by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
All of this NCECA news floating around is reminding me how much fun NCECA is and how sad I am to not be going this year. It’s been forever since I made it down, Portland was my last one…sigh…next year hopefully. For all of you lucky ducks going here’s more preconference stuff to check out:
Preconference for NCECA 2010, Philadelphia
March 29 and 30, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA
Co-hosted by Michael Connelly and Alleghany Meadows Conference qualifies towards
ACT 48 Hours. This inaugural conference at Montgomery County Community College will focus on contemporary issues in utilitarian pottery, including sustainability, creativity, content, form, marketing, idea generating and social outreach. Demonstrators will also give slide lectures about their work. There will be a keynote address by the editor of Studio Potter Magazine, a panel discussion about Living Through Making, and a panel discussion on Sustainability in Ceramics. Presenters, Speakers and Panelists include Mary Barringer, Christa Assad, Andy Brayman, Ron Meyers, Ellen Shankin, Ayumi Horie, Julia Galloway, Alleghany Meadows, Steven Lee and Michael Connelly. The conference will also feature Artstream Nomadic Gallery. A part of the conferences focus will follow Montgomery County Community College’s commitment to integrating sustainability into the curriculum to better serve students, professionals and the greater community. Integration of “green” components across the curriculum for students in a wide variety of programs, from physical sciences to allied health, social sciences, and the humanities will have the greatest impact in the long-term reduction of the carbon footprint of our community. In addition, this conference will have a focus on “Green Kilns” and technologies for ceramic artists, which Dr. Stephen Grieco and Michael Connelly are currently seeking funding for a future kiln project at MCCC. It is, to the best of our knowledge, that the Montgomery County Community College’s “Green Kiln” will be the first at any college or university in the country. The demonstrators and presenters will be among the artists represented by the Artstream during its 2010 Spring Tour. Venues for the tour will include the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Kansas City, MO; Wabounsee Community College, Sugar Grove, IL; Illinois State University, Bloomington/Normal, IL; NCECA Preconference, Montgomery County Community College, Blue Bell, PA; NCECA 2010, Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA; New York State College of Ceramics, Alfred, NY, and other venues TBA.
Directions from Pennsylvania Convention Center Go to: Market Street East Station (12th and Filbert Streets) Take: R5 Region Rail to Lansdale/Doylestown to Penllyn Station (40 minute train ride—Bus stops at Penllyn Station) Take: Rte. 94 Bus to the College (5 minute ride)
Septa Schedule
by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
Employment Insurance special benefits for the self-employed
As of January 31, self-employed Canadians are able to register for the Employment Insurance (EI) program, which will extend to them maternity, parental, sickness and compassionate care benefits, collectively called special benefits. The Fairness for the Self?Employed Act extends EI special benefits to self-employed Canadians. This measure responds to the Government’s 2008 pledge to help provide improved economic security and support for all those who are self-employed. With these changes, self-employed Canadians will be able to voluntarily opt into the EI program and receive special benefits. Overall, the special benefits for self-employed individuals mirror those currently available to salaried employees under the EI program.
For the full article follow this link
For more information on the Employment Insurance program, visit www.servicecanada.gc.ca/self_employed_workers.
by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized

February 27 – April 10, 2010
Exhibition Reception: Saturday, February 27 from 2-4 pm
Mariko McCrae is part renegade, part court jester, part activist and community builder, but indeed – all artist. Her work is founded on historical ceramic tradition, but consciously subverts away from the norm of form and function, which is an important critical practice in establishing a contemporary way of working with clay.
McCrae completed her BFA at ACAD in 1995 where she was the recipient of the Board of Governor’s Award and the Governor General’s Award conjunctly. In 1998 McCrae graduated with her MFA in Ceramics from Kent State University, Ohio. She has taught at the Red Deer College Summer SERIES program, University of Manitoba, Ohio University, University of Michigan and been a guest lecturer at the Emily Carr College of Art & Design, Nova Scotia College of Art & Design and New York University to name a few. McCrae has participated in artist’s residency programs at the Banff Center for the Arts and the International Ceramic Center at Grimmerhus, Skaelskor, Denmark.
“An Affair to Remember” is based on a story written by McCrae. Through Duncan Gare, the second character that she has created during her career as a ceramicist, she comments on the lofty topic of mass production, consumerism and recycling. Duncan Gare (a combination of two hobby glaze manufacturers) personifies the struggle between good taste and bad, manufactured versus handmade, craft versus art, and in turn the battle between high art versus low.
Website Link.
by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
This is going to be a great one! I’ll be there, hope to see you too.

The Saskatoon Potters Guild is proud to present Cathy Terepocki on March 5th and 6th, 2010 at the Albert Community Centre in Saskatoon. Cathy is an artist from Nelson BC who will be presenting a workshop on “Printing on Clay”. Cathy holds a BFA in ceramics from the Alberta College of Art & Design. Her work is sold and exhibited across Canada. Click her for her bio.Registration Information
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Albert Community Centre Loft, 610 Clarence Avenue South, Saskatoon |
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March 5th – Artist Talk, 7:30pm free public lecture March 6th – Demo Workshop – 9:00am to 4:00pm |
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$45.00 for members, $55.00 for non-members. |
Morning and afternoon sessions will illustrate the use of photo transfers, printing with slip, tissue transfers, and screen printing.
Bring your own lunch; coffee, tea, juice and snacks will be provided for breaks.Call 306-933-2530 or email [email protected] for registration informationClick here to view the workshop poster and more information about Cathy
by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2010 Each year, an amount is available to the Canada Council for the Arts to support special initiatives in the Canadian crafts community. Awarded through the Jean A. Chalmers Fund for the Crafts, this sum represents the income from an endowment of $500,000 made to the Canada Council by the late Mrs. Chalmers in 1985. The objective of the program is to strengthen the discourse and knowledge of contemporary fine crafts in Canada. The Chalmers Fund enables the Visual Arts Section to assist non-profit, Canadian visual arts organizations to undertake projects that contribute to the advancement and understanding of the fine crafts in Canada. Individual fine crafts professionals are also eligible to apply, but only to the Research and Policy Development Assistance component of the program. MORE DETAILS >>
by Carole Epp | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorized
DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2010 Long-term Grants provide support over a two-year period to established professional fine craft artists or curators (for research only) who have made a significant contribution to contemporary fine craft. The period of activity covered by the grant must have a series of opportunities in the fields of research, production, career and networking development. The program of work must be designed to advance the long-term artistic and career development of the artist at a key moment in their career. It must include at least two of the following activities: – Research/Professional Development
– Production of a New Body of Work
– Production Towards a Confirmed Public Presentation
– Career Development:
Grant Amount
The grant amount is $40,000 per year for two consecutive years, for a total of $80,000. This grant supports a period of comprehensive activities in research, creation, production and career development. Note that grants cannot be used for projects that have been completed. Educational projects, capital and large equipment costs are not eligible. For more information on this grant check out: http://www.canadacouncil.ca/grants/