A very special time was had at CAC's CREATIVITY Fair/Rossmoor Fall Bazaar on Saturday November 6th. Since our Ceramic Studio is still closed for renovation, we had to do it all outside, on the Veranda area of the Fireside Room. 

Nevertheless, the Ceramic Club took the lemon it was given, squeezed the heck out if it, and made some excellent lemonade - resulting in close to $3600 in sales for the club! And in the process we had a great time being together, working hard, and showcasing the amazing donations provided by our generous and very talented members. What a wonderful group we are all a part of!

Here are some photos of the Fair - top left is a group shot of CAC members who had just finished setting it all up, first thing in the morning!

Our October 12, 2021 online General Meeting featured CAC member Ellie Lannen’s presentation & slideshow about her experience taking pottery workshops at La Meridiana International School of Ceramics in Tuscany. In case you missed it, a video recording is available for our members to view on YouTube. (Note: it runs about 23 minutes.) Here's the LINK: https://youtu.be/b8nuBui_NDM

​Below are photos of CAC folks making things together in our beautiful Outdoor Studio - some of us have been meeting to do that every week since July. In fact these Clay Play Dates have been so popular that we’ve decided to continue with them until we can re-open the studio! They are every ​Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to about 4:30 pm. People can use clay to make anything they like, including beads, little bowls, sculptures, mini totem pieces, etc. You can also work on your own bisqued pieces by painting them with underglaze and/or glazing for raku firing. 

We were in an article on the front page of the Rossmoor News of July 28, 2021 - see below! It's a very good story about our Outdoor Studio, although there are a few discrepancies. The most obvious one is in the caption below the first photo, that says our raku kiln was moved outdoors while our studio is being renovated. Actually it's always been outdoors; however all of the other kilns were moved out and are being stored until the studio reopens (pretty sure that's where the misunderstanding came from).

All in all, we're very pleased with the good PR for our club!

The Ceramic Club General Meeting held on July 13 featured CAC member Shoshana Kobrin’s very interesting & inspiring powerpoint presentation describing her journey as a sculptor of the human figure. A video recording is available for our members to view on YouTube. (Note: it runs about 29 minutes.)
LINK: https://youtu.be/XgUHfZGWtng

We had a wonderful Patio Party with a Hawaiian theme, organized by Linda Mariano and  Mary Ann Stanley with the help of numerous other hard-working and enthusiastic volunteers. Kathy Jepson did a great job with the refreshments - lots of appetizers, finger-food, and desserts, plus wine, lemonade and sparkling water. Judy Russell was in charge of entertainment, including a Hawaiian themed Jeopardy game as well as music and dance courtesy of  Rossmoor's Hawaii Club and the Ukulele Club. Quite a lot of our members even got up to learn a couple of hula dances, which was a lot of fun! 

It was marvelous to celebrate with our members and their guests, after such a difficult time with the pandemic shut-down. Especially as we were about to have the studio shut down again to be remodeled. As you can see, everyone really enjoyed being together in person at last!

​Below are some photos of the festive event taken by various CAC folks who were there. You can also see a slideshow on YouTube that includes several video clips from the party. This is meant for our members only - it's not available to the general public. (Note: it runs about 7 minutes.) To watch it, click on this LINK: https://youtu.be/WCgH6MZ7oSc

The videos listed below are on a private YouTube channel, and are available only by clicking on the links (in blue) below each one. 

Studio Renovation – an explanation by CAC’s Studio Manager, Nancy Meaden, of all of the changes to be made to the Ceramic Studio when it is renovated, from the CAC meeting on June 8, 2021. Included is a detailed look at a blueprint of the renovated studio space (runs 37 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/-pOEtqRkt78

Outdoor Studio Pavilion – Patty Taylor explaining our plans for an Outdoor Studio for CAC members’ use during the time that our regular studio is closed down for renovation, also from the CAC meeting on June 8, 2021. A slideshow is presented of the area involved, which is in and next to the raku/pit fire areas, and some CAC members’ questions are answered (runs about 16 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/L8fUw-7JaNs

RAKU Glazing and Firing – a demonstration/information-sharing session presented by Raku Kiln Masters Anne Shulenberger and Patty Taylor at the CAC Meeting on May 11, 2021. This is illustrated with a slide show and short video clips and runs about 34 minutes. Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/6GPaLrxHvXA   

NOTE: These videos are available on YouTube on a Private Channel - the LINK listed beneath each title (in blue) is required for access.
 
