CCI-newsletter-1984-44-March-April

MARCH/APRIL 1984

Crafts Council of Ireland Thomas Prior House Merrion Road Dublin 4 Telephone 680764 / 603070

THE GREAT CRAFT FAIR!

1984 is a year when the recession is reallybeing felt by everyone and particularly bycraftsmen. The Council believes that inthis year craftsmen would need as manyoutlets for their work as possible and an'end of season' major fair in Dublin couldprovide useful sales, hence the idea ofThe Great Craft Fair.

This will be a retail Fair, open to thepublic and, being held in September, willboost end of season sales to the generalpublic and the remaining tourists. Tradebuyers may wish to stock up forChristmas and may find the Fair willprovide them with an opportunity to dothis.

Stands wi II be available at a veryreasonable price, subsidised by theCouncil. The policy of selection, whichhas been an important part of the successof the National Crafts Trade Fair, will beapplied to The Great Craft Fair also. Theimportance of excellence cannot be overstressed. Poor quality in either design orthe finished product not only reflectsbadly on the individual craftsman, it alsoreflects badly on the whole sector andcould result in people dismissing allcraftsmen as makers of inferior novelties,left over inheritors of the hippygeneration, and not to be takenseriously.

A substantial budget has been set asidefor publicity as obviously it is veryimportant that as many people as possiblebe aware of its existance and comethrough the turnstiles. Among theattractions aimed at tempting the generalpublic will be demonstrations, (so thatthey may see the items actually beingmade, and many crafts are good spectatorsports) and exhibitions incorporated aspart of the Fair. Three exhibition areashave been set aside for use by specialistcraft organisations and these will beprovided by the Council to approvedexhibitions. The Burren textile exhibitionwhich will show the work of participants

at the Textile in Miniature Workshop oflast September, part of the EuropeanCrafts Conference, will be mounted in aspecial area at the rere of the Hall. Allthese will be selling exhibitions offeringthe best works of the craftsmen as anartist.

That the Fair will succeed in its aims ofproviding a much needed boost tocraftsmen is the most importantobjective but not the only one. Byhaving demonstrations and exhibitionsand showing such a large and wide rangeof Irish hand made items of beauty andquality it is also intended as an exercise inpublic education and awareness. It willprovide publicity as well as sales forindividual craftsmen . By having as acondition of entry that all prices areshown inclusive of VAT whether or notthe exhibitor is registered, retailers willnot be undercut by the Fair and thegeneral public will be encouraged toappreciate things at a realistic price.

The Fair will be held in the Main Hall of

Pat O'Brien, Executive Director, IDA,presenting the IDA Perpetual CraftTrophy to Cormac Cuffe.

the RDS in Dublin next September from5th to 9th inclusive — five days includinga Saturday and a Sunday. The openinghours will be 2.00 to 10.00 p.m.Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and11.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. on Saturday andSunday.

Details and application forms will beavailable in May and will be sent to theCouncil's usual mailing list but anyoneinterested should contact us now andensure that their name is on the list.

THE CRAFT SECTOR - A REFLECTION KILKENNY DESIGN WORKSHOPS crafts, etc. It should be broadly based but the Crafts Council should have the right to control Registration. If that right is not there, there will be considerable scope for abuse. Some very curious craftsmen indeed, will emerge.

2. Promotion The promotion of crafts in the proper context is an unfilled gap in Ireland. Now is the time to tackle this issue. The Crafts Council is the proper body to do it.

3. Training There is a need for craft training programmes which properly recognise what is involved in producing a fully rounded craftsman. Administration should be in a context that is both simple and effective, and to which craftsmen can relate.

It is a time of change and it is important that craftsmen, through the Crafts Council, have a good measure of control over that change.

The past two years or so have seen a very welcome development with the growing proportion of competent and articulate craftsmen on the Crafts Council Management Committee. The Crafts Council is there to serve the needs of craftsmen. The continuing involvement of craftsmen in its activities is vital.

