Membership

Advantages of Membership

GENERAL INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS

As a member of the Cairns Potters Club you will have access to many facilities offered by the club, subject to club rules. Annual fees and other costs are listed on the membership form (Click for application form)

Present facilities include the use of: - throwing wheels, slab roller, kilns (gas, electric and raku), spray gun and compressor, glazes and library.

Throughout the year we hold seminars and social functions, craft fairs, promotional and community activities. As a member you pay a lower rate to attend seminars and a lower rate of commission is paid to the club on your sales at the craft fairs. Membership of the club provides you with a chance to meet other potters and exchange ideas and views. The following is intended to help you enjoy the best of what the Club offers.

MEMBERSHIP (Click for application form)

Applications are considered at the clubs monthly meetings. Dues are payable from 1^st January each year. Rates as per Application Form. New member who join after 31^st August will be charged 50% of the current rate. The Club offers family membership, Group membership, Under 18 years, Concession (social security cardholder) and Associate membership (for residents outside the Cairns City boundaries). Membership renewals can be made at any Club meeting or function or posted to the Cairns Potters Club, PO Box 1470, Cairns Qld 4870. Keys will be changed prior to AGM.

MEETINGS

Management Committee Meetings are usually held on the 2^nd Thursday of each month, 3:00pm at the clubhouse. These are open meetings and we encourage members to participate in the organisation and function of the club. We use the meetings to:-

?         Conduct general business

?         Accept new members

?         Discuss club activities ? seminars, fairs and community events

?         Consider members? suggestions

CLUB ACCESS AND USE

Full members are entitled to a club key upon payment of $25.00. This allows the use of club facilities at member?s convenience (except when classes or seminars are in progress). Remember to lock the door securely. Failure to secure the door may attract break ?INS? and possible damage to the clubhouse, including lose of valuable equipment.

Limited space is available to store green ware prior to firing so all work is stored at MEMBERS OWN RISK.

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS

Wheelchair access is available via the ramps provided. These are store on the side of the roller door.

LIBRARY

The Club has a good selection of books and reference books and we subscribe to several magazines, notably: Journal of Australian Ceramics, Ceramic Review, Ceramics Technical and Ceramics Monthly. Members may borrow books at the monthly meetings or when Committee members are in attendance and books may be returned at meetings.

MAKE SURE BOOKS ARE SIGNED IN AND OUT

KILN FIRINGS

The Club has several kilns available to members either singly or as a group. Bookings must be made with the Kiln Officer: Samallie Kasirye on 40580758 for all firings. Please read firing instructions before turning on the kiln. Should there be any damage to the kiln or furniture you need to notify the kiln officer to ensure repairs are carried out promptly.

You must not leave the Gas or Raku kiln unattended during firing. This is a safety requirement supported by the Workplace Cover Regulations Tenancy Agreements and the Insurance Policies.

Electric kiln firing (large and small kilns) must be booked with the Kiln Officer ? You must record the units of electricity at the beginning and at the end of the firing process and work out the costs to be paid at the end of firing your work.

Bisque and other firings are conducted regularly, so if you do not have a kiln load yourself, contact the club officers to determine up and coming firings. Costs of the firings are proportioned out on the basis of kiln space used.

Gas Kiln must be booked and paid for in advance of firing:-

Bisque                         $60.00
Earthenware glaze        $70.00
Stoneware glaze           $80.00

Cones are provided and a number of glazes are available on request, at a minimal fee. Use the logbook to record your firing.

Raku Kiln

$40.00 per half day
$80.00 for full day
$20.00 for a single firing

Kiln and furniture care

?         Follow established firing schedule

?         DO NOT leave the Gas & Raku kiln unattended

?         Clean shelves and props after firing

?         Apply thin layer of kiln wash on the shelves and ends of props

?         Report any broken or missing furniture

Limited space is available to store green ware prior to firing so all work is stored at MEMBER?S OWN RISK.

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS

The Club tries to hold one or two specialised workshops each year, with visiting ceramists and potters. Extremely interesting workshops have been conducted in the past few years by a number of potters including Greg Daly, Sandra Black, Marc Sauvage, Ted Secombe, Andrew Cope, Matthias Ostermann, Ellen Terrell and Lone White.

CLASSES

Classes for beginners and advance potters are held throughout the year and are usually run by club members. If any member has a particular skill to impart to the rest of us, please let us know and we can organise a special class. News of classes appears in the newsletter, on our website, radio and in various newspapers. These can be great social exercises, where you can also learn a vast array of ceramics skills.

CURRENT CLUB CLASSES

?         Tuesday mornings for Mental Health Clients

?         Tuesday afternoon - children?s classes from 3.30pm to 5:00pm. Phone Rachel on 0448119957

?         Wednesday with Yuki 9.30am to 11am for club members only. No charge. Contact Yuki on 0415436600 or just turn up to the Clubhouse

?         Saturdays with Beth, 9am to 11noon for beginners and experienced potters. $25 - Phone 0488990214

FUNCTIONS AND SALES

The Club holds 2 fairs annually before Mother?s Day and Christmas. This provides an opportunity for members to market their work and become involved with the craft scene. We also have sales and exhibition at various times, eg. Cairns Show. The Club is actively involved in Community activities eg A Bicentenary Mural in the City Place and Muddy?s Playground. These activities provide a good opportunity to work with other potters in a community setting. The Club organises a biennial National Exhibition, a 6 week exhibition at the Cairns Regional Gallery.

SOME THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

?         The Attendance book must be signed to comply with insurance requirements.

?         Benches must be sponged down thoroughly ? use clean water

?         Cairns potters club ?display pots? from past workshops must not be used as moulds

?         Please do not use the club as a storage place.

?         Before you leave check all electrical equipment is off, including radio, fans and lights (Please note: night lights are to be left on at all times).

Members are asked not to use the clubhouse when classes are in progress, as space is limited during these times. You may continue firing the kilns, but try to keep out of the way.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS (as at March 2011)

President:                Leonie Morris Ph: 40537579

Vice President:       Carole Lomax Ph: 40519818

Treasurer:               Rachel Platte Ph: 0448119957

Librarian/Events

Co-ordinator:           Christina George Ph: 40532240

Events Co-ordinator Lone White - Ph: 4053 7508

Editor/Web Admin: Hana Smith - Ph: 0414754827

Kiln Officer:           Samallie Kasirye - Ph: 40580758

PLEASE DONT HESITATE TO CONTACT YOUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS. THE CLUB COMMITTEE WILL TRY TO ASSIST MEMBERS WHEREVER AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE BUT REMEMBER THAT A CLUB IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS MEMBERS AND WE RELY ON YOU FOR HELP AND SUPPORT.

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