Hands in Clay: Kurinuki techniques - slideshow & demonstration from Sept 8, 2020. (runs around 1 hour & 13 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/4-ixPShrMFQ
 
Making Mini-Totems With Your Own Clay Beads - slideshow & demonstration from October 13, 2020 (runs about 17 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/4lLe3JIsrQ8
 
Show & Tell session from December 8, 2020, featuring many of our members’ creative projects during the shutdown of the studio (runs about 59 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube –
LINK: https://youtu.be/dRVIqydOBh4
 
The Ceramic Art and Creative Journey of John Terlip (former member of CAC who has relocated to artists’ community Villa con Cuore in Fallbrook, California), from January 12, 2021 (runs about 45 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube -  LINK: https://youtu.be/33EHxEFvsLU
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Art Talk: Transfer Of Talent / Painting On Ceramics – a panel discussion with three CAC artists: Nancy Meaden, Jacqueline Proulx, and Sally Andersen, moderated by Linda Mariano, from February 9, 2021 (runs about 1 hour and 31 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/PnIB3y78feM

Art Talk: Ceramic Design with Glaze Blocking and Resist - a presentation/demo featuring two of our own artists: Anne Shulenberger and Albert Goldreich, moderated by Linda Mariano, from March 9, 2021 (runs about 48 minutes). Video recording for our members on YouTube - LINK: https://youtu.be/R88ZMyss524

Good news about the the Ceramic Arts Club's Open Studio sale on December 5;, which was held outside of the studio's front door. CAC cleared $925 for our club in the 4 hours of the sale! The five CAC members with their own sale tables did well, too - and of course all of them contributed 10% of their sales total to the club. Unfortunately, due to changing COVID-19 conditions and new lockdown orders, the second day of the sale - which had been planned for December 9 - was canceled.

The Show & Tell session at last week’s CAC Zoom meeting (attended by over 40 CAC people on December 15), was amazingly varied and lots of fun to watch. If you missed it (or want to watch it again), you can view that part of the meeting on YouTube, thanks to Linda Mariano. (FYI: it’s private & can only be located via our link.) Here is the link to the video: ​https://youtu.be/dRVIqydOBh4

Below are some of the artworks that were shown during the last meeting's Show & Tell. First off, Amy Pitt's beautiful (and delicious) challah loaf, and Anne Shulenberger's second piece in the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle, which was created using various ceramic odd & ends as well as some cut-up images of her old artwork, all mounted on one of her own ceramic platters.

Hetta Malone, one of the people in our latest Orientation Class (which was interrupted by the pandemic/lockdown), shared some of her beautiful photographs.

Mary Ann Stanley shared her story of ceramic loss and redemption. Below left is a photo of a ceramic sculpture by the artist Barbara Sebastian, which she purchased several years ago at one of the CAC's Fall Bazaars. The center photo shows its downfall as the result of a small earthquake. On the right is Mary Ann's reconstruction of the piece into its current wabi-sabi incarnation. What drama - with an excellent ending!

Pat Hanscom's wonderful paper sculptures, below on the left & center, are made out of old/recycled paper that she had collected. The leftmost one is her "Green Man," and was created for the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle.

Shown below on the right, Patty Taylor shared 4 of her beautiful ceramic faces decorated with several different non-traditional materials, including "Buff & Rub" (metallic wax), acrylic paint, and fingernail polish. Her preferred methods are pit-fire, saggar or raku fire, but with the studio closed and all the usual materials/equipment unavailable, she has been experimenting - with amazing results. Can't keep a good artist down!

On the left below are two views of Kathy Jepson's intriguing ceramic sculptures: a tree and a portrait bust (both unfinished).

And from Theresa Kuo: "Here's my contribution to the Show and Tell on the 15th.  I felted the slippers from rovings that were left over from spinning wool.  The felting is not as tight as it should be, but at least they fit, unlike the first pair.  The first pair would have been perfect if I had one foot size 9 and the other size 4.  The soles are from leather scraps a friend gave me years ago.  Being a pack rat has its advantages!" 

Theresa is such a versatile artist/craftswoman!

Terri Snyder shared two paintings and a hanging sculpture, all of them created as Art Tag projects. Both of the paintings are on the earlier subject "Shelter," while the sculptural piece is for the current "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle. Love what she's doing!

Carolyn Tertes, a member of our latest Orientation Class (which was interrupted by the pandemic/lockdown), shared an intriguing wall installation that she's been working on during the lockdown. The long view of it is below on the left - you can see more detail by going to the video of the Show & Tell session (the link to that is above, in the 2nd paragraph from the top).

Jim Anderson contributed the photo of his darts hitting the bullseye, below right. During normal times he likes to compete with others in local pubs, but since March he has been honing his skills at home. Looks like it's paying off, too!

Sue Wetzler shared two images during the online Show & Tell: a beautiful photo taken on a hike in the mountains, and a charming little sgrafitto plaque she made, which was recently bisque-fired.