In their end of year review for 1983 the Kilkenny Design Workshops report that, although the bulk of their design has been for bigger industry the Work­shops did continue to work for traditional small-scale craft-based industries. In furniture design there was more emphasis on relating products to international fashion trends and Kilkenny designers did research into fire retardation factors which would permit the specification of cotton as an upholstery material.

About twenty assignments were under­taken for craft-based ceramics and textile companies, the work being equally divided between technical assistance and design services.

Two qualified trainees from Kilkenny Design's precious metals department left to establish their own workshops, while the staff in the Kilkenny work­shops undertook twenty-eight commissions for the design and manufacture of trophies from clients.

It is interesting to note also that among Kilkenny Design's design clients in 1983 there were seven well known craftsmen and among their new shop suppliers there were six craftsmen.

When I resigned from the Management Committee last November to take up other duties, Jill Breivik asked me to write down my thoughts and reflections on four and a half years of working with craftsmen.

In the first instance I must say that I found my involvement with Crafts an invaluable experience.

I was lucky enough to be involved at a time when the crafts in Ireland were coming of age. A time when there were many good developments.

On the economic front matters could have been better. The sad fact is that since 1979 our personal purchasing power has been in a state of constant decline and craftsmen have been badly affected.

Many craftsmen feel at a low ebb and probably feel pretty hopeless.

Yet, in our poor trading environment there are those craftsmen who are thriving.

On a more general note there is room for optimism this year. The readers of economic entrails expect real economic growth of between 2% and 3%. In the latter half of the year there should be some increase in purchasing power for the first time in four years or so.

In addition there is the prospect of a reasonable tourism season, with a little bit of help from forthcoming events in Ballyporeen.

1984 should be the year that will see a reversal of the tide of depression.

There is now a wider public appreciation of crafts. As better times return it is up to craftsmen — and the Crafts Council — to ensure a proper place for crafts in Ireland.

The Crafts Council has submitted a policy document to the Department of Industry, Trade, Commerce and Tourism and hopefully, it is receiving serious attention.

I was impressed at the interest shown by craftsmen who attended in good numbers the public meetings of last November, meetings which were an important aspect of the policy formulation exercise.

As I see it, the essential elements of an effective policy are: —

1. Register The Register is about a number of things — official recognition of crafts, identity, quality, a focus for public policy towards 2

Is there a caveat? Yes, I am afraid so. It is good and proper that a benevolent State should support its crafts with coherent policies — policies that do not conflict with each other.

However there have been times when I became depressed at the tendency of some craftsmen to place too much reliance on State Agencies.

The State should provide a supportive environment for crafts. Craftsmen should operate in that environment, but should reply more on their own initiative.

Finally, in spite of everything it is a time of hope.

Shane McAuley.

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1833— 150 years anniversary— 1983

DRUM CARDER and spare belts for sale. Almost new.

£80, plus p+p at cost. Also quantity of Jacob wool of mixed quality, 30p per lb., plus p+p. Write:

LOUISE COUPER, TYRRELLSPASS, CO. WESTMEATH.

KILWORTH TERM STARTS

The fourth group of participants at theKilworth Craft Workshops began theirnine months training on 2nd April.Once again the Workshops have a fullcomplement of eight students to availof this unique opportunity to learn basicbusiness skills including: designinga full range of viable products; marketing;book keeping; dealing with tax matters;etc.

The new participants are:

Bernard Cavanagh, a potter from Dublinwho has trained as an apprentice withPeter and Helena Brennan, Roger Walker,Michael Jackson, Adrienne Crowe andSeamus Martin.

Liz McCabe, a weaver who started lifeas a secretary then did an about turnand attended the Regional TechnicalCollege, Galway and the Chelsea Schoolof Art.

Sheila McCartin from Bambridge inNorthern Ireland, is a graduate of theUlster Polytechnic. A textile printer,she has had several exhibitions inLondon.

