George VanOstrand on mon 21 apr 97
Two or three years ago at NCECA I attended the preview of the cup
sale the day before they went on sale. I was excited to find cups by
several people who I greatly admired (Jack Troy was one) and whose pots I
seldom have a chance to see much less purchase. I was among the first three
people admitted the next day when the sale began and couldn't find a single
cup that I had wanted to purchase. They were gone before the sale began and
my imagination created a sad possibility. Someone had been allowed to
obtain these cups before the rank and file members had a chance at them. I
was and remain quite angry about this and approached the new student rep and
asked her to bring the matter up at a board meeting. I haven't seen or
heard from her since. If any one out there knows if any safeguards have
been put in place I would appreciate hearing from you. I have contributed
to this sale but have not since this happened. It is a good cause and I
would like to set my mind at ease.
George VanOstrand
gvanostr@julian.uwo.ca
London, Ontario
"WNTHRP::MRGATE::\"A1::CONNELLJ\""@winthrop.edu on tue 22 apr 97
George,
The issue of cups being sold before the opening of the sale did occur and was
addressed and was resolved.
I too was one of the first in line for that sale (I believe it was the Minnesota
NCECA that you were talking about). And yes they had been picked over by the
board members the previous night. This has been taken care of and I can attest
to the new found ethics of the board. Susan Filley was one of the people in
charge of the cup sale this year and she was adamant about this issue--"NO SALES
OR RESERVATIONS UNTIL THE MORNING OF".
One suggestion that worked for me was to write or call people who you admire
and ask if they would sell you one through the mail. Offer to pay for postage
and most will accommodate you. I got beauties from Jack Troy, Lee Rexrode and
Tom Coleman this way. The worst they can say is no. A lot of people don't
usually make cups so don't expect this to happen all the time but hey, it is
worth the effort.
Jim Connell
Winthrop University
Rock Hill, SC
803-329-2873
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on tue 22 apr 97
I was far from first in the door for the cup sale at NCECA, but "rumor"
had it that many of the pots made by more well-known potters were gone
before the doors opened. I discounted this rumor, being not only older
than dirt but sometimes dumber than dirt, also. I believed that such a
deed with forethought couldn't happen at "our" NCECA since it would have
to be with the cooperation of "those in charge." However, now after
reading George's post today, I am left wondering. Does anybody know?
Were the cups of our more successful potters sold, or swapped as the
rumor went, before the rest of us were permitted to enter?
Joyce
In the Mojave hoping it isn't so.......
kelley wilks on wed 23 apr 97
I was second in the door of this year's sale. As I walked in, everything
appeared to be out but it quickly dwindled to bare tables. I donated two
cups and purchased only two(I believe there should be a two cup limit).
They let in the first 25 people at once, and I don't know but it did seem
that they disapeared rather quickly. I do know that the first few people
were there only for themselves. We did have a presenter approach us
wanting to know if we would get a piece that he wanted. The ethics were
discussed and it was suggested that he write or call the person who made
the wonderful yellow piece he wanted and request they make one (amd he
would pay them and possibly also make a donation to the cup fund). I
still have the two I purchased in 97, 96 and 95 each. Good luck next
year down here in Ft Worth!!!!!!!
Kelley Wilks
kw501@juno.com
BALCH@HARVEY.BAKERU.EDU on wed 23 apr 97
Put the rumor to rest!
It does not happen any more. Who can remember several hundred
re-shuffeled mugs from the day before??? And under pressure from the
long row of enthused ceramists. Jack Troy's, Jim Connell's, Susan
Harris's, Harris Deller's and Joe Bennion's were on the tables
when the doors opened, among all the rest.
I see nothing wrong with letting the students, who are working with
the sale, be able to purchase a cup before the sale, as a thank you
for time and help, granted new students work every year. It is a lot
of work.
As an educator, I pick mine for educational purpose ie. materials
used, form, firing method etc. and not so much for the name of the
person who made it. My students really enjoy using the cups or
looking at them. Some become awards in the art dept.
The people in charge of NCECA are doing a wonderful job!!!!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
Inge G Balch
Baker University
Baldwin City
KS 66006
in the middle of packing the Orton Conebox show.
Russel Fouts on wed 23 apr 97
George,
>> I was among the first three people admitted the next day when the
sale began and couldn't find a single cup that I had wanted to purchase.
They were gone before the sale began and my imagination created a sad
possibility. Someone had been allowed to obtain these cups before the rank
and file members had a chance at them. <<
I'm sorry about your experience.
I got up at 4:30 to be the FIRST in line for the '96 cup sale. Met a lot
of great people (every one of them thought I was crazy but they were 20th,
30th etc ;-). All during the wait, I hear rumours of this happening but
when the doors finally opened at 10:00 it was not the case and I was able
to get the two Pete Pinnell mugs and the Lana Wilson cup I was after.
I thought it was very well run; the doors opened promptly at 10:00 and
they let only 10(?) people in at a time so there wasn't a mad rush and as
far as I could see, all the pots were still there although some were in
different places.
Although I couldn't be there this year, it was my first time to actually
send a cup. Did anybody see it?
