General Meeting of Grand Clay Arts will be Thursday, December 19 at 9:00 AM, Chaparral Center in the Hopi Room.  The primary objective for this meeting is to elect the club officers who wil serve for the next twelve months.  Please plan to attend, vote, and have coffee and donuts!

January    1/8, 15 and 22       Intermediate Throwing by Donna Rozman
                  1/9, 19                     Raku with Jim Calhoun (see Special Events article)
                  1/9                            Extruder 1-2-3 by Lynne Shanrock
                  1/14, 17, 2/5, 12     Hanging Totem by Lynne Shanrock
                  1/16                          Coiling by Odette Olson                   1/28, 2/4, 11            Advanced Throwing by Donna Rozman

February   2/27, 28                  Texture & More Vase by Sharon Rothzeid  

Basic Clay - Hand Building classes for new members are offered each month on Tuesdays as demand requires.

Keep your eye on the Calendar of Events on the website which is continually updated with new class offerings.  Registering for classes on the website is an easy process; however, if you feel you need assistance, please call upon someone in the studio to assist you.

A special evening was had by all members and their spouses or significant others who attended this year's Holiday Party.  We owe a huge thank you to Nancy Hayden and Lee Root for all their efforts to make this event the success that it was.

Raku with a Twist
Our club's Alternate Fire program is hosting local artist Jim Calhoun who will be doing raku in a unique way.  Sixteen club members will be working with Jim using his special copper matte glaze.  The glazing process will occur on January 9.  On January 19 from 8 to 11 AM, Jim and participating members will be firing their clay pieces in our outdoor gas kiln.  Club members and community members are invited to drop in and watch this exciting process.  We hope to have enough time to see Jim throw some pots as well. Seating will be available on the grassy area in Raku Park.  Bundle up and enjoy the show!

GR Pottery Forms Demo
On January 23 from 9 to 11 AM, Jeff Rottman from GR Pottery Forms will be demonstrating his unique process of using wooden molds that he designed to create easy functional forms when hand building.  The minimal fee will be used to purchase some of his molds for club use.  You will be amazed at how quickly and easily you can make a set of dishes using Jeff's forms.  Sign up for this event online.  Attendance is limited to 25.

 

Have you ever selected a banding wheel to work on your project and found it no longer knew how to spin?  Not an unusual situation, unfortunately.  However, these very handy contraptions are meant to spin freely allowing easy access to all sides of your piece of art. 
                              
To keep them in top shape to perform this important function requires a bit of care on the user's part.  Once you are finished and ready to return the banding wheel to its home, please make sure that it is properly cleaned; that means free of any trapped clay on the stem that rotates in the base on the smaller banding wheels.  WD40 is available in the cupboard to lubricate the banding wheels when necessary after cleaning.  Keep in mind that the smaller banding wheels are NOT fastened together and the top and bottom portions will separate easily, especially when you lift them off the shelf or table by holding the rim of the top (or rotating) portion of the banding wheel.  What a great way to get the attention of everyone in the studio as it crashes to the floor! 

So once again, please clean up after yourselves and leave the equipment in great shape for the next member to use.  Thank you and happy potting!

Are you interested in the information included in the Newsletter?  Do you have information to share?  Please submit your articles to Lynne Shanrock.