NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1980

Thomas Prior House, Merrion Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 Telephone 01 680764

Critical Review

A recent comment by Dr Roy Strong, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum, in an interview for Crafts magazine, regretted that the develop­ment of craftwork in the past two decades in the UK has been striking but still widely unrecognised. He expressed his regret that craftworkers have not been the subject of serious review by art critics but, in his words, "banished to a Home or Woman's page."

There is food for thought in this and one is led to wonder why there has not been much serious criticism of fine contem­porary crafts, either the excellent commissioned work being done for churches in particular, or the one-man or group exhibitions held from time to time.

Is it because there is a lack of truly informed critics who have the knowledge of crafts—not only the form but the craftsmanship? Or is it because crafts are not yet seen as collectors pieces and therefore likely to have a market value as investments—something worth going into because the value of a piece has out-performed the stock exchange index?

Perhaps there is a hen and egg situation here. Maybe serious criticism can create the situation where the work of the artist craftsman can indeed out-perform the stock market. On the other hand, if it were to be shown that craft pieces by certain craftsmen in the past ten years have appreciated in value by a worth­while percentage, the collectors circle would suddenly widen and the craft critic would develop which, in turn, would widen the appreciation and further increase the value.

We have all witnessed the growth in the past ten years of art galleries, not only in Dublin where it must be ten fold, but in the provinces. Has this been because of

a sudden rush of culture, or has it been because there has been a realisation, imagined or otherwise, that paintings or prints are not only nice to have around but are an investment? There are, of course, the buyers who purchase works of art to suit their decor but who don't forget the investment factor neverthe­less.

There has been no such development of craft galleries. The critics' fault? The craftsman's fault? Whisper i t . . . works by the best craftsmen do appreciate in value; they are an investment.

And who are the best craftsmen and how are their best works to be judged? That would be telling. . . . Ask your critic.

Crafts Officer Appointed

Mr Sean O'Farrell has been appointed to the position of Crafts Officer of the Council. He is expected to join the staff early in November.

Mr O'Farrell, for the past twelve years, has been associated with the Killaloe Weaving Company Limited, and has both administrative experience in that capacity and in his early career as an Army Officer with the Defence Forces, and first hand experience of running a craft business.

He will be taking an early opportunity of visiting the various Member Organisations of the Council and it is hoped that those attending the Conference in Galway will be able to get to know Mr O'Farrell as this will probably be his first official presence at a Crafts Council gathering.

Rush/Hedgerow Basketry School Some leading speakers are featured at this course which has already been announced in the May/June issue. Mr Ken Stott of Bristol University, a willow expert; David Drew, one of the leading creative basket makers in the UK; Barbara Maynard who is Chairman of the UK Basketmakers Association; and Dr Kevin Donagher. Mrs Joan Norman will be a class tutor—the rush classes— and both Barbara Maynard and Meg Taplow, secretary of the Basketmakers Association, will be class tutors in basketry.

The whole course, lasting ten working days, will cost £65 to participants and, being a recognised course, applications may be made to AnCO for a con­tribution towards this fee. Included are morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea each day.

Seminar fees for the general public vary from £1.00 to £2.50 per session and for craftsmen and representatives of semi-State bodies the fee, which includes lunch, is £10.00.

Certainly, with the quality of speakers, the course should be a stimulating one and should be well attended. Our under­standing of the basics of some oi^>ur crafts, while good, can always gain from outside contact which can make us look at things with other eyes. In this way we can find ways towards innovation which may be to our overall advantage.

The course begins in Bunratty on 9 November, finishing on 21 November. Details are available from Alison Erridge or Michele Hughes, Ballycar Design, Newmarket-on-Fergus, Co Clare.

Start your own Business Competition The Bank of Ireland has announced a novel "Start your own Business" competition with a prize of £10,000 for the winner.

The £10,000 prize will be used as equity in developing the winning project and in addition the bank will provide loan finance and guidance to help set up the new business.

Launching the competition at a reception in the Bank's Head Office in Dublin on 2 September, Mr P J Molloy, General Manager East, said that the competition is open to individuals or groups over eighteen years old in the Republic and Northern Ireland, with a viable proposal for a new business in the manufacturing sector. The competition is a further development of the Bank of Ireland's Smaller Business Service—designed to make finance and advice more readily available for viable manufacturing projects. In the first year of this new scheme, a total of £13m was advanced to 160 small manufacturing businesses who currently employ 4,000 people.