A weaving graduate from the NationalCollege of Art and Design in Dublin,Marie McClean has worked with theWeavers Shed, Angela Forte (ex Kilworthparticipant) and St. Michael's House.

Maxine Mearns from Courtmacsherry,Co. Cork, attended the National Collegeof Art and Design and the College ofArt and Design in Limerick. Maxinehas been working in Butler House atKilkenny Design Workshops, concen-trating on acquiring mould makingskills.

Marianne O'Connell from Co. Clare isa potter graduate from the College ofArt and Design, Limerick. She hasworkedin France for three months.

Shirley Smyth, another textile printeris a graduate of the NCAD in Dublinand has worked for designer Pia Bangin the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre.

Patricia Whelan who was trained as aweaver in the NCAD and the School ofArt, Cork, has her own premises whereshe has already produced some work.

More news of the participants' progresswill be reported during their-time there.

Lily Van Oost from Black Valley, Co.Kerry exhibiting her handspun, hand-knitted casual garments at the EighthNational Crafts Trade Fair.

INTERIEUR '84

The Ninth International Biennial ofInterior Design Creativity will be held inKortrijk in the autumn of 1984. Underthe name INTERIEUR 84, this nine dayevent will be open from 20th up to andincluding 28th October, 1984, in theexpanded Hallen Building in Kortrijk.

For further information and anapplication form contact:

INTERIEUR,Casinoplein 10,8500 Kortrijk,Belgium.Tel: (056) 216603.

Telex. 85832.

IRISH GLASS

The Council has recently received copiesof two illustrated publications on IrishGlass which may be of interest to readers.Published by the Stationery Office, theywere written by Catriona MacLeod.

She was Assistant Keeper in the Art andIndustrial Division of the NationalMuseum of Ireland.

The first is "Glass in the NationalMuseum of Ireland by Thomas andRichard Pugh" and is concerned with thelast of the flint glass houses: that isPotters Alley, Marlboro St., which finallyclosed in 1890. Priced at £2.55 it hasmany illustrations.

The second is "Irish Volunteer Glass"relating to pieces of glass commissionedby the Irish Volunteers in the period1778-1793.

STUDENTS RUN CRAFT SHOP A group of students from the National College of Art and Design set up shop in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre during the month of March.

The College was approached by the Townhouse authorities with an offer to use an empty shop unit for one month and decided to take up the challenge and provide their students with some useful practical experience.

The first experience gained by the students was that of working to a strict deadline as their full range of products had to be ready and on show by opening day which gave them only six weeks to make their preparation. Twenty ceramic, ten glass and ten metal work students from the Craft Design Depart­ment, under the supervision of their tutors, actually took part in the exercise, provided the goods and manned the shop. The items offered for sale were all hand made one off pieces or small series productions.

Neil Read of the NCAD explained that the students were expected to benefit in several ways. The first, that of working to a time-table, has already been mentioned but in addition to that the students also gained some experience of pricing their work, selling it and also of administering a shop. As some of the students may want to set up their own workshops when they leave college, this experience would prove invaluable. Even for those planning further education or who will work for established craftsmen, the experience proved to be very useful.

The students also had a unique oppor­tunity to observe the reaction of the general public to their various designs thus bringing them closer to what might be described as the real world. Although Neil thought this would be good experience for the students, he did point out that it was, nevertheless, very important that they be able to work freely and experiment without the contraints of having to please anyone other than themselves, this freedom to express themselves being an important aspect of their time in College.

Although no definite plans have been made to carry out another such projct, it was felt that as an exercise it had been successful and was worth repeating.

IRISH POTTER TO EXHIBIT AT VALLAURIS Cormac Boydell of Allihies in Cork has written to tell us that following the selection of his work for Art Object 83 in Paris last December, he has been invited to exhibit at the 1984 Internationa Ceramic Art Biennale at Vallauris (the home town of Picasso's ceramics) in the south of France.

