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Happier New(s) Year

(Updated 01/01/21)

Christmas Video 2020
Our new Christmas Video entitled 'A Christmas Surprise' has now been launched and appears on our Home page. We hope you enjoy this little story - with Best Wishes and Seasons Greetings from the Shelley Group.

New Page - 'Back to Black'
Following David Deller's presentation on Zoom on 16 October, members were invited to submit photographs of Blackware to be consolidated into a new study for the website. This has now been completed thanks to Bruce Till and the result can be viewed via the main menu or the following link: Back to Black
(Now Updated to v2. 29/11/20)

Virtually Connected
Over the past few weeks we have been considering how we maintain contact with members in what seems an endless round of coronavirus restrictions. Committee meetings have been held using 'Zoom' technology, with some success, and we have held Zoom familiarisation sessions with some of our members. Having held these trial sessions we are now ready to move forward with a short programme of presentations and later, hopefully, some local Zoom meetings to keep us all connected.You will receive emails informing you of upcoming events, so make sure we have your current email address - please contact your regional representative or the Membership Secretary.
Zoom is not difficult to use - like all new things it just takes a little practice. Ask a friend if you need help or, again, the Group will try to provide assistance. Hope to see you soon.

Upcoming presentations : (From 01/01/21 these will be listed in the Diary)

- Friday 11 December - 'Show and Tell'. Bring along your favourite piece in Red Green or Gold.
- Friday 8 January - 'Shelley Quiz' hosted by Andrew and Gina Bird
- Friday 22 January - 'ABC of Flowers' - presentation by Shirley Deller

- Friday 19 February - 'Tea for Two' - presentation by Andrew Bird

- Friday 19 March - 'Lucy Dawson - Dogs' - presentation by Carole Lockyer

All presentations commence at 8.00pm.

Join the Show
Visitors to this site will know that our Home page features a slide show illustrating some of the wonderful Shelley and Wileman wares. The selection of these images is usually made by our webmaster. In the coming months we plan to involve members and invite you to submit your photos from your collections to be included. We aim to offer a varied slideshow every few weeks to appeal to a wide audience so it doesn't matter if your collection is based on jelly moulds or Intarsio - if you like it then send it in. Multiple photos may be submitted but may be separated and used over several months to meet our aim.

Photos should be sharp and preferably taken against a plain background so that we can easily change the background if required. Chintz on a 'busy' background is not ideal! The source of all photos will remain completely anonymous. Please send your entries to webmaster@shelley.co.uk - Thank you.

Exhibition (Updated 08/11/20)
It seems eternity since the Shelley and Wileman Exhibition at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke on Trent was mounted and then promptly mothballed as corona virus wreaked havoc with our lives. Although still with us we have learned much about social distancing and a few weeks ago the Museum once again opened its doors to visitors. Sadly further nationwide restrictions on movement again have forced the Museum to close at least until 2 December - after that, who knows what the situation will be. If the exhibition does re-open, please note the following:-

The exhibition is located on the first floor and entry is by prior reservation only. When booking, please make it clear that you wish to visit the exhibition on the first floor Ceramics Department. Reservations may be made by telephone - 01782 232323. Allocations are on a first come first served basis and are released each Monday morning for the remainder of the week. Restrictions prevent us providing a brochure at the museum however visitors will be able to access additional detailed notes of the exhibits through their mobile phone/tablet via a QR Code attached to each of the cabinets. A QR reader app. is needed and can be downloaded free of charge from the internet. The code only needs to be used once to obtain details for all cabinets.
The QR code looks like this:
If you are unable to visit in person you may view the same notes at www.shelley.co.uk/exhibition2020.pdf (Updated 23/10/20).
The exhibition is scheduled to run until 7 January 2021. Get there while you can!
In support of the exhibition we will be re-running the slide show featured earlier this year. To see this visit the Home page or click on this link.
In addition Stoke-on-Trent Museum and Art Gallery have released a video which may be previewed via the link below:
https://youtu.be/SES_-9mH3JU

Shelley Group - Annual Weekend & AGM
Regrettably despite some easing of restrictions, the Covid 19 virus continues to restrict our movements and we have found it necessary to postpone again our Annual Weekend. The new dates for your diary are 21 - 24 May 2021.

The Ray Reynolds Memorial Award 2020
Each year the Shelley Group makes an annual award, in the form of a Bursary for £500, to a student of Ceramics at the University of Staffordshire. This is a splendid way of commemorating our great friend, Ray Reynolds, and linking him and us with the cutting-edge of UK Ceramics. Details of this year's winner can be found on our Community Projects page.

Pattern Book Index
Now that the final Pattern Books have received conservation work, an on-line index has been prepared listing the contents of each book. This will assist members in locating the pattern book relevant to their enquiry and also provide more information on dating individual patterns. This may be accessed from the Pattern Books page or directly from this link.