Other aspects of the scheme include the appointment of Business Sector Officers who work exclusively with smaller businesses, and the promotion of financial management seminars for owner-managers.

This competition aims to encourage would-be entrepreneurs to develop their ideas.

Assessment will be made by a committee specially appointed by the Bank of Ireland. They will select a proposal for the establishment and operation of a new manufacturing business which, in their view, is most likely to be successful. In addition, the committee will take account of the entrant's ability to put his or her proposal into practice. Other criteria that will be applied will include the innovative nature of the proposal and its potential for job creation and for import substitution or export earnings.

The closing date for entries is 31 January 1981 and the winner will be announced within four months after that.

Details and guidance notes can be obtained from: "Start Your Own Business" Competition, Business Sector, Planning and Marketing Department, Bank of Ireland Head Office, Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.

European Conference 1981

WCC—Europe is presenting the first in a regular series of conferences to allow European craftsmen and others professionally involved in the crafts opportunities to examine their place in, and contributions to, contemporary society. Concentrated work periods in all the major craft disciplines will allow colleagues from across the region to exchange experiences through their own work, followed by general examination of the responses, specific needs and future directions. This will enable WCC—Europe to formulate necessary action through the direct participation of those immediately involved.

This first conference, to be held in Denmark, will look at the overall situation to stimulate the widest possible response, from which priorities may be established. Workshops and seminars have been arranged in various parts of Denmark, including Bornholm, Copenhagen, Funen and Kolding, providing places for approximately three hundred participants in over thirty

New Handweaving Courses

Gleann Bhride Handweavers of Glenmore, Waterville, Co Kerry, in the persons of Veronica and Peter Schultz, are offering two courses for those interested in hand-weaving.

The first course, for beginners and using a four-shaft table loom, covers a two week intensive training period. For this course, the weaver must already have a loom or be prepared to place an order for one.

The second course, which is also of two weeks' duration, is devoted to giving those already weaving an opportunity to learn the techniques and skills required to operate a fly shuttle loom.

Self-catering accommodation is available in the Schult-z's caravan; own transport is needed.

The Schultzes live, in their own description, "in one of the most beautiful spots in Ireland, but it is rugged."

For further information, those interested should write directly to Veronica and Peter Schultz.

studios or education institutions. After the workshop period, all participants will come together in Copenhagen for the general discussion and a number of events showing the warmth of Danish hospitality.

Workshops will begin between 29 May and 1 June 1981, the whole conference period finishing on the morning of 8 June 1981. Full details, indicating that contents, facilities and costs have been arranged with the craftsman in mind, and application forms will be available in October 1980 from the Crafts Council of Ireland, representing World Crafts Council - Europe. Applications will be accepted on a first come-first served basis in consul­tation with the workshop organisers. Applications and deposits will be due by the end of December 1980, and the balance payable by the end of March 1981.

WCC—Europe is concerned to develop its activities and services. Individuals involved in the crafts may participate through the craft organisation representing the WCC in their own country.

Quotes

"Far from only providing children with an interesting hobby or training people in an activity for increased leisure time, an arts programme can add considerably to the satisfaction of school life . . crafts are an accessible, tangible and often more comprehensible area of the arts for the young . . . a crafts programme for schools should be central, not peripheral, to the arts programme, and even central to education itself." Norman Creighton Melbourne State College

"The present craft revival has resulted in people turning their backs on the industrial scene, but industry needs that talent. There should be a bridge built between the mass manufacturing and the craftsman; an interplay instead of a divorce, to produce things that are practical for every day use." Dr Roy Strong Director of the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. Crafts magazine September/October 1980

Weavings for Central Bank

The six weavings commissioned for theCrafts Council's London exhibition:"Weaving—The Irish Inheritance" are tohang in the new Central Bank buildingin Dame Street, Dublin.

These works by Muriel Beckett, LeonoraFowler, Alice Roden, Helena Ruuth,Cecelia Stephens and Sat lie O'Sullivan,were the fitting climax to that verysuccessful exhibition. It is thereforeequally fitting that they should hang ina public building and not be hiddenaway.

The decision of the Central Bank and itsarchitectural adviser is an important one,for it may hopefully open the way for awider acceptance of crafts in architectureand interior design.

Many of our leading professionaldesigner/craftsmen have, of course,undertaken special commissions forarchitects—mainly in the context ofchurch architecture, and examples ofcopperwork, tapestry, batik, enamellingand metal work are evident. The fullpotential of crafts has not, however,been discovered and the fact that smallobjects as well as the larger ones canfit into the architectural plan is oftenoverlooked. This may be because thearchitect and the craftsman have notbeen brought together at a sufficientlyearly stage in the planning of a building.

