from John Ogilvie's collection

There is such a wide range of styles, skills, and ideas amongst us. We had many people admiring our work, some old members who were inspired to renew their memberships, and lots of interested prospective students. I think our classes for the first term this year are pretty full already as a result.

Summary of December 2nd, 2013 Committee Meeting

Present: Arthur, Sol, Jo, Noeline, John W, Karen, Diederic, Jenny Downs, Anita

Apologies:  Crystal

Minutes of last meeting were accepted.

Matters arising:

The signage Crystal designed and organized for our door and window has been approved and is ready to be installed.

Correspondence:

Crystal People are selling cabs.  They want to let students and tutors know.  CP can also bring their stock to The Studio to sell.

Arthur tried to contact Studio 7.  No reply.  Will try again.

Camilla Gibons wants to show her pieces to the committee and join the Guild.  Sol has her email to invite her to a meeting.

Landlord’s variations to the building include boxing fan, venting and a lot of electrics and paint work, which we have received a bill for. 

Classes:

Brochure for Term 1 is out.  Noeline has 223 names on the database. Will advertise in Coffee News and community newspapers and through database mid to late January.

2014 bookings:

Term 1:  Tues. level 1, 4 registered, 3 paid

               Wed. level 2, 6, registered, 3 paid

               Thu. Level 1, 1 registered

               Thu. Level 2, 2 registered

Karen will have arm surgery before Term 1 commences and cannot commit to tutoring.

Jo’s house and move situation is in flux. 

The principal of Steiner School contacted Sol about a three-day class.  We declined to book it for 2014 but will consider it for 2015.

Arthur can help put stuff back into The Studio after the exhibition.

Noeline is out Dec 18-29.

Caroline in Wed. class needs to finish her ring so will come in on the following Wed. during the show.

Exhibition: 

Diederic will write instructions on how to use the EFTPOS machine.

Jo will send sales sheet info and Anita will cut and paste.

We need to balance money taken in at the end of the day and keep a transaction summary.  Make sure same amount float is in the moneybox.  Separate notebook for cash transactions. Cheques okay but no credit cards.

Merit prize of a fifty-dollar gift certificate from Regal Castings to be awarded.  Karen will buy it.  Arthur will give an opening word and thank people as necessary.

Sol and Diederic will provide food, cups and napkins. 8 red and 8 white wines, 3 large  bottles of juice.

Mark and Karen will return glasses to Henry’s on Ferry Road (Note:  Diederic ended up doing this job). Sol will give invitations to neighbors.  We will put the marquee and a table out in the parking lot.

Blinds need to be installed so that security is increased while the show is on.

Vouchers need expiry dates.  One year from the date of issue.  Have 4 or 5 on hand.

Saturday 14^th is jewellery pick up day.  Karen will be there for last open studio of the year.

Noeline will drop off EFTPOS stuff at the bank. 

Date to reorganize after the show to get ready for classes is Saturday 25^th at 10 a.m.

Noeline has contacted database and Beck 11, emailed copy, photo and invitation toChris Moore.  Invited Kobi Bosshard.  Contacted Go Guide – listing in the visual arts section of paper.  Ad in Mainland Press anc Christchurch Mail.  Also Be There, Event Finder, Big Idea.  Emailed the ad manager for the Star – Peter Hampton – requesting contact for advertising in the community newspaper’s community notices.  Awaiting response.

Display space will be tight in the cabinets but Noeline made up some earring and ring holders. 

Art Box: 

Solvejg, Diederic and Noeline visited the Art Box Exhibition Space in town. 

Rent is $400 for 3.5 weeks mid-October to mid-November.  There are 30 applicants for 10 spaces. 

Display.  Not all our cabinets will fit but we can probably use Noeline’s Perspex cases or have some made.

Publicity.  Art Box designs and produces flyers.  We provide copy.  They advertise through their database and Be There. 

Opening Night.  They organize that but we would need to provide extra 6 bottles of wine.

Setting Up. Grant Banbury curates and oversees the set up of the exhibition.

Staffing. Art Box has volunteers who man the gallery but if we want to achieve sales we would need to man it and supply the point of sale facilities.  They have wifi

Insurance. Insurance excess is $5000.  We could be cover for that.

Commission. Rate is 20%.

Artist talks. We can present artist talks and they will publicise.

Raffle. They will run a raffle – we supply the prize – 100 tickets at $20 each.  From the proceeds of the raffle they refund the $400 rent and they keep the balance.

General:

Casting workshop in February before John Weeber moves north.OSH document is done and will be put into student packets and displayed.  Thanks to Arthur and John for good work.

We need a timer for the pickle pot.  Arthur will buy one at Mitre Ten.

Next meeting is Monday, Feb 3, 2014.

Meeting adjourned 8:30 p.m.