Southern Ceramic Group

Minutes

AGM 16^th January 2011

Westergate Community School, Lime Avenue, Westergate, Chichester, W. Sussex, PO20 3UE

Apologise- Mike Braisher, Sue Foster, Veronique Cowan-Goessant, Leo Deville, Heather Muir, John Evans, Jane Stirzaker- Evans

Present- Geraldine Maynard-Hoare, Marion Stewart, Rob Dunster, Anne Smith, Marigo Harries, Caroline Ross, Mike Cuzner, Mike Bush, Beartrice Satterswaite, Suzanne Thompson, Gail Clarke-Hall, Alison Mulner-Gulland, Adrienne Kriel, Margaret Newton, Phil Dickinson, Jan Griffiths, Sue Morton and Sally Woodford.

Minutes for last AGM accepted by Caroline Ross

Matters arising- None

Chair report- Adrienne stepped down from the committee after 6 years.

She congratulated the annual exhibition award winners.

The membership has stayed at around 120. More members are coming from Sussex, hence the change of venue for demos from Southampton to Chichester, but this will be monitored for its ongoing convenience and accessibility for the group.

Treasurers report-

Total income £9802.51 Expenditure £9358.34 Profit £444.17

Current account- £1399.46 Deposit account- £3323.29

Exhibitions- loss of £1017.09 (Annual Exhibition , Worthing 2009 included)

£1077.17  profit with commission taken out of sales.

Overall profit of £60.08

Demonstration report-

Conclusions to survey of members-

24 replies to 118 members.

• Use Saturday occasionally
• Current location great for some, not for others, (continue to look for venues in Portsmouth/Havant areas).
• Meeting people is important as well as demos
• Variety of skills, techniques wanted
• 50;50 some seek particular techniques, some enjoy all techniques
• Current format is very good but don’t finish too soon
• Less domestic and teapots
• Shorter slideshows
• Have a long list of suggestions for potters
• More hands on/involvement instead of just watching
• Workshop/ demo boundary could be usefully blurred occasionally

Demo schedule:-

• Sunday 16^th January 2011 AGM and Sally Woodford
• Sunday 6^th March 2011 Nic Collins
• Saturday or Sunday 16^th or 17^th April Jonathan Barret-Danes
• October demo to be decided.

Phil asked for homes to be found for demo equipment.

Ann Lovejoy’s was suggested, (in her absence) as a possible home for the wheel

Marigo agreed to house the slide projector/carousel and screen

The Digital projector/camera and tripod would be housed by Phil

The tea/coffee/urn and kettle would also be temporarily housed by Phil, (the urn to be replaced by two kettles for convenience of storage and speed of tea making).

South Downs College was suggested by Jan Griffiths as a possible venue for demos.

Membership report- staying static at around 120 members.

Mike Cuzner asked if non exhibiting members could increase their membership fee to full exhibiting membership prior to an exhibition, and it was agreed so long as sufficient time was allowed for admin.

Newsletter report- Anne Smith handed over the role of newsletter editor to Suzanne Thompson. Suzanne accepted the post for one year only.

Susan Morton stepped down from advertising organizer on the newsletter. It was suggested that Veronique could advertise the post on the website.

The next copy deadline is 25^th January.

Exhibitions East- Bishops Kitchen was a great success for 2010

134 pieces sold for a total of £5180.50 (before commission)

Dates booked:-

• 2011- Thursday 21^st July to Monday 8^th August
• 2012- Thursday 26^th July to Monday 13^th August
• 2013- Thursday 25^th July to Monday 12^th August
• 2014- Thursday 24^th July to Monday 11^th August
• 2015- Thursday 23^rd july to Monday 10^th August

Exhibitions West report-

Annual exhibition held at Highcliffe Castle, Dorset from November 11^th 2010 to Jan 3^rd 2011. 16 entrants with 136 pieces exhibited. Sales of only £785.

 Annual awards went to:-

• Best piece in show- Rosemarie James
• Commended- Rob Dunster
• Merit award for hand building- Derek Higbee
• Merit award for sculpture – Clare Pavey
• Merit award for decorating – Karin Pearse
• Merit award for wheel throwing – Mike Bush

Awards given by Roger and Gill Bettle, (Bettles’ gallery, Ringwood)

Retiring Committee Members-

• Adrienne Kriel – Chair
• Marion Stewart – Secretary
• Adrienne Kriel – Membership Secretary
• John Evans – Demonstrations
• Adrienne Kriel – Exhibitions East
• Leo Deville – Exhibitions West
• Marion Stewart – Exhibitions West
• Anne Smith - Newsletter

Nominated and voted in committee members

• Marion Stewart – Chair
• Anne Smith – Secretary
• Geraldine Maynard-Hoare – Membership Secretary
• Suzanne Thompson – Newsletter editor
• Phil Dickinson – Demonstrations

Exhibitions organizer – still vacant

AOB-

• Jan Griffiths suggested a social/art/ceramic workshop or follow up to a demo be held at her studio on a weekday at the beginning of June. She could accommodate 20 people. ( to be arranged).
• It was voted to move the AGM from November to Jan or Feb, and that the minutes of the AGM be posted on the website.
• Jan suggested that in the absence of an additional annual exhibition, could the Bishops Kitchen be used for the annual exhibition? It will be discussed by the committee at the next meeting.
• The general idea of mixed exhibitions was put forward and will require more discussion by the committee.

Meeting ended at 12.05.