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Nceca 2015 Providence, Ri?


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I was in Wichita /NCECA. Great conference. Michael Cardew was there as well as Juan Quezada. Good shows too.

Got snowbound  returning to Montana in Lyman , Colorado. As a good Montanan always traveled in winter with a sleeping bag in my truck. 

If I remember right , Wichita was a dry town back then. Is it still?

 

 

Marcia

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Lyman, Colorado, now that is a whistle stop. I remember staying hotel there and ordering a Mile High Pie from Pizza Hut, and a Barbecue Chicken Pie. There was a little bakery downtown in a rundown cinder block building that had a great breakfast at an even better price. Haven't been back since the 80's so don't know if anything is the same.

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Pres, 

Pizza Hut let people sleep there overnight, but there was no more space. We parked under the Dairy Queen drive through and slept in the camper shell with sleeping bags and a demo wheel that I purchased from NCECA.I never saw snow pile up so fast coming through Kansas into Colorado. I haven't been back since the 80s either.

Marcia

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I am really keeping my fingers crossed that we do not have one of these arctic things come through the week or week end of NCECA, as I will be driving in. I got stuck in an ice storm last year driving to Asheboro, NC Randolfh Arts Guild conference, but then they are beginning of March.

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I have the same creeping feeling Pres. I don't drive to Providence, but I will fly from Switzerland to Boston on March 22, and if the bird can't land in Boston, what does that mean? Where is the next town without ice, snow and sleet problems? Maybe we have to land in Southern California and drive all the way up north? Heeeeeeeelp :( ............

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kswan,

Congratulations. I hope you get to listen to some talks and see some shows. I already know I will not see half the shows there. So many it can't be done. And I am going a day early and renting a car.

Stop by the Potters Council show in the Exhibition hall or at the reception Wed. night. and say hello.

 

Marcia

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I will definitely take the time to visit the Potter's Council exhibit!  I am driving up there on Monday since I will be working all day Tuesday for the conference.  Then I get most of the rest of the time to enjoy it.  I have already made some notes on which sessions I would like to attend.  

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Marcia Thought I would let you know that Wichita is no longer a dry town you can get a drink any place that's got a license.  We have a vote coming up soon about loosening the marijuana laws such as the first offense is a $50 fine.  I'm voting for it, who knows maybe Wichita will turn into a wild town like it was when it was a cowtown.   Denice

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Denise,

Greeley, Co. was a dry town when NCECA was there in 1977 or 78. Look at Co. today! Making tons of tax money on marijuana.

$50 is better than keeping someone in jail for a couple of years.

 

Back in New England after the original Tea Party, the locals refused to drink tea, and coffee became the drink of choice. We'll see what is going on in 2 weeks!

 

Marcia 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just got in from NCECA a little while ago. I was able to put personalities to a lot of faces that I have met here on the forum. My mind is still like a kid with a bag of candy, such a sugar high!  There were so many impressive potters, and pots, and ideas, philosophies and strategies it will take me an entire year to digest it all, and then I probably won't understand all of it. I will write more on the experience later. One final thought, I met a very fine Canadian and hung out with him most of the week. TJR was fantastic, knowledgeable, and knew so many people. We had a great time, and he ended the weekend by giving me a fine mug. Having someone so share the collage of events, meals and laughs was so great.

 

best,

Pres

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I arrived at NCECA on Wednesday morning, around 6 ish in the morning, wanting to get my bearings before going to the Potter's Council meeting. Yes, I was elected to the board. When I walked in to the room before the meeting, several folks were there that I did not know, and one that I could place(Marcia Selsor). They all looked at me as if I was in the wrong place, so I said "I think I am supposed to be here".  Still no recognition, but I told them my name, and they seemed to relax. I thought hmmm, so I put on my hat, and they recognized me! Step one. Meeting went well, and I was placed on a few committees. I would also be manning the booth in the afternoon with others for 2 hrs. 

 

I have always stumbled over the NCECA, and the next thing I learned in conversation with others was that it was pronounced N-Seeca. Cool, and I can remember that!

 

Later on the next day, while sitting in a session, A big bear of a guy with a great full head of gray hair walked up to me saying, "I saw the hat! I'm Tom." I looked at him and found he did, but didn't look like what I had expected. What a guy. We hung out together for the rest of the week, going through the whole cornucopia of events with so much to see-overload. I probably slowed him down a bit, as I did try to get to bed each night before 12, and had a fifteen to twenty minute drive to my hotel.

 

I will not go into what I saw or liked here, but I have topic ideas for several days yet.

 

A few things that I learned though, about going to a conference of this size. Things that since it was my first, I had overlooked.

 

  • Don't go for the out of town hotel and cheaper rate. You'll pay for the inconvenience of not being in walking distance. Parking for the event was $12 a day, which is really a good price, but it would have been nicer to pay more, and be able to miss less, because of leaving early to get to the room.
  • I carried a back pack, and we got bags, and if I had been near my room, I would have carried some stuff back to the room. However, I have found going other places-don't pick it up unless, it pertains to you. Business cards or small fliers with web sites are smaller lighter, easier to pack. Backpacks are easier to keep all of your gear together especially in workshops, and restaurants.
  • Definitely pair up with someone else, or a small group. This for me is a must after being with Tom. We bounced ideas back and forth, The things I noticed about pots he might not have, and the things he noticed were different form mine. He comes from a much more varied background of firing, and educational experience. So my prejudices, I learned more about, I gained understanding of more out there than I had, because he was there. I went to demonstrations I would have passed up, discussions I would have passed up because I was retired from teaching, I went to since he is still active. We had each pre planned our venue, but combined our interests into a great workable schedule.  I have come away with a richer understanding for many things I would have just passed up. Growth is important.

 

More later,

Best,

Pres

 

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Maybe it wasn't made yet, and I really don't want to steal another's pleasure of disclosure.

 

On another note, thanks for you encouragement for me to run again this year. I really was not thinking of doing it again.

 

Best,

Pres

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Pres, congratulations on your election and I'm looking forward to hearing more about your NCECA experiences. I haven't yet attended a ceramics convention but have participated in many fitness and inline skating conventions. I have learned very quickly it is so much more convenient to stay at the host hotel or one very close by to the convention center even though it might cost a little more. You always have to consider parking and/or and transportation costs and your traveling time to and from the center, and being able to run back to your room to drop things off or change clothes or take a mid-day nap.

 

Paul

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Nap, Nap what is that, last day, I walked with Tom over 15k steps between going to eat, checking out the sites and the night time dance. Yeah I danced and had a great time. Why do you think I had to go to bed early every night!  Yeah, it was great. Yes you must go to one, don't be like me and wait until you retire or until it fits in, it never will, just do it! :)

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It was great to meet Pres and TJR and I thank them booth for helping us pack up the potters council exhibition. I am sorry I didn 't hang with you both but after attending for 44 years I had committed to eating with old friends. Missed eating with Evelyne too. You can catch some of the conference events on Facebook go to NCECA. It will be the 50th anniversary next year.

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Old friends are to be nurtured, as some day they may not be there. I really enjoyed meeting everyone on the council, and Marcia, I have found your work to be so surface rich, such a vocabulary! I am really glad to have finally met you and enjoy the time we did spend together. TJR and I, well he is a gem, hope he can make it to KC. We will all get together if briefly then.

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