Weeks 5 & 6

Week 5

Monday I started planning for my mural project with the Belfry Library. I looked into indoor mural canvases and looked for ideas for the subject. When Chelsea was showing me around Belfry she mentioned that it might be interesting to paint the benches along the floodwall in South Williamson, KY, so I also looked into that- what kind of paint to use on concrete/what preparation is needed and examples of painted benches. I found some really cool examples in Chicago, at Loyola Park and O’Hare Airport.

Tuesday I was supposed to work from the Artists Collaborative Theatre in Elkhorn City but due to a wreck I couldn’t get there so I worked from the office instead. I researched mural canvases and tried to find one for a good price. It was Tammy’s (one of the secretaries) birthday so we all went out to eat together. Then I met with some ladies from the Arts House and agreed to attend their board meeting on Thursday morning. Mrs. Froman, the 4-H agent here, and I discussed raku firing methods and decided to give it a try for a ceramics class.

Wednesday I looked into sawdust firings for pottery. I found a pretty simple method that can be done in a metal trash can with holes drilled in it. I also found a list of things that can be used as colorants, such as banana peels which produce greens and grays and nails which produce blue/gray dots with halos. You can bury them in the sawdust with the pottery or you can throw them in during the firing. I can’t wait to give it a try and see how it turns out! Then I helped Leslie Workman, the FCS agent here, and Chelsea with the end of their canning project and helped with the cleanup.

Thursday I went to a meeting at the Arts House with two of the juried artists, Paula Smith and Jill Berkowitz Valenzuela and also Minta Trimble who is responsible for the administrative side of things. We discussed ideas to get more artists to display their work in the Arts House’s gallery and to get more customers. We discussed having classes and workshop and other events. We also discussed setting up the gift shop/making it more separated from the gallery, and what kind of things should be sold. The week ended with Rex’s Exes at the Artists Collaborative Theatre. It’s a great show and if anyone is in Pike County this week, you should really try to see it. It runs Thursday-Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 3:00. The last show is July 20.

Week 6

Monday and Tuesday were slow days in the office. I researched kilns and looked into buying a used kiln. I also did more research on trash can firings, compared prices for galvanized steel garbage cans, and researched how to drill holes through metal.

On Wednesday I had meetings with Stephanie and Chuck Stamper. We discussed what I have been doing and how my internship has been so far. I ordered a classroom mural canvas for my project with the Belfry Library and set a date for the project. I also started gathering up other supplies (paint and paintbrushes). Then I looked into buying a used kiln for the office- both actually finding a kiln and what we would need to know/what questions we should ask about the kiln. I also learned that UK has a portable kiln that they rent out, so I think we are going to see if we can use that for the Belfry Summer Art Camp. Then I started researching setting up an online arts store.

Thursday I started out the day sending emails to see about borrowing a kiln for the Belfry Summer Art Camp. Then I went to Walmart to get the rest of the supplies for the Belfry Library Mural Project (more paint and paintbrushes, lots of paper towels, and a drop cloth). The office took Carol to El Poncho, a local Mexican restaurant, for her birthday. Then I did more research about setting up an online arts store. I compared the prices and features for several different e-commerce sites. Thursday ended with my acting debut in Rex’s Exes at the Artists Collaborative Theatre in Elkhorn City.

Friday was a research day in the office. I looked into possible projects. I also researched doing raku firings in an electric kiln for the Belfry Summer Art Camp. I’m a little nervous about doing a raku firing because I’ve never done one before and you have to remove the pieces from the kiln at around 1800 F. At first it was the temperature that really made me nervous but then I remembered that the furnace and glory holes for glass blowing were at 2100/2200 F and I generally did not use gloves in my glass blowing classes. I definitely will be using gloves for the raku firing, though, and the longest tongs I can find. I had more performances of Rex’s Exes Friday and Saturday night and a matinee performance on Sunday. I am much more comfortable on stage now and on Sunday I was finally loud enough! (volume was my main problem). It was a very busy but very fun weekend.

Meredith Yount
Pike County Fine Arts