December 2025
DECEMBER 2025 | ISSUE #063
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Hello Potters
From the President
Thank you to all members who attended the general meeting in November. The gathering provided a valuable opportunity to reflect on the past year and consider strategies for improvement in 2026. A key topic of discussion was the compulsory volunteering commitment implemented in 2025. Following its one-year trial, we reviewed its successes and areas for growth. It was encouraging to see increased participation, which greatly contributed to the efficient operation of the club and helped spread the load. Please ensure you review the updates regarding memberships later in this newsletter or in your email before renewing your membership for the upcoming year. Please reach out at shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com if you have any questions.
We were delighted to award Tamara Vitale a lifetime membership in recognition of her outstanding contributions to our club. Since joining in 2019, Tamara quickly became the inaugural President after our club's incorporation. She guided us through the difficulties of the COVID years and spearheaded several advancements, such as introducing Helloclub—a transformative management system. Her dedication was evident in her work on the annual Expressions exhibitions. Although she later transitioned to the role of treasurer before retiring from the committee, Tamara has continued to actively support the club including as a Supervisor and by hosting her highly popular goddess workshops. Thank you, Tamara; we look forward to enjoying your presence at the club for many more years.
We are pleased to welcome Jen and Taylor as general members of the committee. Both have made contributions to the club in their roles as Supervisors, and we appreciate their continued commitment and willingness to volunteer additional time.
Thank you to all our members for a fantastic year filled with workshops, socials, public events, and a big party. We appreciate everyone for contributing to this inclusive and fun community. Have a Merry Christmas, a safe New Year, and we look forward to doing it all again next year!
Happy potting
Suzanne
DECEMBER
1st – Current Membership renewals commence
6th – Last day for firing drop off (does not guarantee they will be fired)
6th – SPC Xmas raffle drawn
7th – Art + Craft Market, Benowa
18th – last SPC studio sessions and firing pick-ups for the year
1 to 24 Dec – Deck the Walls exhibition
JANUARY
12th - SPC Studio opens for 2026
FEBRUARY
1st – New Memberships open
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2026 Membership Amendments
Volunteering is a mandatory requirement for all members, with a minimum commitment of three hours per year. Volunteer contributions are essential to the operation of our club, as all positions and initiatives depend exclusively on member support. Members who are unable to volunteer may opt to pay a levy of $60. Please note that failure to fulfill the required volunteer hours or pay the levy will result in ineligibility for membership renewal in the subsequent year.
Since we do not operate as a commercial firing service, each member is subject to the standard firing rate for up to 250 kg; any amount over this limit will incur charges at twice the standard rate.
Studio Break
Last day for dropping off firing Saturday 6th December, That’s this week. The team will try and get everything fired but there is no guarantee.
Last club sessions and firing pickup Thursday 18th December.
Studio sessions start again Monday 12th January.
Our kiln team and supervisors have worked hard all year; please join us in respecting their well-deserved break.
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NEW LIFE MEMBER
Tamara Vitale has become our newest Life Member of the Shorncliffe Pottery Club. Tamara was President and held the club steady through its incorporation and the rocky covid years, and continues to contribute in all aspects of the club.
We are lucky to have such a hard working potter who gives her precious time for the benefit of all of the members.
Join me in applauding her achievement.
Well done Tamara.
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Hurry drawn this Saturday
Green Man Workshop Review
The recent Green Man workshop on the 12th October, led by the talented Lyn Woodbridge—an accomplished ceramic artist and teacher from the Gold Coast hinterland—was a resounding success. Six enthusiastic participants took part, each creating their own unique green man or green woman wall sculpture. The session was brimming with inspiration, as Lyn generously shared her expertise, offering plenty of practical tips and creative ideas that were greatly appreciated by everyone involved.
We look forward to inviting Lyn back to our studio in 2026 for further workshops.
Throw Down Under
THROWDOWNUNDER at CLAYGULGONG with KEITH BRYMER JONES get your applications in to join @keithbrymerjones for a week of clay challenges and an awful lot of fun. Head to the Mansfield Ceramics website and the ‘NEWS’ items to complete your application. We’re only five months away from a fabulous festival, with more incredible guest masters to be announced closer to the date.
Current Clay in Stock
We have a large range of clay in stock, all at great prices. Just ask your supervisor next time you are down at the pottery shed.
Blackwattle Earthenware Paper White
Blackwattle Stoneware Paper Clay
Chris’ Light Speckle
Clayworks Yellow Stoneware YG
Feeny’s Buff Raku Sandy BRS
Feeny’s Red Raku
Feeny’s Fine Blend FFB
Feeny’s Raku Gold RG
Keane’s Stoneware 33 KC575
Keane’s White Raku KC585
Keane’s Ironstone KC535
Keane’s Dark Matter KC638
Keane’s Ceramic White Handbuilding WH
Keane’s White Earthenware 37
Northcote Cone 6 White
Northcote Granite
Northcote Sculptural Fine
Walker’s Fine White Stoneware PB10
Walker’s Fine White Stoneware PB103
And don’t forget, we now stock
a large range of Amaco and Mayco glazes to buy.
We have popped all of the published tips, hacks and techniques onto the ‘Tips’ page on our club website so that you can search for them easily.
How to Saw Dust Fire
People have been creating pottery for millennia and only more recently have kilns become popular. Here’s how to saw dust fire your pots at home. It is worth noting to take care when firing and do so in a cleared area away from buildings. It is also advisable to have some water, either a hose or a bucket, or an extinguisher to put out any fires before they get out of hand.
The Sawdust Firing Method
Sawdust firing is another type of pit fire and is dead simple as it lends itself to firing in an urban area [not much smoke, no high flames]. You will need a metal garbage can for this process and a quantity of clean, dry sawdust. Make sure none of the sawdust is from chemically treated wood because the smoke produced from that type of wood is toxic.
Drill a few holes in the garbage can, especially towards the bottom, to allow oxygen to enter and feed the fire.
Place a good layer of sawdust in the bottom of the can and pack down.
Set the pots on top of this first layer. If you have a quantity of pots to fire you should alternate pots and sawdust so that the pots aren’t all bunched up, but separated from the others by 10cm of sawdust.
Continue to fill and pack the can with sawdust. You don’t have to fill the can all the way to the top but you should have a good 30cm of sawdust above the highest pot in the firing. Pack the sawdust firmly around the pots and down.
Light the sawdust on fire and place the lid on the can loosely to allow smoke to escape. You may need to relight if it does not get going on your first try.
Let it burn all the way down and get the pots out when they are cool enough to handle.
Edit courtesy of Ancient Pottery by Andy Ward
Our Committee
President: Suzanne Bell
Vice President: Melina Wales
Treasurer: Sandra Roveda
Secretary: Laura Ogden
Committee Members:
Rebecca Mason, Steve McConnell, Jen and Taylor
Newsletter Editor: Ed Trost
edtrost1961@gmail.com
email: shorncliffepotteryclubinc@gmail.com
follow us on
website + instagram + facebook
…Until next month…
HAPPY POTTING!
© Shorncliffe Pottery Club Inc
