The Jack of Arts

Hello!

So much to tell you (a few of you already know) that I wanted to get it posted!!  As I told Lynnie, I'm so damn jazzed about all this I'm in danger of wetting my britches (she got that).

Here's the skinny - You know the plans for the Farmhouse, right?  The education and workshop center - wonderful days of extended classes in all thing glass, fabric, wood, clay, etc.  Come sit on the porch, yada, yada, yada.  Not to belittle this monumental project, but really, the resource pool is finite. 

So - we have two trailers FULL of retail and teaching supplies sitting out at the farm plus all the equipment Hunnyman and I kept when we sold Artistry (again - just sitting out there) and all these great ideas.  We also are fortunate enough to have an interest (read:  part owners) in an 1800 sq foot store front on Main Street here in our little town.  The last renters vacated in September, but we still have property taxes and insurance so it's costing us to own it.  HELLLLOOO!  Let's drag the trailers downtown, set up shop and sell some stuff!  We have buildings (seriously, buildings) full of STUFF out at the farm.  Remember the big belt sander?  All the casting billets?  4' x 8' tables that we built windows on at #25?  Etc., etc., etc.  What do we have to loose?  Some time and a few quarts of sweat?  I can deal with that.

The Jack of Arts.  That's the name of the new store.  Roger is working on a killer logo (I love it) that will translate gloriously into an art piece that lots of you will help to build.  It will be fused, stained, torched and painted.  To borrow Deuce's phrase, "he'll be a vision".  We want to mosaic the butt-ugly awning in the front of the building, too - Karen will lead the troops.  We will fuse and mosaic tiles to dress up the facade - Lynnie, me, Sandy, Barbara - calling all kilns!  It will be a magnet for curious passers by.  How cool is this?

We will need your consignment pieces, for sure.  If you didn't know; the average annual income in this little valley is below poverty level, so we won't sell many $500 fused bowls, but I predict things like single layer slumped dishes will be popular, as will simple torch work beads.  And of course, the ever popular stained glass sun catchers - but GOOD ones - done the right way.  This place hasn't been introduced to fusing, or torch work as far as I've seen.  Fresh meat.  However, there are 5 - 6 filled stained glass classes taught at the college every semester here.  And all those folks have to drive to Tucson or Phoenix for supplies.  Duh.

Classes will be scheduled in September and we will be creative about how we teach them.  We're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.  It's a whole different ballgame here.  But getting finished pieces in the window now will start to generate interest.  So - classes in all the glass arts, consignment gifts, and hopefully some quilting art and supplies, who knows what else we'll throw in the mix.  We're just starting with this idea and will let Jack tell us where he needs to go.

We do have a domain name and I'm shopping for a good, cheap web designer.  I have a few names that I will check out, but if you have someone, let me know. - www.thejackofarts.com.  I know - it's a gas.

I promise to keep you posted (pun).  I'll take pics of the store this weekend and post them.  Sorry, I guess this is my first naked posting.  As always, I'm open to suggestions and welcome your excitement.

Keep a good thought!

Kathi