Stopress, CCoI July/August 2006

BURSARY WINNERS P. 4

CCoI STUDENT WINS AWARD P.3

News and Reviews P2

AGM

P3

Pottery Design Student wins award

P6

50% Scheme at Interiors Show

P7

Commissioning Seminar Review

P8

Craft IT

P4

Adaptive Craft

Bursary 2006 Winners

50% Scheme - New Awards Source at Showcase

George Vaughan retires

P 10 Apprentice Jewellery Shield Craft in Action

Mar tin Walsh

Martin Walsh steps down as Chairman of CCoI

World Craft Council

Craft Community News P 11 Source Rural Creativity

After 3 years at the helm, Martin Walsh has completed his tenure as Chairman of the Crafts

Cavan Monaghan Craft Trail

Council of Ireland. The next Chairman will be appointed by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Micheal Martin TD, in the coming weeks.

Martin Walsh was appointed by the Tánaiste Mary Harney (the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment) as Non-Executive Chairman of the Crafts Council of Ireland in May 2003. He had previously served two, three-year terms as a member of the CCoI Board.

As well as having a deep interest in the success of Irish businesses and the economy in general, Martin had a particular

interest in the craft sector, both traditional and modern. During his tenure Martin oversaw the development of the Crafts

Council of Ireland’s second Strategic Plan 2004 - 2006, which brought in a range of new initiatives and projects under the 5 goals of Design, Marketing, Knowledge, Education and Recognition.

Martin had a deep-rooted belief in the need for the sector as a whole to ‘raise our game’ - by promoting excellence at all

levels, focusing on design and quality and ensuring that craftspeople have the required skills. In particular he was keen to ensure that the consumer gained an understanding and appreciation of the distinctiveness and high quality of Irish crafts.

Martin was also central in the development of the up-coming Strategic Plan 2007 - 2009 that will be launched later this year.

Over the past few years, the board and staff of the CCoI have gained immensely from Martin’s insight and leadership. We

would to take this opportunity to thank Martin for his dedication and commitment - and in particular for his passion for craft and his belief in the potential of the sector.

Opportunities

P 12 Craft in the Classroom NCG Opportunities Image of Longing

Stained Glass Art Exhibition

P 13 Research Missions 50% Scheme

P 14 Photoscheme

Network Information Day

Showcase development programme

P 16 Dates for Diary P 17 New Website

Advertisements P 18 Advertisements

Exhibitions - Events

P 22 Snapshots - Forty Shades of Green P 23 NCG - News

P 24 NCG - Upcoming exhibitions

2

News and Reviews

Adaptive Craft Textile artist Tara Carrigy, who was granted the Adaptive Craft research award enabling her to work on 'smart materials' with a science team based in DCU, will be showcasing her creations in Kilkenny Arts Festival in August.

Tara has engaged Brazilian dance company Oficina da Capoeira to interpret an original story written for the project by Antonia Hart into an interactive performance for children aged 5-11 years.

The performance, entitled 'Jacare Jungle', will take place on Monday 14th August, at 4.00pm and 6.00pm in CBS primary school Kilkenny. Stunning visual theatre, inspiring art and interactive science will combine to create something very unique for the festival - a mixture of craft, science and magic that will captivate its young audience.

Further information on the project is available from: Sharon Rollston E: sharon@ccoi.ie.

Jacare Jungle at the Kilkenny Ar ts Festival 2006

Performance bookings can be made through Kilkenny Arts Festival W: www.kilkennyarts.ie

CCoI Annual General Meeting The Crafts Council of Ireland held their 29th Annual General meeting on the 25th May in Collins Barracks, Dublin.

Martin Walsh, Chairperson of the Crafts Council, chaired the meeting. Amongst those present were; members of the Crafts Council Board, representatives from the Craft Guilds and Associations, Craft Organisations, Developmental Agencies and Craft Council staff.

Following a formal introduction by Martin Walsh, the minutes of the 2005 AGM were adopted as were the 2005 audited accounts presented by auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers.

There were three places available for election to the Board of the Crafts Council. Beth Moran (Irish Guild of Weavers, Spinners & Dyers) was elected and previous Board members JP Donnelly and Anne Montgomery were re-elected.

A presentation followed on 2005 activities, presented by the CCoI’s Chief Executive, Les Reed and Programme Manager, Cornelia McCarthy.

Following questions there was no other business and the meeting was adjourned.

CCoI Website Gets New Look See Page 17

3

News and Reviews

CRAFTS COUNCIL STUDENT WINS NATIONAL AWARDS

Winning piece (pestle and mor tar) by Karen Morgan

Karen Morgan, a 28 year old ceramicist from Limerick, has won the prestigious Habitat/House and Home Student Design Awards 06. The ethos behind the awards is ‘rewarding excellence in student design talent’.

Karen is currently a final year student in the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Pottery Design and Skills Course, in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny. Her winning piece - a beautiful porcelain mortar and pestle - was chosen out of almost 200 entries from students in colleges all over the country.

A panel of five expert judges short-listed 12 semi-finalists whom they interviewed, examining their product in detail and quizzing the designers about methods of production, marketing, materials used etc.

Six finalists were then invited to a special awards evening on 17th May, where Karen was announced the overall winner and was presented with her prize.

This included a cheque for €1,000, along with the opportunity to spend a week working with the Habitat Design team in their London studio.

“Winning an award like this is wonderful at this point in my career as it ensures positive publicity and really helps in getting the ball rolling because so many people get to see your work” explains Karen.

Pieces from all 6 finalists are being displayed in the three Irish Habitat stores (Dublin, Galway and Belfast) over the coming weeks and will also feature in the July issue of House and Home magazine.

In a separate competition, Karen was also awarded the RDS Interior Design Show 2006 Student Designer of the Year Award, with a prize fund of €1,500. Her work was on display at the event in May, alongside that of the country’s leading interior designers, including Joseph Ensko and Helen Roden of Merrion Square Interiors, and the latest collections of Kate Fine, Leo Scarff and Charles O’Toole.

On foot of these awards Karen has been selected for the National Craft Gallery’s ‘Emerging Ceramics’ show (running from August to October, 2006 in Kilkenny, before travelling to Aberystwyth in Wales). In addition, Frank Keane of Keane on Ceramics has already purchased a piece and wants to exhibit her work in his prestigious gallery in Kinsale, Co Cork.

Karen achieved a Diploma in Ceramics in Limerick School of Art and Design, before completing the Crafts Council’s (at that time) one year Pottery Skills Course in 1999. Following this she worked for potter Michael Kennedy in Gort and Castle Arch Pottery in Kilkenny, before working in New Zealand and Australia and teaching ceramics on a cruise ship. In September 2005, Karen recommenced her Crafts Council training - joining the second year of its now two-year Pottery Design and Skills Course.

“The chance of a place on the Crafts Council’s course was the main reason

Karen Morgan

I returned to Ireland - and it has led me to this point! It offered me a golden opportunity to develop creatively in a supportive environment - providing me with the mind space to develop ideas without the pressure of having to set up in business immediately. The combination of the facilities in Thomastown, the quality of teaching, and the support of and interaction with tutors and fellow students is what makes the course really unique and worthwhile. It also provides excellent training for employment in the ceramics industry” says Karen.

In terms of plans for the future, Karen intends on keeping her options open until after her visit to Habitat Design Studio in London to see what opportunities may present, and is aiming to establish her studio in the Thomastown area following graduation from the Crafts Council course in July.

See also page 23 for details on the upcoming CCoI Pottery Design and Skills Course Graduate exhibition.

For further information on the course contact: Amanda Walsh T: 056 7761804 E: amanda@ccoi.ie

4

News and Reviews

CCoI Bursary Winners 2006 Denis Brown, calligrapher and Joe Hogan, basketmaker are this year’s Bursary recipients.

Craft is usually supported from a business perspective. While it’s acknowledged that painters, writers and musicians need time and space to foster their creativity and recharge their batteries, craftspeople are expected to produce to schedule without much acknowledgment of the creative process behind their commercial achievements.

The Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI), recognising that creativity is the engine that drives Irish craft, and that it needs to be fuelled by immeasurable factors like time, peace, travel and inspiration, have established an annual Bursary Scheme. This is intended to release the craftsperson from their usual commitments so that they can invest in creative development of their professional practice, thereby accessing new opportunities. It is also critically important that the Bursaryserves to publicly acknowledge Ireland’s leading crafts people.

‘There are a number of similar awards in painting and sculpture, like the Aosdana awards, but this is the first in the craft sector,’ said Pat Murphy, Art Advisor to the Office of Public Works (OPW) and chairperson of a selection panel that included four committee members with expertise in different areas of craft and education. In 2006 these were: Jim Dennison, Limerick Institute of Technology; Elizabeth McCrum, consultant in applied art, Belfast; Tass Mavrogordato of the Contemporary Applied Arts, London; and the Dutch contemporary jewellery designer Froukje Idsardi.The selection panel had the difficult task of assessing the overall quality and merit of each of the proposals, the likelihood of a productive impact on the applicant’s career, and its relative merits in comparison to the other proposals.

