CCI-Stoppress-2000-17-April

STO PRESS INFORMation 2000 As part of the Crafts Council of Ireland Strategic Plan 2000-2003, the CCol is pleased to announce that the first in a series of six Information Seminars will take place this May 13th, at the Ardilaun House Hotel,Taylor's Hill, Galway.

The Crafts Council sees INFORMation 2000 as a means of informing craftspeople about current changes within the structure of the organisation. It will give many craftspeople an opportunity to meet with Crafts Council staff and consult on issues of importance to them.

The main topics of discussion will be: • The re-structuring of Crafts Council of Ireland activities and the CCol Strategic Plan 2000-2003 • Showcase 2001 • Special Guest speaker(s) - each venue will play host to guest speakers from successful craft

businesses and those who have specialist knowledge of the industry.

Galway's topic for discussion is 'Successful Marketing on a budget'.

Other venues will play host to discussions such as 'Crafts and the Media' and 'Exhibitions - their value and importance'. Interaction between participants and speakers will be encouraged and there will be ample time for questions and answers.

The seminars are open to all craftspeople so don't miss this chance to meet the CCol in your region. Those on the CCol Register of Craft Enterprise will receive an invitation through the post and notices will be posted in local newspapers to invite non-registered craftspeople in the area who may be interested in attending. Other seminars will take place over the Summer and into Autumn:

Crafts Council of Ireland staff will be attending the seminars and will also be available for a Questions and Answers Session where craftspeople will be able to air their views. Each Q & A session will be facilitated by an independent professional facilitator. CCol staff available in Galway will be Leslie Reed, Chief Executive; Catherine Jordan, Showcase Co-ordinator; Joanna Quinn, Information Officer; Emer Ferran, Business Development Manager.

• in Killarney on the 20th May at Muckross Park Hotel • Letterkenny on the I Oth June at Mount Errigal Hotel and later in the year in Cahir, Armagh and Dublin.

Morning coffee and a light lunch will be provided at each venue.

For more information about INFORMation 2000, please contact Hilary Morley in Galway at (091) 528524 or email: hmorley@esatclear.ie

Regional Craft Development Some of the people present at a meeting to set up a professional network to facilitate information sharing and discuss craft development in Ireland.

Photo (clockwise from top left): Michael Faulkner, Marketing Adviser, Donegal County Enterprise Board; Declan Campbell, Eurocrafi, Belfast; Ann Ryan, Programme Manager, Cahir; Michelle Corell, Tyrone-Donegal Partnership; Edel Griffin, Deny City Council; Peter Pollock, CavanMonaghan LEADER; Jackie Murray, Fermanagh Crafts Consortium; Orla

Casey, Leitrim County Enterprise Board. Also present were: Mary Bogue, Fusion, Limerick; Karen Ferguson, Louth County Enterprise Board; Cornelia McCarthy, Contemporary Crafts on the Border.

Showcase 2001 New Product Awards On the occasion of the 25th Anniversary Fair in January 2001, Showcase Ireland will be launching New Product Awards for the best New Product in each market category - Craft & Gift-Interior & Tabletop-Fashion, Knitwear & Accessories-Celtic Showcase - and an overall Best New Product 2001 Award will be made to one of these winners. Jurying will be by a panel of International buyers, journalists, design and market specialists, and the awards will be extensively promoted by Showcase Ireland Events Ltd. It is important that current and future buyers and specifiers are aware that Showcase is consistently a source of exciting, new, quality products and goods.The New Product Awards will be promoted on the Showcase web site, and to all international and home buyers prior to the show through mail and press promotion.The award winners, to be announced at Showcase in January 2001, will be promoted in the Showcase catalogue supplement, prominently exhibited at the Fair itself, and included in the extensive Showcase press promotion.

Descriptive applications will need to

submitted in June 2000, with product samples and documentation to be submitted to the organisers in late November.

Award winners will receive a Perpetual Trophy and momento, specially commissioned by the DESIGNyard Commissioning Gallery.

Existing exhibitors were invited to declare interest on the 2001 stand booking forms, and will automatically receive application forms and full details in April. Any exhibitor who has not yet expressed an interest in the Awards and wishes to participate should contact: Anne Kennedy New Products Awards Manager The Onion Shed Whitestown Greenore Co. Louth Tel 042 9373032 Fax 042 9373032/9373094 email akennedy@tinet.ie

Photographic promotions in Showcase Catalogue Every year CCol promotes registered quality marked Showcase exhibitors in the Showcase Ireland catalogue. As an exhibitor you can participate, free of charge, in this

promotion by: • submitting transparencies of your product in response to the mailshot announcing Catalogue advertising and editorial inclusion (sent to all Showcase exhibitors during Summer by organisers). Selected shots will be included in the catalogue.

• submitting product for photography by CCol. All Q marked confirmed exhibitors will receive a "Call for Product" notice in July. A selection of up to 12 products will be photographed in September for inclusion in the catalogue and inshow promotion on CCol stand areas.

