Clay Studio Expansion at the Barn!
Tax deductible
Many of you might have noticed my busy, exasperated and hermitic tendencies the past couple months! I've been busting out plans and spearheading a CLAY STUDIO expansion at the Dahmen Barn! For those of you who aren't familiar, the Dahmen Barn is a non-profit community artisan organization in Uniontown, Washington. https://www.artisanbarn.org/
I began working with the Barn last spring, to build and manage a ceramics teaching studio so we could bring the magic of clay to the Palouse and LC Valley! And GREAT NEWS! We've outgrown the studio!!
The plans for the new "Kiln Shed" have been approved by the Dahmen Barn Board of Directors as well as the Uniontown Community Development Association, and construction of the building began on May 4th. It is expected to be completed in mid-June.
The fundraising for this project is entirely on my shoulders and I can use all the help I can get!
This is an EXCELLENT opportunity for you to support the arts and give back to a community that prides itself on making art and art education accessible to all!
Current rough cost estimate:
Kiln Shed: $4,510.00
Concrete Pier Foundation construction: $407.00
All other expenses including electrical: $3,743.40
Labor: donation from contractor, S.H. Vachon LLC
Reasonable expectation of cost: $9,032.00
Purpose of Kiln Shed:
To relocate the kilns from the studio work space.
The shed will allow for expanded firing options in the future, i.e. additional kilns, potential for a raku-style kiln.
There is not adequate ventilation for the kilns in the work space; they release toxic gases during firing, presenting health risks to anyone present. We host diverse age groups including children and retired folks. The kilns “should not” be left unattended during firing, requiring someone to subject themselves to the toxic fumes.
The kilns inhibit class size and available work space by entirely blocking one half of one table, and impeding accessibility to the other half of the same table. I can effectively double class size if that space is available for students.
Relocating the kilns and all associated furniture (shelves, stilts, etc) will allow me to rearrange the studio to create a more professional, inviting and comprehensive working studio experience for students.
Additional space will make it possible to expand our studio equipment in the future, e.g. the addition of a clay mixer, slab roller, extruder, etc.
The shed will provide a storage facility for dry glaze materials, which can be an environmental health hazard, especially for children and people with respiratory conditions. A glaze mixing work table will be built inside the shed to remove the hazard from the studio work area.
Demand for clay classes is seasonal; snow-free weather and less demanding summer school schedules have a positive impact on students’ willingness to drive to Uniontown regularly
I will be able to host shorter, specialized workshops without impeding the work and space of regularly attending pottery students
Appearance and dimensions:
10 x 16 ft
Lofted gambrel roof with 7′ 8″ walls
Pre-finished siding and roof that would closely match the Loafing Shed colors
I began working with the Barn last spring, to build and manage a ceramics teaching studio so we could bring the magic of clay to the Palouse and LC Valley! And GREAT NEWS! We've outgrown the studio!!
The plans for the new "Kiln Shed" have been approved by the Dahmen Barn Board of Directors as well as the Uniontown Community Development Association, and construction of the building began on May 4th. It is expected to be completed in mid-June.
The fundraising for this project is entirely on my shoulders and I can use all the help I can get!
This is an EXCELLENT opportunity for you to support the arts and give back to a community that prides itself on making art and art education accessible to all!
Current rough cost estimate:
Kiln Shed: $4,510.00
Concrete Pier Foundation construction: $407.00
All other expenses including electrical: $3,743.40
Labor: donation from contractor, S.H. Vachon LLC
Reasonable expectation of cost: $9,032.00
Purpose of Kiln Shed:
To relocate the kilns from the studio work space.
The shed will allow for expanded firing options in the future, i.e. additional kilns, potential for a raku-style kiln.
There is not adequate ventilation for the kilns in the work space; they release toxic gases during firing, presenting health risks to anyone present. We host diverse age groups including children and retired folks. The kilns “should not” be left unattended during firing, requiring someone to subject themselves to the toxic fumes.
The kilns inhibit class size and available work space by entirely blocking one half of one table, and impeding accessibility to the other half of the same table. I can effectively double class size if that space is available for students.
Relocating the kilns and all associated furniture (shelves, stilts, etc) will allow me to rearrange the studio to create a more professional, inviting and comprehensive working studio experience for students.
Additional space will make it possible to expand our studio equipment in the future, e.g. the addition of a clay mixer, slab roller, extruder, etc.
The shed will provide a storage facility for dry glaze materials, which can be an environmental health hazard, especially for children and people with respiratory conditions. A glaze mixing work table will be built inside the shed to remove the hazard from the studio work area.
Demand for clay classes is seasonal; snow-free weather and less demanding summer school schedules have a positive impact on students’ willingness to drive to Uniontown regularly
I will be able to host shorter, specialized workshops without impeding the work and space of regularly attending pottery students
Appearance and dimensions:
10 x 16 ft
Lofted gambrel roof with 7′ 8″ walls
Pre-finished siding and roof that would closely match the Loafing Shed colors
Organizer
Kassie Smith
Organizer
Uniontown, WA
Artisans at the Dahmen Barn
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