Last year the woodturner Liam Flynn, was awarded €8,000 from the first-ever bursary scheme. Flynn is using the bursary to attend an eight week residency in Philadelphia: the International Turners Exchange programme organised by The Woodturning Centre. Work produced during the residency will form part of an exhibition and conference titled allTURNatives: Form and Spirit. In 2006 the Bursary was divided between the calligrapher Denis Brown and the basketmaker Joe Hogan. Brown and Hogan, as well as Flynn, have also been selected for Portfolio, the Craft Council’s directory of Ireland’s best practitioners in the applied arts.

Denis Brown’s proposal had two elements, both related to developing large scale calligraphy. The first element is the development of a portfolio of calligraphy works that could be used as part of architectural commissions; the size of the envisaged product is 4ft square to 8x4ft, and larger works made

from multiple panels of these sizes.The portfolio will consist of a CD, a bound portfolio, and a website. The second element is a proposed multimedia performance in collaboration with the cellist Rohan de Saram. ‘There’s not a lot of knowledge of calligraphy in Ireland, despite our heritage of ancient manuscripts. People seem to have an image of nuns writing out wedding invitations.They certainly don’t think of it as a potential performance art,’ says Brown. ‘If I succeed in getting commissions to work in public buildings it will

creativity is the engine that drives Irish craft bring calligraphy to people’s attention. Most of my work to date has sold out of Ireland, to other calligraphers. The larger scale architectural work will, of necessity, remain in the country.’ If I succeed in getting commissions to work in public buildings it will bring calligraphy to people’s attention Joe Hogan’s proposal was, simply, to buy a little time to develop the nonfunctional aspect of his work with wood and willow, and to travel to France to study under David Drew. Over the last twenty-eight years Hogan has, almost single-handedly, led Irish basketry from an ailing status as a traditional craft to a high-end collectable applied art. He sees the functional basketry, which he still practices, as a day job and has slowly developed his non-functional work, as and when his other commitments allowed. There is a sense that he’s spent many years gathering interesting pieces of wood and waiting for the ideas to become clearer. ‘I saw the bursary as an opportunity to deepen my practice. I wanted to take some time out from commercial considerations to develop ideas that I’ve had for some time. Sometimes there’s more to ideas than the time that it takes to realise them. I plan to take six months away from making commercial, functional baskets; the bursary won’t cover all of this, but it will help a great deal. Now it’s up to me to make productive use of the time. I saw the bursary as an opportunity to deepen my practice’.

‘The Bursary Scheme has a fund of €20,000, which is a considerable sum of money,’ Murphy commented.‘Last year we only made one award.This year the

5

News and Reviews

If I succeed in getting commissions to work in public buildings it will bring calligraphy to people’s attention

Murphy described Denis Brown’s proposal to expand his calligraphy to architectural scale work and as a performance art as both innovative and exciting. ‘We gave him €14,000, which seemed to be enough for what he wanted to do. We awarded €6,000 to Joe Hogan, who is an excellent sculptor as well as a basket weaver, and has been breaking new boundaries in the medium. He wanted to travel to France to study with a well known basketmaker, and also to buy some time to pursue his creative instincts.’

That two such different practitioners were awarded funding for two such different proposals demonstrates a welcome versatility at the heart of the scheme. The work must be of outstanding quality and the proposals must fit the criteria, but the applications don’t have to be generic. Because of the broad scope of the Bursary there are specific guidelines about the use of the money.

It can be used for training, research, or to travel abroad for training or research, but it cannot be used to buy equipment or property, to rent premises, to fund solo exhibitions, or to launch new product lines. The applicants, who must be full-time registered craftspeople of a certain level of experience, are assessed in terms of their creative vision. They must put forward a detailed application that demonstrates that the money would be used in a way that enhances their own career and Irish crafts as a whole. ‘We were impressed by Denis Brown’s proposal in that it not only furthered his own creative experience, but also moved towards extending the profile and boundaries of his own particular tradition, which is usually small-format bound. Joe Hogan too has been genuinely extending the boundaries of his discipline,’ said Jim Dennison, who expressed the hope that the awards will help to further revitalise the industry by fostering excellence.

Froukje Idsardi agreed that a good proposal is very important. ‘You should be very clear about what you want. Some of the applicants seemed to be hoping that if they got the money they could wonder what they should do with it afterwards. The successful applications were very specific about how they wanted to use the money, and very professional.’ The proposal should give evidence of building on and continuing excellence in an existing craft practice, rather than departing in a radical new direction, and must specify exactly how the money would be spent. Only 90% of the award is given at the start. The balancing 10% is awarded on receipt of a detailed report and photo-diary of the project’s lifespan.

‘The makers who were awarded the Bursary made very strong cases for what they wanted to do with the money,’ says Tass Mavrogordato.‘It was easy to see how the projects that they were proposing would really take them forward, which can be hard step to take when you are already established.’

Mavrogordato was struck by how few applications there were for the Bursary.

‘We had only twelve applicants. We hope that there may be twice that number in future years. The Bursary is a fantastic idea. It’s just what the crafts sector needs. I like the versatility of the way in which the money can be used, because everyone’s practice is different, and the amount of money is substantial enough that it could make a real difference to someone’s career.’

Joe Hogan

standard had risen quite considerably we decided to make two awards. In the two years that we’ve done this there’s been very close agreement among the panellists; we were almost unanimous on the decision. It is remarkable, considering that we’re from such different areas of the craft sector, that the quality of the winners came through to everyone.’

I saw the bursary as an opportunity to deepen my practice desired effect on the applicant’s professional practice.‘There are two elements to the application,’ commented Elizabeth McCrum, ‘The quality of the work and the quality of the proposal; so it’s a double edged sword. Some of the applications weren’t very well thought-through.The applicants need to have an awareness of the strengths and the weaknesses of their own work. For example, we looked at some applications from makers whose workmanship was excellent but lacking in quality of design.We saw that the work could have improved if the design was brought along, but the applications in question did not reflect an awareness of the shortfall. Many makers are good practitioners but need to develop the design element of their craft.’

Dennis Kenny

Applicants must give a clear indication on how the Bursary will positively impact on their commercial and creative future, once the proposal has been completed. The proposed project is assessed by the panel in terms of its feasibility within a reasonable timeframe, and on whether it is likely to have the

6

News and Reviews 2007

The Crafts Council of Ireland are delighted to welcome 11 newcomers into the Source aisle at Showcase 2007. Nine of those have been exhibiting in other areas at Showcase and 2 are complete newcomers to the Fair.

Edmund Byrne

50% Scheme

Thomas Kay

And to the Interiors Show!

Along with the best of Irish designers and craftspeople exhibiting at the Interiors Show, RDS Dublin in May were Edmund Byrne and Thomas Kay, who displayed their new product developed under the 50% Scheme.

Edmund who normally works in glass and is part of the 6 times tables group, developed a range of glass wall lights using slumping techniques.Thomas used the opportunity to set aside time to make a range of chairs he had designed some time ago but who had not yet put them into production.

I designed the curves & loops - series about five years ago and ever since hoped for an opportunity to carve these chairs. To create a dozen different designs that work individually as well as together is a daunting undertaking. Having been accepted for the 50% Scheme gave my motivation and finances the necessary boost to start the project and sculpt the first six prototypes - and I am really grateful for this support.

The selection took place on the 18th May 2006 and there were 44 submissions. At the end of their deliberations the selection panel unanimously decided that 11 craftspeople were producing work of the same quality and standard as that already in the Source Aisle.

Congratulations to: • • • • • • • • •

Jill Graham, JeGila Design Julie Griffiths, Atlantic Knitwear Rachel McKnight, Rachelmck Elaine McGonigle, McGonigle Glass Noreen Foley, Hanora K Designs Angie Cagney,Tregaskis Carol Fitzpatrick, Jeweller Claire Griffin Holden, Leathergoods John and Valerie McKeag, Firebox Contemporary Ceramics

New Faces • DebbiePAUL,Temple Lane Studios • Zac Phelan, Annascaul Pottery The Selectors were: • Lynn Stephens, General Manager, Avoca Powerscourt,Wicklow • Andy Christian, Owner, Dartington Cider Press Centre, England • Ms Enda Bell, Owner, Davern & Bell, Limerick • Nicolas Lejeune, Owner, Domi FACTO Gallery, Paris We would like to thank everyone who took the time out to submit their product for Source and wish everyone a successful Showcase in January 2007.

Many thanks also to our panel of judges who have given so generously of their time.

For any further queries on the Source Aisle please contact: Catherine Jordan t: 087 2215287 e: jordanevents@eircom.net

Thomas Kay

The development of this lamp has been of huge benefit to my business not just in terms of producing a new product but also in terms of opening a new method of making products. It opens up new channels of functionality and allows for new products.

Edmund Byrne

The 50% Scheme gives registered craftspeople financial assistance towards making new product for a particular consumer show, trade event or exhibition.

For further information on 50% Scheme contact: Helen Lynch T: 048 30 833605 E: helen@helenlynch.net see Opportunities section page 13

50% Scheme Awards May ‘06 announce successful applicants

A co-investment project to help develop new products for a target market

The second session this year, of 50% Scheme took place on 28th April 2006. Out of a total of 18 applications, 9 were successful.

