Elizabeth Priddy on fri 14 apr 06
I knew I kissed this frog for reason...
You are a clever man. And even if you are kidding me,
I am going to do it. You have solves several of my
remaining problems with my project.
I live just 4 miles from Historic Beaufort and the
area of my 1/2 acre that I want to fire the kiln in is
very visible from the street and in the line of wind
when we get nor'easters. The othere area far away
enough from structures is in the direct wind line
coming off the marsh estuary of the Newport river,
which means a constant breeze, which would not make
controlling a fire easy out there. I was seriously
contemplating building it on a platform with heavy
duty casters and making a "walkway" to push it back
behind the house when not in use and just bribe
passersby with 'concern over the fire there' with
pots.
I already have a system worked out with York
kickwheels that allows me to move 5 onsite for day
activities and they would also fit on the trailer to
work into my self-sustaining at risk kids pottery
program, which I started 6 years ago and now consult
for, since I have been busy the last 2 years or so
making and caring for an infant full time.
With the wood kiln on site and most children's clay
programs operating at low fire range, teachers can opt
into the program by having the kids get pots ready and
glazed prior to my arrival, and they can learn to
throw with the DVD and the Yorks while I am there.
All outdoor fun days and now with a real pyro aspect
that will excite the kids, but NOT involve raku, which
even if some of you out there are doing it, I am not.
At least not with the kids I work with.
I was going to design one with some component parts
that I could build and tear down completely. But you
have offered an option that allows the real fast
freddy double bourry box design without about an extra
day on each site building and tearing it down. I
might still use Steve's features on the CD which I
bought and can heartily recommend.
For the best trailer option, it would be one of the
smaller ones, like for a large lawn tractor, so the
the fireboxes could be easily stoked from all sides.
It would still have plenty of room for the wheels and
large plastic containers to hold the brick and flue.
I am also wanting to hit the road and do workshops and
see america with my son before he heads off to school
and gets busy with the world. He is old enough to
travel well, and appreciate seeing new things.
You may have just sunk the last lynch pin sinking into
the plan that seems to have a destiny of its own.
I may even write a follow-up grant, as I did with the
Starving Artist Program, to get the wheels and clay
and all for that. Now the program sells pots at a
local gallery for $10 each with a little description
of what it is and the types of kids who make them and
I am proud to say that only the original seed money of
$1500 dollars for initial materials, the program has
grown to serve hundreds of children through the years
and is self-sustaining, which means they sell enough
pots each year to buy all the programming and teaching
time and materials to function independently. And
they had enough this year to purchase their own kin
and not have to farmt hat out any more and located a
semi permanent place in a County Parks and Rec Center.
I know the Director of Educaztional Programming for
the North Carolina Arts Council from the other grant
and she said to keep them in mind if I had any other
ideas. I have had ideas, but I don't approach people
like that with half-baked schemes. You have to answer
all the questions, and know what they are going to ask
before they do. I just got loded for bear. Thank
you.
I am proud of this program, but I want to do a little
more, now that I have all this free time.
I think I will write a grant for the touring artist in
residence program that will cover the cost of my time,
gas and expenses and see if I can get out there and
see the world and leave a trail of little potters
behind me. I will buy the trailer and all on my own
so that the program is not paying for the kiln and me
be using it for personal projectsw when not on the
road.
You have set my brain alight. It could even be a
situation where we could fire on site of
construction/destruction situations to raise money for
people who get wiped out by disaster. I bet there is
a lot of stuff in Louisianna that could be burnt and a
lot of pots that could be sold for reconstruction.
But there are OSHA concerns there regarding toxic
gases that will be for a future project, perhaps by
someone else working on this model.
I am sure there are people out there reading this who
are thinking about the possiblities for just plain
making money at craft fairs. People would actually
pay to stoke a kiln, you know, in that huck Finn fence
painting way.
Where I live, barbecue is a really big deal, so the
technology of a fireproof trailer is already there. I
just hadn't thought about doing it that way.