Remember you may also want to consider placing an advertisement in the Showcase catalogue - this is a guaranteed and effective way of promoting your company to buyers and visitors during and after the fair.

So keep an eye out for the above correspondence from CCol/Showcase organisers and make the most of these opportunities! For further information on Showcase visual promotion contact Anne Kennedy Tel 042 9373032 Fax 042 9373032 / 9373094 email akennedy@tinet.ie

Show your jewellery in New York!

The Contemporary Crafts Jewellery Network are submitting an application for selection to the New York International Gift Fair (August 19-23).

We need an additional 3-4 jewellers based in the 32 counties who are willing to share the costs of a group stand. Work must be contemporary and design-led to complement the existing work of the jewellery network.

Interested? Send 6 slides, brochure/PR material and a SAE to Contemporary Crafts on the

Border, D'Arcy McGee Grainstore, Dundalk Street, Carlingford, Co Louth, no later than April 17th.The Jewellery Network currently comprises designer/makers based in the border and northern counties.

The network will soon be looking to invite new members from the 32 counties to join the network...so watch this space.

Activities within the network include: • Sharing a jewellery agent who actively promotes and takes orders in the 32 counties

• Networking and sharing resources and advice • Group Shows where invited jewellers participate as 'associated members' at fairs such as the NYIGF Co-ordinated and facilitated by Contemporary Crafts on the Border, this group have been actively joint marketed since January 1999. Contemporary Crafts on the Border is a Crafts Council of Ireland and Craftworks Northern Ireland outreach programme supported by Co-operation Ireland.

'Calling Cards!'

Friday 14th April in The Heritage Centre, Carlingford, Co. Louth The concept behind 'Calling Cards' is to enable selected small card publishers, based in the border areas of Southern Ireland and Northern Ireland, to export their products to the UK as part of a group package.

Ceramics Book On the 6th March Louise Ellen Cooley of Michigan State University met with Gus Mabelson, Neil Read and Michael Jackson to review the slide submissions for her

professional photographer is used if possible, and the slides should be 'studio' rather than 'location' shots, i.e. no imposing background or accessories. Whilst the latter are

"Calling Cards' will establish a sales catalogue, through which the successful small publishers will achieve sales. Emphasis will be on selling to up-market gift shops, stationers and garden centres. A card website, agents and participation at trade events will be a future aim.

The day will be facilitated by a panel of 3 experts who include distributor, Jemima Haddock, Managing Director.The Hub Marketing Services Ltd; Independent Retailer, David Jennings, Owner, 'Palladian Plum' and 'Trappings'; Giftware Consultant (specialising in stationery and giftware) Sabra Swinson, Managing Director, the Satara Consultancy Ltd. If you make cards and wish to explore export markets then book a place on 'Calling Cards'. It is essential to bring existing work/designs for brief discussion with panel. Cost for the day is ÂŁ20 and includes lunch.To book a place please contact Helen at Contemporary Crafts on the Border,Tel 042 9373005 Fax 042 9373022

Art of Lighting Product Safety Seminar April 15: CE Testing and Safety.

Speaker: Alan Edgar EMC Test Manager, N.l.TechnoIogy Centre, Belfast.Venue: Designyard, Dublin.

Please contact Kaethe Burt-O'Dea for further details 087 2444185, email: kaethe@connect.ie All craftspeople welcome - there will be a fee of ÂŁ30 to cover costs.

Michael Jackson, Neil Read, Louise Cooley and Gus Mabelson looking at slides for the ceramics book in March

forthcoming book on Irish Ceramics entitled 'A Guide to Contemporary Ceramic Art and Pottery of Ireland'. It is exactly a year since Louise announced she was undertaking such a project and during that time she had received over one hundred and twenty replies. Louise was also able to show a preview of the layout of the book having commissioned graphic designers to design full colour page layouts of two selected potters. Each potter/ceramic artist chosen will have a full page consisting of two colour images and approximately one hundred words of text. All entries in the book will be listed alphabetically.

Mairead Dunlevy and Michael Jackson will write introductions for the book.

The quality of slides submitted for selection was varied and unfortunately some were not good enough for publication. Louise will be returning these slides to the makers asking for new images to be forwarded. She asks that a

fine for publicity leaflets, magazines etc. the simpler, uncluttered studio shot is what Louise requires for the book. Each slide should also be accompanied by information giving the title and size of the piece, its method of production, type of clay, glaze etc. and firing temperature. A short statement (100 words) on the artist/potter (including date of birth) should be submitted with the slides along with address, phone/fax and email.

This book is definitely going to be published and Louise is concerned to get a representative view of the ceramics scene in Ireland .To this end she has implemented a FINAL deadline of May 31 st 2000 for submissions. So it is still not too late to be included in this publication.

All correspondence to: Louise Ellen Cooley, 724 Elm Street, East Lansing, Michigan 48823, USA Tel (home) 517-351-6210 (work) 517-355-4526 Email cooley@MSU.edu

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f land April 2000

JJ Ryan - an appreciation We recently saw the death of JJ Ryan, the Chief Executive Officer of Fingal County Enterprise Board.