They are:

Tina Byrne, Ceramics Robert Lee, Ceramics Fine Design, Furniture Mike Kreith, Baskets Noreen Foley,Textiles Helen Stringer,Textiles Jude Young,Textiles Niamh Barry, lighting Enibas, Jewellery

7

News and Reviews George Vaughan Retires

an example of corporate commissioning

One of the pioneers of Irish craft retired this summer, after a lifetime dedicated to educating and encouraging young artists. George Vaughan, Course Director of Grennan Mill Craft School, has stepped down from his position after 26 years, and he will be sorely missed.

George Vaughan

Commissioning & The Corporate Gift Market review of seminar on 18th May 2006 Feedback from participants…

This is an area where my work is most relevant. I wanted to get an insiders view of the selection process.

Informative and well organised.

I made contacts, met ‘gatekeepers’ face to face and found out about how to make a professional approach and why.

It answered many of the practical questions I had.

Liked the short presentations from people working in the field.

It was more informative, interactive and generally interesting that expected. Very interesting speakers and lovely lunch in the Kilkenny Design Centre.

I think this high-end market is where the craft market in Ireland is headed – a lot outside the average budget.

Speakers were all accessible and the setting was friendly to discuss work.

Another lively and interactive CCoI seminar took place in Kilkenny Castle on 18th May 2006. The event titled ‘Commissioning and the Corporate Gift Market’ was an information-giving event on professionalism and best practice in the world of commissioning. Key individuals who hold public and private purse-stings, talked in detail about what their clients look for and how they source pieces to meet the requests - from public art on motorways to objects for buildings and of course presentation awards and corporate gifts. The information given was practical and valuable. The speakers and attending ‘gatekeepers’ to the commissioning customer, were available in the afternoon in small group clinics to answer questions and look at work. They were Angela Rolfe (OPW), Gerry Crosbie (DESIGNyard), Patricia Clyne-Kelly (Access to Arts), Mary Gallagher (Art and Craft Agent), Brian Kennedy (Exhibitions Curator), Ann Dack (Portfolio) and Annette Clancy (Consultant and Arts Advisor).

The CCoI recently commissioned research into this area and Lorraine O’Rahilly delivered this to the seminar. It corroborated much of what the speakers presented (see CCoI website for summary of the presentation).

In addition Rachel Joynt and Tim O’Neill, both artists, spoke about their work and developed relevant case studies which they worked on with a variety of clients-public and private.

It is hard to imagine Grennan Mill without George, as he was there from the very beginning: Setting up this innovative and unique school with Brendan Conway, then CEO of the VEC. This was a bold move, opening a hands-on craft school in Thomastown, a small rural town just outside Kilkenny city. But it paid off. George Vaughan and Grennan Mill Craft School have been responsible for some of Ireland’s most exciting contemporary craftspeople.

Schools like this are a lot more common nowadays, but in 1980 it was unique; providing a valuable link between leaving school and going onto third level.

Grennan Mill was the launch pad for hundreds of young people pursuing a career in craft.

George was determined the school would always be staffed by respected professional craftspeople. Adding to the creative environment, some of these staff even had their workshops based in the school. This was an incredible opportunity for students to see good quality work being made. By encouraging practising craftspeople to work alongside students, George made Grennan Mill a vibrant, exciting and active place to learn.

His model of education is admired by many, including Gus Mabelson, course tutor of the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Pottery Design & Skills Course: “It is difficult to quantify the influence professional people have, just doing their work.While some of this is not formal tuition, it is incredibly valuable to the students. It makes it possible for them to absorb some of the creativity.”

George Vaughan has had a huge influence on budding young designers since the 1980s. Anthony Carey, Lorna Donlon, Remco de Fouw, Seamus Gill, Jane Jermyn, Orla Kaminska, Angela O’Kelly and Stephen Vaughan are just some of the people who have been through Grennan Mill Craft School.“ We all admire those who go on to be successful craftspeople and artists, but it’s so easy to overlook those who guide them,” says Gus. “George is responsible for giving an enormous amount of young people the chance to pursue careers in craft and design to the highest level”.

Not only is he owed a huge debt by his students, the people of Thomastown also have a lot to thank him for.This small, picturesque town has benefited hugely from the presence of such a prestigious school. Because of Grennan Mill, a large number of international craftspeople have spent time in Thomastown.This has led to a vibrant cultural life and the town’s solid reputation as a cosmopolitan and artistic place to live. Also, this unique craft school was able to offer the Crafts Council of Ireland space for their world-renowned Pottery Design and Skills Course. George Vaughan deserves a lot of credit for that.

Now that he has chosen to step down as Course Director, George won’t find it difficult to fill his days. The Limerick man is a successful painter in his own right and has exhibited extensively.We’re sure to see more exhibitions in the future. He also has a passion for music. Married to one of Ireland’s best-loved sopranos Nora Ring, George is an accomplished musician himself. He has even tried to convert his students to classical buffs, playing classical tracks in the background as these budding artists learned their skills.

George has instilled this love of the arts in his children – Dylan is a very successful photographer and Stephen a well-respected print-maker. In fact, it is his love of the arts that defines George Vaughan. And his passion for the arts that ensures he leaves behind him a very fine legacy.

8

News and Reviews

CRAFT-IT E-mail Newsletters Get The Word Out For Free - Part 1 COMING SOON.......

• Backing up your critical data • Databases: tracking your

customers and suppliers

• Online Business Banking • Using a computer and the

internet to track the dispatch

and distribution of your products

• Using internet news groups to

expand and share your knowledge

of current craft practices

• Plus much more....

In the last edition of Stopress we showed email newsletters as one of the options that takes a bit of work. And they can do!

However they can do a lot for you in terms of sales: • Developing awareness and trust with potential customers • Giving people receiving them a chance to see your new products And all for free! It will take a small amount of knowledge of what you are doing, however if you have ever written an email with an image inside it then you are most of the way there.You can also use your existing email software to send them or you can also use some specialised software to help you manage the process.

And their single biggest advantage (apart from being free!) is that they can be used by a business without a website. It’s not the best way, nor the most effective, but it can be done.

First of all - What are they?

Email newsletters are one of the most familiar bits of the internet – along with straight forward websites. If you have an email address for more than a couple of months then at some stage you will have received one.

They are an email, sent out to a number of people at the same time, which contains news or information.They are usually sent out at regular intervals although maybe not that often. For some businesses just send them out twice a year.

Only ever send an email newsletter to someone who has asked for it

The etiquette of email newsletters is that a business should only ever send an email newsletter to someone who has asked for it. That avoids being associated with “SPAM” - which is unsolicited commercial email.

Why send them?

ARCHIVE.......

• Stopress 7, 2006

What sort of website is best for you?

• Stopress 8, 2006 Blogs

• Stopress 9, 2006

Tips to increase your on-line presence

In short - to sell more. Consumers are a fickle bunch. And most of the time you go to all the trouble to get them to visit your workshop or notice your product in a retailers and what do they do? Pick it up, mutter “That’s nice” and put it down again. What a waste.

One way of starting the process of converting that initial contact into a sale is to take their email address (and we will look at ways of getting it) and send them the occasional email newsletter. If they noticed your work in the first place then they have an interest - and if they give you their email address they are moving rapidly up your prospects list.

An occasional email with images of new products, listings of retailers or information on shows you are doing will (over time) convert a percentage of recipients into customers.

And the recent research done by the CCoI showing that younger age groups are spending less on crafts also shows opportunities in that age group - and email is a key way of getting to them.

Capturing email addresses To send an email newsletter you need an email address. And that requirement for a collection of addresses seems to be a legitimate reason for not starting in the first place. How do you do this?

• If you have a workshop/retail space of your own then ask. Offer an occasional draw for people who write their name and email address into a guest book or for business cards contributed.

9

News and Reviews

• If you have a website then do the same thing.

• If you sell through retailers then list your own email address or internet site – this is definitely the weakest way of collecting them as you are working through a third party.

Make it really easy - and offer incentives

Make it really easy - and offer incentives.You can refer to special offers that will only be given to email newsletter receivers - or advance notice of sales.

You can also tell them that you will notify them when you do a show/exhibition in their area.This is great - you get a ready made audience when you travel and they get to see work that they otherwise may have missed.

What next?

Put each of the email addresses in the same place on your computer – and make sure to differentiate them as people who have asked for a newsletter. In Outlook Express or Mail for OS X you put them into Groups and in Thunderbird you create an address book.

Every piece of email software has some way of creating groups of email addresses and online services such as gmail do as well (theirs is called groups as well).

Then you need to decide how often to send an email to your subscribers. This is a tricky one. Too often and you will bug them, too infrequent and you will never establish awareness because they will forget you.

Here are some tips to help you decide the frequency that is appropriate for you and your audience.

Each email has to contain something worthwhile

The overriding principle - each email has to contain something worthwhile. So: • New products/new collection • New retailer – especially if you can just send the email to people in the same geographic area • Participation in an exhibition – especially a retail one. Again geographic proximity makes this very relevant to your audience.

• Special offer.This can take the form of products only available to readers of the newsletter (complex enough to do) or just a discount for people coming to an exhibition who print off the newsletter and bring it with them.