Thank you, Tony. Thank you very much. You are going
to bring light and hope and fun to many children
through me. You have brainstormed a solution to most
of my remaining hurdles for a project that needs to
happen.
This could result in a life changing experience with
my son too. What he would learn by doing this with me
and travelling and serving others is potentially
great.
And I know boys. So an occassional road trip with mom
where we basicly camp and burn things up for pay...I
bet I could get volunteers for that. Every place a
new adventure, new friends, and cool pots painted and
decorated by interesting folks from all over.
I feel like I did when I came in from the studio and
said to my husband, "You know, I've been thinking, and
I want to do a television program for PBS that shows
this new way I teach kids to throw. Nobody else does
it quite like this and I want to document it and offer
it for distance learning." He said, "You know
television is really expensive and we know nothing
about how to make this happen." 7 months later the
pilot aired across NC and parts of SC, TN, and VA. I
heard from literally hundreds of parents who just
happened to be flipping throught the channels, stopped
and were amazed to see their kids stop on a Saturday
afternoon and sit and watch it all the way through and
then ask if they could take a class. Now that is like
winning a very big competitive pottery deal for me.
I am going to do this. Thank you. I will even haul
this rig to Canada and fire it all the way up to ten
just for you, but we split the pots three ways: first
third go to the yearly starving artist auction, second
third to the Earthen-wood Travelling Pottery Program
for At-Risk and urban Youth, and you can keep the
rest, since I know you could make enough to fill this
little beast in an afternoon.
I have always wanted to see Niagra Falls.
I am serious. I am posting this out there so that
anyone with a concern or a suggestion or brainstorm or
a free trailer can contact me. I will go off list
with the gory details, but I will keep you all
updated.
And seriously, thank you. You have truly made a
friend for life.
E
Elizabeth Priddy
Beaufort, NC - USA
http://www.elizabethpriddy.com
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clennell on fri 14 apr 06
Sour Cherry Pottery
> I knew I kissed this frog for reason...
>
> You are a clever man. And even if you are kidding me,
> I am going to do it. You have solves several of my
> remaining problems with my project.
Damn, do a good deed and get called a frog! Women these days, I dunno?????
Seriously, I'm thrilled that you're thrilled and you know this trailer wood
kiln is a workshop made in heaven. this could be a great way to see the
country, spend some quality time with Big John and I'm going to hate myself
for saying this but "make money". Yes, the van will be packed with your work
to sell, you will make a workshop fee, sell a few DVd's and set people's
imagination and enthusiasm for clay on fire. that's what I try to do and if
I could drag along a woodkiln- they'd never sleep again in their entire
lives.
I'm glad you're now realizing I'm more than just a cute frogs face. People
that stay alive in this business are creative, they make their own
roulettes, they think on their feet, they make things happen, they go and do
what others only dream of. Go get em!
I would have liked to seen Niagara Falls a hundred years ago. it is a bit of
tourist trap now with all the tourist crap and corruption.
Pull up you trailer on our acre with a view and we can talk wood firing and
pottery nonsense till you'r mother in law blue in the face. I never tire of
it.
Long may your chimney smoke,
Tony
P.S Payment for this idea is a germy slimmy or whatever that great
expression was.
Tony and Sheila Clennell
Sour Cherry Pottery
4545 King Street
Beamsville, Ontario
CANADA L0R 1B1
http://www.sourcherrypottery.com
MLC on mon 17 apr 06
Hi Elizabeth
Now I have this picture in my head of one of those wide
places in the road in eastern NC where the VFW, volunteer
Fire department, or one of the churches set up a couple of
those pull behind 55 gallon BBQ grills up to do a pig and lot
of chickens.then you pull up with your 55 gallon pull behind
kiln and by the time pig is done you will be able to pull out
warm plates for people pile the food on.
Millie in Md Where the flowers and trees are in full bloom
and I am getting over my disappointment at not being able
to get to Portland. I feel like I missed a family reunion.
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