JJ had a great enthusiasm and zest for small enterprises and was exceptionally supportive of the craft industry.

In the last six years that I knew him he advanced the craft industry in Fingal immeasurably.

Portraying limitless energy he promoted the sector through many retail and trade shows and repeatedly at Showcase Ireland.

The display of this year's stand was of a high quality and JJ himself helped int he mounting and manual work of the display.

He also ensured publicity for work through a number of publications and a specific Fingal Corporate gift catalogue.

He aided the development of craft through implementing a craft and design business development programme for Fingal craft enterprises. He constantly was there to advise and mentor on both a group and individual craft business basis.

JJ has left behind his wife Concepta, and young family Alice, Philip and Helena. I would like to convey condolences on behalf of the craft industry and assure you that his business advice and encouragement has significantly strengthened the craft sector in Fingal and provided a national inspiration.

He is greatly missed.

Emer Ferran Business Development Manager Crafts Council of Ireland

The Crafts Council of Ireland Outreach Programmes The CCol Outreach Craft Business Development and Design and Product development programmes are short courses tailor made for craftspeople. Each course contains subjects requested by craftspeople.

These include selling crafts, marketing crafts, packaging, display, pricing, approaching retail buyers and planning for the future.

All of these courses are delivered throughout the country in the craftspeople's local area or county.

In the last four years over 480 people have taken part in Outreach programmes. They have given access to mentor advice and training all over the country. These courses have been made possible through collaboration with, and the financial support of, County Enterprise Boards, Leader Groups, Udaras and local partnerships.

I am pleased to have had the opportunity of designing and delivering the Outreach programmes. It has been extremely successful. Many craftspeople's businesses have grown since participating.The formation of local networks and craft groups have been a huge support in such an isolated industry. I hope to build on these foundations over the next three years with new CCol regional initiatives for trade fair and network development.

The team of Outreach lecturers and members provide advice on an ongoing basis. This team is highly skilled and provide an excellent support to craft studios. It is now time to look at various craftspeople for personal comments on their experience of CCol Outreach.

Emer Ferran, Business Development Manager, Crafts Council of Ireland

Michael Spreadborough and Barry O'Sullivan run Bucara Pottery which is based in Leamlara in East Cork, near Midleton. Barry does the throwing, turning and preparation of the pots and Michael looks after the glazing and selling. Michael attended an outreach course run by the Crafts Council in conjunction with East Cork Area Development (ECAD), South Cork Enterprise Board and Cork City Enterprise Board from September to December 1998.

I hadn't done a business programme before and we had just started in business. Barry has worked in other potteries over the last eight to ten years and I had worked in businesses in other areas. We had come together as a business partnership and we needed help.The contact person in ECAD was Railli Culley who has done a lot for crafts in this area.

She told us that there was this programme that would be very good for us.

At the time it seemed like such a time commitment - a Friday evening and a full Saturday. But it opened my eyes to a lot of things. I had been in business in other areas but the craft area is different and at the time we didn't know that much about it. Pricing, insurance, sales all were new to us in this sector.

The course opened up the whole craft sector to us - from knowing about the Crafts Council to Showcase. We knew almost nothing about Showcase when I started the course. We were that naive walking into it. We didn't have good business cards or brochures.The course really brought out the importance of good promotional material. Also things like how to get into the shops you wanted and how to approach them. Not just

walking in the door and saying "I'm here - buy my work" but rather phoning ahead and making an appointment.

The most important parts of the course for me were the business side:VAT, tax, insurance. It was very practical.The craft presenters on our course included Cormac Boydell and Michael Jackson - it was great to listen to people who had been in business for twenty

scattered over the region and meeting regularly would become a problem.There was an East Cork Crafts group for a little while but it didn't really last. Five of the people from the course were involved in that with other craftspeople. I have kept in contact with some of the people but mostly those who came from around here. Craft associations are important for craftspeople but a lot of craftspeople just don't have the

well, because of the course. We had our brochures ready, we knew what our order schedule was and we were able to say " we can fit you in for that date but not any earlier" we didn't try to squash every order we received into February and March.The lecturer who did sales techniques,Therese (O'Neill - Craft Sales Training) was great for preparing for Showcase. It's the sort of thing that you would need a refresher course in maybe every two years.

We were really at the beginning of our business and in some ways I almost didn't know what questions to ask. Now I'd know! That's why a refresher or more advanced course would be great. Maybe one that was six weekends or something. Looking back on it the Fridays and Saturdays were worth it, although it was a struggle for those three months. At the end we had gathered so much information that it was well worth it.

Michael Spreadborough and Barry O'Sullivan in their pottery in East Cork

years or so - especially Michael Jackson who would be in production pottery like us.The one thing I will say is that there was little technical help like mentoring on the course and that would have been really helpful for us starting out.

I knew maybe three or four of the twenty three participants, simply because they came from Midleton.