The Crafts Council intends to see thatnext year the potential of crafts in anarchitectural context is fully realised.

Photographs show: above left, MurielBeckett, right, Leonora Fowler;centre left, Alice Roden, right HelenaRuuth; below left, Cecelia Stephensand right, Sallie O'Sullivan.

Trade Fair Booked outThe Crafts Council of Ireland's FifthNational Crafts Trade Fair, which takespiace at the RDS in the first week ofFebruary, is completely booked outalready and there is a long waiting listready to avail of any space becoming freethrough defections.

Mid-West Craft Awards

Shannon Free Airport DevelopmentCompany Limited (SFADCO), and theIndustrial Credit Company, theState Development Bank, sponsored a£3,000 Craft Awards Scheme on7 October.

The main objective is to encourageindividuals or existing businesses tocreate new craft enterprises in themid-West Region (comprising countiesLimerick, Clare, Tipperary N.R., andSouth and West Offaly).

For the purpose of the competition,the term "Craft Products" includes allobjects fashioned for decorative orfunctional purposes, where the makerexercises direct control over thematerials and/or where the products maybe described as being hand made.

The total prize fund is £3,000, as follows:

1st prize-£1,5002nd prize-£1,000

3rd prize - £500

The Adjudication Panel will consist ofrepresentatives of Shannon Development,AnCO, Industrial Credit Company, BordFailte, the Crafts Council of Ireland,Coras Trachtala, Kilkenny Design Work-shops, the Limerick School of Art andDesign and the County DevelopmentTeams in the area.

The Objectives of the ProjectTo encourage people with ideas andinitiative to develop those ideas with aview to establishing a new, or expandingan existing, craft enterprise.

To provide a framework within whichproduct ideas can be evaluated withregard to design, marketability,commercial viability and technicalmerit.

To emphasise the importance of thedrive to stimulate job creation in Irishcraft industry.

To encourage a general awareness in thecommunity of the need to employinnovative thinking in creating orexpanding craft-type operations.

To encourage the preservation andrevival of key crafts which areendangered.

To increase the level of standards andemployment in craft industry.

Pictured at the launching of the 1980 Craft Awards Scheme, which was announced inthe Bunratty Folk Park on 7 October, were from left: Mr Paul Quigley, GeneralManager, Shannon Development; Mr Frank Sutton, Executive Officer, Crafts Councilof Ireland, and Mr Frank Casey, Managing Director, ICC, sponsors of the Awards.

EntriesEntries should consist of an outlineproposal which can lead to theestablishment of a new or the expansionof an existing craft enterprise.

Entries should include prototype samplesand, where applicable, specifications anddrawings in addition to details on plantand equipment required for production.

Details of market research findingsshould also be included.

Patent applications will be the respon-sibility of the entrant.

Confidentiality is assured to entrants.

Entries can be made by individuals, orlimited liability companies.

Entrants should be prepared to developthe concept through to the operationalstage in the Mid-West Region.

The competition will be open to personswho are resident in Ireland, or born inIreland and resident abroad and whointend to proceed towards the establish-ment of a craft project in the Mid-WestRegion.

The competition is also open to limitedliability companies which fulfil thefollowing conditions:

i) More than 50: Irish-ownedii) Currently employing less than

50 persons

iii) Currently employing less than£400,000 in fixed assetinvestment

iv) Located in the Mid-West Region.

Each entrant shall submit one entryonly.

Entries should consist of a sample orprototype product and a description ofprocess of manufacture or of theapplication of existing processes.

Entries should include details of currentor potential market for the product orprocess.

Entries should include a specification ofmajor items of machinery and/or equip-ment required indicating approximatecosts.

The winners of the competition shall bethe entries which, in the opinion of thePanel of Judges, have the best capabilityof being developed into craft projectswith commercial success.

Winning entrants must be prepared towork with Shannon Development tofurther develop the project for an earlyconversion into a fully operational craftproject. In the event of a project notproceeding, the prize money will not beawarded.

Entry Forms and Guide to SubmissionEntry forms are available from the CraftsCouncil of Ireland.

Report from Brian Clarke on the Ninth World Crafts Council Conference Vienna 1980 What a beautiful city and what a wonder­ful place for the conference. Vienna is a city with a long cultural tradition and has been a centre for the intermix of Eastern and Western European art and culture for many centuries.

