March 2026 Newsletter
Club Notes and Updates
Rick Rudd will be joining WPA for a presentation and workshop.
Visiting Potters & Members’ Workshop Updates
Rick Rudd is joining us in September!
We’re buzzing to share that Rick Rudd has confirmed a 2-day Sculptural Teapot workshop at WPA on Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 September. Registrations will open on 1 June.
Rick will do a presentation at the rooms on Friday 25 September, with all proceeds going to the Quartz museum.
You can see more of Rick’s work online at www.rickrudd.com.
Gregory Hamilton Miller
Gregory Miller, based in Denmark, is an American potter who studied in Japan. He is visiting Aotearoa for Nelson Clay Week and will spend four weeks travelling and teaching. Gregory will do a Japanese wheel throwing workshop on Saturday 10 October and a Japanese & Korean Slip Decoration workshop on Sunday 11 October. Registrations will open on 1 June.
Prior to heading down to Nelson, Gregory will join us on Thursday 24 September to share his experiences and connect with our community.
Gregory Miller teaching.
If you’re keen to host Gregory while he is in town, please get in touch (wellingtonpotters.education@gmail.com). We can offer workshop registration in return.
Gregory is keen to connect with studio potters in Wellington. If you’d like to welcome Greogory to your studio please get in touch (wellingtonpotters.education@gmail.com).
You can learn more about Gregory’s work and adventures online at www.ceramicadventures.com.
Members workshops for March & April
Our workshops for the year are underway!
Intro to Handbuilt Sculpture w/ Paola | Weekend Workshop (Sat 28 & Sun 29 March)
Get Bottled w/ James Dickman | Evening Workshop (Thurs 8 April)
Surface & Form w/ Imogen Carter | 1-day workshop (Sat 18 April)
The Perfect Cup w/ Vivian Rodriguez: Weekend Workshop (Sat 25 & Sun 26 April) (Registration opens soon)
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Thank You Volunteers!
Volunteers re-gravel the top car park.
A huge thank you to everyone who has been lending a hand around the club lately! Special thanks to the 11 members who put their hands up to help with data entry. Ingrid is absolutely thrilled to have support with this task, and your time and focus behind the scenes make a real difference to how smoothly things run.
We’re also grateful to the crew who built the raku shed and tackled raking in the new gravel in the upper car park. These were the finishing touches to a big run of recent upgrades, including our new solar panels, the new raku shed, and our new windows. It’s been a big season of practical improvements, and it’s wonderful to see members pitching in to help bring these projects across the line.
If you’ve been meaning to get involved, this is your nudge! We need hands at our upcoming working bee focused on outdoor maintenance (7 March, with a rain date of 8 March), and it’s a great way to care for the space we all share.
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Double Your Donation: Deadline Extended!
Members enjoy the Begonia House at the 2025 Ceramicus opening. Photo: Mel Waite Photography.
Make your dollars count twice!
As we all know, the Begonia House is now closed for restoration. Wellington City Council has committed $11m to the rebuild, with Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens raising a further $1m to help re-imagine it as a city landmark.
It’s a special place for our community through our Ceramicus partnership — now it’s our turn to give back.
You can donate to the Friends of the Wellington Botanic Gardens fund by purchasing $10 “coupons” via HelloClub and the “coupon” link in the main menu. *Wellington Potters’ will match all donations dollar-for-dollar, up to a total contribution from WPA of $1,000.
We’ve extended the cut-off for donations to 12 March (the next Committee meeting), so all gifts made before then will be doubled!
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We’re looking for our next Potter(s)-in-Residence
Applications are now open for our Potter in Residence (PIR) Programme -- an exciting opportunity for you (or your potter friend?) to spend dedicated creative time with us here at WPA.
As a Potter-in-Residence, you receive:
• Use of our exclusive mezzanine PIR studio
• Opportunities to run paid workshops
• Involvement in club events
• Features across our website and social channels
Open to local, national, and international makers — professional status not required. We’re looking for artists keen to share skills and engage.
Residency terms (rolling): May–July | August–October
Applicants must cover their own accommodation, materials, and firing fees (kiln access subject to scheduling). Apply via our website or email Kate at wellingtonpotters.events@gmail.com
And please share and help us spread the word — we can’t wait to welcome our next resident!