There was a good social side - we went to the pub afterwards and talked about our work that week and what had happened. No group really grew out of the course - I think because the group are quite

time. We wouldn't be able to put any time into a craft association at the moment because we are so busy.

As a result of the course, we went onto the Crafts Council's Register and got Stopress. (It's great to get Stopress every month - it's our link to the outside world!) Then we applied for the Quality mark and Showcase New Faces and got that.

We knew that to go where we wanted to go with the business we needed to go to Showcase and get orders.

I think we handled Showcase pretty

Showcase can make a company we went there saying "we will get the orders we want or we will quit the business". We set ourselves a target and felt that if we didn't achieve that target we might as well move on. We wanted to get some of the bigger shops and we did get them. If we had gone to Showcase unprepared it would have been a disaster and the outreach course made sure we were prepared. I wouldn't like to have gone to Showcase without preparation.

Rici Clary is a knitwear designer based in Marlborough Street in Dublin. She completed a Crafts Council outreach course in 1999 with Dublin City Enterprise Board.

I had been in business for three years when I did the outreach programme - that was quite a long time in comparison with the other participants.When I started up I had no contacts and I didn't really know how to go about finding out

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what was out there. I had reached a point where I realised that I couldn't go much further without some business help. I had been on the Crafts Council's Register for a while and I had heard about the course through the Outreach Bulletin published in October 1998.

Inner City Enterprise suggested I do the course and put me in contact

The course helped me to focus: I did a business plan during the course that has stood by me over the last year. We were told on the course what the advantages of a business plan were but really you don't see it until you have done it and realised how important the planning process is.The act of sitting down and putting what you

Rici Clary in her studio in Dublin

with Dublin City Enterprise Board.

I found the course really useful, first of all just to meet other people. It made me realise that there were other people out there who were in the same situation and they were having the same problems. It also made me realise that there were people out there who would help me.The craft presentations on the course were great - even those whose crafts were not textiles. I liked to hear them say they all had the same problems as I had! I didn't feel quite so isolated. Working on your own affects your confidence you believe that you are the only person in the whole world that has to deal with the problems you deal with.

want in writing is important.The business side of the course was brilliant - perhaps because it was the most quantifiable. The business plan has been great for me both in planning my business and also because I have been able to give it to the bank and for grant purposes.

There were certain elements of sales techniques that were useful - I did find that a lot of it was stuff I was doing any way. It did make me more confident however and the lecturer taught me to prepare things. What you are going to say, writing down the options, working out what answers you are going to get from the buyer, then working out what you will say to that. I felt a lot more prepared for people after that.

I had been to Showcase before the course - my first Showcase after the course I definitely felt more confident and got more orders. I think it did make a big difference in selling myself. I think before that I saw selling myself as some sort of pain in a way, that I was boasting.

The Sales Techniques module madeyou see your product as something outside of you, that you were just selling.

I tried Futura this year. I wasn't particularly happy with it but perhaps I need to give it another try. It's very different to Showcase.

Knitwear falls between two stools craft and fashion.The buyers at Futura are fashion buyers and they are different, the way they behave is different, what they expect is different - and how they expect you to be is different. Buyers at Showcase tend to want you to help them and look after them, whereas at Futura they are more reserved they want to see what you have before they introduce themselves. I discovered I had to stand back. A lot of stands at Futura put their products at the front whereas at Showcase you would put it at the back. It took me a day to realise that at Futura.

I think that the future is in technology. I use outworkers with domestic machines to make my knitwear and I don't think that is going to be viable for much longer. I think I need to learn more about that to make my business grow: I am in danger of being left behind and that is why I want to get more into technology. I lack technical know how.

Definitely the course did a lot for my business. I am happy at how my business is going - I am quite conscious of the limitations of how I work at the moment. I think I would always like to remain a small business - and I think in the fashion world, small businesses are going to

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have a definite place. People don't want to buy something that they are going to see in every other city in the world.

Claire Cuffe and Caroline Bond are partners in Bond & Cuffe Pottery based in a workshop in the Craft Courtyard ofMalahide Castle in County Dublin. Claire attended the Crafts Council's Pottery Skills Course in Thomastown and the one-year Business Skills Course in Kilkenny which was a model for the portable outreach programmes. Caroline attended an outreach course from 1997-1999 run by the Crafts Council in conjunction with Fingal County Enterprise Board/DIT.

I started my training in pottery in Limerick. I did the ceramics course there and then I worked for a potter in Galway for a year.

Following that I did the pottery course in Thomastown.That was the first year it was run. Gus Mabelson, the trainer on that course, was great - he was also very helpful to me the next year when I did the business course in the Crescent. I started the course in the Crescent in 1991.1 suffered a bad ankle injury during that year and felt by the end of it that I really wasn't able to set up a workshop on my own just then. I came to Dublin and worked for Suzanne May for five years.They were five great years and Suzanne give me great support when we were setting up our own business in 1996.

When I originally started the Crescent Business course I was very anxious to set up in business straight away. By the end I realised what a big step it was going to be.