For those of you with websites then it would be good to give recipients a link to a page on the site with more information - for example additional photographs or directions to a retailer or stockist.

Finally - things to consider

keep your newsletter short

Your customers, or potential customers, are like the rest of us. They have a limited amount of time and a lot of distractions. So keep your newsletter short.The “What next” section above contains about 260 words - that is a nice length for a newsletter.That keeps it quick and easy to scan the content and pick out the key points in it.

A “call to action” is good for engaging your audience. This means that as well as reading the newsletter there is an action they can take immediately - whether it is printing it off for a discount or clicking on a link for more information. Any such action taken by them engages them further and brings them one step closer to being a paying customer of yours.

In the next edition we will go into more detail on some of the specific issues around email newsletters.

10

News and Reviews The Apprentice Shield

Designed and made by the students on the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Jewellery Design Skills Course during 2005 ‘The Apprentice Shield’ is large - 320mm / 24inch in diameter and made of hallmarked sterling silver. It weighs over 7 kilos (over 15lbs). It is one of the largest pieces of its kind to be hallmarked in the Republic of Ireland.

This unique and beautiful shield is the culmination of months of planning, inspiration and creativity by course trainer, Jane Huston, the 11 trainees; Jessica Poole, Helena Malone, Jerome McCann, Eimear Looney, Christopher Heltzel, Sara Hunter, Noel Smart, James Cullen, Steven Geldof, Colette Ederry, Isobel Devitt and the various trainers who offered advice and support along the way.

Literature and music are central to the piece through the use of words by some of Ireland’s leading lights, along with quotes from ‘Amergin’, the oldest poetry known in Ireland and an old Irish saying which roughly translated means ‘You won’t appreciate it until it is gone’.

Craft in Action 2006 The Kilkenny shop on Nassau Street linked up with the Craft Council of Ireland to launch the very first year of Kilkenny’s Craft in Action. This initiative will take place in the Dublin store over three months every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 22nd June.

‘Kilkenny’s Craft in Action 2006’ was born out of the recognition that as times have changed, Kilkenny are now in an ideal position to showcase Irish designers in a very modern and unique setting. The concept was developed as the perfect way to educate and provide awareness among consumers of the many skills required to produce such a range of wonderfully unique products.

12 Irish designers will exhibit and showcase their production processes live in the Kilkenny store at Nassau Street, Dublin while simultaneously explaining to consumers exactly what they are doing at each stage of the process.

Each exhibitor will be in the store for three consecutive days, Thursday (11am-8pm), Friday (11am-8pm) and Saturday (10am-6pm) from the 22nd June until the 23rd September 2006.

The objective for these exhibitions is for consumers to learn and understand about the skills and intricacies required to produce each individual piece and to appreciate the enormous difference between an Irish handmade piece and a mass-produced item made by a machine in a factory.

Participating Exhibitors

Ruairi O’ Neill Terry Dunne Susanne Woods Jerpoint Glass Wild Goose Studio Tara Harps Zac Phelan Leydon Woodcraft Geoffrey Healy Pottery Lorraine Lonergan Joe Hogan Patricia Howard Stephen Pearce

Jewellery Weaver Household, Lifestyle Glass painter Craft Harp Maker Pottery Wood Turner Pottery Slate Jewellery Basket Making Pottery Pottery

on

22/06/2006 29/06/2006 13/07/2006 20/07/2006 27/07/2006 03/08/2006 10/08/2006 17/08/2006 24/08/2006 31/08/2006 07/09/2006 14/09/2006 21/09/2006

For further information contact: Gregory O’ Gorman, Marketing Manager, Kilkenny Group on M: 086 3826949.

Input came from Nobel literature laureates Seamus Heaney and WB Yates, poet Eavan Bland, theologian Herbert O’Driscoll and pop star/ poverty campaigner Bob Geldof - all of whom gave permission for the use of their work.

World Craft Council (WCC) - Europe

The shield comprises all of the skills acquired during the students’ time on the course - design, layout, piercing, engraving, enameling, chasing, casting & mould-making, gemstone setting (bezel and pave), CAD CAM, photo-etching, texturing and gold plating. And not least of all, project management and team working. It is set in a specially commissioned base, designed and made of Irish Elm by wood turner Emmet Kane.

Website: www.wcc-europe.org

Currently the piece resides in the Crafts Council of Ireland’s offices in Kilkenny - however, a more permanent venue in Dublin is being discussed.

The hope is that ‘The Apprentice Shield’ can be on permanent display in a prominent collection - to inspire and encourage the silversmiths and goldsmiths of tomorrow. *Very special thanks to Seamus Heaney, the W.B.Yeats Foundation, Herbert O’Driscoll, Eavan Boland and Bob Geldof for their kind permission to use their words. Not only did Herbert O’Driscoll write a hymn for us, he spent invaluable hours directing and helping with language, copyright issues and editing.

Also thanks to Canon George Salter and Dick Sewell for their time and help.

Former Board Member Mike Weerakoon (far right) with other participants at the WCC - Europe Annual General Assembly, held recently in Lappeenranta, Finland.

11

Craft Community News Launch of the Leitrim Regional Resource Centre through the Source programme There are also Regional Resource Centres in Sligo and Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh.

SOURCE, developing rural creativity, is a cross border initiative, which aims to generate growth in the creative industries sector through training, infrastructure and the creation of information centres.

The Creative industries definition includes Craft design and production, Design (furniture, clothing, textiles, etc.), fashion as well as other computer and media related activities and services.

Gail McNamara (Momentum Consulting), Jacinta Freeman (SOURCE Project Officer), Martina Earley (Manager ARIGNA Leader), Geraldine Gray (Leitrim Design House) and Anna Marie O'Rourke (Craft Co-ordinator, Leitrim Design House).

For information on current regional resource centres and up-coming courses contact: Jacinta Freeman, Project Officer, Source rural creativity T: +353 71 9646186 E: jacinta@ruralcreativity.com

Cavan Monaghan Rural Development launches Craft Trail In the latest initiative in the ongoing Craft Development programme, Cavan Monaghan Rural Development has launched a Craft Trail.

The craft trail will feature thirty craftspeople from the region and will include a location map and

contact details on the participating craftspeople.

For further information contact: Peter Pollock, Craft Development Officer, Cavan Monaghan Rural Development, Agricultural College, Ballyhaise, Co Cavan T: 049 4338477 E: crafts@cmrd.ie

World Craft Council (WCC)

The World Crafts Council (WCC) forty years old in 2004, is an international, non-governmental, not-for-profit organisation recognised by UNESCO. For more information: www.wccwis.gr

(WCC) - Europe

The World Crafts Council -Europe, is one of the 5 regional branches of WCC. The objectives of the WCC-Europe are to:

• promote the design-led crafts and applied arts in Europe • build up a network of contacts in these fields • collect and spread information about crafts and applied arts

Current activities include: • WCC-Europe Award for Contemporary Crafts, and international exhibitions • Information exchange network via the website and publications • Services such as the Craftsperson’s Card which gives free or reduced rate access to crafts, applied art and design museums in Europe.

For further information go to www.wcc-europe.org

If you have a good news story, let us know.....email: stopress@ccoi.ie

The programme is targeting areas of Leitrim, Sligo and Fermanagh and is funded by the European Union INTERREG IIIA Programme Ireland/N Ireland 2000-2006.

12

Opportunities

Craft in the Classroom call for craftspeople interested in participating in phase two CCoI’s primary schools initiative ‘Craft in the Classroom’ was first launched in

EDUCATION

Spring 2005 in County Cork. It aims to train craftspeople in the delivery of the

primary visual arts curriculum, and raise the profile of craft in the primary education sector.

The 2006/7 academic year will see the second phase of this pilot rolled out. This time the residencies will take place in primary schools based in counties Tipperary, Kilkenny and Waterford.

An information day for interested craftspeople will be held on Friday 22nd September in Kilkenny Teachers Centre. All are welcome to attend this event, which will focus on the relevance of craft within primary schools. However craftspeople based in Kilkenny,Tipperary and Waterford will be given priority when being paired with schools for the subsequent residency projects. Attendance is mandatory for craftspeople wishing to be considered for selection for the residencies.

Following this event, participants will be invited to apply for the Residency projects. Successful applicants will attend two training days on Saturday 11th November and Saturday 25th November. This training aims to build working partnerships between craftspeople and teachers, enabling collaboration in designing and implementing classroom projects.

The school residencies will start early 2007. Craftspeople will be paid a fee of €38 per hour for preparatory work and workshop facilitation.

‘Halloween’ by pupils of Kildorrery National School & facilitator Una O’Sullivan

If you wish to attend the information day, please contact Sharon on: T: 353 56 7761804 or E: sharon@ccoi.ie.

EXHIBITION OPPORTUNITIES

Image of Longing - Make a piece for someone who inspires you Karel Betman and Martha Haveman are curating an unusual exhibition for the National Craft Gallery (June - August 2007). “Image of Longing” will require makers to nominate, make and donate a special piece for a person who has inspired them, either personally or professionally.

