CCI-newsletter-1975-2-May

OJo

Royal Dublin Society Ball's Bridge

Dublin 4

Ireland

telephone 6 8 0 6 4 5

NEWSLETTER No.

2

May,

1975.

A N N U A L -GENERAL M E E T I N G

The Annual General Meeting of the Crafts Council of Ireland took place on Wednesday 19th M a r c h at the Royal Dublin Society.

The outgoing C h a i r m a n Mr F r a n k Sutton read a comprehensive report of the activities of the Council (copies may be had by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the Hon. Secretary, Crafts Council of Ireland, c/o, R.D.S., Ballsbridge, Dublin 4). During the discussion which followed the following points were r a i s e d from the aucience (1) a strong appeal for the formalization and proper training of craftworkers (2) a plea for the establishment of a quality retail outlet by the C r a f t s Council of Ireland for craft products. Dissatisfaction was expressed at the standard of display of crafts in most r e t a i l stores and the inability of many r e t a i l sales personnel to distinguish quality craft items and discuss them with their customers. •

The points were noted and passed to the incoming committee with a recommendation for action by them.

The following members were elected to the executive committee for the coming year :Mr F r a n k Sutton, C h a i r m a n Miss Muriel Gahan, V i c e C h a i r m a n Mrs Patsy Duignan, Hon. T r e a s u r e r Miss Betty Searson, Hon.

Secretary

(Cork Craftsmens' Guild) (Country Workers Ltd) (Slievebawn Co-Operative Handcraft Markets Ltd) (Royal Dublin Society)

(Bord F a i l t e ) (Kilkenny Design Workshops) National College of A r t '& Design I r i s h Society for Design and Craftwork Federation of Women's Institutes of Northern Ireland.

National Development Association Coras Trachtala I r i s h Countrywomens' Association

Miss Blanaid Reddin Miss Mary Mullin Professor Lucie Charles M i s s Angela O'Brien Mrs

Dawson

Mr. J . C o r r i g a n Mr. R. P o l l a r d Dr F r a n c e s Shaw

When the business of the meeting concluded Mr. Jose Antonio S i e r r a , Director of the Spanish C u l t u r a l Institute gave an illustrated talk on "The Crafts of Spain".

M E E T I N G OF THE

E U R O P E A N A S S E M B L Y OF THE

WORLD CRAFTS COUNCIL

Ireland was represented at the European A s s e m b l y by the C h a i r m a n of the Crafts Council of Ireland, Mr. F r a n k Sutton and the Hon. S e c r e t a r y , M i s s Betty Searson.

The following report comes from Mr.

Sutton :-

The European A s s e m b l y of the World Crafts Council took place at Dartington Hall, Devon from 10th - 13th A p r i l . Representatives or delegates were present from A u s t r i a , Belgium, Denmark, Finland, F r a n c e , Greece, Hungary, Holland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, United Kingdom and Yugoslavia. The President, Viscount E c c l e s , chaired most of the s e s s i o n s .

The International Council for the Societies of Industrial Design was represented

by Madame Josine des C r e s s o n n i e r e s , S e c r e t a r y General.

The A s s e m b l y dealt mainly with administrative matters and a major proportion of the time was spent considering the position of Europe in the context of the whole WCC and i n particular the concentration of the WCC on third world affairs in the, perhaps, mistaken assumption that a l l was well with European affairs.

It was clear from the report of representatives from the various European countries that the degree of organisation, and i n particular government aid v a r i e d greatly from country to country. T h e r e i s total commiLment from the E a s t e r n European governments and crafts i n those countries are highly organised. In the United Kingdom the Crafts A d v i s o r y Committee receive a grant of almost ÂŁ400, 000. T h i s was considered to be the result of a combination of a sympathetic minister and craftsmen who justified it. The United Kingdom i s therefore able to give a wide range of grants to craftworkers, hold major exhibitions, improve standards and produce high quality publications.

In other countries s m a l l groups of top craftsmen, often in connection with design organisations, receive" some subsidy. The remaining countries were at a stage of having a number of craft organisations with little communication between them. Ireland appeared to have the sort of organisation other countries are trying to achieve and in a much better position to make a r e a l l y worthwhile contribution should government funds become available.

