The Blue Mountains Potters

A VERY WARM WELCOME TO OUR POTTERY GROUP.

The purpose of the following pages is to give you an oversight of how our group

operates and fill you in on some of the rules.

The Centre’s Pottery Facilitator is Kathleen Zanardo. She can be contacted on her

mobile 0415 154 746 or email [email protected]

Ingrid Russell: 0423 124 473 is the Centre’s Arts Director and co-ordinates all the

classes.

We presently have about 25+ designated potters that come under the BMCAC

umbrella. Our group ranges in experience from beginners to fairly experienced

potters with tertiary ceramic/art qualifications.

We have 3 drop in groups that meet in the orange yurt.

Monday night and Tuesday nights from 6:30pm – 9:00pm.

Kathleen Zanardo facilitates Monday night: 0415154746

Kathleen is our BMCAC Pottery Facilitator

Janet Langfield facilitates Tuesday nights: 0408228059

Facebook group: bmcactuesdaynightpotters

Saturday morning from 9:00 am – 1pm.

Michael Dausmann facilitates this group.

Facebook group: bmcacsaturdaypotters. 0415120139

You must contact the facilitator if you wish to attend any of these groups.

As well as our $65 Membership Fee, and $15 Potter’s Group Fee, potters pay $5 per

visit to help cover electricity/heating costs and equipment maintenance. Additionally,

potters pay for kiln firing, either by piece, by shelf, or by half or full kiln.

I have had a few enquiries about using our kilns as a firing service. It has been

decided, amongst a few of the pottery facilitators, that kiln firings are

for active members of BMCAC who participate in either a class or a drop-in group.

So unfortunately, there will be no firings for people who are working externally to

classes and groups.

The drop-in groups are generally potters who have had some experience with

pottery and work independently with support and help from each other. This group

contains both hand builders and throwers. Newcomers are always welcome.

We have a couple of members who do not attend our regular group or classes but

regularly participate in our exhibitions.

The BMCAC members hold two exhibitions a year at the Glenbrook Theatre Hall. As

a member, you will be eligible to take part in these. Members of all levels of abilities

are very welcome to take part. These exhibitions usually include pottery, wall art,

mosaics, and any craft work members do.

The first Exhibition is held just before Mothers’ Day. The second Christmas

Exhibition is held on the third weekend in October. Please check the dates in

Creations magazine. Details about how to enter will appear in Creations close

to the exhibition times.

OUR FACILITIES

We operate out of two buildings: the pottery yurt and a kiln room. We share the store

room with the other BMCAC groups.

The pottery room has 7 wheels, a slab roller and an extruder for general use. We

also have 2 wheels in the storeroom and a compressor that are available to hire.

Contact Kathleen if you are interested in these.

IMPORTANT: Please read the instruction sheet above the slab roller before using it.

We have a number of moulds you can use. We also have a small library of books

and magazines you can borrow. There are also a number of pottery books in the

main room library available to borrow on an honour system, just fill out the book’s

card, place in the box on the shelf and replace it in the book when it is returned to

the shelf.

A number of tools are available for general use. Please clean and return after you

have finished. Clay, glazes and underglazes are purchased for class members only

and not for general use. Drop-in members must supply their own clay and glazes.

Over the years, we have had a number of glaze ingredients donated to the Centre

that are available for you to use to make test batches of glazes, the results to be

shared with the rest of the group. If you wish to purchase a large amount of an

ingredient we have available, you may purchase it for . the retail price (Check

Blackwattle catalogue). Speak to the facilitator if you wish to do this.

CLEANING

Always clean your work area thoroughly after use. Pottery dust is dangerous to

breathe in because it contains silica and causes silicosis so never dry sweep, always

wet mop and use a damp cloth.

If you ever need to sand or grind back pieces, always wear a mask and move

outside.

KEYS

Keys to the rooms will not be given to each member. If you wish to use the facilities

outside of class/group time, please speak to your pottery teacher or the Pottery

Facilitator. We can make arrangements for you to use the Centre most times if a

class is not running.