The course opened my eyes and showed me exactly what was involved. I think it was the right move for me not to set up in business straight after that. The Crescent course was very helpful -I I was set up in a workshop - I got to try out ideas and designs with out going out on a limb financially.

There were people on hand to give advice about business and the technical side of things.The workshop facilities were excellent I was the only potter that year and I had the run of four kilns!!

Caroline and I started working from a small shed at home. We did that for about a year and a half while still working part-time for Suzanne.

In November, 1998 I made the decision to go full-time into thet business. We got our present workshop in Malahide last October.

It is a lovely workshop - the grounds of the Castle are beautiful and the rent is reasonable. We had looked at commercial rents in the area and we just couldn't afford them.

In 1998 we were accepted for the first New Faces section at Showcase. New Faces was a 'real' experience - buyers made a point of going there to see the new products. We got a great reception and learned a huge amount.

Caroline's business course as well

Fingal County Enterprise Board were fabulous for supporting Craft Business - they really seem to have it at the top of their agenda. JJ. Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of FCEB, was brilliant - he had great energy and was really interested in Crafts. He played a very big role in developing a comprehensive support system for emerging Craft Workers. His death is a huge loss to us all.

In 1999 we were accepted for the Village in Showcase. We again got good orders but were a bit restricted by our facilities as we only had a 4cu.ft kiln in a very small shed. We knew we could only take a certain amount of orders as the kiln couldn't keep up with us. We were holding ourselves back a bit during that time. We were more prepared for Showcase this year with our new workshop - and it was probably the worst of the three years at the actual show. A lot of people took our information but it was only afterwards they placed their orders so we left Showcase

Claire Cuffe in her studio in Malahide Craft Courtyard

as my year from the Crescent provided us with a good basis to plan and project the future of the business. Caroline's course also included a mentor system which we had the benefit of for two years.

feeling very depressed, but thankfully it has all balanced out since.

We exhibited at the Brighter Homes Exhibition in March and got

huge exposure. We are aiming at developing direct sales from our workshop as we weren't in a position to do that before. It helps to cover the cost of the workshop and it gives great feedback from the public. I love dealing with people we do the pre-Christmas Show at the RDS and I love that contact. We do a children's range, with little funny eyes and expressions and I love to see peoples reaction to them. Like Paddy Mulholland in the March Stopress, we do the A r t in Action Fair in the summer - it's great - a real action packed weekend for the public. We sell directly at that and do very well.

We want to develop our range and do more retail business. Also, we want to develop the local market here - I'm not sure that tourists buy that much pottery because its weighty and breakable. We are very happy with how the business is progressing and look forward to our first summer in the new workshop.

Eileen Singleton is a ceramist living and working in Leamlara in East Cork.

She did an outreach programme in 1999 in conjunction with Blackwater Leader group.

range. I make about 15 to 20 pieces a week so selling can be a problem if my work is assumed to be production work. I have learned that I need to inform consumers of the time and effort involved in each individual piece. I realised from the course that my work is also suited to interiors and home accessories shops in addition to craft shops.

I found the craft presentations useful - I felt that I can learn from other people, even if they are not within my craft discipline - we all have similar problems and discussing them can give a new perspective.

I found the marketing side of the course the most interesting: I felt that it was my weak point but Helen (Conneely - Marketing Mentor) was really helpful and encouraging. She explained about the importance of looking professional when selling and also emphasised the importance of pro forma invoices for first orders and the use of credit terms rather than Sale or Return. She said shops would accept my terms if I were businesslike in my approach and she was right. I am not an avid shopper myself so I found marketing interesting because of the

psychology of what makes people buy something.

I found the accounting and tax section was too detailed as most of us on the course were in a start up situation and felt it was not quite tailored to our needs. It would be more useful if this information was included in a subsequent course aimed at more established businesses.

During the course I felt that I had to rethink quite a few beliefs. It came as quite a shock to hear that you have to plan everything - and yet it's so obvious when you are told it. I think craftspeople often don't consider themselves to be business people and sometimes neglect the business side expecting that it will take care of itself.

In our group a lot of people were not professional craftspeople - they had other full time jobs and they were thinking of going into crafts as an option.This might have been one of the reasons why no group grew out of this course. Also we were quite geographically scattered. I am in regular contact with one other member of the group, a knitwear designer, and I find that exchanging information and ideas is very

I had been making one-off ceramic and mixed media pieces for exhibition in art galleries throughout Ireland. I decided to begin working on a range of clocks and bowls and that I needed funding and guidance to do it. I approached the Leader group in Fermoy, they gave me an employment grant and recommended that I apply for a place on a course they were going to run with the Crafts Council.

When you are working on your own, you can go through periods of questioning and doubting yourself.

Getting other people's opinions of your work is important. When I started the course I had only one product which was clocks, but I learned that I needed to extend the

18

Eileen Singleton outside her studio in East Cork

supportive.

The course made me focus on the weaker points of my business and this helped me to plan and act on specific projects. My turnover has increased because of the course and I have reinvested much of this back into the business. I feel that everyone should do a business/marketing course as it has already been of great benefit to me.

