2021 Ceramics Committee Meeting Agendas

Ceramics
#1

Posting this ahead of time so that we have a chance to iron out all the details before hand. If you want to add something, chime in!

Next Ceramics Committee Meeting is Tuesday, January 5th @6:30pm in the North Conference Room.

Here are the topics I know of, along with presenters:

  1. Removing the slip cast table (Clark?)
  2. Selling clay (April)
  3. Ceramics Committee Decorum (Amanda)
  4. T shirt slogans (Amanda & for vote in February).
  5. Test tiles (Christy Kaake)
  6. Special firing requests? Cone 5? Slow Cool?
  7. Grocery list : peeps, 03,04, 05 bisque cones, new plug for skutt, kiln shelves,
  8. older items/updates

Upcoming events/meetings
Fri. Jan. 15 Slow cool glaze
Tues. Feb. 2nd @ 6:30pm in the North Conference Room - next committee meeting
Trinity Clay sale Jan. 19-Feb. 5

#2

I donā€™t think ceramics ever officially accepted the table as donation or on loan? We got permission to store it from @PearceDunlap then simply moved to where it was stored. We have also discussed it not being worth the trouble, at meetings when I made a parts list to fix it. Motor hoses etc.

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#3

The table was a donation from Julie Harris. It lived in my garage for a stretch because the DMS expansion was a long process and there was nowhere to store it.

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#4

thanks to you both for providing the historical knowledge on it :slight_smile:

#6

I think the couple of years it had to be stored was long enough that those who were hype for the committee to have one to lose their enthusiasm. :slight_smile:

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#7

Selling clay?

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#8

In the last glaze run, I did purchase a box of each of the bisque cones. We still have pretty full boxes.

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#9

We should also buy some ā€¦ ā€¦ I think 8" kiln supports? Iā€™ll have to take a tape measure back there. I think weā€™ve got 6" and 10", but the 8" would be good. Weā€™re definitely missing a size.

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#10

Since the slip cast table was donated by Julie, perhaps asking her if she would like it back could be a first step. She does do a lot of slip cast teaching.

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#11

Yeah, but ā€œweā€ got it from that lady that was going to open a slip-casting store originally. Iā€™m thinking that, while one doesnā€™t want it thrown out, itā€™s designed for regular use and is goofy in an occasional use environment.

#12

? The slip cast table was from a purchase Julie made buying out an older lady that sold items from her home. She got where she could no longer do it. Julie paid 1 very low price to get everything out of the ladyā€™s way, since the molds had overtaken her home. Christy C took the table home to clean it as it was awfull mess. Julie also paid for the uhaul rental to transport everything.

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#13

@yashsedai as a committee we have discussed and agreed upon having clay available for students to purchase for their studio use.

We still have some details to work out one of which is our cabinet for storage.

#14

And the sales tax requirements.

#15

While this seems to be a nice thought, I see some issues. First, sales tax. Second, this is not something DMS has done in the past. Organizing a group buy, sure. Take Ian and his massive wood order!(kudos btw). I think that it would make much more sense to keep DMS out of the sales of supplies such as this and get interested individuals together and buy for a group. Further, I seriously doubt we do enough volume to overcome the headache that is inventory management, sales tax calculation and pilferage prevention.

Please donā€™t get me wrong. Itā€™s an awesome thought, but I believe it really just doesnā€™t benefit the org.

#16

A couple committees already sell consumables, I donā€™t see why ceramics needs to be excluded from the fun if they choose.

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#17

Consumables for a equipment we use, sure. Wood for the woodshop? Metal for the metalshop? Oil for automotive. Toolsteel for machine shop? Meh, not so much.

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#18

Filament for 3D Fab? Itā€™s an interesting line youā€™re trying to draw, Iā€™m curious to see how it plays out.

#19

Silver and Gold? Asking for a friend. :rofl:

How many 100s of pounds of clay will end up in storage?

Really only benefits production potters assuming sale price not a for profit model. New folks would benefit more by interacting with Trinity anyways. Conner sorts new ppl all day, based on where they are from and how they fire. Would make more sense, to negotiate the edu price break all year, like other schools. Since we give them business as well? Than to burden volunteers with the heavy lifting for convenience.

*to be clear is this for convenience, members, students, at the half price point? But selling at reg price? @coffeebean

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#20

It would be good to know what is required or thought to be required to make the slip casting table usable and functional. I was under the impression that the table was good to go- add slip and flip the on switch. If the table still needs repair, what are the costs to repair it? Who will be paid or volunteer to do the repairs? That information would be good to have at the Jan 5 meeting when the slip casting table is discussed by the committee.

Also: can interest be rejuvenated in slip casting? Who would like to spearhead revving interest? Forming a casual group or SIG? Teaching classes and workshops? A ā€˜tear and shareā€™ group (sharing problems, successes, how to overcome problems etc)?

It was brought up to me last meeting that DMS is an Education based non profit. I always thought of DMS as a cooperative, volunteer in mission, non profit org (yes, Iā€™ve read the wiki, but it was over a year ago).

Slip casting and the process of making molds would certainly add to the knowledge of ceramic techniques that members could learn and utilize in their making. There is a lot of detailed problem solving that ceramics folk find very satisfying and enjoyable. Many hobbyists and professionals spend their whole art and craft careers studying and doing this one technique alone. And mold making and slip casting certainly is in tune with the educational aim and goals of DMS.

It should be noted that a slip casting table is not needed to do slip casting. For the professional doing slip casting in quantity every working day, it is probably a necessity for speed of production and cost and labor effectiveness. But I know many professional artists who make their own molds and slip cast who donā€™t have a table like this and have never used one.

For the purposes of classes, workshops, or for members who use mold making and slip casting, the large jars of slip from Trinity, or making a large bucket of slip, would work just fine.

** Suggestions for the discussion of the ā€˜stay or goā€™ agenda topic regarding the slip casting table

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#21

The only thing with trinity clay is they are only open during normal business hours, so if someone also works normal business hours it is impossible to buy clay from them without someone else getting it for you, thus not interacting with trinity clay anyways.

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