Club Notes and Updates
Can’t wait to see you there!
The WPA Pottery Pop-Up Market is on. Tell everyone!
Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 November
Come support your fellow members at Wellington Potters' Association's annual Pop Up Market — a celebration of handmade ceramics in one of Wellington's most beautiful settings. This year the market is taking place in the laneway adjacent to the Soundshell in the Botanic Gardens, a stunning spot for you and your friends to discover your next favourite piece (of someone else’s) pottery.
10AM–3PM | FREE ENTRY
In the laneway running alongside the Soundshell, Wellington Botanic Garden (via the Main Gate at 101 Glenmore Street).
Browse and buy directly from over 20 members, each with their own unique style and approach. From functional tableware and decorative pieces to garden ceramics and one-of-a-kind statement works, there's something to suit every taste and budget. Whether you're after a(nother) mug, a special gift, or something to make your garden sing, you'll find it here.
Please note: this event is weather dependent. Rain dates are 21 & 22 November. Any changes to the timing due to weather will be announced via our regular social media channels and here on our webpage.
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What kind of social events do you want to see at the studio?
The “Blind Bowl” competition in the WPA ‘Great Pottery Throwdown’ 2024.
Here’s your chance to let us know!
The Social Portfolio on the committee is currently vacant. In the past, the person in charge of this portfolio has organised events to help members connect and build community. The number of these events has dropped off in recent years and when things are organised (such as the Matariki dinner) we're not seeing a lot of attendance.
This survey will help us establish whether there is still an appetite for social events or if that portfolio should be retired. Please take a moment and let us know your thoughts! We’ll collect your opinions through 30 November and report back to you in the new year with results and a plan.
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Winter solar summary
It’s been a while since we’ve looked at our solar panel production! Although we didn’t produce much power through the darkest of months (June, July), we’re starting to pick up again–and dramatically. Below are a few graphs demonstrating the winter performance.
This first graph shows us what the last 6-months look like. Green is our solar production from the roof, with the pink being the amount of energy we “sold back” to the grid. The teal color is energy we purchased, and the dark blue is our total load for the month. As is expected, you can see our power usage amps up as the temperatures drop.
The last six months of solar production at WPA.
For all you numbers people, here is the same information in a chart:
This next graph is a sunny day in the darkest of winter (you can see the dips as clouds pass). We may have not made much electricity, but every bit counts!
A sunny day (with passing clouds) in the depth of winter.
And in comparison, this graph is from 28 October (windy but clear skies all day). What a difference three months make!
Sunny skies late-October and what a difference!
We’ll do another summary in March 2027 when we’ve seen a full year cycle of our solar array. In the meantime, enjoy the sun!
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Cleaning standards are slipping
A note from Bella, our Studio Tech
I am noticing that cleaning standards are slipping, especially in the glaze room. After wiping all the buckets and mopping the floor in the glaze room on Monday morning, by Monday evening there were glaze drips all over the floor, buckets and tables. The sponges for wiping glaze off bases were covered in glaze and left for the next member to clean. The jugs and tongs still had glaze residue on them.
It is your responsibility as members to wipe up all glaze drips, thoroughly clean all equipment used and wash the sponges after you have used them. Not only does this make the glaze room safer, but makes less work for the people after you.
-Bella
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A call for surface decoration tutors
We’re working on our 2027 workshop programme and are looking for potters who love surface decoration! If you have a passion for decorating pottery and enjoy sharing your skills with others, we’d love to hear from you. Interested in tutoring a workshop for our members in 2027? Get in touch at wellingtonpotters.education@gmail.com to start a conversation!
Welcome New Members!
Alister H. | Amir S. | Amy R. | Cathleen H. | Chelsea H. | Edward A. | Emily H. | Emma M. | Fiona N. | Jan T. | Jennifer M. | Jenny M. | Lisa W. | Marina H. | Rochelle S. | Sarah D. | Shinju R. | Sophie M. | Xin Z.
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Alister H. | Amir S. | Amy R. | Cathleen H. | Chelsea H. | Edward A. | Emily H. | Emma M. | Fiona N. | Jan T. | Jennifer M. | Jenny M. | Lisa W. | Marina H. | Rochelle S. | Sarah D. | Shinju R. | Sophie M. | Xin Z. 〰️
DID YOU KNOW…?