The United Kingdom, Austria, Scandinavian and I r i s h representatives set the pace i n the debates to ensure that the office of the European V i c e - P r e s i d e n t should become the clearing house for information and for greater co-operation between countries at representative level with one immediate a i m being the greater recognition, at government level, of representatives i n their respective countries and the setting aside of funds for crafts as distinct from the a r t s .

Implicit i n a lot of the discussions was a degree of c r i t i c i s m of WCC in not giving a greater lead inEurope, especially i n p r a c t i c a l terms. The importance of WCC i n world t e r m s was recognised, but the interflow of information was considered unorganised.

Relations with United Nations agencies was discussed. It i s now clear that UNESCO, regarded hitherto as important to crafts, was unlikely to be as helpful as the U.N. Development Programme and the International Labour organisation, both of which would be prepared to examine, and possibly fund^ specific projects i n t e r m s of training and s o c i a l policy.

The WCC office for Craft Development with L i l l y Endowment funds would consider funding development projects, but probably more i n a total European context rather than individual projects. T h i s a l l points to the necessity for a r active WCC European office to expedite such matters.

Representatives were advised of the requirements for craftsmen with specialised and highly developed skills for the conservation of A r t t r e a s u r e s . Coordination of this scheme would be handled by the United Kingdom Crafts Advisory Committee.

It i s hoped to have details shortly about a major Czechoslovakian travelling crafts exhibition.

Arrangements a r e being made with WCC representatives for the showing of the film "In P r a i s e of Hands". We hope to have details of I r i s h showings i n the next newsletter.

The next World A s s e m b l y i s being held i n Mexico from 6th to 12th June, 1976.

The theme w i l l be "The Living Crafts; Tradition and Quality". Coordinated t r a v e l arrangements w i l l be made and details will be r e l e a s e d through the newsletter.

EXHIBITIONS "The South E a s t Can Make I t " , craftworkers from the south-east; Kilkenny, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford w i l l hold an exhibition i n St. Mary's Hall, Kilkenny from 'Friday May 30th to Monday June 2nd, 10. 30 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. •

REGIONAL MEETINGS The Glare County Development T e a m are organizing a meeting of the C l a r e Handicrafts A s s o c i a t i o n in Ennis on the evening of May 28th.

The Executive Committee of the Crafts Council of Ireland w i l l hold it's monthly meeting in E n n i s e a r l i e r in the day and v/ill attend the evening meeting when the craftsworkers in C l a r e w i l l introduce their work and discuss plans for the development of crafts i n the region. The evening meeting i s open to a l l craftworkers and those interested in promoting, selling or developing the crafts in the C l a r e region. THIS IS YOUR I N V I T A T I O N TO A T T E N D .

F o r further details contact :Mr.

John Costello,

A s s i s t a n t County Development Officer, Courthouse, Ennis, Co. C l a r e .

Telephone 21616 REGIONAL CRAFT EXHIBITION Town H a l l Killarney, Co. K e r r y .

June 24th to June 27th, 1975.

As part of the Royal Dublin Society's Craftsmanship scheme, : this year's Regional Craft Exhibition i s for the benefit of craftworkers in K e r r y , and West Cork.

The purpose of the Exhibition i s to promote the development of the region's crafts based on native m a t e r i a l and I o c l J tradition. Its main feature w i l l be an exhibition of their work by traditional, home, and workshop craftworkers in the region. The crafts w i l l be those in the Exhibition Schedule below, and a selection of these will be demonstrated by their m a k e r s .

E a c h entry i n a class may be of a single craft, or a group of the same craft.

A l l work submitted must have been made by the entrant within the last two years.

A l l cra.fts which a r e included in the Exhibition Schedule, and r e a c h required standards of design, workmanship, and competence w i l l be exhibited. E a c h exhibit w i l l be under its maker's name.

Exhibition Schedule 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

Useful objects in wood Wood-carving Work in rush, straw, rods, and in s i m i l a r native m a t e r i a l {e. g. hedgerow) Stonework Pottery Wrought iron and other metal work Saddlery and other work in I r i s h leather, including home cured skins (not wild animal) Handspinning and Hand Weaving L u m r a Work (work i n unspun undyed wool hooked through canvas).

K e r r y Quilts (fleece wool lined) K e r r y pampooties (double knit ankle sock with soft m o c a s s i n type leather sole) Stitched wool work - on canvas Traditional I r i s h Crochet (in fine cotton) or other I r i s h lace.