Welcome New Members!
| Allan T | Angela W | Beth H | Eva C | Glen B | Jess P | Julie W | Katie E | Maisie C | Maree N | Olli B | Patrick F | Saam M | Samantha T | Sue P | Tayla K | Tessa B | Tyla B
| Allan T | Angela W | Beth H | Eva C | Glen B | Jess P | Julie W | Katie E | Maisie C | Maree N | Olli B | Patrick F | Saam M | Samantha T | Sue P | Tayla K | Tessa B | Tyla B
DID YOU KNOW…?
Personal Clay Recycling Area Update
With the addition of our new raku shed, the recycling area is now smaller. Ironically, though, this has been a positive reset! When we cleared out the old stacks, we removed a large amount of long-abandoned clay, leaving the space much tidier and more functional for everyone.
To keep it that way, each member may store a maximum of two buckets within any three-month period.
Please note:
• Buckets must be 10L or 20L only.
• 20L buckets must be stored on the top shelf only.
• If storing two buckets, they must be stacked neatly on top of each other.
• All buckets must have properly fitting lids. Bricks or other objects may not be used as weights.
• Every bucket must be clearly labelled with:
Your name, and
A current valid period date.
Unlabelled buckets, or those outside their valid period, may be recycled without warning.
Thank you for helping us maintain recycling space for all members!
Member’s Gallery: Raku Club
Raku Club is back in action! If you’re keen to join the fun with fire, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming “observer” spots. Anyone is welcome to watch a raku firing from the safe side of the barrier, but if you’d like to join Raku Club for future firings or submit a piece to be fired, you must go through the formal “observer” process first. This helps us track attendance, add you to the Raku Club roster, and notify you if a firing is postponed due to weather.
Photos thanks to Kat W. and Raku Club!
Suggestion Box
Thanks for your suggestions in the suggestion box! Believe it or not, the suggestion box is NOT a black void of notes from you all. Suggestions get read, discussed, and logged at the Committee Meetings. Below are the suggestions and outcomes from September’s meeting (click the “+” to expand).
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Great idea! Let’s gauge interest and get this together. Please click here to register your interest.
PSAs from the Club Admin
Thankfully, we’re a little more under control with announcements this month!
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Ōtaki Pottery Club Visiting on Saturday 21 March
We’re looking forward to hosting visitors from the Ōtaki Pottery Club on Saturday 21 March. We’ll be using the lunch table to serve afternoon tea, so please expect things to be a little crowded between 1–3pm. Thanks for your patience while we play host!
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Late Kiln Unloading (Next 6 Weeks)
Due to kiln licence trainings over the next six weeks, club kilns will be unloaded later than usual. Work will be available for collection after 7:30pm on Thursdays.
Please do not arrive earlier to collect your pieces. Trainees will be handling and sorting work, and it’s important they can do so without interruption! Thanks for your cooperation and support.
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Wash Your Bats, Please
A friendly reminder to wash your throwing bats after use. We’ve had a few complaints lately. Thank you!
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Label Your Clay
If you’re drying clay on bats at the end of Stack C, please label your clay using the drying slips provided. There have been a few instances of abandoned slop on the bats lately, leaving no space for active use. Ngā mihi!
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Throwing Bats for Sale
Need more bats? Don’t forget that you can purchase throwing bats anytime from our Clay Shop.
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Thank You, The Goods Shed
A big thank you to The Goods Shed for generously giving us a discount on the gravel delivery for the top car park. Nga mihi nui!
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Ngā mihi nui!
Maafe for March
Maafe (or mafe) is a West African/Senegalese stew that your trusty Admin just tried making for the first time. It was easy, DELISH, and was even better as leftovers. There are a TON of variations out there (this vegan version looks amazing) and you can essentially use any protein/veggies combo you prefer (although there are traditional combinations). Below is a simple version that I based off this recipe. You could easily adjust this for a slow cooker.
Photo from africanbites.com.
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INGREDIENTS
• 1-2 pounds (450-900g) beef
• ¼ cup (60ml) oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon (2-3g) smoked paprika (optional, I didn’t use any)
• 2 tbs tomato paste (I used triple concentrate)
• ½ teaspoon (1-2g) ground pepper/white pepper
• ½ cup (125g) peanut butter
• 2-3 cups (700-840ml) beef stock (including reserved juices)
• 1 pound (450g) sweet potatoes, cubed
• 1 red capsicum, chopped
• 1 whole scotch bonnet, habanero or ½ teaspoon cayenne (I used two jalapenos with pretty much no spice)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons (8-12g) parsley to garnish
• 1-2 cups shredded cabbage to serve
• Cooked rice, millet, or couscous (or fufu!) to serveDIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, heat the oil, season the meat with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium-high heat until browned. Drain and reserve any juices. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened/can smell the garlic.