Things to know for gifting/market season
Kilns schedule over the holidays
The last club kiln firings will take place on Monday 14 December
Work will be available for pickup from Friday 18 December
ALL WORK must be out of the kiln room by Thursday 31 December to allow for the annual cleaning and upgrades.
The “to be fired” shelves reopen Monday 11 January. Any work on the shelves between 31 December and 11 January will be removed to the Roof of Rejection!
Club firings will resume on Monday 18 January
Private Kiln License holders have already been emailed with hiring closures over the holiday period. If you haven’t seen this email, check your spam folder.
Selling your work
WPA is a club, not a commercial organisation. Kiln space, firing capacity, and glazing resources are limited and shared — unrestricted commercial use would put pressure on those resources and reduces access for other members.
That said, we do want to support emerging potters, so if you are selling only a little bit (or occasionally) keep club-fired pieces to a minimum (e.g. four cups or two medium bowls per month).
Otherwise, the rule of thumb for selling is:
Use personal glazes
Fire your work privately or outside of the club
Happy making!
Member’s Gallery: AGM 2026
Thank you to the members who attended the Annual General Meeting on Sunday 27 September. (Note that to run an AGM we need 5% of members in attendance. We cut it very close this time, please attend the AGM if you can in future!) A copy of the minutes is available here.
In his President’s Report, Martin noted the following highlights for the year:
Solar panels installed on the roof
New tables for the wheel area
New library floor and repaint
Mezzanine space painted, new floor, and new benches
Plans for a kitchen refresh underway
These are all in addition to our regular members workshops, social events, new member inductions and maintenance.
Meet your 2026/2027 Committee
Hover over the image to learn more about each member.
The Committee farewelled Julie Harrington after 5 years as Vice President and Chrissy after 2 years as Secretary. Thank you both for your service.
Former Vice President Julie Harrington
Former Secretary Chrissy Blair
Is there something you’ve made that you are particularly proud of? If so, please email your photos (and descriptions, if you’d like) to wellingtonpotters.info@gmail.com.
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 the last Committee meeting (click the “+” to expand).
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Sure thing! The Committee is supportive of any actions that keeps dust out of the rooms and away from the entry way. Note that the table is unlikely to last long exposed to rain but we will leave it there to trial having an outdoor work table.
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Thank you for raising this. Our Health & Safety Officer, Gordon will check requirements for our facility for consideration by the Committee.
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We’ve wrapped up classes/workshops for 2026, but we will talk to Sarah about booking something in for 2027!
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plusONE tasks are a quick and easy way to contribute to the Club and will not be incentivised. Incentives are offered for multi-attendance volunteer events such as Glaze Club and Clay Club.
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The seat has been tightened, if it becomes an issue again, consider tightening it as a plusONE.
PSAs from the Club Admin
Brief announcements from your trusty Admin. Questions? Email them at wellingtonpotters.info@gmail.com.
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• New door code as of 9 November •
Now that our membership has rolled over to the 2026/2027 year, it’s time to change the door codes. You will be emailed individually on Wednesday 4 November with the new code in preparation for the locks to be changed on Monday 9 November. Check your spam folders and reach out if you haven’t seen an email come through by 5 November!
Note: we know that the door locks are getting quite sticky. We’ll take a look into this when we change the codes.
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Weren’t able to attend the “Studio” Working Bee?
Lucky for you, we have another working bee scheduled for Sunday 8 November! You can click here for a list of jobs to claim, and if you can’t make it then just email Peter (sales@rumbles.co.nz) for a task you can do over the next week or two in your own time.
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The rules are changing!
A reminder that the rules around the personal recycled clay area are changing.
The storage area has become quite overwhelmed (go check it out if you don’t believe us), so a slightly more strict policy has to be put in place:
Change of maximum allowed storage time: A maximum of ONE X 20 litre or TWO X 10 litre buckets per member.
Change of maximum allowance: Storage time allowed is TWO months and will be strictly enforced.
Excess to the allowance, overdue and unlabelled buckets and those not stored on the racking provided will go to Club Recycling. Last date for removal, Friday 6 November 2026 (area to be cleaned at the working bee on 8 November).
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Admin OOO
Your trusty Admin will be out of the studio from 17 November through 1 December. She’ll be staying on top of emails while away. The December newsletter will be published when she is back in-person on 2 December.