OTHER POTTERY GROUP ACTIVITIES

From time to time we may hold special events such as raku firings, pit firings and

workshops. Also, a much-loved activity is an exhibition crawl. We sometimes join the

Nepean Potters for these events as we have several members in common.

DO YOU WANT YOUR POT FIRED?

Think carefully about the shape and size of your creation. Does it have a good solid

base so it is stable during the firing? Be aware of the size of the shelves. Make

pieces that fill a shelf economically e.g. can you fit two or three bowls together? If

you have made a large piece, make something that will fit on the shelf with it. Large

pieces often get left out because we have nothing as tall to fill the space. We need to

be able to pack a kiln as full and economically as possible.

Have you planned where you are putting the glaze to allow the piece to stand on the

shelf? You must leave at least 4mm free of glaze from the base. Always check

the base before putting it on the shelves to wait to be fired. Packers will not

pack pieces glazed incorrectly.

Kiln shelves are approx. $100 to replace. Always put setters under your pots

where possible. Overlapping glazes makes a glaze more fluid and likely to run,

leave extra unglazed area to allow for this.

Be aware that the glaze you are using is appropriate for the clay.

Check the details on the bottle. Earthenware glazes go on earthenware clay. Midfire

glazes go on midfire clay. Stoneware glazes go on stoneware clay.

Think about your design and where you are going to finish the glaze. As a general

rule a foot ring is not glazed. Your underglaze should finish on the same line as your

glaze. Unglazed underglaze is not food safe, is rough and collects grease and dirt.

Neaten your finished glaze line. The bottom of your piece should be as neat as the

top.

Firing temperatures are:

1080⁰C - at this Centre we fire all raw pieces and glazed earthenware pieces at this

temperature so a load can hold both types of ware.

Midfire glaze is fired to 1220⁰C

Stonewae glaze is fired 1280⁰C (we have less people using stoneware so these

firing are much more infrequent compared to the other temperatures).

Badly cracked and broken pots need to be discarded. It is a part of the making

process. Do not waste time and energy on a failed piece - TRY AGAIN!

FIRING FEES

FIRING FEES FOR ALL OUR KILNS ARE APPROXIMATELY

HALF THE FIRING FEES OF AN EQUIVALENT KILN AT BLACKWATTLE.

Only pots created by class students are fired for free.

If you are not a student and your pot is included in a class firing, please pay

according to % of kiln space used.

Please pay firing fees to your facilitator.

Please write a comment in the COMMENTS section if you feel something has gone

wrong with the firing e.g. Under fired – front middle shelf. It might be possible to

change the firings slightly if we note a specific problem.

The following costs are if you are leaving your pieces to be fired

with other member’s /class work.

ADD $1.00 FOR GLAZED PIECES

Per shelf less than 7cm high $4.50

Per shelf 7 cm - 15cm approx. 500g mug size $9

Per shelf 15cm -30 cm $18

One piece Less than 7cm $1

One piece 7cm - 15cm $1:50

One piece 15cm - 30 cm $3

Bowls less than 7cm high – 500g small bowl size per shelf $2:40

Tiny pieces: $1.00 per 500gms for bisque $2.00 for a glaze

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The following prices are the costs of firing each kiln by a single or

group of members that are making a special booking or have a

number of pieces and are using a particular kiln.

BABY BEAR

Full load half quarter

EW 1080° - 1100° $28 $14 $7

SW 1220°- 1220° $33 $19 $12

MOTHER BEAR

Full load half quarter

EW 1080° - 1100° $72 $36 $18

SW 1220°- 1280° $77 $41 $23

FATHER BEAR

Full load half quarter

EW 1080o - 1100o $144 $72 $36

SW 1220o - 1280o $149 $77 $41

BABY BEAR

IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT BABY BE FIRED NO HIGHER THAN 1220

(Please speak with Kathleen if you have a special reason for wanting to fire

higher.)

Baby Bear’s temperature is now controlled by the Harco computer that will be

shared with Father Bear.

There is a single program book that lists the common programs for all the

kilns.

We hope you enjoy your time with us, make some firm friends and learn many new

skills.