Below are some photos from our Fundraising Sale at Gateway, on the last three Fridays in October. CAC raised $3,704 during the this sale - and then we rounded it up a bit, adding a little more than the equivalent amount from our own treasury, resulting in a donation of $7,500 to the Contra Costa Food Bank! This event was not only a wonderful thing to do for the community, but it was also great fun for the CAC volunteers who participated (led by Betty Baker & Patty Taylor), as well as all of the other Rossmoorians who browsed and purchased the beautiful ceramic pieces.

Theresa Kuo reports, "The quarantine has challenged and inspired me to create. The Rossmoor bubble we live in protects those who take precautions and enjoy life to the fullest!

"The chihuahua quilt is for our daughter-in-law and the poodle one’s for a sister who is a poodle aficionado.  The stockings and house calendar are for the little grandkids (I just finished the Christmas calendar but the numbers for the days have not arrived yet - they were ordered online). The Zoe calendar (I messed up the "Z") is for our 17 year old granddaughter."  

Inspired by the "Mini Totem" demo in our October Zoom meeting, Darryla Green created several of the little totems at home (below left).

Ana Resnick enjoyed painting the beautiful silk scarf that's shown on one of her sculptures, below right.

​Phil Kramer has been painting faces on various rocks with interesting shapes lately, using acrylic paints. They have so much personality!

Mary Ann Stanley recently created a truly unique wall piece as her first in the "Trashformations" Art Tag cycle (shown in the 2 photos below), using some broken frames from her neighbors' trash and round pieces of colored paper, among other materials.

Anne Shulenberger used a lot of glaze samples that she's made and saved over the last few years, as well as the lid and broken-off handle of one of her ceramic teapots, to make the collage below. It's an 18" by 24" board with a lot of other things glued onto it as well, including cardboard, a fabric gift bag and some "silk" flowers. This is her first piece for the current Rossmoor Art Tag cycle all about "Trashformations." 

​Judy Hirsh's delightful Kurinuki piece is shown in 2 views below. She said "Thank you and others so much for helping make Sept 8 a pivotal day for me. This was the first time since the SIP order that I felt compelled to produce art. Here it is. My ongoing obsession with personality types. My son, Jared, who has his own private 'speakeasy' in Oakland, wanted me to make him (my version of) a Tiki cup. "

​Angela Lusk shared her marvelous seven-sided Kurinuki bowl (shown both right side up and upside down below): "I’m so accustomed to the additive process - the subtractive process turned my brain inside out! Wonderful exercise for increasing neuroplasticity right?"

Pat Hanscom has made a second Kurinuki piece, below left: "Here’s my little Covid planter, textured with wildfire ash from the September apocalypse."

Betty Baker was really inspired by our demo - she made three Kurinuki vessels shown below on the right!​

Theresa Kuo's charming wall quilt is below on the left: "I recently finished another Christmas gift for the next-next generation of kids.  The horse quilt is for a grandnephew or grandniece. Am really enjoying the challenge. Next project will be a chihuahua (my grandpup) quilt for my daughter-in-law. "

Hetta Malone  reports: "I’m still a trainee  but have been able to develop some new skills with iPhone images during SIP. Most images taken in Rossmoor or immediate vicinity."

​NOTE:  Hetta is a member of CAC's February/March Orientation class that was interrupted by the lockdown on March 10; three of her wonderful pictures are shown below.

Mary Ann Stanley started making "Splotch Art" during an online art course - she  reports "These two (on the top row) were my first.  I didn’t have any ink or acrylics but found some 'Stroke and Coat' glaze and used it.  I have had so much fun with this media, at a 90th family birthday we did this (ages 14 to 90) and all had a great time - lots of laughs and prizes."

Anne Shulenberger - having been shown the technique by Mary Ann - also had fun making the two little pictures on the second row.

Carla Winter-Evans took the photo below of "a buck that I had rescued a few years ago.  He’s happily munching on weeds.   Currently, he’s the only buck I’ve seen around here but there are quite a few does and fawns…  I think maybe he’s the Dad!  He’s got quite a survival story." 

--- The rest of the story is below the photo ---

The rest of Carla's story about Deer #162:

It was about 3 years ago.  This poor creature had put his foot into a drainage pipe and pulled out the pipe and could not dislodge it from his foot.  It was tortuous and after many months he was very lame, but still feisty.   I called every rescue organization from Mendocino to Big Sur and no one rescued deer…   I finally contacted fish and game and they came out, set up camp and in about two days were able to sedate him, on my front yard. 

They sent a pic of the injury to a vet to decide if they thought he would survive or they should put him down.  They opted to remove the drain from the entrapped hoof and trim the horribly over grown hoof and let him be.   They tagged his right ear #162 , thus his name.   Also, that first year, he also had a broken antler on the left side, so the ear tag counter balanced the broken antler in a way that gave him “style”…  he kinda looked like a hippy deer. Eventually, he got up and wobbly limped off.   The leg got better, one barely notices a limp now, and he appears to have a harem.

End of story… except the herd of deer in the yard.