In order to be considered for inclusion in this exhibition send us images of your work, a biography and a brief outline (no more than 200 words) of who you would like to nominate as your ‘laureate’ for receipt of a piece of your work. You should also indicate the type of work you plan to make for your laureate and why you are nominating them. This project is an event in which artists, singers, composers, authors, actors, family members, politicians and any other significant figures will be celebrated through your work and ideas. A catalogue will accompany the exhibition.

Stained Glass Art Exhibition -

Your nominations will be sent to the Curators who will make a selection for the exhibition.The National Craft Gallery will organise, as part of the exhibition, a ceremony where ‘laureates’ will be invited to accept the piece of work you have made for them. You must be prepared to donate the work free of charge to the laureate.

Karel Betman and Martha Haveman are Directors of Galerie Beeld and Aambeeld, Enschede The Netherlands. They have previously curated Going Dutch for the National Craft Gallery.

Please send images and proposal to the National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny by Friday 1st September 2006 .

Important Notice CCoI staff or contractors are not in a position to discuss your proposals prior to submission on 1st September 2006.

Further information is available on our website www.ccoi.ie

National Craft Gallery, August 2007

Mary Boydell, well known glass collector and curator and Audrey Whitty from the National Museum will co-curate an Irish stained glass exhibition at the National Craft Gallery in August 2007. The exhibition will include historically significant pieces of stained glass work and contemporary work which may not all be in the stained glass medium, but could incorporate secular ‘glass art panelling’, painted glass art work, lightboxes, architectural type glass etc,.

We are inviting submissions from glass artists interested in participating in this exhibition. If you are interested in having your work considered for inclusion please send a copy of your biog/CV and 4 images of your work to the National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny by Friday September 1st 2007.

13

Opportunities

Research Missions Autumn/Winter 2006 Financial Assistance towards visiting Shows

Closing date - 28th July 2006 If your application is successful, CCoI will subsidise a maximum of 50% of the cost of:

Go and see! It’s the best research for trends and for market research

• • • •

If you want to research an event/show in 2006 and want to avail of assistance with costs…..simply download an application form from www.ccoi.ie

Here’s what some people say….

This was a wonderful oppor tunity to view a world-wide and world-class exhibition and follow up with visits to the many London galleries that were showing their applied Ar ts collections to coincide with the Collect Show. It was a chance for me to view my own work in this framework and I found much of the work inspirational and will inform my own work in the future.

Rachel Milotte, Ceramicist, visited Collect, London Februar y 2006

The initial feeling when I arrived at Inhorenta was overwhelming.

The Designers section was very inspiring as the Germans have a very brave approach to jewellery making and are not afraid to be big and bold……the variety of material is never ending……lots of unusually cut stones, full of inspiration to take home and create from.

Anne Mette O’Connor, Jeweller visited Inhorgenta, Germany February 2006

economy return airfare public transpor t to and from the event passes/tickets to the event accommodation - one night in UK, 2 overnights in Europe and 3 overnights in USA.

maximum subsidy for UK €150, Europe €250 and USA €500

*Please note the following

• Due to the structure of our funding - subsidies are not available to craftspeople in Nor thern Ireland.

• The purpose of the mission is research; therefore applications

from craftspeople who already exhibit at the show or who have been to the show more than twice will not be accepted.

• Maximum number of three research missions, per craftsperson per year.

• In order to process the refund applicants are requested to produce appropriate receipts and a shor t repor t on their event.

For further information contact Helen Lynch T: 048 30833605 E: helen@helenlynch.net W: www.ccoi.ie

Wanted! - New Product Apply to the 50% Scheme and get assistance towards those new product ideas you’ve been planning.

The ‘50% Scheme’ gives registered craftspeople financial assistance towards making new products for a specific market opportunity i.e. exhibition, consumer event or trade show. CCoI contributes 50% of the costs of developing the new product.

An application form and a CD of images must be submitted by 31st October 2006. An independent panel will make their selection in mid November and applicants will be informed shortly afterwards. 50% of the award will be given up front and the remainder on completion of the new work.

Application forms are available at www.ccoi.ie.

Closing Date 31st October 2006.

For further information contact: Helen Lynch T: 048 30833605 E: helen@helenlynch.net

14

Opportunities

Photoscheme The first Photoscheme shoot of 2006, took place in June with 12 craftspeople participating,with a total of 28 product and 12 model shots taken.

Photoscheme uses the best professional photographers and is subsidised by the Crafts Council of Ireland, which significantly reduces the cost for craftspeople.

The craftsperson has the licence for these images but they are also placed on the CCoI Imagebank, and used extensively on the website, and in publications and so increasing the potential exposure. Research has shown us that when we go to a journalist with a story and a professional image it increases the chance of press coverage than if there is just a story.

Next closing date 17th October 2006

Cost: €75 per product shot and €100 per model shot We have had a number of requests from craftspeople wanting a shoot in August to facilitate applications to other schemes - if you would like to express your interest in this shoot, contact: Emma or Mary T: 056 7761804 E: emma@ccoi.ie asap

Opportunities...Opportunities...Opportunities...Opportunities

Network Information Day Have you ever though of setting up a Network or wanted to know what CCoI can do to help existing Networks. Why not come along to our Network Information Day 29th September 06 in Kilkenny. For further information contact maryw@ccoi.ie or visit our website www.ccoi.ie under networks. *******

Textiles by Karen Miknas

Showcase Development Programme ‘Doing Better Business at Showcase’ is the title of two exciting workshops that CCoI are planning to run in Dublin and Cork during August. The workshops will be ver y practical in nature focusing on the reality of doing business at the show - and for this reason all speakers will have first hand experience in their area at Showcase.

The workshops will concentrate on the areas of:

• sales techniques and dealing with buyers • merchandising and display to catch buyers attention and • dealing with press to increase coverage

There will also be a synopsis of the most recent consumer research carried out by CCoI - which will give par ticipants an insight on the mind of the consumer - the choices they make and why. Places on the workshops will be limited so please contact Mar y Whelan as soon as possible T: 056 7761804 E: mar yw@ccoi.ie for fur ther information or to reser ve a place.

Further information will be available on the web site shortly. www.ccoi.ie

15

Opportunities

John Ffrench, Ireland/USA

CERAMICS IRELAND INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL A chance to meet and learn from International leading Practitioners

The Festival opens with a programme of events which include a three day symposium where leading artists will

demonstrate a variety of skills in construction, decoration and firing.There will also be slide shows, a discussion forum and trade stands. For details on Ceramics Ireland International Festival’ and ‘Emerging Ceramics’ exhibitions see Page 24.

The demonstrators are: Shao Ting Ju Jeoffrey Healy Daphne Corregan John Ffrench Greg Crowe Sasha Wardell Eric Astoul

Taiwan Ireland France Ireland / USA Australia UK France

Figurative sculpture Wood fired domestic ware Sculptural raku Decorative vessels Wood fired Ceramics Works with Boned China

Note: Ashraf Hanna (Wales)is unable to participate. In her place instead is Sasha Wardell (UK).

The three day symposium takes place in the Pottery Skills School,Thomastown, Co Kilkenny.

Ticket Price: €200, €100 Students, unwaged, OPA For further information contact: Tina Byrne T: 01 2870963 E: tinabyrne@feileclai.com W: www.feileclai.com The event is part of Feile Clai an INTERREG 111A European funded joint project between Ireland and Wales.

PORTFOLIO Selection 2006 Closing date - Tuesday 5th September 2006

Calling All Designer/Makers to apply. Application packs now available.

PORTFOLIO is the Crafts Council of Ireland’s digital directory of Ireland’s leading designer makers, selected by an international advisory panel. *NB: You can now submit a combination of actual work and digital images for selection onto PORTFOLIO. For logistical and practical reasons only work that can be handled by one person can be submitted, site-specific work and large scale work must be submitted via digital images. Digital images submitted must be to the required specification, details are fully explained in the PORTFOLIO application information pack.

Current PORTFOLIO members must submit a minimum of 2 pieces of new work - actual work or digital images, for review to the advisory panel in September to maintain their place in the catalogue. Over a two year period members must have 2 pieces of new work selected on to PORTFOLIO. Updated application forms will be automatically sent to current PORTFOLIO members.

For an application and further information contact: Ann Dack, Project Manager E: anndack@eircom.net M: 087 6490463 W: www.ccoi.ie

Eric Astoul. France

8th / 9th/ 10th September 2006, Thomastown, Kilkenny

16

Opportunities

Dates for your Diary *Please note: The September/October issue of Stopress will be

Opportunities...Opportunities...Opportunities...Opportunities

published on 20th September 2006. Please forward all submissions by August 15th 2006.

OPPORTUNITY DIARY DATES

BY/ON/CURRENTLY/TBC*

Stopress deadline for Sept/October issue

is

18th August 2006

Research Missions

by

28th July 2006

Image of Longing

by

1st September 2006

Stained Glass Art Exhibition

by

1st September 2006

PORTFOLIO

by

5th September 2006

Ceramics Ireland International Festival

on

8th - 10th September 2006

Craft in the Classroom

on

22nd September 2006

Network Information Day

on

29th September 2006

Photoscheme

on

17th October 2006

50% Scheme

on

31st October 2006

make a piece for someone who inspires you

Ceramic Art London, 2007

Call for exhibitors Focusing on the best in Contemporary Ceramics Application deadline August 20th 2006 More information on the Advertisements P. 18.

