March 2026
MARCH 2026 | ISSUE #066
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Hello Potters
From the President
Memberships for 2026 opened on February 1st and interest was overwhelming. All available places were filled by mid-afternoon, so we had to close applications. Congratulations to everyone who joined—we have an exciting mix of newcomers and experienced potters and look forward to your involvement in our community.
If you missed out this time, we’re truly sorry and wish we could accommodate everyone. Memberships will open again on February 1st, 2027.
Our AGM is scheduled for March and will be held together with a pottery gathering. The event will feature firing and glazing Q&A sessions, potters’ trading tables, and a shared lunch. We will also be discussing themes for a new Mud to Masterpiece challenge. Please RSVP through Helloclub.
2027 marks our third year holding the Magnificent Magnet fundraiser, and I’m excited about this year’s theme: Australiana. I can’t wait to see everyone’s creative ideas—will we see thongs, XXXX, or drop bears? You’ll be able to purchase these creations at the Euinbunpin Festival.
Our first event of the year is the Bluewater Festival in Shorncliffe on Good Friday, April 3rd. If you enjoy our members’ work, we hope you'll join us there. For members, it’s an excellent chance to sell your creations or volunteer. It promises to be a wonderful community day.
Happy potting
Suzanne
MARCH
1st – Sunday Social – Altered slab mugs
14th – Introduction to Glazing and finishing projects workshop
21st – AGM and special gathering
28th+29th – Creating Your Goddess
APRIL
1st – 5 week Hand Building workshop starts
2nd to 6th – Easter Art Show
3rd – Bluewater Festival [sales and volunteering opportunities]
12th – Introduction to Clay and basic hand building workshop
18th +19th – Wheel Workshop for beginners workshop
26th – Cleaning Bee [volunteering opportunity]
MAY
2nd – Mother’s Day Pop–Up [sales and volunteering opportunity]
JUNE
13th+14th – Ikebana Pottery Competition Exhibition
Sunday Social
Altered Slab Mugs
Come along to learn how to make different shapes for your Mugs, starting from a basics slab template. Facilitator will take you through different techniques and skills to achieve individual styles.
Sunday March 1st
09:00 - 13:00
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Introduction to Glazing and Finishing Projects
Learn how to finishing projects, showing a variety of ways to neaten and finish. Also an introduction to club glazes and a small selection of facilitators underglazes & glazes. How to glaze techniques and a discussion on Safety.
Saturday 14 March 2026,
13:00 – 16:00
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Creating Your Goddess
Workshop to create a Goddess. March 28th & 29th (half day each),
please head to HelloClub for more information and to book.
28 March | 29 March
13:00 – 17:00 | 09:00 – 12:00
click images to view larger
Brisbane Visual Arts Community
CALL FOR ARTISTS – ENTRIES NOW OPEN
Artists across Queensland are invited to enter the BVAC 2026 Arts Competition — Open to Interpretation.
Show us your creative voice in this open-entry exhibition featuring multiple categories including painting, drawing, printmaking, mixed media, sculpture, ceramics, jewellery, books, fibre art and more.
Best in Show: $500
Emerging + Experienced sections
Submit your work, share your story, and be part of this exciting showcase.
Enter now — details and entry forms available via the link.
https://www.bvac.org.au/bvac-2026-arts-competition
Friday 13th March: Awards giving and ceremony 7pm
Exhibition at Mt Coot-tha Auditorium
Entries close: 9th March
Exhibition Dates:
Friday 13th March: 4pm - 9pm
Saturday 14th March 10am - 4pm
Sunday 15th March 10am - 2pm
Easter Art Show 2026
Exhibition Dates:
Thursday 2 April – Monday 6 April 2026
Venue:
Callan Centre, Pier Avenue, St Patrick’s College, Shorncliffe
Opening Night:
Thursday 2 April | 6.00pm – 8.30pm
Exhibition Open:
Friday 3 April – Sunday 5 April | 10.00am – 4.00pm
Monday 6 April | 10.00am – 2.00pm
3rd April – Shorncliffe Pier
Proudly hosted by the Sandgate Bayside Chamber of Commerce.
