Hello All
Here we are and it's October already - time has got away with me so you have two sets of minutes here. Press on through that and get to Crystal's review of the Cuttlefish Casting workshop!
Don't forget the AGM tomorrow night - 7th October at 7.30pm, we look forward to seeing you!
There is a bit going on with the evening classes going well with great work from Solvejg, Arthur Crystal, and myself tutoring at the moment.
We have also had the workshop available for members to use on Saturdays between 10am and 1pm - the next Saturday is this week on the 8th of October. We will be reviewing this after the AGM. It costs the Guild $20 per hour to use the workshop so we will need to work out how to meet that cost if we continue to make Saturdays available - and of course we will have to have a system to have someone there to open and set up too!
The Cuttlefish Casting workshop went very well, and we are putting on a Delft Clay workshop to follow on Saturday, November 19th, 10am - 4pm, $20. Please contact Arthur on 382 1332 to book your spot. Take a look at the last Delft Clay workshop photos , click on the link http://www.flickr.com/photos/silversmithsguild/sets/72157619972545091/
Check the bar on the right hand side for some tools for sale from Betty Inglewood. A great opportunity to add to your kit, or start up your own workshop.
Karen is back home and making a good recovery , although she is feeling a bit tired and is taking things very easy for a bit. We wish her the very best as she gets back on her feet.
I hope you are all enjoying a creative moment or two as the weather is improving and no doubt, the garden calling too
Cheers
Jo
Minutes for September Committee Meeting
September 5, 2011
6:30 p.m. at SIT rooms
Apologies: Chloe, Crystal, Noeline
Present: John Weeber, John Ogilvie, Karen Atherton, Arthur Harrison, Solvejg Ruarus, Diederic Ruarus
Minutes taken as read.
Workshops: The tool-making workshop was a great success. We agreed we should try to schedule a few more workshops. Arthur, John O. and John W. will organise a cuttlefish.
casting workshop. Date of Saturday October 1 to be confirmed.
Studio Time: We will cancel the Saturday classes scheduled for Term 4. Since we have Saturdays free we can have Studio time on Saturdays for members. Propose next four Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. open for members to come work. Karen will be there to
open up and supervise the workshop and will send out email announcing it.
Classes: Solvejg and Karen reported that the first month of classes has gone well. Solvejg will teach Level One class for Term 4. Crystal and Jo will teach Level Two class for Term 4. We will cancel the Saturday classes for Term 4 since only one person has signed up for them. Karen will try to get the person signed up to move to a weeknight class.
Discussion of AGM plans. We discussed the agenda for the AGM. Documents to be attached are constitution, financial documents from Diederic Ruarus, proposed changes to constitution. Discussed purpose of AGM as both to approve the financial reports and to elect new committee members or confirm current ones until next AGM in June 2012. Diederic proposed that all current members of the executive committee hold their positions until the next AGM". Diederic suggested using the same auditor next year as he used this year. It will cost $500.
Diederic said that it causes problems when people pay bills online without including a note stating who is paying and for what. He would like a note in the newsletter asking for cooperation by members.
Susan Brown wants to borrow lost wax casting equipment. Discussed and decided that she should buy her own crucibles gas and oxygen, and any other consumables. The hoses, along with new blow-back stopping attachments and the centrifuge will be lent to Susan. She will need to pay a bond (returnable) of $200. Solvejg will contact Susan and arrange.
Bond for borrowed items. Discussed allowing members to borrow tools and place a bond to insure their safe return.
Discuss one-day workshop plans. Three people from Culverden want to attend a one-day class geared to making a silver ring. Discussion regarding what fee to charge. $100 each plus materials for three people minimum. We can combine this with studio time.
Meeting ended 8:05 p.m
Next meeting is AGM on Friday, October 7th.
Monday 3rd October 2011
Present; Arthur, Dierdric, Solvej, Jo, John O, John W, Crystal.
Apologies; Noelene, Chloe.
No minutes from previous meeting are available to read.