Children's soft or Wood Toys.

In addition to exhibits of crafts in the Exhibition Schedule, there w i l l be exhibits of c l a s s i f i e d s m a l l industries and co-operatives i n the region, and K e r r y I. C.A. Guild entries i n the Inter-Guild Competition - 'Five items of craftwork a visitor would like to buy'.

F o r detailed information write to the Exhibition's Convenor - Mrs Casey, 14, Cloonbeg, T r a l e e .

Susan

NATIONAL CRAFTS COMPETITION Again, we remind you of the National Crafts Competition.

T h e r e a r e 20 categories and over ÂŁ1, 500 i n prize money.

July 11th, 1975.

Closing date,

Schedules and entry forms from :National Crafts Competition, R o y a l Dublin Society, Ball's Bridge, Dublin 4.

Telephone 680645. E x t .

267.

THATCHING We were very pleased to l e a r n of the intention of AnCo (The Industrial Training Authority) to undertake a survey of thatching and thatchers throughout the country. Anyone who i s a thatcher, or knows one, can play a part in the r e v i v a l of the art by passing any information they may have concerning this craft to :Mr. James McGing, AnCo, The Industrial T r a i n i n g Authority, P. O. Box 456, Baggot Court, Dublin 4.

Telephone : 687811.

PUBLICATIONS We received a nice letter from the Co-Editor of C e r a m i c Review recently.

T h i s i s the magazine of the C r a f t s m e n Potters Association. Details as follows: CERAMIC REVIEW 5, B e l s i z e Lane, London NW3 post paid.

5AD

- 40p per issue or ÂŁ3.00 annual subscription

A l s o for the potters H a r r i s o n Mayer Ltd., Meir, Stoke-on-Trent ST3 7PX. have produced a catalogue of a complete s e r v i c e to the craft potter. T h i s catalogue includes lists of materials, tools, machinery and equipment available for the studio potter. It also lists the educational aids available to teachers.

And weaving "The wonderful Work of the Weaver" by L i l l i a s Mitchell, a nicely produced s m a l l book selling at the unbelievably low price of lOp i s just the thing to introduce young people to the magic of weaving. Available from: L i l l i a s Mitchell, National College of A r t & Design, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

ICSID The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (ICSID) 9th Congress takes place i n Moscow in October - 1975. Anyone interested i n joining the I r i s h party travelling to this event should immediately contact :The Society of Designers i n Ireland, 8, M e r r i o n Square, Dublin 2.

NOTED •»

* F u l l page advertisement i n the NEW Y O R K T I M E S by the 5th Avenue Department Store, B. Altman &: Company inviting New Y o r k e r s to come and meet Simon Pearce, Glassglower, from Bennettsbridge, Co. Kilkenny at their store and l e a r n about glassmaking. Congratulations to Simon P e a r c e - its good to see I r i s h craftsmanship in one of the world's finest market places.

•The F r e n c h magazine F E M M E S D'AUJOURD'HUI i n their A p r i l 1975 issue devote many pages to a colour feature on design and crafts i n Ireland with some excellent photographs of craftv/orkers at home. Included are : A r a n Islanders, Agnes Costello, Mary O'Donnell, A l i c e Roden, C r o c k of Gold Weavers, Rudolf Heltzel, Robin C l a r k e , Peter Wenger, Michele H i l a i r e , Maura O'Regan and Sonja Landweer *And nearer home - I R E L A N D O F T H E W E L C O M E S has a full colour feature on Slievebawn Co-operative i n their M a r c h / A p r i l issue.

POSTSCRIPT Again we remind you that this newsletter i s p r i m a r i l y for and about the craftworker i n Ireland. If it i s to succeed in forging a communications chanel between the individual, the groups, co-operatives and organisations with a commitment to crafts and craftworkers, then singly and collectively you must send details of meetings exhibitions or events - queries you may have - news of courses and competitions to :Hon. S e c r e t a r y , Crafts Council of Ireland, c/ o, Royal Dublin Society, Ball'sBridge, Dublin 4.

Member organisations of the C C I w i l l receive copies of the newsletter for distribution to their members. Individuals can request additional copies by sending a. stamped addressed envelope to the above address.