Rikki Gill on mon 19 may 03
The Berkeley Potters Guild has manaaged so far to avoid these problems. We
have been around for about 40+ years. The way we do it is that we all rent
our own studios and are responsable for all that that entails. We all have
our own equipment. We share the work of the building, keeping the bathroom
clean, emptying the slurry bucket, buying building supplies, but not paying
for them, the Guild does that, by signing up for a monthly shift. After all
the shifts are filled, [there are about 48 shifts a year, and 19 of us], any
extra time is used for special things, like painting the hallway before the
show. We are all required to make an effort.
We also share the work of the shows and running the Gallery. We show in our
own spaces, tag all our pots with our names, [first three letters] and are
responsible for an 8 hour job before the show [mine is the mailing list].
We are also responsible for a certain number of cashiering shifts which can
be hired out.
This system works because we have meetings to put this together, and
penalties for those who don't do their share. Everyone comes to the
meetings. We just come. They are not mandatory as such. You cannot become
a member until after the first show you take part in. You can't even become
an accepted renter till then. Before the end of first show you are on
probation.
At first this seemed very rigid. But it works, and where the rules are
clear, it is possible to relax. We get along well, and really try to
improve the building, and our sale each time.
If you want to know more about us, Clayarter Charles Moore wrote an article
about the Guild in the April 2002 issue of Fine Arts Ceramics. Hope this
will help anyone who is in a Guild and unsure of how to proceed. Rikki
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sheron Roberts"
To:
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 10:56 AM
Subject: Re: guilds/groups
mel wrote:
"who cleans the sinks?
who sets up the shows?
who sweeps the floor?
who does the work?
who pays the bills?
they all fall apart because......"
How so very true this is. I will attend a guild meeting tonight, keep the
minutes and count heads. There will be five people there, out of a paid
membership of about 30, with a regular mailing list of 150. All 150 want to
remain on our list to be notified of upcoming shows, etc..
We just hung a juried show that paid $500.00 to the best of show and healthy
sums to the first, second and third, in 2D category and the same in a 3D
category. How many showed up to help hang that show, set up the reception,
mail out invitations, type invitations, label, label, label everythng? The
same five that will be at the meeting tonight.
I am so ready to become a "one woman guild" as mel says.
The only thing keeping me hanging on is my friendship with the five.
Sheron in NC
____________________________________________________________________________
__
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mel jacobson on mon 19 may 03
you can write all the fancy moral issues, rules, concepts.
but, the bottom line is:
who cleans the sinks?
who sets up the shows?
who sweeps the floor?
who does the work?
who pays the bills?
they all fall apart because many do not pull
their load. same everywhere.
i like my studio, i do all the work...get
all the credit, get all the money.
best guild in the world...`a one man commune`.
mel
a message from the farm at hay creek
Miriam Shelomith on mon 19 may 03
"who cleans the sinks?=0D
who sets up the shows?=0D
who sweeps the floor?=0D
who does the work?=0D
who pays the bills?"=0D
=0D
Having lived/worked in a commune for years =0D
now understand/welcome =0D
the concept of benevolent dictatorships=0D
=0D
do not mind the day to day necessities=0D
but =0D
only if all do some of the expletive deleted=0D
and are willing to be responsible=0D
=0D
ideas, work, decisions, responsibility=0D
=0D
mine!=0D
=0D
miriam =0D
=0D
=0D
=0D
=20
Sheron Roberts on mon 19 may 03
mel wrote:
"who cleans the sinks?
who sets up the shows?
who sweeps the floor?
who does the work?
who pays the bills?
they all fall apart because......"
How so very true this is. I will attend a guild meeting tonight, keep =
the minutes and count heads. There will be five people there, out of a =
paid membership of about 30, with a regular mailing list of 150. All =
150 want to remain on our list to be notified of upcoming shows, etc..
We just hung a juried show that paid $500.00 to the best of show and =
healthy sums to the first, second and third, in 2D category and the same =
in a 3D category. How many showed up to help hang that show, set up the =
reception, mail out invitations, type invitations, label, label, label =
everythng? The same five that will be at the meeting tonight.
I am so ready to become a "one woman guild" as mel says.
The only thing keeping me hanging on is my friendship with the five.
Sheron in NC
Gail Dapogny on tue 20 may 03
The two types of guilds --- 1) the organization of people with common
interests or goals, and
2) an association of craftspeople, formed to give help and advice ,etc.---
each serve a purpose, and are not mutually exclusive. Geography probably
plays a role; i.e. if people live far from one another, they might choose
to have the association as a means of defeating isolation.
On the other hand, the organization exists to bring people together and
often to work together, but that doesn't mean that it sacrifices standards.
In our guild (Ann Arbor), time (over 50 years) has honed the sharp edges
and brought about solutions.
Our students, who are encouraged to come in with some prior experience,
take a number of classes (4 sixteen-week terms), then they go to the bottom
of the waiting list, and frequently return for another round of classes
down the road. Once a year we have a "membership" meeting, and, space
permitting, we consider prospective members after seeing a show of their
works, and armed with opinions about how they mix into a sometimes-crowded
cooperative situation.
Anyone selected is an "adjunct" member for two years, and during that time
must learn some of the kiln work, be seen as someone who pitches in and
helps, and also must grow technically and artistically. Following that, the
adjunct member is taken in (or not) based on these factors.
In general, I would say that we do not take in anyone whose pots are not
ready for group exhibits and sales. This is where our "jurying" takes
place. Otherwise, we do not formally jury or judge one another. However,
there is plenty of kind laughter over failures, and sympathy for pots that
may be beautiful but flawed and not saleable The message is there. We
prop each other up, and we mutually raise one another's standards without
harshness. We are honest with one another. And this seems to work well.