Tabled resignation from Karen Atherton. Accepted with regret.
Solvej will arrange a token of our appreciation for Karen and Mark.
Dierdric – Structure of Finances Report.
Dierdric also suggests we keep the same account in coming year/s.
Noelene is prepared to be class co-ordinator (as advised by Arthur, as Noelene absent).
She is willing to do this – with a backup. Solvej is willing to be a backup.
Crystal to make sets for student handout – photocopying notes from previous classes.
Will gather information at Fridays AGM.
Jo and Crystal to redo brochure for next year when needed.
Discussing prerequisites for allowing new people to become members of the Guild.
Previously this was run past the Committee. Possible checklist of required skills and/or presenting work to the Committee were some ideas discussed.. Otherwise up to Tutor discretion?
Changes to the Constitution – to be included in the AGM.
Solvej suggest we ask Katrina & Harvey if they would like to re-involve themselves in the Guild/join the committee – when they are back from overseas.
At the AGM we will ask if any members are willing to join the committee.
Arthur is ‘reluctantly’ prepared to take on the role of President.
This issue needs to be decided at the AGM.
Nibbles and drinks at the AGM? Solvej has offered to arrange this.
Studio Time ; Last arranged session this Saturday. The duty of opening up needs to be shared. This also needs to be discussed at the AGM – as well as a possible cost per person for the time, perhaps a gold coin donation or a set $5.00 fee.
Committee agreed to paying Arthur for his time spent tutoring with the rest of the teachers.
Teachers should be paid based on the amount of sessions they teach.
Next Committee meeting will be 6:30pm on the 7th November.
1st February – is the start of the new year for the Guild.
Discussed possible Guild Barbeque in February (as used to happen in past years).
John O. is keen to host this barbeque and we’re all very keen for this to happen.
Discussed difficulty with members paying online. Sometimes hard to distinguish who has paid if no further information is given. Best way to do this would be to email a copy of the transaction, and to include your name on the actual transaction.
Meeting Closed 7:30pm.
Cuttlefish Casting Workshop
The Silversmith Guild’s Cuttlefish Casting Workshop went off with a bang! … well actually the bang came later when ‘he who shall remain nameless’ turned off the oxygen and gas in the wrong order. Ahem. Nonetheless it was a wonderful day of attempting to cast objects – like keys, beads and tiny figurines – into the dense powdery substance of a cuttlefish.
Tutors John O, John W and Arthur did a wonderful job of showing us the ropes, with very clear instructions both as a hand-out supplied with the initial introduction (for those who made it on time), and in their patient and enthusiastic hands-on teaching.
All equipment was supplied as well as an initial cuttlefish, then more were available for purchase as needed. There were many successes, many ‘almost successes’, and a lot of ‘attempting’, but for those with the panache to keep trying it was a day well worth the effort. Indeed, some of the pieces that did not appear to work as planned turned out to be extremely successful in their uniqueness and potential, and we look forward to seeing the final products when these casts are worked into finished pieces.
One student walked away with a beautifully completed pendant in a shell-like design, created by scraping the powdery substance into a pattern using dental tools and casting that unique shape. The finish of a cast, when brushed with a brass brush, turns out an originally beautiful finish of it’s own, and there are also many other ways to polish and finish a cast object.
As the day progressed many of us were able to handle more and more of the process independently – with a helpful tutor standing by, which was very empowering.
We had quite a few of our current students – both from the Beginners and Advanced Classes attend, which stands us in good stead for recruiting new members in the near future.
And for those who attended, to avoid the unpleasant kind of bang-for-your-buck remember ; GO GO = Gas on then Oxygen on, to turn the taps on. Then Gas off, followed by Oxygen off – to turn off. Thank you to John for this very memorable little tip.
HUGE THANKS to John O, John W and Arthur for their fantastic organising, shared expertise, and general enthusiasm in passing on such creative and enjoyable skills as were involved in cuttlefish casting.
Needless to say - we eagerly look forward to the next workshop!
- Crystal Mathieson.
