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I ’ve given myself the taste Of writing about standards and the first thing that occurs to me is that when craftspeople sit down with each other to tal/e about standards how often it is that they seem to be talleing ‘about ’ some things out there apartfrom us with a life all oftheir oivn. Well they ’re notyou lenozv. Standards apply to e1 'ery part ofez 'ery thing that we malee. and in talleing about them in abstract ways we 're denying responsibilityfor our own creations. It 's appropriate that the ostrich and the kiwi have a lot in common as I believe that as a race ofpeople we are readily prone to burying our heads and pretending that everything is OK. In fact it s not OK, at all. Certainly not asfar as New Zealand crafts are con— cerned. We are so ready to applaud the splendid standard of crafts in New Zealand without really thinking about what we ar I saying, The reality is that there are veryfezvpeople in NewZealand producing truly superb craftzvorle. There are a large number doing quite good zvorle and there is a very long tail ofu'orle that 's not very good at all. But. WHERE ARE THE CRITICS? The obvious place to loolefor them would be amongst the craftfaculties of universities and tertiary institutions — but that 's another story. Forget about the newspapers They 're‘far too busy with theirpages ofracingjbrm In this issue we focus on projects andfootball results — matters ofgreat in'zportance 1 'm sure. So in New Zealand and overseas, u e 're going to have to do thejob ourselves, and to do it well we 're (Zover story is the Great New going to have to grow up a little. ’/.ealand Box Show held at the Informed critical opinion is necessarily. firstly. inclusive before it \V'ellington (2i Art Gallery can ever be exclusive. To really see everything that a craft zvorle has (opening just as we go to press); Small Treasures from offer us we must have our channels as wide open as possible. To see Kahurangi: New '/.ealand. currently on show the merits andfaults ofa worle we must be able to put it in its own in l.os Angeles; Warwick context and this often means going outside the confines of our own Freeman and Alan Preston report ideas and loo/sing at and teaming about other media. disciplines and on their Fijijewellery Project: milieu. Northland (Iraft 'I‘rust; Catherine Finally — and this is the important bit — we ’ve got to be more Lomas describes how Queen ready to talee theplunge and offer our observations and criticisms Elizabeth ll grants are made and to each other. profiles some recent recipients of I 'm a potter and can almost count on thefingers ofone hand the craft grants: Margery Blackmail number oftimes that otherpotters have loo/zed carefully at my u tor/e reports on her QEII funded study and offered me their critical observations It ’s worth considering in “’l‘extiles Abroad": Jenny that thefetv times that it has happened 1 can remember almost Pattrick profiles Debbie Pointon verbatim what was said, and the criticisms without exception have and Graeme Storm in proz ten helpful. How marvellous it is to have someone look. atyour "Singlemindedness". worle with clear eyes In the September/October issue If we have any real integrity as craftspeople we must surely we will provide indepth reviews welcome such critics and be ready to hear what they are offering of the 198+ Fletcher-Brownbuilt To be a reallyfine craftsperson is not easy. It talees a great deal of Exhibition (congratulations to integrity and honesty about ourselves, and we must ultimately Merrilyn \Viseman — it's just ta/ee total responsibilityfor setting our own standards. been announced!); the Philips But we can help eachother. and we must do this if we ’re tofully Studio Glass Award (as yet realise our potential. unselected. Philips have recently 50 how about it. Let 's ta/ee afezv risles and offer each othera bit of announced three year support the hard stuff. for this award); Pacific Adornment at the Dowse Art / Museum; a focus on New Zealand instrument makers: profiles ofoverseas guests Peter. (Iollingwood and Marlise Stachelin; coverage of the \V’oolcrafts Festival and the Embroiderers~ Conference. The Crafts Council office and gallery is located at: First Floor James Cook Arcade Lambton Quay Wellington Phone: 727»018 OFFICE BEARERS President : Carin Wilson Vice—presidents Tony Williams Campbell Hegan l ~ve given myself the tasle of writing about stanc Secretary/Treasurer : Jenny Shearer thing that occurs to me is that when craftspeople other to talle about standards how often it is that the; STAFF ‘about ' some things out there apartfrom us with a li Executive Director : John Schiff Well they 're notyou lenow. Standards apply to every