GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
November 20, 2025 • 9 AM PT • Hopi Room

Thank You to Lisa Minton, outgoing Secretary, for your exemplary service (2024-2025).


Proposed GCA Budget for 2026  
Each year the GCA Board presents the proposed budget for the upcoming calendar year at the November General Membership meeting. For 2026 and 2027, our budget will need to account for expansion plans, so there are two versions. We will review the details of the budget and vote on them. Please see the links below for a preview prior to our meeting. Members who cannot attend the November General Membership meeting are encouraged to read the posted minutes and are welcome to contact a Board member with questions.  

GCA 2026 Preliminary Budget - No Closure 
GCA 2026 Preliminary Budget - Closure

Monitoring Policy Pilot Approach
At our October General Membership meeting, we received helpful reactions and suggestions to the proposed policy change for monitoring requirements. The Board has decided to pilot a new approach that still requires all members to monitor at least once each calendar year. For the months of December 2025 and January 2026, Monitors will be allowed to work on their clay projects at the front table that has a clear view of the lobby. Priority duties are attending to visitors and members who need assistance. Monitors will not be allowed to use the glaze room during this time, as there is no clear line of sight of the lobby. If this works out as a favorable approach, we will consider proposing it as a new policy. For more monitoring information, please see Janet Bonnar's article on being a Monitor Buddy in this newsletter.

Monitor Coordinator Change
A great big thank you to Janet Bonnar who has served as the Monitor Coordinator for the past 3 years and has decided to step down from that responsibility. The current alternates, Sandi Schulzetenberg and Beckie Alexander, have agreed to co-chair the Monitor Coordinator position. Thank you!

Club Policy on Purchasing Clay
As a reminder, members may purchase up to 2 bags of our on-hand clay at a time. Special orders for clay may not exceed 100 pounds and the member must purchase the full 100 pounds. If less than 100, the member will pay full price, since we don’t get a discount for less than 100 pounds from our supplier. 

Members making special orders may be required to pick up their clay, if it’s not feasible to include with our routine pick-up or delivery options. There may be special circumstances for quantities of clay to purchase at the end of peak season, which would be dependent on our inventory.

Grand Charter Clubs are not to be used as a distributor of supplies, so we cannot allow larger orders of clay. Members may procure larger quantities of clay directly with our supplier or via online options from manufacturers.

Receiving and Processing Donated Items
We are very fortunate to receive donated items on a regular basis. The Board will be discussing protocols to determine a standardized approach for receiving and processing these donations.  Please be sure to obtain the name and address of the person donating items, so that we can send a thank you note. I’ve asked our Sunshine Coordinator, Laurie Jorgensen, to handle the thank you notes, so please submit a Sunshine request when receiving donations. You’ll find the Sunshine Request link on our Home Page in the Members Area.

Are you looking to make some cool stuff, learn a new technique, or try something you’ve never done before? Well, the class offerings are just the place for you to do that!

New, New, New!
There are 6 new class offerings, along with our other classes, and, more to come! Have you seen any of these trees around the studio, or these pitchers, or these ladies? They are just a sampling of the new cool things to make. Be sure to check out the class calendar on the homepage of our website or under "CLASSES" on the menu at the top of the page.
 

Alternative Firing Program
Our studio has a very unique opportunity to participate in the alternative firing program. You can do Horsehair, Raku, Splash Obvara, and more. If you’ve never tried it, and want to watch and learn, come to the patio outside the poker club on Sunday mornings (8-11a.m.) to observe. Or, better yet, just do it!
 

Glazing
Glazing can be a challenge. Sometimes our favorite pieces just don’t turn out like we'd hoped. Take the Basic Glazing class to learn some tried-and-true techniques of glazing, or learn how to re-glaze a piece. In 2026, we plan to offer additional classes to help with glazing. Be sure to check out the class calendar.

If you are looking for a class and don’t see it, just let me know and we'd be happy to see about offering it. 

Just a few reminders regarding adding your masterpieces to the gallery.

Tagging Your Work
Use the brown tags and add your name on one side; the price and title on the other side.  Please make sure you have a unique title for each piece. The behind-the-scenes online gallery team need you to be creative, so it’s easier to figure out which piece is being sold. If you need inspiration, ask a fellow clay friend for help with the title.

Removing Your Pieces
When requesting to remove an item from the gallery, you MUST physically remove the piece from the studio gallery BEFORE submitting your request to remove. It’s a nightmare for the monitors if someone wants to purchase a piece from the studio and it doesn’t show up on Square because it was removed online but not from studio gallery.

Attention Monitors
Make sure when selling a piece that you have selected the correct piece listed in Square. Verify it's correct by comparing the picture and the title.

Thanks for your cooperation during this busy time. Any questions can be sent my way: Sherrisinger@hotmail.com or 651-428-5378. 

• Our team is focused on maintaining our selection of glazes and stains.
• When you leave, please ensure the space is looking better than when you arrived.
• If you have questions, please reach out to a member of our team. Our names and contact information are posted on the door.

The Glaze Room Request Form (blanks are in the binder on top of the microwave) is a great way to let us know of a concern or suggestion. Post your form above the sink so we will find it. Or email: GlazeLead@GrandClayArts.com 

Featured Glaze Combinations

Let us know what glaze combinations you're experimenting with and share your results! Send a photo and details to: GlazeLead@GrandClayArts.com

Pat O’Brien shared the following glaze combination for this lacy dish.

Here's the method Pat used: The clay body is Speckled Buff. - Dip ½ in Stoned Denim. Let it dry. - Dip the other end in Italian Straw with some overlap. Let it dry. - Place lace on top and stencil by blowing black gloss through the lace.