Celebrating the start of the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race
Don’t miss out on the opportunity to sell some of your pottery at this wonderful event. The club marquee is a favourite amongst the crowds that come to it. Everyone is looking for that one-of-a-kind pottery item, so get going and prepare for the sales event.
Entry details and forms will be on helloClub closer to the date.
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Ikebana Pottery Competition
I am writing to invite your members to enter the new Sogetsu Ikebana Queensland Pottery Competition in June 2026. We are seeking entries from potters who might design pottery vases and containers suitable for Ikebana flower arrangements.
The Competition
I have attached a flyer which provides details of the competition requirements and an entry form. A prize of $500 will be awarded to the winning entry
The competition opens on 1 April and closes on 5 June 2026. The winning entry will be acquired by the Association for the use of its members in future exhibitions and demonstrations. All other entries will be made available for sale our 80+ members and 400+ visitors to the annual Sogetsu Ikebana Exhibition at the Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens on 13 and 14 June 2026.
What is Ikebana?
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arranging. Sogetsu Ikebana is the most modern form of ikebana. Ikebana is a creative expression within certain principles of construction that transforms both plant and non-plant materials into an artwork. Some characteristics that distinguish Ikebana from Western flower arrangements are the use of asymmetrical form, and a sense of balance and harmony among the materials, the container and the location of the arrangement. The vase or container forms an integral element of the arrangement.
Sogetsu Ikebana Queensland Inc
Sogetsu Ikebana Queensland is over 60 years old. It is a local, non-profit association whose members learn, teach and participate in ikebana demonstrations and exhibitions. To see examples of the use of pottery in ikebana works, please see any of our media sites:
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
Clayworks Yellow Stoneware YG
Clayworks Brown Stoneware BG
Clayworks Granite
Feeny’s Buff Raku Sandy BRS
Feeny’s Buff Raku Trachyte BRT
Feeny’s Chocolate Brown FCB
Feeny’s Raku Gold FRG
Keane’s Stoneware 33 KC575
Keane’s Stoneware 7 Speckled
Keane’s Midfire 6 Speckled
Keane’s Toast KC582
Keane’s Ironstone KC535
Northcote Clay Works RGH Stoneware
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.
Plus a comprehensive range of Kiwi underglazes to try.
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.
The 4 S’s of Pottery
As you begin working with clay, you’ll probably hear reference to the 4 S’s of pottery: four simple steps that guide every stage of making…
Slip: A watery clay mixture that helps bond separate pieces together.
Score: Lightly scratch or texture surfaces before connecting them.
Shape: Form your piece by hand or on the wheel, refining thickness and structure.
Smooth: Polish your surface and edges before the bisque firing process.
Looking After Brushes
Painting on pottery is an expression of creativity and relies on brushwork, especially when using underglazes for a specific pattern or story.
Looking after brushes helps keep your line work crisp and being able to use the brushes as designed in your work detail.
If everyone applies a little care and consideration, the brushes can last and be reused for a long time.
Some hints and Tips
Try to never let the paint dry on the brush
Rinse as you go and wash thoroughly at the end - use clean water and gently massage out any paint residue, especially near the ferrule
Don't stub the brushes down as you wash them
Reshape them whilst damp
Never dry the brushes downwards, always return them to correctly marked trays, with their brushes up.
Thank you and happy painting.
Cheers
Rebecca
Making a Pottery Ruler
Steps to Make a Pottery Shrinkage Ruler
Prepare the Clay: Roll out a slab of your regular pottery clay to about 0.5–1 cm thickness, roughly 30 cm long and up to 5 cm wide.
Mark the Ruler: While the clay is soft or leather-hard, use a ruler and needle tool to scratch accurate centimeter or inch marks along the edge.
Label and Detail: Scratch the clay type, date, and, if known, the firing temperature (e.g., "Cone 6") onto the ruler.
Dry and Fire: Allow the ruler to dry slowly to prevent warping, then bisque fire it. Use weights to help stop the ruler from warping.
Highlight Numbers [Optional]: After bisque firing, apply underglaze to the scratches to make the measurements easier to read.
Using the Ruler
Measure Shrinkage: Use the fired, shrunk ruler to measure your wet pots. If the ruler says 13 cm, the final pot will be 13 cm after firing.
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
