Big News!

Here is the letter that I sent out to the artists and a supporters of LibertyTown. I have always called myself the accidental developer and I have been an even more reluctant administrator, so, as the song goes, "it's been a long time comin' but a change is gonna come..."



Twelve years ago I was looking for a new space to expand my tiny pottery school. It had never crossed my mind to start an art center, but the idea quickly took shape as I first looked through the glass front doors of the old plumbing supply building on Liberty Street. I  was looking for 2,000 square feet - LibertyTown is more than 12,000 square feet. So, there was plenty of space for the school and a whole lot more!

With the financial support of 23 friends and supporters we built a school, a gallery and 30 studios for artists and craftspeople. Once the foundation was laid in the early 2000's, it has been the collective efforts of all the artists and students and clients and visitors that quickly turned LibertyTown into an important community and cultural center. Our visitors often tell us how much they value us and the diversity and quality of our work. I'm not sure that I really knew what it was that I was beginning all those years ago, but I am very proud of what it has become.

Now it's time for LibertyTown, Chapter 2! I will be selling the business as of July 15th, 2013 to D.D. and Kenneth Lecky, two great young supporters of ours who are very excited about the prospect of making us an even better place. I am pleased to able to return to my own studio work and I feel fortunate to have found such a fine pair to follow my lead. They are both artists themselves and also bring great business experience and enthusiasm.

This doesn't mean that I'm going anywhere...I will continue to live in the same home, work in the same studio (out on Claremont Farm), keep the same cat and sell my work at LibertyTown. I like to think about it as moving to the other side of the counter, where Aline and Beth will continue to hold things together.

The Lecky's do have some exciting ideas but don't expect major changes - they have a good understanding of what makes us work and their aim is to improve on what we've got and add more layers to the mix. It is my hope that you will continue to be just as supportive of them as you have been of me.

Thanks as ever for your support,
Dan Finnegan

Beth and Aline, LibertyTown's heart and soul!

the Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild

Penland Wood Kiln - Casting the Arch

We needed, and got, one good week-end of warmish weather to cast the arch. We moved more than 6 tons of material by hand over 2 days time. A lot of hard labor, but done with great spirit!

Before...

Jim from Larkin's special mix.

Applying the first course

The first layer

Working on the tube

Tossing balls of castable

After the second layer

Inside the tube

Applying a wash of neumann's red

Looking out to the knoll, ready for pots!

More Kiln Building

This post takes us up to the point where we cast the arches. Notice the plastic at the bottom, hoping to cut some of the wind down.

Firebox

Boat Building?

Ready for casting.

Building a Kiln

A story has to start some where and this one starts in early March when  Kevin Crowe and I arrived at the Penland School of Crafts to meet the 17 students and assistants who had enlisted in our kiln building boot camp. I'm not sure if any of us understood what a challenge lay before us! Kevin and I had come to Penland 10 years before to do a similar thing and, while we worked hard then, it was still a reasonable task. This time we had several additional challenges...a different (and bigger) kiln and crazy bad weather and a deadline to meet as Kevin could't stay for the entire session.

We worked morning, afternoon and night for most of 8 weeks and by the time we left we had built the kiln and filled it and fired it twice. I'll be posting plenty of photos as the days go by. 

The old metal frame from the last kiln was still standing when we arrived.

There has been a two chamber, wood burning kiln at Penland for at least 20 years. Those kilns were intended for relatively short firings (24 hours). This new model has the same 2 chambers with a small anagama chamber on the front. We fired for close to 3 days for each firing. The first time we used the local poplar edgings that are commonly used in the area. Not the ideal fuel for ash build up. Still, that first firing was excellent and the second time, with better fuel (a mixture of pine and hardwood chunks), was even better.

This is most, but not all, of the kilnbuilders.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The cold weather was the immutable challenge. Most days the temperature was below freezing...the wind often howled...it snowed...it sleeted... the water in the wet saw froze...!
Hot tea was vital for survival!

Starting the tube.

Floor of the salt chamber and chimney.

Glaze and salt chamber floors shaping up.

Jason and Kevin work on the firebox in the tube.

Exit flue and chimney. 

front of firebox

Next installment: Walls!

Fresh Curd Fridays

Hi, remember me?! 

I was hoping that the title would lure you back to make sure that I'm still around!

I am finally at home after almost 3 months of intense and wonderful adventures. I left Penland two weeks ago today and drove almost three and a half thousand miles since then to join the wonderful folks of Minnesota for the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour. It was as wonderful as advertised and and a completely fabulous time. And there is a lot of cheese curd in those parts...

 I drove back with Hannah McAndrew, who flew from Scotland to add her own special charm and great pots to the show. I hope to retell some of the tales of Penland and St. Croix, but as I get my two finger typing back in shape, I'll restart with a few photos of herself as we wandered across this country of ours. 

All bundled up in Minnesota

Hannah stunned by the wonder of american baseball! (with Dan, Molly, Julie, Beth, herself, Jason and Dave.

Look for this owl slip-trailed on future pots!

A pensive pose whilst enjoying 'frickles*' in Georgetown, Kentucky.

(*You'll have to guess...or ask.)

No. 14 in a series

 3 months making.
1 week waxing and glazing
5 days loading
28 hour firing
2 1/2 days of waiting...

    I'm just about to dash over to LibertyTown for tonight's opening in the gallery (UMW student show). I'm mighty weary from this firing marathon and the pace of life continues to be on the edge of frantic. I have to leave for the Penland School of Crafts in a week and there is much to do before then. 

    The pots in this firing are intended for my trip in May to the St Croix Valley Pottery Tour in Minnesota. Bob Briscoe has very kindly invited me to join this incredible group and I really hope that these pots are  going to especially sweet. Hannah McAndrew is also making the trip from Scotland!

    I have to depart from Fredericksburg for Minnesota just 2 days after the Penland workshop ends, so everything has to be ready before I leave. It is not my nature to be so organized , but so far we are on schedule.

    We unpack Sunday and I'll be back with a full report.

Back stacks

front stack, first chamber

bricking up the doors

second chamber, front stack

I usually show this shot from the firebox side.  It looks good from here as well! 

Michael Littlefield (waffle maker extraordinaire)...12th firing

Beth Sperlazza...8th firing...and Jackie...1st firing

Jason Hartsoe...5th firing