Add tomato paste, stir. Add paprika, ground pepper and stir, then add enough stock to cover meat (including the reserved juices). Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2 hours.
Add the sweet potatoes, capsicum, and pepper(s) and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour more until potatoes and meat are tender. (Don’t worry if the sweet potatoes end up breaking up into the stew, the flavour will still be there!)
Add peanut butter and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Season to taste.
Serve over rice and shredded cabbage. Garnish with parsley.
YUM!
March WPA Classes & Events
Anagama Working Bee - Wood Stacking
Thursday, 5 March | 10AM - 2PM
Time to stack some wood for the 2026 firing!
This is a hands-on, get-your-hands-dirty kind of job, involving plenty of lifting and barrowing. Throw on your sturdy shoes, grab some garden gloves, pack a water bottle, and don’t forget sun protection.
We’ll only be stacking part of the wood this time around, but don’t worry—if you can’t make it, there will be plenty more chances to pitch in later. Plus, less physical tasks will come up as the firing day approaches.
Here’s a perk: by helping with the anagama build-up, you get the chance to enter TWO more pots into the firing.
Need a ride? Mal’s got you covered! He can take 3 or 4 people up in his car and will leave the clubrooms at 9:15 sharp.
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Working Bee - Outdoor Maintenance
Saturday, 7 March | 9AM - 3PM*
Looking for another volunteer opportunity? Look no further! We've had a lot of building work done over the holidays and it's time to finish up the remaining tasks. This bee will focus on landscaping/maintenance, exterior repairs, and general site upkeep to make sure our shared spaces are safe, functional, and looking their best.
We’ll be trimming, clearing, fixing, organising, and improving the outdoor areas of the building. When you arrive, you’ll be assigned a task and have the chance to connect with fellow members while making a tangible difference to our shared space.
If you’re unable to attend on the day, some tasks may be able to be completed beforehand/another time — email Peter at sales@rumbles.co.nz for details.
Signing up in advance gives a chance to plan (and your effort recorded), but feel free to pop in on the day! Whether you can stay for the full session or just part of it, your contribution matters.
*rain date will be Sunday, 8 March.
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Friends and Family Night
Friday, 20 March | 5 - 9PM
Come Join Us for Our Fun Friends and Family Evening!
This is your chance to bring ONE friend or family member and dive into the world of ceramics and pottery! Hosted by Christine Winbush, you and your guest get to explore your creative sides while having fun together. You’ll need to bring your own clay, keep an eye on your person, and make sure everything is tidied up before you leave. Snacks and drinks are welcome, so feel free to bring along something to enjoy while you work on your masterpieces.
If you're planning to work on the wheel, please share it with your person so everyone has space to join in the fun!
Friends & Family WILL fill up quickly, so if you get shut out be sure to sign up as “interested!” Spots often open up at the last minute, and the “interested” list becomes our notification list when spaces become available — stay flexible and you might get lucky!
If you’re already booked and your plans change, please cancel as soon as possible so another member can take your spot.
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Intro to Hand-built Sculpture - Weekend Workshop
Sat., 28 March | 9AM - 1PM and
Sun., 29 March | 9AM - 2PM
Led by Paola Nigris, this weekend workshop introduces handbuilding through a sculptural lens. You’ll learn core techniques while exploring form, texture, balance, and proportion. The focus is on thinking in three dimensions: working from observation, understanding material limits, and building strong, intentional forms rather than relying on templates or formulas.
Students are welcome to bring their own ideas and designs. Guidance will be tailored to individual projects, whether you arrive with a clear plan or want help developing a concept.
Participants should have completed at least one clay course and be comfortable wedging clay and rolling slabs. By the end of the weekend, you’ll have a finished handbuilt vessel or sculpture ready for the kiln.
This workshop will sell out quickly – grab your spot now.
Community News & Events
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Bonsai Pot Competition
The NZ Bonsai Expo has a ceramics competition as part of their event, with several categories available for judging: Kusamono (a group of 5 pots, without plants), Mame/Shohin (a group of 3 pots, without plants), >225mm Natural, and >225mm Glazed
Interested in learning more? Check out their website here. Entries close Monday 1 June.
Have some content for the newsletter? Email it to wellingtonpotters.info@gmail.com.
The deadline for the next newsletter is 22 March.