I believe that what I have learned will continue to help me and my business to grow and develop in the future.

Marina Hamilton is a ceramic sculptor and painter who specialises in horses and other animals. She is based in

years to listen to the story of someone who has only been in business for three years. But basically I thought the craft presenters were only telling us their story. The best of the craft presenters was Jane Huston - she was amazing - she is so shrewd and she has such a good business head.

The business side was helpful but being in business a wee while, I felt I had a grasp of that side myself. I don't think I was too far along in my business for the course though, because there were definitely parts that were relevant to me. It was interesting talking to Lynn Stephens, the Retail Manager - that was useful.

Lifford in County Donegal and did a short Crafts Council of Ireland outreach programme in the summer of 1999 in conjunction with Donegal County Enterprise Board.

I had been in business about three years when I did the course. Some of it I thought was useful and some of it wasn't useful. Some of the craftspeople who came up to talk to us weren't that much further on than ourselves. It's hard for people who have been in business for 10

Helen, the marketing person on the outreach course, helped a lot with packing and that sort of thing and that helped a lot at Showcase. It was my fourth Showcase and it was brilliant - I did treble the business of the year before. An excellent part of the whole Outreach programme was meeting all the other craftspeople, because you never see them generally.You can help some of the ones who are starting up and give them some

advice.The only other time you see them is at craft fairs and you don't have time to talk to each other then. I am on the committee of the Craft Initiative up here - that's how we got your programme.The Craft Initiative was set up by Donegal County Enterprise Board and they sponsored the programme. There are 4 craftspeople on the committee of the Initiative and there are 120 craftspeople in Donegal.They all tend to be locals but it's a big county. Michael Faulkner is the person behind it on the Enterprise Board - he came here about two years ago and he gave the Craft Initiative a structure - he organised craft fairs and outreach programmes, photography sessions, new marketing plans. We meet fairly often but it does seem to be slowing down now. Michael is leaving soon and he did keep the momentum going. He did things like block booking the Christmas craft fair and Showcase so we got really good deals.

I sell a fair bit retail: I am going to the Royal Highland Show in Scotland and the Dublin Horse Show and the Christmas Fair. Doing retail shows is'great because I get feedback from people about what sells - down to the different frames I brought in the paintings this year and they are going a bomb. I just can't get enough work made.

I used to ride pony races, flapping it's called. I have won the Dingle Derby. That's where my interest in horses started. I always painted them. When I went to Art College I was discouraged from sculpting horses but I came back to it and now I do both. It's a good market.

People like the whole story - me having been a jockey and then sculpting horses.

Michael Spreadborough, Barry O'Sullivan, Eileen Singleton, Claire Cuffe, Rid Clary and Marina Hamilton in conversation with Joanna Quinn

Marina Hamilton with one of her pieces outside her home near Lifford

$ Council of Ireland Aprh Advertisements:

Calling Craftspe CraftFinder There was a misprint of this phone number in the last Stopress: please contact Philip Stanbridg (0) 20 8298 0929

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Looking for Quitters Norah Madigan McMeeking, Californian Quilting teacher, UK award winner, intereste< teaching this August in Irelanu.

Landscape quilts especially.Would love to connect with Irish quilters.

Travelling in Dublin and Galway.before June 20. References and samples available. F< information, contact: mcmeeking@mtndspring.com

Association Notices

9217 355/Tel. (612)9217 358.

Address: Powerhouse Museum, PO Box K346, Haymarket, NSW, 1238.

County Down Crafts Annual General Meeting will be held in the White Horse Hotel, Ballynahinch on 19th April, 2000 at 8.00pm.

Everyone Welcome.

A River through Time - a celebration of Ossory 2000 Barnstorm Theatre Company in partnership with Kells Region Economic and Tourism Enterprise will mount a theatrical and cultural extravaganza on the ancient site of Burgess Court, Kells Priory, Co. Kilkenny this August. Craftspeople are invited to exhibit and retail on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 August as part of this festival. Contact Paul O'Reilly, Barnstorm Theatre Company, Church Lane, Kilkenny, 056 51266, email: barnstorm@eircom.net

The Craft Potters Society of Ireland (CPSI) would like to remind readers of Stopress that the society's webpage can be viewed at http://members.tripod.co.uk/cpsi/ind ex.html and it can be emailed at ceramicsireland@yahoo.com The Society is at present revamping its site and hopes to keep it updated on a weekly basis. The Society will hold its annual exhibition at Ardgillan Castle commencing June 24th. It will also mount a juried exhibition at the Dept. of the Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands, Mespil Road, Dublin, commencing October 14th.