17

Opportunities

NCG EXHIBITIONS 2006 New Programme for 2006 now available

contact NCG or visit website www.ccoi.ie

NCG, Castle Yard, Kilkenny Graduate Show - CCoI Pottery Design and Skills Course

on

20th July - 7th August 2006

Ceramic Ireland International Festival

on

11th August - 12th October

Emerging Ceramics

on

11t August - 1st October

Silver Connections

on

13th October - 26th November

Collectors Event

on

24th Nov 2006 - 6th January 2007

Furniture Design and Market Trend Forecast

on

9th November 2006

Womenswear Trend Forecast Spring 07 and 08

on

29th November 2006

SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS ENTERPRISE IRELAND TREND FORECAST EVENTS

Highlight important dates on your calendar

For more information on the above events: T: 056 7761804 or e-mail info@ccoi.ie

Registered crafts people from Northern Ireland are eligible to participate in 50% Scheme, Portfolio, Photoscheme, Best Practice in Commissioning and Third Level Awards.

STICKERS located on back of CCoI Calendar

CCoI website gets a new look

Over the past few months the CCoI have been working on developing and enhancing their website to enable it to become a more user friendly and effective information/communications tool for all its users - including craftspeople, the media, buyers, researchers, other agencies and the general public.The ‘new look’ site went live earlier this month, it can be viewed at: www.ccoi.ie

Some features on the ‘new look’ site include: - An easy to navigate menu system (see Bread Crumb Feature) - Adaptable front page with multiple new features - Dedicated section for craftspeople, buyers and the media - An Information Directory - More advanced search facilities - Ability to e-mail/print pages - Enhanced content (news section) and image features (labelling).

Remember, your comments and feedback are always very welcome as they helps us to explore issues and identify ways in which we can increase the effectiveness of our site.

Please visit us and e-mail your comments to info@ccoi.ie

Piece from Potter y Design & Skills Graduate Show

18

Advertisements FOR SALE Electric Potters Wheel

Model-Cowley double drive Type 6340. As new condition. Spare wheel head with pin drive for batts €550 euro or near offer Wexford area For further information T: 0876687869

40 x 12.5 kg bags 1117M Buff Stoneware , at €6.20 per

bag. Fireclay based, stoneware body for domestic ware.Throws well, turns easily. Plastic, strong and reliable.

For further information contact Andrea T: 0857317501 or 059 9724789 Are you interested in taking over some, or all, of a small

Silk-painting business with

several areas of potential growth, and with the possible option of renting a studio in south Dublin.The present

business includes: direct sales, craft supplies and adult classes. For further information contact Valerie at T: 01 4930575 M: 085 7340000

Jewellery Workshop equipment - William Frost

Vulcaniser €250, Balco Rhodium Plating Unit €300 (3 x 1 ltr).

For further information contact Sean T: 087 25446925

16 Shaft AVL Dobby Loom

160cm/60" weaving width Fly shuttles, two boxes, two beams (one sectional), automatic advance system, computer capability includes accessories. Built in bench. Manuals included. Excellent condition. Sale due to career change and house move. £3,500. Also available: 6' warping mill, 3m circumference £200. Tapestry loom: £300 For further information contact Daphne McGuigan T +44 (0) 28 4482 8415 E: daphnenelson@hotmail.com

Pottery Kiln , K and F 15.8 cu ft. top loader with original controller, furniture and spare set of elements, 5 years old, excellent condition €3000. For further information contact Sun Ceramics T: 086 8172988

Electric kiln 16 cubic ft

toploader. Cromartie workhorse, including shelves, controller etc.

Excellent condition. Might exchange for similar but smaller plus balance.

For further information contact T: 085 1622721

Fibres for spinning and felt

35miles from Dublin, with the possibility to used as a studio and or downstairs use of a 3000 sq ft glass studio There is also an 800 sq ft cover out door area.

For further information contact Michelle T: 087 2747504, E: info@glasshammer.ie Space to let - 1,200 sq ft, in

Castletownroche Mill, North Cork .Located in a

tranquil riverside rustic setting in a recently refurbished building. Rent negotiable. For further information contact T: 022 26422 Studios/Workshops/Spaces now available at Belmont Mill,

making. Top quality silk and wool tops. Gaywool dyes perfect for dyeing wool and silk. Ashford

Belmont, Birr, Co. Offaly ,

suzie@derryauncrafts.com www.derryauncrafts.com

Dolan E: info@belmontmill.com M: 086 6078925 T: 09064 57598

weaving and spinning equipment For further information contact Suzie Sullivan T: 098 21888 or

Ratcliffe belt wheel

Some accommodation available.

Rent negotiable. For further information contact Tom W: www.belmontmill.com

excellent condition, top loading

Large workshop space

cromarite ctl200b excellent condition and bentrup ct405 controller for kiln as new For further information contact John at T: 071 9183838 or E: oriainpottery@hotmail.com

Beautiful loft space 22 x 5.5

kiln 7.5 cb ft. single phase

WANTED

Brother KH260 knitting machine - new or little used.

For further information contact Anne T: 087 9697391

STUDIO SPACE 1000 sq ft 2 bedroom fully furnished apartment set on a 25 acres of private parkland

available for rent in Lanesborough, Co.Longford. For further information contact Mary Clarke T: 087 6306348

m) to let/lease in Grennan Mill, Thomastown, Kilkenny overlooking River Nore. Former showroom of 'Cloth of Gold' couture company.

Fully equipped for commercial business, including heating. Floor below, same size, also available. Rent negotiable, according to needs.

For further information contact T: 087 923 8102

OPPORTUNITIES

Tús Craft Design offers you

the opportunity to exhibit your latest work in their exhibition area adjoining their retail Craft Design

Gallery in the magnificent Bridge Mills in Galway City. For further information contact T: 091 532500 E: tuscraftdesign@eircom.net W:www.tus-craftshop.com

The West Kerry Craft Guild are now open for new

membership for their outlet in Dingle. A selection of our Arts and Crafts at present consist of Weaving, Basketry, Pottery, Paintings, Slate Work, Wood Turning, Photography Jewellery, Knitwear, Stained Glass.

For further information contact Betty T: 086 1579392

Ceramic Art London 2007

- Presented by The Craft Potters Association in association with Ceramic Review.

Royal College of Art, 2nd - 4th March 2007 .Ceramic artists are invited to apply for stands. The focus is on the best in contemporary ceramics. Application deadline 20th August 2006. The event will consist of a major selling fair and exhibition as well as a full daily programme of talks, discussions, demonstrations and films.

For further information contact Lucy Wilson T: + 44 (0)20 7629 9645 E: lucy@theresasimon.com W: www.ceramics.org.uk Hidden Art Forum at Bloomberg on 27th September 2006. The Forum on Exploring Innovation brings together specialist speakers to discuss how young creative businesses or designers making their own goods can best produce and market their work.

Confirmed speakers include Sir George Cox, Matteo Alessi and Mark Holmes of Established & Sons.

Cost - £10, others £15.

For further information see www.hiddenartlondon.co.uk/forum2006

International competition of Contemporary Ceramic art 2007 Open to individual artists or associations whose artists

19 are no older than 40 years of age at 31st December 2006. The prize fund is €26,000 Closing date 20th August 2006. For further information contact Museo Internazionale delle Ceramiche in Faenza, W: www.micfaenza.com

Well established craft/Interiors business

with 10 years goodwill for sale or to lease. Based in Enniskerrry Village, Co Wicklow. For further information contact Alison T: 01 2866820 M: 087 2849438

Fibre Art International 2007 - USA Exhibition of

Contemporary Fibre Art www.fiberartinternational.org closing date 18th August 2006 For further information contact Mary Towner T: + 001 412 521 2547 or E fiberartinternational@yahoo.com

Advertisements PLACEMENTS/JOB OPPORTUNITIES Sales Agent required

for small knitwear company may compliment agents existing ranges.

For further information contact Patsy T: 087 2406199

Agent required to expose high quality range of slate giftware to the market place. Experience in sales a distinct advantage. Immediate start for suitable candidate. For further information contact Paul T: 086 8257008 Production Potter required For growing pottery in West Kerry. Experience essential.

Contact Zac T: 066 9157848.

E: zac@annascaulpottery.com

STANDS AVAILABLE Fota House & Gardens Dublin City Enterprise Board Export Marketing Initiative Fund

Are you in business and seeking to develop overseas markets? Our Export Marketing Initiative Fund can assist you. The fund can part-fund the cost of travel & subsistence,

Trade Fair attendance/Exhibiting, and the creation of marketing material specifically for overseas markets.

Commercial Website

Development Grant Dublin

City Enterprise Board is making available website development funding for small businesses.

Deadline for applications:

Friday 18th August 2006

Friday 17th November 2006

Early applications are advised For further information contact T: 01 677 6068 or W: www.dceb.ie

Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork. Christmas Craft Fair 17th - 19th November Emphasis on quality and originality.

For further information contact Kay Ryan T: 021 4815543

Marlay House Christmas Craft Fair

24th - 26th November 2006.

Applications from potential exhibitors are now welcome.

