Guild News With the last issue of the newsletter, all current members received a copy of the 195 Annual Report and abbreviated financial statements (the complete version, with notes, will be available ac the Annual General Meeting, and alse from the Guild office). Apparendly, the Annual Report's Newsletter Committee Report has ignited the fire under some of our members - which isagood thing! The committee could only hope for such a passionate response to the suggested alternative of producing fewer issues of the newsletter; the committee simply wanted to initiate a dialogue about the importance of the newalecter to our members (thank you Rosemary Amon for your apropos letrer to the editor}. The suggestions are merely that, suggestions, and are nowhere near a fit accompli! Some members may recall thar wo summers ago Karen Opas kindly undertook the task of recruiting volunteers for a three day stinc at the PNE. Unfortunately, there were very few members who were able to commit co one 3 or 4 hour shift, and we had to cancel our booth at the last minute, creating havoc for the Arts &(Crafts coordinaror. Well, the AgvC section has reformatred its inclusion ef non-profit and/or community organizations this year by offering the same complementary booth for one day only to participating groups throughout the fair. Needless to say, I've slotted the Porters’ Guild in for Sunday, August 24th (10:30am - 10:30pm), Three hour shifts of two people each are needed so, ifany of you are desperate for some community service time, please give me a call at the Guild office. Made In Clay preparacions have been escalating over recent weeks as the dates get closer and closer. Ads have been placed in the Georgia Straight and the Vancouver Courter, as well as in all the free listings available. There are still cwo booths available (which will become an aisle if not and is thinking about enrolling in ECIAD when she graduates. There will be a lot happening here that week for her to sink her teeth in to: the installation of Linda Doherty's exhibit, prep work for Made In Clay, and the AGM. Renata will be able to see many different aspects of being a professional artist which [ hope will encourage her to pursue it further. Gallery News March sales in the Gallery were much better than predicted, thanks oo a few great days at the end of the moneh. March finished 11%) ahewd of last March's sales and positively contributed co a 10% increase for the first quarter of “97 over the same period in 1996. April's exhibic, Virtssality by Susannah Carnie, has caused a lot of visitors to the Gallery to think about clay in a different way. All six pieces are hung on the wall, leaving the floor area bare of the usual clutter of plinchs {allowing us to lend che plinths co Maureen Wright's benefit). Susannah's work, small boxes and spherical forms connected by tvisting ard looping lengrhs of clay tubing (striking against a dark purple wall} evoke images of our internal plumbing systems, yet leave us feeling oddly exposed. The piece that draws the most attention is nor Hauge 5 completely interconnected but has what appears to be a hand pump 00 manyally start the system in case of failure! Ay Susannah prepares to leave Seudio 5, the Porters’ Guild wishes her great success in her future explorations with clay. The Gallery will undergo yet another change of appearance with the installation (literally!) of Linda Doherty's exhibit Free asa Bird. Along with the hundreds of birds co be suapended from the ceiling, Linda has created birdbachs and birdhouses for this exhibit. Free as a Bird, a tribute to Linda's mother, is about the search for freedom in our complicated lives and poses the questions: “What is freedom?" and “Which bird is truly free?”. The exhibit opens on Thursday, May Ist (6- Spm) and continues uncl Sunday, June Ist, ‘The feature artist of the monch for April was Yukiko Kurata, and in May the Gallery looks forward co featuring Karen Qpas’ work (our busy newsletter editor does get to spend some time in her studia!}, On Thursday, May 22nd (6-%pm), the Gallery will be hosting a reception for John Leach. A display of his work will be in the Gallery after May 6th, and will continue uncil che end of May - all the pieces are available for sale. Jane Matthews /You’re Invited... Thursday, May 1 (6 - 8pm) - opening reception of Linda Doherty's exhibit, Free as a Bird Thursday, May 22nd (6 - 9pm) - reception for John Leach at the Gallery of BC Ceramics, 1359 Cartwright Sereet, Granville Island, Vancouver Gallery of BC Ceramics - Upcoming Deadlines for Submissions June 23 - Submission of work for the July exhibit A Garden Tea Party, in the Gallery of BC Ceramics. All members of the Potsers' Guild are encouraged to bring work in for this non-juried show, Work will eave che gallery as it sells (high tourist time) so we will need to have backup stock. Please bring your business cards ro display wich your work, and please tag the pieces with retail prices (50% commission), your initials and number of piece. Call Jane if you have any questions (604)-669-5645 or email bepguild@inrowch.be.ca}- sold} - please call the office if you are still interested in participacine. For the week leading up to Made [n Clay and the AGM, che Guild looks forward to having Renata Benov, a grade 11 student from South Burnaby School here as part of her workstudy program, Renata has taken several 2 and 3-dimensional art courses, July 31 - Deadline for Exhibit Proposals for 1998. Application forms and guidelines are available in the Gallery or we can mail one to you.