Exhibitions Plan Expo '00 - T h e Architects & Interior Design Event - 9th-1 Ith November 2000, RDS Simmonscourt. For details on the dedicated interiors section please contact: Stephan Murtagh, Expo Exhibitions Ltd. Tel. 01 2958181 Fax. 01 2958187 Mobile 087 2604397. E-mail sales@expo.iol.ie Powerhouse Museum launches second International Lace for Fashion Award. Lacemakers, textile artists and fashion designers are now invited to submit entries to the second International lace for Fashion Award at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney. Entry forms may be downloaded from the Museum's website at: www.phm.gov.au/exhibits/exhib new/lace/ or requested via post, email or fax from: Mandy Campbell — E-mail: mandyca@phm.gov.au.

Fax: (61 2)9217 0462 or Rosemary Sheperd - E-mail: roses@phm.gov.au. Fax: (612)

For Sale Native kiln dried timber including Elm and Yew. Also native hardwood flooring and 6" Larch flooring, I" Irish Cherry. Contact Pat Bolger, Knockeen Timber Products, Butlerstown.Waterford.

Tel/Fax 051 377142 Kiln for sale: Cromarite 16 cu.ft. toploader complete with furniture and safefire 2000 controller. Additional circular shelves for large platters. All in good condition. Contact Mark on 087-6738168.

Apple Mac 9600 + 20' AppleVision Monitor, Scanner and Jazz Drive: • 9600 233 MHz PPC, 128 RAM, 9 GIG U W Quantum Drive, CDROM, Floppy, 4Mb video RAM (millions at I 152x870). 2.5years old, in perfect condition. The most expansive Mac available housing 6 PCI slots. Powerful graphics workstation. Upgradeable to G3/4 architecture. Pre-configured with OS9, Photoshop5.5, Illustrator8 and Microsoft Office '98, huge collection of Postscript fonts also included.

• 20' AppleVision Studio Display 2.5 years old, in perfect condition,

professional monitor, sharp as a tack, colour calibrated.

• Apple extended keyboard and mouse.

•Jazz Drive 3x1 gig discs, scsi cables and transformer.

• Scanner, Umax 1200s, brand new, boxed, software, scsi cables and transformer. Complete package £ 1500. Contact Richard ricwalsh@eircom.net, Mobile: 086 8109984.

Studio Swap - A r t i s t working in 250sq ft studio at Broadstone Studios, Dublin City Centre, and living in Inchicore (10 min. bus ride from City Centre) looking for a female based rurally in west of Ireland (coastal area preferred) to do a studio and home swap preferably for the months of June and July but open to discussion.

Contact Joanna at 01 8601619 or 087 2377613.

To Let

Situations Vacant

Studio Space Available Immediately - at Loft Artists Studios, Docklands Area of Dublin, behind the Point Theatre. Choice of space in an open plan purpose designed loft including a mezzanine (225sq.ft.). Collective or private studio (100/200sq.ft.) and a private large studio space (750sq.ft.).

Exciting environment, exhibition area, restaurant, evening car park.

Award winning furnituremaker Michael Bell and his team of craftsmen make warm contemporary furniture using traditional cabinetmaking techniques. The workshop is in Vicarstown, County Laois and we are currently seeking a skilled craftsman/woman with good hand skills and a passion for making furniture in solid wood, who wants to be part of a team of skilled makers doing challenging work, building pieces from start to finish.

You may not be fast (yet), but you are precise, careful, resourceful and have a positive attitude. Salary is commensurate with experience, after initial paid trial period.

Contact - Susan Zelouf on 0502 25633 fax 0502 25656 mobile 087 230 5386 email michaelbelldesign@ireland.com

Please send C.V. to Loft Artists Studios, c/o The Liffey Trust Centre, I 17 Upper Sheriff Street, Dublin I or call Antonella at 087 2753944 or 01 8553090 for more information.

Wanted Wanted: Studio/workshop space southside Dublin for ceramic artist. Minimum 100 sq ft required. Would be interested in sharing the space as a time-share, or simply to rent alone. Also Wanted: Electric Kiln in good condition, approx. 6-8 cu ft including pyrometer and furniture. Please call Sarah on 01 497 8342 or 087 648 4890.

Wanted: Ceramic Artists looking for a studio in Dublin.

Must have 3 phase.daylight, running water.ground floor access and w.c.

Please ring 086 8485394 or 086 8439554.

Retail Manager required for Craft Shop and Audio-Visual Exhibition in Trim, Co. Meath.

Interest in Crafts and Craft Industry desirable. Knowledge of Microsoft Word essential. Knowledge of tourism environment also essential.

Candidates should have good people skills and be able to work on own initiative. Please apply with C.V. to:The Manager,Trim Visitor Centre, Mill Street,Trim, Co. Meath.

Tel. 046 37227. Fax 046 38053.

Elm Trees - contact Pat Bolger, Knockeen Timber Products, Butlerstown.Waterford.Tel/Fax 051 377142.

Trainee position available in Pottery in Ashbourne, Co. Meath.

Please apply in writing/email including C.V. and any references to

Thomas Diem Pottery, Milltown, Dublin Road, Ashbourne, Co. Meath.

