Hertz Pottery on fri 31 may 96
Some fellow potters and I are planning to form a potters guild and would
like to hear about your experiences.
like whats the point?
what will it help you do
what are some creative ways youve seen it used?
thanks for your input , right now.
Erik Hertz
hertz@dmv.com
erik hertz
Kurt Unterschuetz on sat 1 jun 96
Hertz Pottery wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Some fellow potters and I are planning to form a potters guild and would
> like to hear about your experiences.
Hi Erik,
My wife, Caryn, and I joined a local Clay Workers' Guild a few years back
when we first started in pottery. We were not sure if this would be the
right thing for us to do because we were newbies and had little to offer the
guild. Our pottery teacher said to come and check out the people. If you
like the people then it will be fun to participate. As it turned out, it was
very beneficial for us. We had gobs of questions and learned a great deal
through the network of experienced potters. The guild also has an annual
raku picnic and a couple workshops throughout the year. I felt I should give
back to the Guild, so I became secretary and then president for a couple
years. I'm proud that membership increased over 50% during that period. The
guild was also a good network for used equipment and other pottery needs.
The problem with our guild (this is probably generic to most
groups)was that the same 5 people (of 43 membership) did all the work. We
would spend hours researching, setting up arrangements and preping for what
ever the festivity and handed it to the people on a silver platter. Then no
one would participate. Very frustrating. The boring monthly business
meetings channeled the guild into a death spiral. It is simply not fun
anymore. If you have to plead with people to participate, something is
drastically wrong. We need new membership to carry on. We should not have
regular monthly meetings. An executive committee should arrange workshops
and field trips for the rest. Less is more in this case. The exec.
committee should be changed entirely each year so people don't get burned
out.
Most importantly, a guild should be fun.
Kurt Unterschuetz
SchatziBoyz Pottery
Marengo, IL USA
CFisher995@aol.com on sun 2 jun 96
I don't think what you are talking about is just in guilds. In every groupd
I've belonged to - whether it was dog obedience or art teachers or whatever -
it was always the same five (or whatever small amount) that did all of the
work. Then the others would complain about what was done.
PJLewing@aol.com on tue 4 jun 96
Erik,
If you're planning to start a potters' group, I strongly suggest you contact
the Studio Potter Network at 69 High St., Exeter, NH, 03833. This is an
umbrella group of potters' organizations all over the world. They have some
information about starting a group that will save you a lot of trouble.
As far as what an organization can do for you, my local group, the Washinton
Potters' Association, would be a good example. We are a state-wide group
with about 150 members. We put out a newsletter, and have meetings, usually
with some speaker pr program, with a potluck dinner. Most of the real
business gets done in Board meetings, though, not at general membership
meetings. We meet every other month, and have a summer raku/potluck party,
and a "Christmas" (in January) party/pot exchange.
Every year, we have a show open to the membership at a large local gallery,
and usually share that show with another potters' group. This year it was
the New Mexico Potter's Association. In exchange, we will have a show in New
Mexico.
We also show as a group in another gallery at Christmas.
We have done regular group buys of supplies and materials, but that didn't
work out so well. Group buys of packing materials and boxes and teapot
handles went on for years, but now we only do kiln shelves or bricks or some
such when enough people want it.
The incomparable Elinor Maroney has the hardest job- newsletter editor, and
does a superb job. She notifies us of shows, workshops, commissions, etc.
that she gleans from other newsletters and magazines, and we can run ads in
the newsletter free. The group has just bought a computer, etc. for her to do
the newsletter on, and that will be available for members' use.
We tried having a members' sale a few times, but it didn't really work.
However, the Oregon Potter's Association puts on a sale that potters clamor
to get into.
These are just a few benefits of a potter's group. But the best thing is
networking with other potters, who are, of course, the world's best people.
Go for it!
Paul Lewing, Seattle
Hertz Pottery on tue 4 jun 96
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Hertz Pottery wrote:
>>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> Some fellow potters and I are planning to form a potters guild and would
>> like to hear about your experiences.
>
>Hi Erik,
>My wife, Caryn, and I joined a local Clay Workers' Guild a few years back
>when we first started in pottery. We were not sure if this would be the
>right thing for us to do because we were newbies and had little to offer the
>guild. Our pottery teacher said to come and check out the people. If you
>like the people then it will be fun to participate. As it turned out, it was
>very beneficial for us. We had gobs of questions and learned a great deal
>through the network of experienced potters. The guild also has an annual
>raku picnic and a couple workshops throughout the year. I felt I should give
>back to the Guild, so I became secretary and then president for a couple
>years. I'm proud that membership increased over 50% during that period. The
>guild was also a good network for used equipment and other pottery needs.
>
>The problem with our guild (this is probably generic to most
>groups)was that the same 5 people (of 43 membership) did all the work. We
>would spend hours researching, setting up arrangements and preping for what
>ever the festivity and handed it to the people on a silver platter. Then no
>one would participate. Very frustrating. The boring monthly business
>meetings channeled the guild into a death spiral. It is simply not fun
>anymore. If you have to plead with people to participate, something is
>drastically wrong. We need new membership to carry on. We should not have
>regular monthly meetings. An executive committee should arrange workshops
>and field trips for the rest. Less is more in this case. The exec.
>committee should be changed entirely each year so people don't get burned
>out.
>
>Most importantly, a guild should be fun.
>
>Kurt Unterschuetz
>SchatziBoyz Pottery
>Marengo, IL USA
thanks Kurt for responding , it sounds like a great thing to be a part of
but not such agreat thing to be in charge of.
I think from your experience I can conclude board members need to delagate
responceability to members, and except what they are able to do.
Its no fun to be one of the few that take care of all the details.
I think enclusioin in a guild like yours shoud require members to have
sometthing to offer beyond their membership fees. like knowing electricity
or loving to work with glazes or some important part of the big picture.
Thanks again for your responce and let me know if you think of any thing
else I should know.
If I can be of any E-assistance as a potter Id be happy to...
Erik Hertz
hertz@dmv.com
>
erik hertz
Anne McFadden on tue 4 jun 96
From: Hertz Pottery
>I think enclusioin in a guild like yours shoud require members to have
>sometthing to offer beyond their membership fees. like knowing electricity
>or loving to work with glazes or some important part of the big picture.
>Erik Hertz
>hertz@dmv.com
I was at a workshop in May with John Leach. He said that membership
to the guild he belongs to in England, is juried.
I wonder how common that is elsewhere...
Anne McFadden EMAIL: pekay@simcoe.igs.net
Beeton, Ontario
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