To receive an application form contact Sonya Ewen Marlay Park Craft Courtyard Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16 T: 087 675 33 58 E: marlaycraftfair@hotmail.com

Clare Crafts Association Christmas show 2006 schedule: 10th - 12th Nov & 17th Dec, Templegate Hotel, Ennis, Co. Clare 19th Nov, Lakeside Hotel, Killaloe, Co. Clare

26th Nov, Lady Gregory Hotel, Gort, Co. Galway.These will be "selected" shows to ensure quality.

For further information and application, contact Terry Crichton T: 061 925172,

Higgins this promises to be an exciting showcase of original and unique work designed and made in West Cork. The picturesque village of Rosscarberry lies between Clonakilty and Skibbereen on the

Mary Jo Coates, Jewellery

The Bridge Gallery presents an Exhibition of New Paintings by Five Gallery Artists: Daphne Petroholis, JJ Macken, Eric-Roux Fontaine, Rod Coyne and Iwona O'Reilly. 1st - 31st July. The Bridge Gallery , 6 Upper Ormond Quay, Dublin 7. Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 2pm - 5pm For further information contact Deirdre

E: tcrichton@eircom.net

seeking suitable craftsperson to share stand at RDS Christmas Fair 2006 Contact Mary Jo T: 087 2624750 The Craft, Speciality Food & Fine Design Show at Belfast Telegraph

Idealhome, 6th - 10th September 2006 at Kings Hall, Belfast. Stand rate is from £125 + vat. Stands are available from 2sqm For further information contact

Michael T: +44 (0)28 90 410404 E: michaell@exclaim.co.uk

EXHIBITIONS

To celebrate her first year in business Etain Hickey is hosting an

Exhibition of West Cork Craft and Art featuring some

of the years successes including paintings from Eadaoin HardingKemp, Ceramics from Jim Turner and Raku of Julian Smith, Art Glass from Michael Ray, Paintings & Fused Glass from Carin MacCana, Copper and ironwork from Paddy McCormack.

Plus Etain’s own ceramic work and

work from new artists.The exhibition runs until 21st July.

For further information contact Etain T: 023 21479 E: etainhickey@eircom.net

The West Cork Craft & Design Guild are having an

exhibition of new work at Narthex Gallery, St. Fachtnas Cathedral, Rosscarberry, West Cork from 4th - 15th August. Introducing new members Robert Lee and Kiaran

main route from Cork to Schull.

T: 01 872 9702

WORKSHOPS/ COURSES Summer schools at Kinsale

Pottery and Art School

Introduction to Ceramics with Adrian Wistreich: 24th-28th July and 21st-25th August and Drawing summer school (including life drawing) with Fiona Machin 24th-28th July and 21st-25th August. For further information contact Adrian T: 021 477 7758

E: adrianwistreich@eircom.net W: www.kinsaleceramics.com

Bear Essentials Summer School for 8-18 year olds. Create

your own Mohair Collector Teddy Bear. Ever y par ticipant will also receive a cer tificate of achieved skills. 14th - 18th August 10am-12.30pm. Please enrol now.

For further information contact T: 049 9523461 E: info@irishbears.com W: www.irishbears.com

20

Advertisements Ben Russell's 3-day Introduction to Woodcarving workshops

For further information contact

(follow-up), 18th - 20th Oct,

W: www.mournetextiles.com

21st - 23rd July, 6th - 8th Oct

10th - 12th Nov. Learn about tools, timber, planning and executing

carvings. This is a comprehensive foundation workshop. An

accommodation list is available. Cost: €335, (bring a friend for €305).

For further information contact T: 027 66133

E: courses@benrussell.info W: www.benrussell.info

Bronze Casting Workshop (using clay/dung moulds)

Sat/Sun 5th - 6th August &

9th - 10th September. Cost €265.

Materials/refreshments/lunch included

For further information

T: 021 4706940 M: 086 3256689

E: hellehelsne@iolfree.ie

The Creative Peninsula 2006 4th - 13th August exhibitions/workshops and open Studios. The event is an Ards

Borough Council initiative aimed

at promoting the Visual Arts and Crafts professionals active in the

Ards Borough. 'Craft in the Square' - Friday 4th August 06

Craft Bus Tours - Saturday 5th

& 12th August 06. For further

details and information, please

contact Ards Tourist Information

Centre T: +44 (0) 28 9182 6846 E: tourism@ards-council.gov.uk

Mourne Textiles Ltd Handloom weaving workshop Rostrevor, Co. Down.

Weekend or 5 day courses available 10.00am - 4.30pm, 9th - 11th or 5th - 9th June, 11th - 13th or

21st - 25th August, 10th - 12th or 20th - 24th November.

Cost £275 for 5 days or £175 for 3

days. Lunch is provided and all yarns and equipment are included in the price. Maximum of 6 people. We

require a £50 deposit on booking.

T: +44 (0)28417 38373/72204 M: +44 (0)7890994002

E: karen@mournetextiles.com

Children’s Fun Art & Craft Workshops in Wexford Fun and creative

Children’s Art Workshops in July and Aug for children aged 6-8 and 9-13years. During July the week long workshops are varied. In August there is a week-long batik & tie dye and beading workshop. One day workshops also available. For further information contact Bettina T: 053 91 58388 M: 087 6569244

R.E.D. Reality Rockfield

Ecological Dream in Reality EcoEvents consisting of Arts, Culture

and Heritage will commence in April at Rockfield Eco Estate and will continue all year through. The

Eco-Craft-Workshops will take place in the old courtyard-buildings, which date back to 1780s and are restored using all eco friendly materials.

Workshops 11am - 5pm. Organic beverages and lunch will be served.

Courses cost €100 per day

Spinning - Christine Heine, Almost

Sheep to Shawl - Melodi Lammond

Grundy, Weaving - Mairdhia Ni Mhurchu,

Felt making - Brigitta Varadi, Batik Art Blaithin Quinn, Hand Papermaking -

Tunde Toth, Ceramics - Geoffrey Healy,

Basket making - Noel Cleary,

Woodcarving - Jackie McKenna, Stone Sculpture - Aileen-Anne Brannigan,

Stone figurative sculpture - Seamus

Dunbar Eco Art classes will follow soon

For further information contact Imelda or Jana at Rockfield Ecological Estate, Rathaspic, Rathowen, Co Westmeath T: 043 76024

Derryaun Craft workshops

Summer 2006: 21st July - Natural & synthetic dyeing. 27th July - Wool craft, weaving for beginners, 1st -

2nd August - Combined wire, fibre &

bead. 4th Aug - Jewellery for beginners.

10th & 11th Aug - Beads, wire, fibre & flowers. 18th Aug - Needle felting for beginners. 24th Aug - Felt Jewellery. 31st Aug - Wet felting, hollow seamless forms. 2nd - 3rd Sept - Glass bead making (lampwork) for beginners, tutor Mike Tillerman. For further information contact Suzie Sullivan T: 098 21888 E: suzie@derryauncrafts.com W: www.derryauncrafts.com

Danny Boy International Summer School - a 3 Day Traditional Craft Experience

15th - 17th August 2006.

Explore Basket-weaving, Woodcarving and Stonecarving at this 3 Day residential course, during

the Danny Boy Festival in Limavady, Co Londonderry. Learn the basics of

these traditional skills with Limavady

College’s specialist tutors, recognised for excellence in craft education.

Cost €430/£300, including all tools and materials, accommodation and full board meals. For further information contact Pauline Quigley on T: +44(0)28 777 61243 E: pauline.quigley@limavady.ac.uk W: www.iahc.co.uk Workshops in Tuscany 2006

VETRATE ARTISTICHE TOSCANE will hold intensive

summer workshops in the following subjects: Marble Mosaic: 5th - 8th Sept.

Glass Fusing: 11th - 15th Sept.

Painting on glass: 18th- 29th Sept.

The workshops will take place in our studio in the very centre of Siena, Tuscany, and will be conducted in English. For information contact:

VETRATE ARTISTICHE TOSCANE, Via della Galluzza, 553100 Siena, Italy E: edu@glassisland.com W: www.glassisland.com/education

SUPPLIERS www.ebags.ie Visit our on-line

store to order and purchase a comprehensive range of stock bags, gift bags, tissue paper, wrapping paper, boxes and ribbons.

Delivery 2-3 working days. The Carrier Bag Company 18 years of service to you! For further information contact T: 01 2888225

Barcodes & Labels

printed Black on White €19.99 per 1000 (No set-up charge).For further information contact N&M Craft T: 01 7978875 or E: nmcraft@eircom.net

Print and display company based in Newry N.I. are offering portable exhibition display units to craftspeople. If you would like more information contact Paul T: 048 30266118 Jem textiles are agents for Bennetts Silks in Ireland, offering a comprehensive range of silks, e.g. dupions, satins, georgette, chiffon, crepes & velvets in an extensive range of colours, suitable for bridal, fashion & interiors, and at competitive wholesale prices. For further information please contact Jacinta T:059 9152270 M:087 9952489 or E:jemtextiles@eircom.net

BUSINESS & FINANCE Craft Supplies Website

www.craftsupplies .ie cardmaking, scrap booking and other craft supplies. Includes crafter’s forum.