Email: tdiem@gofree.indigo.ie Are you interested in working in community arts? Would you like to work alongside artists? If so, we would be interested in talking with you. We are interested in the following skills - administrators, researchers, dancers, actors, technical stage, stage & prop design, costume design, visual arts, graphics, video, website design, photography, traditional arts & crafts, etc. Please contact Valerie Brien, Kiltalown House, Jobstown,Tallaght, Dublin 24.

Tel/Fax 01 4515909.

Situations Wanted Jeweller (BA Hons. Fine and Applied Art) with goldsmithing experience seeks employment. CV and references available on request.

Contact Sinead at 042 9332665.

German Goldsmith Student seeks training experience at a goldsmith workshop in Ireland or Great Britain. Contact Julia Funk, Christofstr. 13,72127 Kusterdingen, Germany. Tel. +49 7071 33940.

American female 28 -BA degree in fine arts-ceramics and photography.currently finishing a masters degree in art education: looking for international teaching experience as an instructor or a teacher's aide. I would also be interested in work as a studio tech or production. CV available on request. Please contact Amy Snyder at The Abbey Hostel tel: 353-1-8780700 O'Connell Bridge, 29 Bachelor's Walk.Dublin I or email : pearadox@hotmail.com

Courses Available Introduction to H o t Glass Casting and Blowing- Randolph Repass is running 3 day courses in molten glass casting and blowing in his newly built Fermanagh studio (or "hot shop"), running April 28th30th and May 12th-14th (if enough

II

interest arises we will hold another course on May 26th-28th). Located on the beautiful Upper Lough Erne, Randolph will be teaching introductory principles in hot glass.

In the three days you will learn the basics of blowing and casting glass, you will take home a nice catch of finished pieces, or you may bring a project idea with intention to build on it later in your own space.

Courses cost £100 sterling for 3 full days (9am to 6pm). Lunch costs an extra £5 per day, and B&B can be arranged on request for around £ 15 per night.The Studio is located 90mins from Dublin and 90mins from Belfast. Contact: Randolph Repass, Crystal Lotus Studios, St. Hubert's Stables, Geaglum, Derrylin Co. Fermanagh, BT92 9GN, tel: +44 (0)28 6774 8062

Crafts Council of Ireland Staff Kilkenny Chief Executive Business Development Manager.

Administration Officer.

Information Officer.

Information Section Finance Officer.

Secretary/Receptionist

Leslie Reed Emer Ferran Nuala McGrath Joanna Quinn Jolly Ronan Mary Blanchfield Breda Kennedy

Training (Kilkenny) Jewellery Design & Production Skills Course

Jane Huston

Pottery Skills Course

Gus Mabelson

Castle Yard, Kilkenny Phone: 056 61804, fax: 056 63754, email: ccoi@craftscouncil-of-ireland.ie

Showcase Showcase Co-Ordinator.

(Showcase Ireland Events Ltd.)

Catherine Jordan

Phone & fax: 01 -2942574, email: showcase@indigo.ie

ANAM-CRE STUDIO - New

Contemporary Crafts on the Border

studio and gallery opening in July, Kenmare, Co. Kerry offering short residential courses in many crafts especially clay. Programme for July is

Project Manager.

Office Manager.

as follows:

Phone: 042-9373005, fax: 042-9373022, email: craftcf@tinet.ie

July 3-7 Throwing on the potter's wheel. Creations in clay.

July 10-14 Drawing and watercolour painting.

July 17-21 Clay modeling and sculpting (portraits) July 24-28 Clay modeling and sculpting (the female form).

For further information contact: Anam Cre Studio, Kenmare Pottery, Rusheens, Kenmare, Co. Kerry.Tel:

064 41673, Fax 064 41849 email

Cornelia McCarthy Helen Lynch

D'Arcy McGee Grainstore, Carlingford, Co. Louth

Product Development Projects A r t of Gold

Anne Kennedy

Tel: 042 9373032, email: akennedy@tinet.ie A r t of Lighting

Kaethe Burt-O'Dea

Phone: 087 2444185, email: kaethe@connect.ie

Please note that the copy date for May Stopress is April 25th,

anam-cre@oceanfree.net

Summer 2000 Residential Pottery courses featuring Salt Glaze and Smoke Fired Ceramics.

Courses include making, decorating, firing and all you need to know about kilns. Comfortable, spacious, well equipped studio.

Accommodation available. For brochure please contact: Marcus O'Mahony, Glencairn,Tallow, Co. Waterford Tel 058 56694 email: glencairnpottery@eircom.ie web site: www.interglobal.ie/marcuso'mahony

Please have any suggestions or advertisements in on or before that date.

Stopress is published between the 5th and I Oth of each month. It is possible for non-registered people to subscribe to Stopress - for further information, please contact the Council's offices at 056 61804

While every care has been taken in the compilation of this Stopress, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Advertisements in Stopress do not indicate endorsement by the Crafts Council of Ireland. It is the responsibility of the reader to check that goods or services are described accurately.

To advertise in Stopress, please contact Joanna Quinn at the Crafts Council's offices in Kilkenny tel: 056 61804, email:

joanna@craftscouncil-of-ireland.ie