The exhibition will run from July to mid-September. Congratulations Cormac.

LILLIAS MITCHELL LECTURE

On Monday, March 5th, Lillias Mitchell gave an illustrated lecture "The History of Tweed" to thirty Japanese art students in the Lecture Theatre of the National Gallery.

One of Miss Mitchell's former students at the National College of Art and Design was a Japanese girl Satoshi Okamura. During her lecture Miss Mitchell was able to show three of Satoshi's had spun hanks: one white; one natural sheep's grey and one dark brown. The audience was pleased to see Irish wool so well hand spun by a student from their own country.

WORKSHOP UNITS AVAILABLE

Craft production units available at IDA Craft Centre, Donegal.

Interested parties please contact: Mr. Michael Feeney, Regional Manager, Portland House, Port Road, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal. Tel: (047) 21155.

Also Shandon Craft Centre, Cork, will be completed and ready for occupation in April 1984.

Enquiries should be directed to: Mr. Declan Carroll, IDA Cork Office, Norwich Union Building, 89/90 South Mall, Cork. Tel: (021) 968555.

"DOMUS" INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION Domus magazine announces a competition for the design of three objects, which may be treated both as industrial series products or as craft objects in any material. Competitors may freely choose any objects so long as they come within the limits of the following brief: "objects to be carried in the hand, objects to be carried in the pocket, objects to be worn on the head". The intention of the competition is to look deeply into the subject of the physical and direct relation between persons and objects.

The competition is open to all. Designs must be unpublished and expressly prepared for this competition. Participants may be individuals or groups. Every participant may submit one object only for each of the three typologies specified.

Participants must submit: a) an illustration of each design, on a

hard surface measuring 50 x 70 cm. b) one or more technical drawings folded

to measure 21 x 29 cm. and sufficient to give a complete definition of the object. Drawings may be executed in any technique.

c) a brief description of the object's theoretic, formal and functional characteristics and productive criteria.

Entries should be sent by registered mail to:

Concorso "Oggetti per Domus", Milano.

Entries must be received by 1200 hrs, 31st July 1984. Full name and address of the participant must be on the back of each entry.

The three first prize winners will be awarded ex aequo five million Italian lire each (in gold), and the three second prize winners ex aequo three million Italian lire (in gold coins).

For further information contact Crafts Council of Ireland.

WORLD TRIENNIAL EXHIBITIONSMALL CERAMICS/ZAGREB

ULUPUH of Zagreb, Yugoslavia underthe patronage of the City Assembly ofZagreb has organised the World TriennialExhibition of Small Ceramics/Zagrebto present ceramic works of art from allparts of the world. Small size has beenchosen in the hope that, in this way,artists will not be discouraged fromparticipating by considerations oftransport costs and technical difficulties.

Conditions of EntryEach participant can send in only onework whose size should not exceed 15 cmin any direction and whose weight,together with the packaging, should notexceed 1 kg.

The following enclosures should be sentwith the completed entry form:

* black and white photograph of thework;

* summary of the artist's biographicaldata;

* selling price.

Craftsmen wishing to participate in thisexhibition are asked to complete theentry form and pay the fee of 20$US orequivalent in any other convertiblecurrency.

The deadline for registration of 15thMay, 1984.

The deadline for the receipt of work is15th June, 1984.

JuryAn international jury of art experts andceramic specialists will award prizes,medals and diplomas. The jury's decisionwill be final.

Awards

* Grand Prix of the Triennial Exhibition(purchase prize) 100,000 Dinars.

* 5 purchase prizes 40,000 Dinars each.

* 5-10 medals.

* Honorary degrees.

Return of EntriesThe organisers will cover the costs ofreturning the entries to their makers. Inaddition, each exhibitor will receive acopy of the exhibition catalogue andposter, and a free permanent admissionticket.

