Transformation

It was quite a year at the Lost River Artisans’ Co-op (LRAC) and its Siamese twin, the Lost River Museum (officially the Lost River Educational Foundation or LREF). The push for change was obvious: the lease was running out, the store manager left to go RVing for a year and a half, and the museum director took a job in Egypt. As president of LRAC/LREF, I often muse over that ancient Chinese character that stands for both challenge and opportunity. I also felt an obligation to make the co-op and museum compliant with the American Disabilities Act. May I never encounter another elderly or infirm individual who has struggled up the barn’s step, arrived at the counter, and asked politely for the restroom—only to be told of the (yes, handicap accessible but muddy) port-a-pot out by the parking lot.

Not quite two miles south on State Route 259, the old feed store was renovated for new tenants. It is now painted barn red-- that would be the big red building without the Confederate flag. It is on one floor, has a ramp and other amenities, and offers the same amount of space we have now. We were invited to move there and the lease is ready to sign. Mind you, it is hard to leave the 1844 barn that we’ve been in since 1996. It is a lovely barn, but it’s a real barn: no plumbing, no ramp, and irascible heat. For some the inconvenience of the barn is already becoming picturesque and quaint, while others are celebrating indoor plumbing!

Our mantra is: “We aren’t closing, merely moving.”  We went down there and planted spring bulbs, so we are already taking root in our new place. I am proud of the board for taking that first step of our next thousand miles. We have winter and spring to make our move and to resettle, and then, transformed, we will ready for a new and improved 2016 co-op and museum season. We hope you will come see us any weekend from April 16^th on. Keep an eye on the lostrivercrafts.com website!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

This morning I found a pumpkin I’d forgotten about on the porch. I popped it in the oven to roast on its way to becoming pie. That pumpkin was a hold-out. I know it is time to put away all things autumnal and to get with the holiday program. Last week dozens of ornaments (expect-able items such as snowflakes and gingermen, but also no few starfish, bears, and hearts) went off to a ministry in Pennsylvania. This week’s challenge is Santa hats. A man called wanting Santa hats, which was my excuse to get a nice copper cookie cutter. He sent his list and I decided I’d make one as well. I think by the time I complete all the Santa hats, I may be more than ready to move on.  On the other hand, ornaments are a lot more fun since I realized that the backs don’t have to be plain.

To prevent pottery from sticking to the kiln shelf, the bottom of each piece remains unglazed. The glaze is a layer of glass that forms as the glaze melts and matures at high temperatures. We brush “kiln wash” on the kiln shelves in case a few molten drops hit the deck during the firing process. That is far better than having them adhere to an unprotected kiln shelf and then remelting and sticking to an unsuspecting pot that comes along in the next kiln load. To prevent that, the drops of hardened glaze are chipped off with the protective layer of kiln wash. What is the point of this glaze talk? It’s my revelation that I could use glaze to decorate the textured backs of pieces without having them stick to the shelf. The ornaments lay flat on the kiln shelf, but the glaze stays in the deeper indentations. I simply thoroughly wipe it off the areas that actually come in contact with the shelves. 

So now I have a list with about fifty names, each destined to adorn a Santa hat with the year and, for many, “LRV” for the Lost River Valley. There will be some added snowflakes, of course; those are more fun to make than to shovel, for sure. The finished ornament is then fun and interesting on both front and back, as well as personalized. I’ll let you know how I feel about them when I get to the 49^th name.  Ho! Ho! Ho!