Who We Are
We are one of only three Potters’ Guilds in California: San Diego, Ventura and Berkeley. Our members include professional and recreational potters as well as ceramists who are instructors from local elementary, high school, college and adult education classes. We also welcome those who are simply interested in ceramics in and around the Ventura County area. Our members travel from Los Alamos, Santa Ynez, Santa Barbara, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Burbank, Reseda, Valencia and beyond!
VCPG Officers
President: Wyn Matthews
Vice President: Bill Evans
Secretary: Stacy Rowe
Treasurer: Gloria Sills
Programs Chair: Barbara Fosbrink
Sales/ Shows Chair: Diane Hedding
Workshops Chair: Genie Thomsen
Communications Chair: Ruty Levy
Membership Chair: Brenda Burgess
Jury Chair: Jenchi Wu
Marketing Chair: Ellen Wohlstadter
Gallery Chair: Drew Lurie
Finance Chair: Wanda Ferrin
Outreach Chair: OPEN
Online Services Chair: Terry Wilson
Outreach
VCPG’s Outreach introduces and promotes ceramic art through a variety of programs to Ventura County k-12 schools, colleges and ceramic artists at all levels. VCPG Outreach Initiatives
VCPG Photo Archives
Troy Schmidt has organized and put online all of the Guild’s historical photos and press clippings. It’s a fascinating resource, and can be found here:
History
VCPG was founded in 1957 by students at the Ventura Community College and interested potters.
Our founding members were Louis Anderson, Paula Follette, Helen Fowler, Doris Kahn, Walter Knecht, Frank Noyes, Isadora Parsons, Jessica Prescott, Connie Tviet, William Winterbourne.
In 1959 they had a pottery exhibit and served tea wearing white gloves at the Ojai Music Festival for the first time. VCPG has exhibited at the Music Festival ever since.
We continue to have monthly membership meetings with the exceptions of June-August and December. Each meeting includes an artist presentation. The general public is welcome to attend. We also sponsor workshops to broaden the artist’s skills. Opportunities for juried members to sell their work include the Ventura Pottery Gallery at the Ventura Harbor Village, Ventura Pottery Online, and the Ojai Pottery Sale in conjuction with the Ojai Music Festival.
Since its creation over 60 years ago, the VCPG has become a non-profit organization, promoting interest in all facets of pottery making and appreciation of the ceramic arts. The Guild has grown from the original 10 to more than 150 members and has expanded beyond Ventura to represent much of southern and central California.