Cub Creek foundation has a 23 year history in American ceramics. Our Founder, John Jessiman, has a career driven by clay for the past 60 years. As we have reached this exciting and challenging time for our foundation, we are hopeful that this fundraiser will push our residency program further into the future. Your support directly influences our young and professional artists whose research is mostly about our native clays and wood-fired ceramics. These are the two unique reasons why artists desire to come to our residency program in beautiful, rural Virginia.
The money raised from this fundraiser would allow us to fix the driveways, enhance our kiln pads and walkways, and build a smaller wood-kiln called a train kiln.
Currently, CCF has three wood kilns: two Anagamas (small and large), and a Noborigama. These kilns need crews of four to twenty people participating in a firing. Building a train kiln would allow our six-person residency program to fire a smaller style of wood kiln with just two artists. This type of kiln can be fired in fewer days which would also give artists the opportunity to produce results in a more expeditious manner.
Our driveways and walkways are dirt, grass, and some gravel. Over time the rain and winter weather has eroded CCF's driveways making them difficult to drive on and currently the resident's driveway to their home is severely damaged making it impossible to drive up the hill to the house. The kiln pads become very muddy making wood preparation a challenge. Having paved surfaces is a top priority for this fundraiser.
THE HISTORY OF CUB CREEK FOUNDATION
John Jessiman established Cub Creek Foundation in 2002 after 33 years of teaching as Emeritus Professor from SUNY (State University of New York, Cortland, NY). He is known for his pottery, and for building this 23 year old residency program for emerging artists as well as his continued pursuit in clay today. You can find John making pots in his studio, firing his kilns, or passionately cooking a delicious meal for residents while sharing his insights on ceramics and hilarious stories.
The seeds for Cub Creek Foundation were sown in 1976 when John taught a summer program at Archie Bray Foundation in Helena Montana. There, he had a small group of highly talented and committed students that in a short time with intensive work, made great progress. This became the vision for John's new program in Appomattox, Virginia.
Cub Creek Foundation has been home to over 100 artists in residence from around the world!
During the summer of 2024, I was asked by Jessiman to lead CCF as Executive Director. After accepting the position and surveying the property, I prepared a strategic plan on how to rebuild the neglected facility. This year the residents and I have renovated the 6 bedroom / two kitchen house for residents artists, cleaned and redesigned the studio, uncovered and restored a kiln completely overgrown by weeds, removed truck loads of trash, broken pottery, and rusted tools so we see again the beautiful, rural ceramic program that is Cub Creek Foundation (CCF).
As we begin 2026, I reflect on how we worked together as a team in 2025 to accomplish these goals to regenerate CCF. But there is still much to do. With your financial support we can reach our 2026 goals faster and with additional skilled, professional assistance.
Thank you to Warren Stetler and Morgan Winter for their efforts and energy to see the vision, be self motivated to start tasks, and see the humor on days that set us back. Thank you to all that have donated furniture, paint supplies, handyman and landscaping services, and tips, tricks, and advice on how to fix things from plumbing to kiln issues.
If you are ever in the area and would like a tour of our facility, please let us know. If you are interested in participating in a wood firing or to dig some native clay, you are most welcome.
Thank you for your support!
With much gratitude,
Heidi Kreitchet
Executive Director