Because we work together, share equipment, load and fire one anothers'
pots, and undertake physical labor as a group, we need to exist together
under an umbrella of good will and sensitivity and mutual considerateness.
No Big Brothers watching and taking control. We do share common interests
of all sorts, but especially one: to make the best pots we possibly can.
As for the tasks that Mel mentions, we have a finely-tuned process that
ensures that we all take part in certain things such as cleaning,
clay-making, attending meetings. Various specific jobs are spread
throughout the membership, according to skills and interest. The jobs
rotate so that no one gets too possessive or too controlling about some
job. We have a points system, yet everything works on the honor system.
I'd say that we work very hard at preserving a kind of trust with one
another. We are selective, we maintain high standards, yet we work
together; the atmosphere is intense, but friendly.
The first type of guild--what I've been describing-- can work beautifully,
but it takes organization and work. In the end it offers the best of both
situations.
Gail Dapogny
>mel wrote:
>"who cleans the sinks?
>who sets up the shows?
>who sweeps the floor?
>who does the work?
>who pays the bills?
>
>they all fall apart because......"
>
>How so very true this is. I will attend a guild meeting tonight, keep the
>minutes and count heads. There will be five people there, out of a paid
>membership of about 30, with a regular mailing list of 150. All 150 want
>to remain on our list to be notified of upcoming shows, etc..
>We just hung a juried show that paid $500.00 to the best of show and
>healthy sums to the first, second and third, in 2D category and the same
>in a 3D category. How many showed up to help hang that show, set up the
>reception, mail out invitations, type invitations, label, label, label
>everythng? The same five that will be at the meeting tonight.
>I am so ready to become a "one woman guild" as mel says.
>The only thing keeping me hanging on is my friendship with the five.
>Sheron in NC
Gail Dapogny
Ann Arbor, Michigan
gdapogny@umich.edu
http://www.silverhawk.com/ex99/dapogny (single historical photo - no longer
registered with Silverhawk)
Roly Beevor on tue 20 may 03
Sheron Roberts wrote
>How many showed up to help hang that show, set up the reception, mail =
out invitations, type invitations, label, label, label everythng? The =
same five that will be at the meeting tonight.
I am so ready to become a "one woman guild" as mel says.
The only thing keeping me hanging on is my friendship with the five.
So is the friendship more imortant to you than the future of the guild? =
Often in groups of all sorts I've seen the same problem, which arises as =
much because it is difficult to break into the established leadership =
and because people are lazy as because nobody wants to offend the =
existing leaders or upset a system which works.
You have to work at succession planning if you want the group to have a =
future. This means setting a limit on the years you will be involved, =
finding jobs for people to get them involved, letting new people do =
things less well than you would have done them, accepting their 'new =
ideas' which you dropped a decade ago...
Roland
claybair on tue 20 may 03
Sheron,
I was in a group such as you described.
The personality & ego problems eventually broke it down
and now it's largely a one man show.
Though I moved 1700 miles away I maintain my friendships with the few
who worked diligently to keep the place alive.
It was a great experience for me but for not others.
Gayle Bair
Bainbridge Island, WA
http://claybair.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Clayart [mailto:CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG]On Behalf Of Sheron
Roberts
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2003 10:56 AM
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Subject: Re: guilds/groups
mel wrote:
"who cleans the sinks?
who sets up the shows?
who sweeps the floor?
who does the work?
who pays the bills?
they all fall apart because......"
How so very true this is. I will attend a guild meeting tonight, keep the
minutes and count heads. There will be five people there, out of a paid
membership of about 30, with a regular mailing list of 150. All 150 want to
remain on our list to be notified of upcoming shows, etc..
We just hung a juried show that paid $500.00 to the best of show and healthy
sums to the first, second and third, in 2D category and the same in a 3D
category. How many showed up to help hang that show, set up the reception,
mail out invitations, type invitations, label, label, label everythng? The
same five that will be at the meeting tonight.
I am so ready to become a "one woman guild" as mel says.
The only thing keeping me hanging on is my friendship with the five.
Sheron in NC
____________________________________________________________________________
__
Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
Bryan on wed 21 may 03
----- Original Message -----
From: "mel jacobson"
>
> best guild in the world...`a one man commune`.
> mel
> a message from the farm at hay creek
I am tired of being a one man commune at least in the pottery end of
things. The cooperative store that is my main outlet runs fairly
smoothly. I miss the stimulation of being around other interesting
people. An experience not unlike what you have experiencing in teaching,
NCECA, and at your farm when other potters are there. I'd rather that
those experiences be an ongoing part of the fabric of my life rather
than a short blip. Figuring out how to work together seems to be part of
the experience.
Bryan
mel jacobson on wed 21 may 03
another factor in the equation is that new leadership
often does not have the passion or philosophy that
the organizers had in founding the group.
the new president, wants to be a `president of
something`...so, the clay guild is just fine.
that person may have nothing to do with
clay, but loves being a president. bad mix.
certain death.
and, i am sure that those early folks..or, the `big
five`....still have to clean the toilet, mop the floor,
hang the shows.
it is like the volunteers that `love being involved`...but,
when the hard jobs come....`oh, i would love to help, but
i have to take the dog to the vet.`
same old story.
and, when the `big five`, have had enough, the organization
dies.
i still like being in charge of my own destiny. my work, my effort
is what makes it happen. i hate committee work. drives me nuts.
mel
From:
Minnetonka, Minnesota, U.S.A.
web site: my.pclink.com/~melpots
or try: http://www.pclink.com/melpots
new/ http://www.TICK-ATTACK.COM
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