The Austrian Crafts Council organised a very full programme for the week, so much so that it was impossible to par­ticipate in all one would have wanted. There were five basic craft groupings: Metal, Ceramics, Textiles, Wood and Leather, and Glass. Each of these groups had a daily programme of lectures, slides, demonstrations and workshops.

The conference centre was on the out­skirts of Vienna and consisted of three very large, interconnected, permanent tents in a large landscaped park with indoor and outdoor tennis courts, a* swimming pool, sculpture garden and outdoor theatre.

Seeing Vienna by day, going to the many exhibitions which were arranged to coincide with the conference, and an invitation to lunch at the United Nations Centre by the Irish Embassy, all took up valuable conference time.

Of the exhibitions which I managed to see, "Jewellry International 1900/1980" was the most outstanding. "Schmuck International," as it was called, was a collection of the work of 125 jewellers from sixteen countries, both retro­spective and modern. Rene Lalique, Lucien Guillard, and George Jensen, were some of the names from the early period. Their work in the Art Nouveau style is very well known, beautiful organic and floral hair pins and pendants and, by contrast, pieces by Wolfgang Rahs from Austria and Robert Ebendorf from the USA, whose work is more abstract art in metal than jewellery.

"Youth Creations" was the title of an international exhibition of diploma students' work. All the crafts were represented here and the standard was very high. It was interesting to see oxidised copper foil being sewn as decorative panels in hand dyed calico smocks, and hand thrown stoneware domestic heating stoves. This exhibition was houses in the Secession, a very important early twentieth century building designed by Josef Olbrich. It was built as an exhibition hall for the Vienna Modern Movement.

Of the workshops, other than the ever fascinating glass blowing, I found the

mystery has surrounded the production of pieces by this technique. Sheets of copper and a special copper based alloy called shakudo are cleaned and placed one on top of the other. The size and amount of sheets is determined by what is going to be made with them when the laminating process is finished. An example might be, ten sheets 1.5 mm thick by 5 cm square. The required amount of sheets is placed alternately one on top of the other and bound with heavy binding wire. They are then placed in the fire of a forge and brought to a red heat. Using no solder, they fuse together. A solid block of metal resembling thick plywood is thus formed. The block can be drilled into or grooves cut to reveal the different layers. It can be hammered out into a sheet and then made into a dish or bowl. Finally, it is put into a colouring solution which reveals the different layers in colours of brown and black. Patterns can be planned in advance, e.g., tortoise shell, stripes, twists, etc. Silver and gold can also be incorporated but because of the cost are seldom used. The low melting point of silver can also cause problems.

There can be no doubt that the confer­ence offers participating craftsmen an unique opportunity to share their knowledge and experience with other craftsmen from every part of the world and to gain in confidence in the realisation that there are thousands of others experiencing the same diffi-

The Japanese metal laminating technique, culties and disappointments, exccite-called Mokume Ghane, meaning wood ments and successes, which all go to grain, was very well demonstrated by make the life of the artist craftsman. Eugene and Hiroko Pijanowski. A lot of

CRAFTS TOMORROW 0th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

WORLD CRAFTS COUNCIL

demonstration of the African Ashanti bronze casting and of the Japanese technique of laminating metals, most interesting. Ashanti casting is a rather primitive business but a very effective one. Basically, it is a lost wax process, where the mould contains an extra chamber in which the bronze pieces to be melted are put. The chamber is then sealed and the mould is inserted into a charcoal furnace contained in an oil drum. The mould is cylindrical with rounded ends and is made of local clays and charcoal. It stands vertically in the furnace with the chamber containing the bronze in the bottom. The furnace was blown by a pair of hand bellows and had to be kept hot all day. This was a very hot and tiring business, so many a passing delegate gave a hand, including the Irish ones. To check if the bronze had melted, Kofi Adu, the African craftsman in charge, would life out the mould and knock a hole in it with the handle of a file, have a look at the condition of the metal, seal the hole again with a piece of wet clay and return the mould to the fire. When it is decided that the mould has reached the correct temperature, it is simple removed from the furnace and turned upside down. This allows the molten bronze to flow from the melting chamber into the mould proper. The mould is placed on the ground to cool and is finally chipped off to reveal the finished casting.

