2023-01-03 (January) Clay Fest Steering Committee Minutes
Present: Annie Heron, Beth Johnson, Dawn Craig, Debbie Christensen, Dick Graveline, Faith Rahill, Frank
Gosar, Gwen Childs, Joe Geil, Karen Washburn, Laura Wikane, Mariah Williams, Merry Newcomer,
Nicole Hummel, Nina Duong, Robin Russell, Tea Duong, Ziggy Blum, Lee Dwyer, Faye Cates, Tracie
Manso
The meeting began at 6:30 pm, Laura Wikane presiding, minutes recorded by Karen Washburn
Frank moved to approve the minutes of the November 2022 meeting, Merry seconded; motion passed.
Reminder: all Chairs should renew their Local Clay memberships to be in good standing in Local Clay,
and eligible to vote
The Local Clay Secretary should let the LC readership know the website’s link after that has been
established.
Steering Committee Chair Changes:
Clay Fest Chair, Laura Wikane
Cash Treasurer, Gwen Childs
Secretary, Karen Washburn
Demos, Jon King
Sales Area, Ziggy Blum
Unfilled:
Bookkeeper (someone showed interest in it and Laura will contact him)
Publicity needs a second person to be a Co-Chair
Sales Tags
Trainees:
Info Packs, Lee Dwyer
Registrar, Faye Cates
Postering, Maria Counts
We affirmed: Local Clay Treasurer is a different position from Clay Fest Bookkeeper, although Robin (LC-
CF Treasurer/CF Sales Tags Co-Chair) served as Bookkeeper in 2022 and in several years prior. We
created a Bookkeeper Chair position about 4 years ago.
Robin reported that the funds we received from commissions on sales totaled $14,000+ in 2019, our last
show done in the usual way—with central sales and more booths and more participants than this
year—and commissions for this year were $13,000+.
There was discussion about what Clay Fest will look like this year. Last year there were no central sales
and only Clay Fest SC Chairs and Local Clay Board members were required to work shifts during the
show.
An informal poll of non-chairs, taken during and after the show, showed that many non-Chair
participants do not want to work shifts during the show. It is unclear whether they would participate if
they were required to work shifts.
Another informal poll has shown that some people will not participate in a non-central sales show
regardless of work shifts. They do not want to be in their booths for the entire show
There was discussion about what we lose if we do not have central sales. Frank mentioned Kids’ Clay,
Demos, and maybe Gallery. We also lose the cameraderie of working together.
There was further discussion about difficulties doing work shifts while also transacting our own sales,
while some who enjoy interacting with customers advocated for in-booth. However, we can be in our
booths interacting with customers even if sales are central.
A Scavenger Hunt was held last year and in one previous year. Some liked them; some objected on
principle. There was no decision on scavenger hunts.
Question: was there a bookkeeper last year, without central sales? There was, but the job was not as
difficult and didn’t take as long as with central sales. Tea suggested we need a bookkeeping crew to cut
down on the amount of work one person would do.
Do we know people who could be bookkeeper? The job is physically challenging, with lots of standing,
and hours spent on the books before and after. The space allowed for bookkeeping/sales tags at Clay
Fest is small, so there can’t be many people working together, but it can’t be moved off-site as it needs
to be close to the action.
Nina brought up OPA’s new plan of having bar codes on pots, to read and account for people’s sales,
which will be taken centrally. She will let us know how that works out.
Who will decide the in-booth/central sales question: everyone who might be in the show, or just the SC?
That remains undecided.
We conclude that we need to get people to do the jobs and we had better figure it out by next month,
so we can plan the show and prepare the application.
We discussed what the Publicity chairs do, and recollected internet ads and promotion, radio spots,
sometimes tv. We did not advertise in the Register Guard last year. To do anything, we need another
Publicity Chair. And we should also figure out other ways for people to find out about the show.
Show Signage: we discussed whether to hang the street banner this year. Pros: people driving around
will see it. Cons: it costs $800-1000 and some feel that is not money well spent. Also, we need insurance
in order to apply, while insurance doesn’t need to be purchased until closer to the show if we do not
have a street banner. The company that hung the sign has gone out of business, so a different company
will need to be found. The date also needs changing.
Annie moved to have the banner, Frank seconded, motion carried. Dick will contact the city to get a
permit and find out who hangs banners now
Laura wants to gather ideas of how to get more participants- currently it’s Local Clay, OPA, and Clayfolk
memberships. Our social media followers are mostly participants, which doesn’t help spread the word.
Question: should our show’s success should be emphasized, to increase participation and find Chairs? I
have already sent that info to OPA and Laura will send it to Clayfolk.
2023 Show Dates are October 13,14,15 2023
Deb reported that the online application went well and all but one application was done online. Google
docs autofills and provides daily reports. She will work on ways to protect the document so it can’t be
changed by someone filling it out. No money was taken until Booth Selection, which simplified that
process. The paper application is different from the online one and it would be good if they were
consistent.
Ziggy proposed holding a Local Clay zoom meeting for January 24 at 7 pm. The January Membership
Meeting includes electing LC Board members, including the Clay Fest Chair and Treasurer and
Webmaster. She will put an announcement in the newsletter.
The website and Clay in Education need attention, but those are LC issues.
The idea of a group booth, for people who want to put their toes in the water, was brought up. This has
been discussed before, with objections over the need to create a system, build and store a physical
booth, and manage it before and during the show.
There was no decision to have a group booth.
It was brought up that, in prior years, people applied and didn’t get in, so we should advertise that
people will probably get in, but Deb reminds us we had full shows and wait lists for most years until
covid. Also, a wait list is beneficial for when participants drop out.
Everyone should gather information about their expenses in 2022 and previous years, when we had our
usual kind of show, for the upcoming budget meeting. Robin will send out the figures that she uses on
the Budget Request Chart for reference.
Our upcoming February 7 Meeting is all about budget.
Beth motioned to adjourn, Frank seconded, motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 7:45