Ships all over Ireland.

For further information contact info@craftsupplies.ie

21 Sell your work on the Internet need a site designed for

you to sell your work. We also design for print. For further information contact T: +44 (0)28 9756 5681

Adorn Cardmaking, Scrapbooking

and Jewellery making supplies. store for all your crafting needs. Create your own Wedding Invites or choose from our range of Wedding Stationary. For further information contact Marcella T: 061 327857 W: www.adorn.gencodesigns.com

Accounting and Technology

Our services include accountancy for both sole traders and companies and in particular start up business.

We also provide IT support, software development and web site development. We specialize in developing customised software to aid business access real time information at the touch of a button.

For more information contact Brendan or Kevin T: 1850 930390 W: www.accountingandtechnology.ie

The Command Group offers a

unique service to the self-employed individual. We act as a one-stop shop for sole traders and small limited companies. Our services include the following: Vat returns, tax returns, bookkeeping and on going tax advice. We can deal with all general insurance enquiries: mortgages, pensions, investments, vivas health care and life assurance. Visit our

website www.command.ie or T: 01 2763630

Original Celtic & Irish cross stitch patterns for sale.

Designed and produced by hand.

Currently selling very well within the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK - wholesale orders welcome (especially within Ireland). Popular designs, made-toorder designs, coat of arms patterns and much more. For further information contact Stephanie E:crossstitch@celticobsessions.com or W: www.celticobsessions.com

Do you have Tourist’s asking for the VAT back when purchasing goods in

your shop? Moneyback VAT refunds offer the tourists the best

refunds and you can also generate a

rebate for administration. No cost involved. For more information contact Anthony T: 087 7716888 or W: www.moneyback.ie

New online store:

www.ciaransweeney.com

Award winning Fashion Accessories and Home Accessories now available online Featuring multiple colour options, complimentary gift packaging and international delivery.

For further information contact Ciaran Sweeney T: 01 4113953

Original Celtic & Irish cross stitch patterns for sale.

Designed and produced by hand.

Currently selling very well within the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and UK - wholesale orders welcome (especially within Ireland). Popular designs, made-toorder designs, coat of arms patterns and much more. For further information contact Stephanie E:crossstitch@celticobsessions.com or W: www.celticobsessions.com

Industrial Design graduate seeks work Open to new

ideas/challenging opportunities.

Flexible. Excellent communication skills, computer and graphic design skills. Ideally will work along side crafts person to enhance their product range Please contact Eva on 086 1936670 or email evamcsweeney@hotmail.com

To submit your opportunity to the CCoI website (Crafts Events, Stands, Fairs, etc.) please forward 70 words maximum including contact details) to info@ccoi.ie and mark it for Web Opportunities

Textile created by pupils of Dromleigh National School and facilitator Gana Rober ts

WORK WANTED

Design Shannon working nationwide to promote design for enterprise success. We find design-focused solutions to help you compete on innovation and not on price. For more information contact Deirdre Johnston, Design Shannon T: 065 6880498 E: info@designshannon.ie W: www.designshannon.ie

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22

Exhibition Snapshots - NCG

4 0 S H A D E S O F G R E E N a t N CG

Diane Ryan

Glenn Lucas

Anita Elliot

Sara Flynn

Edmund McNulty

Laura Mays

Linda Bailey

Richard Kirk

23

Eric Astoul. France

National Craft Gallery - News

Continued from page 24

MAJOR CERAMICS EVENT AT THE NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY This show introduces the diverse energies of twelve exciting young artists. From Ireland and Wales, their work has an energetic and experimental feel as they explore the possibilities of working with clay. They include; Justine Allison (Wales), Cormac ó Bréar túin (Ireland), Jane Jermyn (Ireland), Susan Hayward (Wales), Karen Morgan (Ireland), Akiko Morita (Ireland), Elaine Riordan (Ireland), Aindréas Scholz (Ireland), Eleanor Swan (Ireland), James and Tilla Waters (Wales), Deiniol Williams (Wales), Kerry Williamson (Wales).

This major celebration of ceramics is the biggest event ever staged by Ceramics Ireland.

Raising the profile of this magical art form, it will expose people to its diversity and desirability.

This wonderful snapshot of contemporary ceramic practice is par t of Feile Clai (Festival of Clay) an exciting new par tnership between Ireland and Wales.

Suppor ted by the Crafts Council of Ireland, Feile Clai and the INTERREG 111A programme.

More information from: www.feileclai.com.

For further information on the National Craft Gallery: T: 056 7761804 E: ncgpress@ccoi.ie W :www.ccoi.ie

The National Craft Gallery is open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm and Sundays 11am to 6pm. Admission is free.

CRAFTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND’S POTTERY DESIGN AND SKILLS COURSE National Craft Gallery, Castle Yard, Kilkenny 20th July - 7th August 2006

Testing the boundaries and experimenting with possibilities.

11 students have spent two years working and designing

with the most natural of materials - clay. A remarkable exhibition at the National Craft Gallery shows just how much they have achieved

Graduate shows are always an exciting opportunity to pick up cutting edge work by the stars of tomorrow.This wonderful showcase by graduates of the Crafts Council of Ireland’s Pottery Design and Skills course is no different.

This is the first time the graduates have been taken through a two-year course. Tutor Gus Mabelson has guided them through this internationally recognised programme and selected the final pieces. And whether it’s functional ware, one-off designs or sculptural forms, the quality of work is exceptional.

Graduate Karen Morgan comes to this show fresh from her success at the Habitat, House & Home Student Designer of the Year. She was the unanimous winner of this prestigious competition, open to artists and designers from all disciplines. Her elegant and stylish porcelain mortar and pestle was judged the winner for its design, use of materials and standard of craftsmanship.

Lorna Kavanagh

Karen’s winning design is the perfect marriage of function and form, but it’s not alone. From teapots and bowls to vases and platters, all of the graduates have brought a sense of style and beauty to these simple pieces.

Other work in the show owes more to fine art than function. Lorna Kavanagh’s delicate porcelain butterflies have words printed on their wings.

Taken from letters from her sister, these words are beautifully illuminated when mounted on lightboxes.

Other pieces are brought to life through glazing. Heidi Kiiskinen’s crystalline-glazed bowls glint like precious metals when they catch the light and Janusz Siporski’s salt-glazed tea-pots each have a unique finish.

The sodium fluxes the surface of the clay, giving each piece an earthy, tactile quality.

24

Upcoming Exhibitions - NCG Ceramics Ireland International Festival

Emerging Ceramics

National Craft Gallery

11th August - 1st October 2006

National Craft Gallery

MAJOR CERAMICS EVENT AT NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY

Celebrating the beauty and diversity of ceramic art, the National Craft Gallery is delighted to host one of the major artistic events of the year - a unique Festival of Clay which occurs during the Kilkenny Arts Festival,11th - 20th August 2006 (see also www.kilkennyarts.ie).

Ceramic ar tists from all over the world will converge on the Crafts Council of Ireland’s flagship gallery this Autumn for two exciting exhibitions.

Dramatic, powerful and inspiring, these showcases feature the work of leading, influential ar tists and those just star ting on their journey.

Ceramics Ireland International Festival features the work of some of today’s most impor tant ceramic ar tists: Names like John ffrench, Daphne Corregan and Greg Crowe whose work has inspired ar tists and collectors worldwide. From Taiwan, USA, France, Ireland, Wales, Egypt and Australia; the seven ar tists will also par ticipate in a special three-day Festival where they will demonstrate the skills that have put them on the cultural map. See page 15 for more details.

Running alongside this significant exhibition is a beautiful showcase for new makers entitled Emerging Ceramics......

Continued on page 23

FOR NATIONAL CRAFT GALLERY NEWS TURN TO PAGE 23 All notices and advertisements are published in Stopress for general information purposes only, at the risk of the advertiser and at the discretion of the Crafts Council of Ireland (CCoI). CCoI make no representations or warranties about any of the information contained in any notice or advertisement and accept no responsibility for the accuracy of any information contained in a notice or advertisement. Advertisements in Stopress do not indicate endorsement by CCoI. It is the responsibility of the reader to check that goods and services are described fully and accurately.

CCoI expressly excludes liability for direct or indirect consequential loss or damage which may arise in respect of Stopress or purchase of the goods and services.

CCoI does not accept any responsibility for or necessarily endorse the views expressed by third party contributors to Stopress.

All copyright, database rights, trade mark design rights and any other intellectual property rights whatsoever in Stopress are, owned by and the property of CCoI.

Crafts Council of Ireland, Castle Yard, Kilkenny t: 353 56 7761804 f: 353 56 7763754 e: info@ccoi.ie www.ccoi.ie

The copydate for Sept/Oct 2006, Stopress is August 18th 2006. Publication date is 20th September 2006.

Advertising in Stopress is free and is welcomed.Submissions for articles from craftspeople and those interested in craft are also always welcome - please contact: Communications Dept.

Crafts Council of Ireland t.056 7761804 e:stopress@ccoi.ie While every care has been taken in the compilation of this Stopress, the publisher cannot take responsibility for errors or omissions

newsletter design: dynamite

Shao Ting Ju

Jude Jelfs

11th August - 12th October 2006