The Logo Quilt is a variation of theblock known as "Irish Puzzle". It waschosen and worked on by the membersof the Patchwork Artists Guild of Ireland.The pieceing and the Celtic knot patternsof the quilting were designed byElizabeth Monahan. Helen Hardesty didthe quilting. Evelyn Montague chosecolours to imply an Irish flavour. It isfull cotton and measures 58" x 58".

CRAFT POTTERS SOCIETYANNUAL.EXHIBITION

The Craft Potters Society of IrelandAnnual Exhibition of Members' workwill open at the premises of P. J. Carrolland Co., Grand Parade, Dublin 6, onWednesday, 2nd May, 1984 and close onFriday, 11th May. The Exhibition isbeing sponsored by the Directors ofCarrolls.

The Society has appointed Mr. RonnieCarleton as Organising Secretary. Allenquiries should be addressed to him at628 South Circular Road, Kilmainham,Dublin 8. Tel: (01) 782027.

QUOTE

From the British Art and Antiques YearBook 1984:

"The argument about what is art andwhat is craft is only relevant in terms ofwhere people expect to find things . . .I believe we are viewing the marketingof crafts from the wrong end."

Karen Elder, late director, British CraftsCentre.

PublicityAwards will be publicised in professionaljournals in many parts of the world, aswell as on radio and television.

NEW PRODUCT SEMINAR

In conjunction with the Institute forIndustrial Research and Standards, andwith a Crafts Council input, the IDAorganised on 11th April a one dayseminar on the general theme of the linkbetween product development and themarket needs.

The basic reason for the seminar arosefrom the depressing fact that craft/giftsales on the domestic market haverecently been at a very low level. Whilethe general depression in the retail tradehas had its affect, it may not benecessarily all of the answer. There arefew products of the craft sector which arenecessities. Much of what is offered iseither in the gift area of presents or thearea covered by disposable income. Thelatter situation in times of financial strainis the first to suffer.

The turnaround of this situation maydepend on the development of newproducts or the greater attention todesign for the market place to keep upwith changing consumer needs andensuring that the product of the craftsector is purchased rather than theindustrially made equivalent, which mayoften be cheaper and which -is certainlymore promoted.

One essential benefit seen for craftspeople by the IDA in setting up theseminar was contact with people inproduct and market development fields,but also a clearer perspective on trends indomestic and export markets which, withother factors, may be helpful inidentification of new product ideas.

While much of the content of the seminarwas in a broader context than only thecraft sector, and the attendance includedmany in the giftware field, it hadrelevance to those crafts people present.

Contributors to the seminar includedMr. Kingsley Aikens of CTT and principlespeaker Mr. Brian Rothery of I IRS.

Irish Spinners Ltd.

Kiltimagh,

Co. Mayo

Pure new wool bainin and colouredhand knitting yarns.

Telephone (094) 81156

POTTERY COURSES

Peter and Helena Brennan of GlenagearyLodge Gallery announce theirforthcoming courses:

Adult courses re-starting 28th April,1984- fee IR£25.00.

Adult beginners and advanced restartinglast week in April - I R£35 and I R£45.

Course in glaze materials, glazing andfiring by Frances Desmond — IR£25.

In addition there will be creative summercamps for children and teenagers:drawing and painting, sculpture andceramics.

(1) 2 week course in June IR£60.(2) 2 week course in August . . . IR£60.

Refresher courses for teachers and potterswill also be held during the summer.

For further information contact Peter orHelena Brennan telephone (01) 800030.

RTE'S BEST SELLERS

The hands and Patterns documentariesabout Irish craftsmen made by DavidShaw-Smith have become RTE's bestselling documentary series, with recentsales to TV Espanola, Bahrain, Kuwaitand Oman.

The series has been taken by threehundred of the world's televisionnetworks including Finland, ITV andJapan.

Some of the pendants made by CormacCuffe which helped to win for him theIDA Perpetual Craft Trophy for his workat the Eighth National Crafts Trade Fair.