Where the simple elements of clay, water, fire and
minerals are skillfully combined into art and craft.
2007
represented 50 years of clay for VCPG. We had a wonderful year.
Please see our Anniversary Page
for details on the events held.
Last year, 2009, was the 50th anniversary of our sale at the Ojai Music
Festival, which takes place in Libbey Park. We had a "Mad Potters
Tea Ware Competition" and this year on June 12, 2010, Guild members
submitted their work into our "Music from Mud" competition.
Patti Hallowes won Best of Show and People's Choice.
We would like to express our appreciation to the Ventura
County Star for sponsoring our site for 10 years in the past.
Please follow the Ventura County Star link on our Links page to see
what's happening in Ventura County.
The Ventura County Potters Guild was founded
in 1957, which means 2007 is our 50th anniversary. We are a not-for-profit
organization formed to promote the art and craft of ceramics in
the community and to provide a forum for local potters to share
their experiences and knowledge of clay. This knowledge is passed
on through guest speaker presentations, member's show and tell,
informative newsletter, workshops, shows, sales and a library
that features both books and videos.
The Guild is comprised of professional and recreational potters
and ceramists; instructors from local high schools and colleges;
as well as people simply interested in ceramics in and around
the Ventura County area. For $20/year for singles or $30 for couples,
members receive a monthly newsletter published 9 times a year;
can attend the monthly meetings; have access to the guild library
of books and videos; receive discounts to the sponsored workshops,
and once juried, can participate in the Guild's shows and sales.
Sample work of some of our members can be viewed on our member
gallery page.
Guild meetings are typically held on the fourth
Monday of the month between September and May except for December.
They are held at the Senior Recreation Center at Oak
and E. Santa Clara Streets in Ventura. Invited specialists
in the field of ceramics give demonstrations, lectures, and slide
shows. In addition, day-long and multi-day workshops featuring
internationally renowned ceramicists are sponsored by the guild,
often in cooperation with local colleges. Social gatherings are
traditionally held in August and December, the latter featuring
a member's pottery exchange.
In the interest of promoting those engaged in the study of ceramics,
the guild awards a number of scholarships annually. Several scholarships are awarded
to students in the ceramics curriculum at local colleges. In memory and honor of our past member,
Vivika Heino, the guild has awarded the Vivika Heino Memorial Scholarship annually to a graduate student
in ceramics attending a California university.
The Ventura County Potters Guild gets together
a few times a year for a show and sale. For the past 50+ years,
the Guild has been privileged to hold its major sale in conjunction
with the Ojai Music Festival
in Libbey
Park, Ojai, California.
The Festival takes place in the beginning of June. The next event
will be on June 12 and 13, 2010. Normal hours are 9am - 6pm.
Our annual holiday sale takes place on the
first weekend in December at the Bell Arts Factory, 432
N. Ventura Ave. in Ventura.
Our members produce functional and non-functional
works in most of the available clay varieties (earthenware, lowfire,
highfire, stoneware, porcelain) in sizes ranging from scale miniatures
to large urns and sculpture pieces.
