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still seeking potters from la/ms

updated sat 10 sep 05

 

Louis Katz on fri 9 sep 05


Please excuse me if you have seen this before. There are still people=20
seeking news of friends.

I am still seeking information about the following ceramists from LA/=20
MS. I don't know them personally but the are people that I have been=20
asked about.

=95 Brian Nettles' entire studio and anagama kiln was =
destroyed. I know=20
he survived the storm, but am seeking assurances that he is O.K.
=95 Janet Akers (I have email address but no response)
=95 Lisa Bouvette
=95 Nancy McCardell
=95 Caren Norwak
=95 Chester Simmons
=95 Tony Wright, teaches in Mobile (I have email address but =
no=20
response)
=95 Kevin Turner, teaches in Gautier (I have email address =
but no=20
response)

I have offers of studio space, living quarters, and some equipment on=20
my site.
Also there is news of potters as well at:

http://falcon.tamucc.edu/wiki/Katz/LAMIPotters=

lkatz on fri 9 sep 05


Clayart,
I have some thoughts on the aftermath of Katrina and what our responses
should be. I say responses because one size does not fit all, and any
one response does not meet all the needs. There are so many needs that
there should be enough different sizes to go around.

There are immediate needs, just supporting the charitys that are all
doing incredible work helps fill these needs. It is a bad idea to dis
anyone that has found a way to save lives, to help. There are immediate
needs, food clothing , shelter, there are general support needs, the
charities need vehicles, cell phones, everything. There are long term
needs, re-establishing places for displaced clayers to work, space,
equipment, materials, money to keep them afloat as they do this.

Likewise there are many ways to give. Help, help cleaning up the mess.
Help repairing roofs and help framing new buildings. We have seen
numerous offers of places to stay, each one representing a needed and
generous offer to make the offering persons life much more complex and
help someone whose life has become complex beyond measure. There are
pledges of money; a flexible gift able to fill the most critical needs
seen by the recipient (if the goods or services are available for
purchase). There is motivating others to give, organizing etc..

A student of mine's family has taken in another college student and
their family into their home. People have gone to cook meals at
shelters, offered cell phones to the local shelter. Little things do
add up. Give blood. This is a direct way to save lives. Give blood, be
proud you did. Its as if you have saved the whole world. Our city is
currently short of B- . With all this talk of patriotism, charity, etc.
this is criminal. Give, it will lower your cholesterol. Down here you
get afree t-shirt and coupons when you give blood.

I have said it before that it is a bad time to condemn charities for
small hurts, or inefficiencies. Pick one and give. If you need
something more direct, numerous people from our clay community, far too
numerous, will need lots of direct support. If you need something
direct, something where you know the money is needed, pick someone
whose house or studio or both was destroyed and write them a check.
Write them and tell them you have a wheel for them and will ship it
when they get a place to put it and some means of transit is
re-established. Give money to CERF. CERF are good people. If you want
to know someone I think needs money let me know off the list. I will
get you a name, an address.

This is a time when we can show we a great country, with beautiful open
hearted people, generous, helpful, salt of the earth types. Humans. Let
us let the world, our neighbors and ourselves know that we are great
humans.

I feel uncomfortable sending a letter like this. I am sending it
anyways.
Louis
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Here are charities I know the websites of:

American Red Cross ( large website)
housing http://www.familylinks.icrc.org/katrina
general http://www.redcross.org/
http://www.redcross.org/donate/donate.html
Bush Clinton Katrina Fund http://www.usafreedomcorps.gov/
CERF http://craftemergency.org/
Salvation Army http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/
http://www.hurricanehousing.org/
http://www.southarts.org/
United Jewish Community Charity http://www.ujc.org/
Joint Distribution Committee (Jewish) http://www.jdc.org/how_donate.html
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Mississippi and Louisiana Potters Information Page
http://falcon.tamucc.edu/wiki/Katz/LAMIPotters