Resource Officer Philip Clarke that we malee, and in talleing about them in abstract Gallery Director Penny Harrison responsibility for our own creations. Secretary/Typist Senga Anderson [t ’s appropriate that the ostrich and the leiwi h as I believe that as a race ofpeople we are read EDITORIAL TEAM our heads and pretending that evetj'thing is l ().K. at all Certainly not as far as New Zeal Jenny Pattrick, Suzy Pennington, cerned. We are so ready to applaud the spit Philip Clarke. crafts in New Zealand without really thinking SUBSCRIPTION, ADVERTISING and sayitt I. The reality is that there are veryfew peop EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES producing truly superb craftwor/e. There are a la quite good worle and there is a very long tail ofwot Crafts Council of NZ good at all. But. WHERE ARE THE GRIT/CS? Theo PO Box 498 loolefor them would be amongst the craft faculties l Wellington and tertiary institutions — but that ’5 another story. the newspapers They 'rebfar too busy with theirpages ( ADVERTISING RATES andfootball results i matters of great importance Full colour page : $640 we 're going to have to do the/ob ourselves, and to a' Full page black 8: white : 3350 going to have to grow up a little. Half page black 8r white : 3175 Informed critical opinion is necessarily. firstly. it Quarter page black & white : 888 can ever be exclusive. To really see everything that ( Eighth page black & white : S44 offer us we must have our channels as wide open a Enquire for four issue-volume reduction the merits andfaults of a worle. we must be able to and classified rates. context and this often means going outside the co; ideas and looking at and learning about other med DEADLINE FOR COPY FOR milieu. NEXT ISSUE Finally a and this is the important bit — we '1; 1 August 1984 ready to talee theplunge and offer our observation: to each other, Design and Layout: Suzy Pennington I ’m a potter and can almost count on thefingers ( Typesetting and composition: number oftimes that otherpotters have loo/zed carefl Computer Setters Ltd and offered me their critical observations. It '5 nor Printer: Roberts Print Ltd that the few times that it has happened I can reme‘ verbatim what was said, and the criticisms without proven helpful. How marvellous it is to bat re someon wor/e with clear eyes. If we have any real integrity as craftspeople we welcome such critics and be ready to hear what they To be a reallyfine craftsperson is not easy. 1t takes a Erratum integrity and honesty about ourselves, and we mu The photographer of the cover talee total responsibilityfor setting our own standa photograph of the MARCH/ But we can help eachother, and we must do this if realise our potential. APRIL issue of ‘New Zealand 50 how about it, Let ‘s talee afew risles and offer eat Crafats’ was erroneously the hard stuff. referred to as Tony Savidan. The photographer was Murray Savidan of Savidan Productions Limited, Auckland. I apologise for this mistake: Suzy Pennington. an enjoyable holiday priority was the Council of New Zealand" season. establishment of a resource and an incorporated office. In the setting up of society u'asformecl. INTRODUCING JOHN SCHIFF Letters Sincerely this national office we There/ore. l/Je Crafts Michael Scott were encouraged by the Council as it nou' evists John Schiff is the new Executive Director to the Craft Council. He took up Marketing. Where is it? Editor, The Crafts interest and co—operation [was established in NY). his appointment on 5 June and we extend a very warm welcome to him. John Dear Editor Report whom of the Crafts Council of 1 am sorry that my was selected from more than twenty applicants for the position, many of The September/October US magazine of Marketing Australia. In the beginning, statement has been had impressive credentials. From a short list of nine John emerged the clear issue of New Zealand and Management for Crafts office equipment was construed as rlismissii'e of favourite of the small committee appointed to make the selection. We were Crafts just arrived, and I Professionals. the i'isions donated and the office and efforts of impressed by his qualifications, and the appropriateness of his background, am more and more those int'oli'eil in the early completely staffed by but particularly by his eagerness to turn his experience to the needs of our impressed with each issue. History of NZ Crafts years. This was certainly volunteers but eventually craftspeople. This really is becoming a Council not my intention. In my we were able to impress In confirming his appointment we emphasised to John the changing nature superb publication, and Dear Editor time as Erect/tire [)irector.

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