Faye Williams was thrilled with the result of this very large wavy bowl.

Here's the method Faye used: The clay body is B-mix. - 2x Obsidian brushed on the outside and inside - 2x Seaweed brushed on the inside - 2x Hot Running Chowder brushed in the creases and then 2x brush strokes in between the creases

When did you move to the Grand and where did you move from? We bought our house in 2003 as original owners and rented it for 11 years until we retired. We are from Wisconsin, just south of Milwaukee in Franklin. My husband, Ken, and I dated in high school and have been married for 54 years. We have 3 adult children and 2 grandchildren… all living in Wisconsin.

What were you doing professionally prior to retirement? What aspect of your profession did you enjoy the most? I am a registered nurse. I worked in critical care, staff development, supervision, and administration and retired as the Chief Nursing Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs. I commuted from Washington, DC, to Wisconsin every weekend for the 14 years that I had the privilege of leading nursing across the country for the VA. It was a joy and honor to serve America’s Veterans.
 
Of all the activities available to us here, why did you choose clay arts? I have always been drawn to pottery as an art form. After purchasing a number of pieces from the Gallery, I decided to join the club and try to make some myself.
 
What other activities do you enjoy - in or outside the Grand? My husband and I are golfers. We love our four beautiful courses and play together a couple times each week. We’ve had fun golfing with a number of my pottery friends.
 
Is there something special that you enjoy making on the wheel or handbuilding that you would like to share with us? I’ve enjoyed making altered bowls, carving, and building totems.


 
What is your priority for GCA in the next year? My continued priority is to create an atmosphere of collegiality and fun.
 
What is your favorite beverage? I drink sparkling ICE, scotch and water or cabernet, and an occasional espresso martini.
 
Describe in 1 word how you feel when you're playing with mud: REWARDING

• Membership Dues: $55.00
• Cubby Fees: $40.00

• 12/15/2025: Invoices sent out via email.
• 1/1/2026: All monies due.
• 1/15/2026: Dues/fees considered LATE.

Help Glaze Push Plates and Thank You Ornaments
The Make-and-Take event at the November Fall Fest was a huge success! The push plates are being fired and will be ready for glazing on November 19th at 5:30pm. 

We also need help glazing ornaments that will be given as a "thank you" with purchases made at the December 3rd Holiday Bazaar (see below). Come join the fun and lend a helping hand to our event leads:  Sandi Schulzetenberg, Cyndi Swintek, Sherri Singer, and Lisa Minton.  

Sign Up for Nov. 19 Glaze Event

Contact either one of us with any questions: Sherri Singer 651-428-5368 or Sandi Schulzetenberg  320-492-4660.

December 3rd "Wine Down Wednesday" Special Sale
Grand Clay Arts will be participating in the December 3rd Wine Down Wednesday. Details will be sent out to participants after that date. The sign up deadline is this Friday, November 21st. We will have tables set up to sell holiday and general pottery items that would make great gifts. If you would like to participate in selling on that date, please let me know.

Sign Up for Dec. 3 Sales Event

At the November Fall Fest, GCA’s Plates of Plenty event raised over $1,300, which will once again be donated to the Valley View Community Food Bank.

We extend a heartfelt thank you to all GCA members who contributed pieces for the sale—over half of our inventory was sold that day. We are also grateful to the volunteers who staffed our tables throughout the event: Georgene Davis, Kelly Ehrick, Barb Rosen, Lisa Minton, and Paula Lesh. Your generosity and support made this year’s Plates of Plenty a wonderful success.

Monitoring is a great way to meet fellow members and learn more about the workings of the club. Being a monitor buddy is another way to earn monitoring credit (1 service hour per shift). All members can volunteer to be a "buddy" for a newer member or any member who is not completely comfortable monitoring. Your monitor buddy will work in the studio while you are monitoring and be available to you for any assistance you require during the 3-hour shift. 

Any members interested in being a monitor buddy, please let one of us know: Janet Bonnar at denjanbonnar@gmail.com or Sandi Schulzetenberg at schulzetenberg@runestone.net

Grand Clay Arts is a buzz of busy creativity once again, with the return of many of our snowbird members.

Thank You
I want to thank my friend and cohort in Clay Arts supply, Beckie Alexander, for her tireless work throughout the summer. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the fantastic job that she did during the hot summer months.

Clay Supply 
Our clay stock is slowly increasing with the arrival of the back ordered Speckled Buff and WS-5 having come in. We are still waiting for the Aardvark Charcoal to be restocked, but I can assure those waiting, we should be seeing that very soon as well.

Special Orders
Please continue to place any special orders and requests for glazes and tools on the Supply Sheet located on the "Member Peg Board" on the wall by the glaze room door. Supply will do our best to get these items to you as soon as available. 

*A reminder that you please come and pick up and pay for these items ASAP, once you receive notice that they are available for pickup. We are very limited for space in the storage/ office area.  

A friendly reminder to place wheel-thrown work on the shortest shelf the piece will fit on to dry. Please leave the taller shelves for tall work. Shelf spacing on all four racks was adjusted this Summer so use the short shelves for practice work, small bowls, mugs etc. Please move your pieces to a ware board as soon as possible so the bats are available for others to use for throwing. 

Remember, hand-built pieces should be placed on the racks near the kiln room for drying. 

Thank you! 

Once again, we have interesting photo submissions from our members to share with you. 

Jim Donaldson produced a perfect pot using a kick wheel at a pottery studio in Morocco!

A few GCA members attended an Arizona clay event at Potters Peak in Scottsdale. Jim Perez-Wood participated in the blindfolded throwing event. He represented us very well and made a recognizable bowl!

 grandclayarts.com