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Ngā mihi nui!
Enchiladas for October
Photos and recipe from feedmephoebe.com
These are delish! I used flour tortillas and standard Tasty cheese for mine, and cheated by making them “lasagna” style (layering vs. rolling individual enchiladas). Don’t be scared off by the long list of ingredients, prep is straightforward and the making is easy.
Original recipe is below, substitute/tweak as you see fit. Enjoy!
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INGREDIENTS
Enchiladas
• 1 large sweet potato 1 pound, cut into 1.5cm cubes (approx. 4 cups)
• 1 medium broccoli crown cut into small florets (approx. 3 cups)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Sea salt
• 2 cups frozen kale or spinach
• 2/3 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar cheese or vegan alternative
• Ten small corn or almond flour tortillas (fewer if they are bigger)
• ½ cup coriander leaves for garnish (optional)
• 1 jalapeno thinly sliced, for garnish (optional)
For the sauce1 small shallot thinly sliced• 150g peeled Agria potatoes, cut into 1.5cm cubes (approx. 1 cup)
• 1 small carrot chopped
• 1 medium yellow or orange tomato chopped
• 1 orange or yellow bell pepper chopped
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juiceDIRECTIONS
Preheat your oven to 220°C. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
On the prepared pan, toss the sweet potato and broccoli with the olive oil, cumin and ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange in an even layer and roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, until just starting to brown. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: in a medium saucepan, add the shallots, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, chili powder, ½ teaspoon salt and water or stock and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft.
Transfer the vegetables and their juices to a blender or food processor and add the lemon juice. Process until smooth. You should have just shy of 4 cups.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the roasted broccoli, sweet potato and frozen kale or spinach with ¾ cup of the sauce and 1/3 cup of cheese.
Pour another cup of the queso sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Spread the sauce to cover the bottom.
Wrap the tortillas in a dish towel and warm them in the microwave for 30 seconds until pliable. Alternatively you can warm them in the oven.
Divide the veggies evenly among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas tightly around the broccoli mixture and line them up, seam-side down, in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce evenly over the stuffed tortillas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake the enchiladas until the cheese is melted and golden brown and the sauce is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the cilantro and jalapenos (if using) and serve immediately.
November WPA Classes & Events
Outdoor Working Bee
Sunday 8 November | 9:00AM - 3:00PM
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 and facilities that everyone relies on. Keeping the grounds in good order benefits the whole membership — it protects our infrastructure, creates a welcoming environment, and ensures everything is ready for the busy months ahead.
We need all hands on deck to get the job done. Many hands make light work! If you can’t make it on the day, email Peter (sales@rumbles.co.nz) for a task that you can do in the next month on your own time.
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Friends and Family Friday
Friday 20 November | 5:00 - 9:00PM
Friends & Family still has plenty of space available for November! If it fills by the time you see this, know that spots often open up at the last minute, so sign yourself up on the “waitlist” and stay flexible. The first three on the waitlist often can sub in!
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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Glazing basics with Bella Florence
Wednesday 25 November | 6:00PM - 8:30PM
The perfect 1-night course for new members who aren’t yet confident with glazing.
WPA subsidises this course to give members a solid grounding in glaze fundamentals. It’s designed to help you avoid common glaze mistakes that can damage your work—or worse, the kiln and shelves.
The course covers glaze room protocol, stirring, dipping, and pouring techniques, with some layering decoration if time allows. It does not include spray booth glazing. Class size is limited to six participants.
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Handbuilding Large Organic Vessels (Weekend Workshop)
Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 November | 9:00AM - 1:00PM
Ever wanted to go big(ger)?
In this two-day workshop, Paola Nigris will guide you through building a large, organic shaped vessel using a range of hand-building techniques. The course takes a sculptural approach, exploring concepts of form, texture, balance, and proportion.
Students are encouraged to bring their own designs and ideas — Paola will work with you to help realise them. You'll learn slab building, coiling, and mould pressing, as well as how to make your own paper clay slip for strong joints and crack repair. By the end of the weekend, you'll have a greenware vessel ready for the kiln.
Community News & Events
Click the image below to learn more.
Have some content for the newsletter? Email it to wellingtonpotters.info@gmail.com.
The deadline for the next newsletter is 22 November.