AmOQUMTWM emdl eUMLP MEW Potters Workshop Weekend

Report from Peter Wolstenholme Nearly one hundred potters from every corner of Ireland, including the North, attended the workshop weekend in Bandon, organised by a group of West Cork potters. Generous financial assistance for the event was received from: the Cork Craftsmans Guild, the Crafts Council and numerous pottery suppliers. At the opening reception and buffet supper in the Munster Arms Hotel in Bandon the potters were welcomed by Jane Forrester for the organisers, Paddy Weston, CPS I, Eddie Murphy, Cork County Development, and Jim O'Donnell, CCG, who stated that the Guild's sponsorship of the event was a start in their policy of helping craft workers throughout Ireland generally, and also stated that the Guild would be prepared to assist in any way in the future development of craft, organisation and development within the country.

Friday and Saturday were crammed with films, discussions and lectures too numerous to mention here. The high­lights were a discussion about Irish clay sources and production for craft potters. Aubrey Clegg of the Geological Survey explained his system of cataloguing all clay sources and how the information was available to potters from his office. Mr Lutz Kiel of Cork Art Pottery, Carrigaline, with his team of experts, outlined his pottery's research at present to f-ind and use Irish clays and showed many examples, and also produced a price list of materials, clay and refractories which he is making available to craft potters at approximately half the cost of present English i imports.

Illustrated lectures by Jill Crowley and Eric James Mellon were superb. Eric Mellon was like a champagne bottle containing his life's experience and philosophy about design and decoration being uncorked in front of us. His lecture must have been one of the best any potter has been privileged to attend. His statements about fundamental design had the audience falling off their chairs with laughter and wiping tears from their eyes a few moments later. Saturday evening was finished off with an exceptional meal at theCourtmacsherry Hotel.

On Sunday, the potters took part in raku firings and a competition to throw the

tallest pot. The raku firings demonstrated the use of ceramic fibre in kiln construction. The competition was an absorbing and nerve-wracking affair. Blanaid Reddin presented porcelain medals to the top twenty-seven throwers at a hilarious and warm ceremony in Bandon later in the evening. In first place was Michael Kennedy of Sligo, second, Pat Connor of Schull and third, Petra Kiel, Cork.

An exhibition which showed the work of almost all the Cork potters was held concurrently in Bandon. A percentage from the sales of the work from the exhibition held from 4 to 27 September will be paid into a deposit account and will be made available to help sponsor a speaker at a similar event in the future.

North Dublin Craftworkers Association

The North Dublin Craftworkers Association's first ever event took place on 6 and 7 September.

The small craft fair held in Burrow School, Sutton, was opened by journalist Terry Prone and attended by 800 to 1,000 people over its two-day duration. There were sixteen exhibitors whose range of disciplines covered jewellery, wood turning, pottery, heraldic plaques, weaving, glass, tapestry, furniture, lace and crochet. Standards of design and workmanship were generally good. We look forward to seeing the Association's next Festival of Crafts planned for early December.

The recently formed North Dublin Craftworkers Association, which has just become a member of the Crafts Council of Ireland, seems to be starting its life with some very positive and worthwhile objectives in mind. With half an eye on Marlay Grange and the other half on Malahide Castle, it sees the possibility of a Marlay style craft centre in the Castle. The courtyard there would seem ideal for the purpose and several local craftsmen would like to take advantage of it. The new Association is in the process of examining means of getting the idea moving into reality.

Another thought the Association is

working on is that of starting a shop. There is a great dearth of good craft shops in North County Dublin and this may account for the quite erroneous idea in many people's minds that there are no good craftsmen on the northside.

We wish the organisation every good fortune in the future and congratulate it on its promising start.

Officers Chairman: Tomas O Baoill, 23 Grange Park, Baldoyle, Dublin 13; Honorary Treasurer: Pat Flood, 12 Fade Street, Dublin 2; Honorary Secretary: Dominic Scott, 211 Sutton Park, Dublin 13.

Patchwork and Quilting Workshops

Helen Hardesty of Paisteori Teo, and Jane Almquist of Stitch in Time, will be holding a series of patchwork and quilting workshop weekends in Galway and Dublin in November.

The programme will include illustrated talks on patchwork and quilting; demonstrations and teaching on basic patchwork, hand and machine; applique; stencilling; design from log cabin to cathedral windows.

The cost, which includes twelve hours of teaching, refreshments on all three days and light lunch on Saturday, will be IRE20.

Requirements will be sewing thread, fine needles, pins, scissors and thimble.

The dates are: Galway—7, 8, 9 November in the Odeon Hotel; Dubl in-21, 22, 23 November in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

Applications to: Jane Almquist, 73 Marlborough Road, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.