When I was wondering how to integrate Polish potters into one supportive community,
I decided to use the Internet.
I soon realized that the internet gatherings pointed to a need for gatherings in
reality.
The first meeting of that sort took place in TeaArt in Warsaw on May 29, 2003. It
was called "Ceramics Thursdays" because the group met on the 3rd Thursday
of each month. During one of the "Ceramics Thursdays" the "Open Ceramics
Group C2" was established. We decided to organize some art exhibits and we
signed up for  "Ceramics Celebrations" in Bolesławiec.
Our most important achievement was the First Warsaw Ceramics Fair, held in
Warsaw's city center on June 26, 2005. We had over 60 exhibitors from all over
Poland and three participants from Czech Republic, as well as representatives
from galleries, shops, clay mines, and producers of ceramics tools. Moreover,
artists from the Polish Artists Association joined us. The fair was a perfect forum
at which to organize art workshops in modeling in clay, firing, and painting ceramic
pieces.
On November 7, 2005 we registered our activity. On that day the Polish Ceramics
Association was officially established and I was nominated as its President.
This year, the Polish Ceramics Association will hold the Second Warsaw Ceramics
Fair on June10, 2006. We have already received over 100 applications from artists,
ceramics producers, folk artists and representatives of foreign ceramics
associations. We are planning to do some modeling demonstrations, firings, and
a concert of  instruments made out of clay. Participation is free for both
exhibitors  and visitors.
Darek Osinski
_________________________________________________

Dear Sir or Madam,
The Second Warsaw Ceramic Fair, organized by the Polish Ceramic Association,
took place on June 10th 2006 in Warsaw's city center at Pola Mokotowskie.
The day's results are: 100 exhibits, 80 exhibitors from all over the country and
other  countries, and a couple of thousand visitors. We are especially glad that
almost  100% of our previous exhibitors participated in the event this year as
well. We are  really happy that another 20 new ceramic companies accepted
our invitation: the  Craft Potters Association's (London) representatives
Monika Koprowska and Jeanne  Lewin, Jopex, Boleslawskie Zaklady
Materialow Ogniotrwalych Czerwona Woda,
Radimp, and Fabryka Naczyn Kamionkowych Manufaktura in Boleslawiec,
to name a few.
It was an honor to have Mrs. Ewa Zbroja, the director of a Culture Center in
Boleslawiec, with us, who invited us to join in the next Day of Ceramics in
August 2006, in Boleslawiec.
Also among our guests was Mrs. Katarzyna Liwak-Rybak from the National Museum
in Warsaw with whom we prepared an edu-picnic on the Wilanow Palace Museum's
courtyard on July 8th and 9th, with 20 ceramic companies participating. Mr. Adam
Wolski invited us to Zagansk. This artist, who works in large spaces, has recently
been inspired by potters' works. More information on the project is to come soon.
We had Mr Adam Pytlinski visiting us, a remarkable specialist of ceramic materials
processing, and Master Stanislaw Tworzydlo who has been supporting us since the
beginning, along with many other artists from all over Poland, and journalists from
specialist magazines such us 'Podloga', 'Szklo i ceramika' and daily newspapers.
Representatives of a mine, Ged-Min, presented an exhibition on the worldwide
known artist and designer Marek Cecula, the owner of the Modus Design Studio
in New York.
Also artists of the Polish Artists Association and graduates of the Warsaw and
Wroclaw Art Academies participated in the 2nd Warsaw Ceramic Fair. Additionally,
students of the Warsaw Art Academy presented some interesting sculptures.
The Art Commission of the Polish Ceramics Association awarded prizes for the
three most extraordinary ceramic exhibits. 1st prize went to Katarzyna Urbaniak
from Opole, 2nd prize went to Marek Kotarba from Warsaw, and the 3rd prize to
Andrzej Czerniec from Gory Sowie. Three other exhibits received honorable
mentions, but there were many more exhibits which deserved to be recognized.
We are very grateful to all the participants because we believe this is the best
way to promote ceramics.
Our guests enjoyed our Ceramic Campaign of painting Washroom Ceramics,
organized by well-known artists Marzena Turek-Gas and Marek Sulek from the
Art and Creation Atelier on Lubelska St. in Warsaw, and Mrs. Ania Maluchnik
from Zawady Oleckie. These pieces are going to be become an unique collection
signed by the artists. We are going to organize an exhibition of the pieces in the
Creative Ataliers in Warsaw's Praga district hopefully soon.
The 2nd Warsaw Ceramic Fair offered also potter's wheels workshops and firing
pieces in kilns which we built ourselves on Pola Mokotowskie. We are very
grateful for the support from Pracownia Modrzewiowa, Keramos and Angoba.
Thank you!
Children also had many activities to do and things to play with, and we were
absolutely delighted with the concert by the band Koraboka, performed on
ceramic instruments - even with a ceramic guitar.
I would like to stress that we did not receive any funds or donations from
outside sources for this Fair. The Fair was a result of the Association
members' hard work and also the input of some companies which helped
with printing the brochures, posters, badges, stickers and banners of the
Polish Ceramic Association.
The 2nd Warsaw Ceramic Fair... city center, green surroundings of the Pola
Mokotowskie, blue skies... This is how we all gathered in order to make
friends, exchange experiences and knowledge, and therefore integrate,
which is central to the concept of the 2nd Warsaw Ceramic Fair.

---------------
On behalf of the Polish Ceramic Association, organizer of the 2nd Warsaw
Ceramic Fair in Warsaw on Pola Mokotowskie, on June 10th 2006, we would
like to thank all the companies mentioned below, which contributed to the
organization of the Fair:
companies - Jopex and Radimp (for delivering the washroom ceramic pieces),
The Glass and Ceramics Institute (for delivering ceramic paints), Sitodruk
(from Gorzow Wielkopolski, for banners, stickers, badges, and balloons with
the 2nd Warsaw Ceramic Fair logo), Zaklad Poligraficzny (from Radosc, for
printing the poster by Monika Osinska, a student of the Warsaw Art
Academy), Perl Edit (from Warsaw, for printing the Polish Ceramic
Association's brochure), Srodowiskowy Dom Pomocy (from Warsaw,
11 Suwalska St, for the sound equipment), Tomek Bielecki (for the sound
directing), WM Restaurant for serving meals for the 2nd Warsaw Ceramic
Fair exhibitors.
We would especially like to thank Mrs. Halina Worwa for the wonderful
cooperation and media support on behalf of www.blog.onet.pl , and the
Ochota District Council Representatives for letting us exhibit on Pole
Mokotowskie, and for the media support they provided.

On behalf of the Polish Ceramic Association,
Dariusz Osiński, Klementyna Kot.
---------------
I would like to thank the members of the Polish Ceramic Association and
Mrs. Zofia Kosiorek from Keramos for organizing the 2nd Warsaw Ceramic
Fair: Klementyna Kot, Ewa Danecka-Chmiel, Monika Osinska,
Henryk Pieczarowski and Maciej Rybka, Malgosia and Marek Ruff,
Ryszard Vichtovski, Justyna Karamuz, Monika Marx-Witkowska,
Marta Forycka, Hania Niegrzybowska and Wojciech Niegrzybowski,
Wanda Osinska, Marek Zukowski, Darek Szostakiewicz, Again,
thank you all!

Dariusz Osinski