Russel (early mornings are EASY for me, in fact I wish I could just
change batteries like my walkman)
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
* Russel Fouts, CI$: 100021,23,
Bruxelles, Belgium
Internet: 100021.23@CompuServe.Com
"It took more then one man to change my name to Shanghai Lil."
MD
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Joyce Lee, Jim Lee on tue 30 sep 97
For maybe a microsecond I was caught up in the brouhaha and resented not
being able to get into the Vegas NCECA cup sale in time to purchase a
cup or two that I admired. A Jack Troy for sure, or the two by a
Canadian couple with faces on them (well, yes, the Canadians had "faces
on them," I feel certain, but I'm speaking of the cups here.) However,
in thinking it over, it was the pre-sale show that fascinated and
inspired me, not the sale itself; at least, not enough to "camp out"
when creature comforts were only an elevator ride away...gettin' too old
for that. Those who camped out deserved to have first choice. Some
form of lotteries or auctions sounds fine, but I don't like seeing us
getting hung up on the cup sale. NCECA was impressive and exciting and
would have suffered not a whit even if there had been no cups. I
certainly don't plan to spend a chunk of time attending a silent auction
(and I like auctions) when I could be awed by demostrations,
presentations, shows and the sight of so many potters in one arena at
the same time. Potters, potters everywhere and not a cup to buy is okay
with me.
Joyce
In the Mojave fully determined to make at least two interesting cups for
the show this year...but then I might have to attend the sale in order
to rescue my own from the humiliation of being unsold. Any other
intermedie open to a deal to purchase each other's work? (: >)
Linda Arbuckle on mon 8 mar 99
> I played baseball for about 5 years. The best position in
>baseball..catcher. One thing my coach used to always tell me:
>
> " DON'T FORGET YOUR CUP!"
>
>I now ask that you do the same on your way to NCECA! The cup sale needs
your
>help! Tell all your students/ friends/ associates to donate a cup! Send
this
>email to anybody that is going to NCECA and remind them! It's for a
good
>cause, the undergraduate student fellowship, and I hope you'll all
>participate. So like coach said.
>
> " DON'T FORGET YOUR CUP!"
>
>And I'll see you at NCECA!
>
> Mucho Appreciato!
> Nick Sevigney
> Cup sale co-ordinator
Donn Buchfinck on tue 9 mar 99
I wanted to touch on the cup sale.
I don't know if this still happens, but when NCECA was in San diego, my
girlfriend and I attended and donated some cups to the sale.
we were really excited to be able to maybe buy some pieces from well known
potters.
when we got to the place where the cups were. We were told that the board had
voted to let themselves in first to choose what they wanted.
This left a real sour taste in my mouth, now I'm not so nieve that I thought
that things like this do not happen, but it put me off to donating a cup.
Maybe this is one of the perks of being an NCECA board member, I mean it has
to have some benefit for all the work. But I feel it should be stated if this
is the fact of how the sale is going to go.
maybe this is why there are not that many cups for the sale.
thanks
Donn Buchfinck
San Francisco
Louis Katz on wed 10 mar 99
Hi Donn,
Thank you for mentioning the cup sale as it brings up a few points I would like
to discuss while I am still on the board of NCECA.
I will go off the board this year in May at the end of the conference. I will
however continue in my role as webmaster, until someone is foolish, reliable an
knowledgeable enough to take it off my hands.
Anyhow, When the cup sale was young there were a lot of problems with it. One of
them was who got in first. The criticism of this practice was well deserved, it
took place a very long time ago.
Since becoming a board member, I have heard the issue of the cup sale mentioned
at every meeting. Not because it was still happening, just because of the lastin
ill will it created. The board has tried hard to overcome the institutional
memory of its members. Don't donate cups if you don't want to, I believe I am
giving a workshop this summer because of the cup I donated. If you want to get
into the sale early, you will have to get in line early.
Here is a guide to productive ways to change NCECA.
1. You can write a letter to the board. It may be the electronic age, but I
believe a hard copy snail mailed to Minerva addressed to the board is the best
way to be heard. Most of the board has email addresses on our website at
NCECA.NET . Letters to the board in my experience are treated very seriously and
given careful consideration. Most result in change. Email direct to the board is
better than email forwarded by me.
2. You can run for an NCECA office. You can be nominated from the floor. It is
not too hard to get elected; I did it.
3. You can volunteer to coordinate or help coordinate some aspect of the
conference like Nick Sevigney does for the cup sale.
4. You can help during the conference when someone needs it. Even focusing or
forwarding slides when something is wrong with the projector is an important
contribution.
5. You can vote on the Saturday of the conference and show up for the First
General Business meeting on Thursday.
6. You can submit a proposal for next years conference. Forms will be included
with your registration pack. They are due a few weeks after the conference.
Please try to remember that everyone tries to put together an excellent
conference.
Louis
--
Louis Katz
lkatz@falcon.tamucc.edu
NCECA Director At Large
Texas A&M-CC Division of Visual and Performing Arts Webmaster (512) 994-5987
Visit the NCECA World Ceramics Image Database
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