CAMELIA STREET UPDATE
By Cheryl Stevens
We are pulling into the final stretch of the construction project and the new Studio is really taking shape. All the drywall has been installed and is awaiting a coat of paint. The exterior walls have been painted. Doors are being installed, the floors have been grinded to a beautiful finish, and the new cubbies are being built.
Each week, the space goes through another amazing change, moving closer and closer to a bright, new, beautiful studio for us, and I am getting excited after each visit to the site. I am really excited for all of you and for all the new pots, bowls, vases and sculptures we will create in OUR new home. We are so close to the finish line, I can feel the joy and anticipation bubbling up inside me, but know that there are some important hurdles we must complete before we cross that finish line.
We have to pack up and say goodbye to 8th Street, which will surely be bittersweet. Come celebrate with us on May 31st from 5-7pm as we say goodbye to our home for more than 10 years. Then stop by the next day on June 1st for the Seconds Sale, where the Studio plans to sell tools, equipment, and you can also pick up a few items made by the Members who consider the items just not up to their personal standards. Proceeds from the Seconds Sale will be donated to the Maija Williams Scholarship Fund.
June 1st is also the last day for the Damp Room, so be sure to migrate your items out of the Damp Room by then. The last week for Member fired kilns is June 4th to 11th. June 15th is a very important date, so please make sure you mark your calendar and honor all the deadlines that fall on June 15th. You must completely empty your cubby by June 15th. The Studio will not store anything that remains in a cubby after June 15th those items will be thrown away. This is also the last day for storage of glazes. Any Member glazes remaining in the Studio after the 15th will not be moved to Camelia Street but will be discarded. This is also the last day for bisque and glaze firing. Yes, that’s right, June 15th is the last day you can place items on the shelves for bisque and glaze firing. June 22nd is the last day you can pick up any work that has been bisqued or glaze fired. Please do not wait until June 22nd because the very next day, June 23rd, we are moving, and anything that has not been picked up by the 22nd will be tossed! There will be so much activity moving kilns, clay, furnishings and supplies that we just cannot have people stopping by to pick up their work or to even watch the moving activity. So, please do not come anywhere near the Studio after June 22nd. We will let you know when we are up and running on Camelia Street. Also, you can and should check the website for updates.
As I said, I am excited and can’t believe we are rounding that next to final bend in the road. This has truly been a marathon, and I am so grateful for every aspect of this race. I know Camelia Street will be different from 8th Street, and it will take some time getting used to the unfamiliar, but I know it will be a great adventure, and I am looking forward to learning and having fun in our new space and starting new memories with all of you. As you know, we have decided to pause collecting Membership dues for the month of July as a thank you for all you have done and will do for the Studio as it prepares to take this big step. Thanks for your continued support and patience, and if you can, please consider making a donation to Fuel Our Move. Tell your friends and family about our next big step and encourage them to support our efforts. Donations can be made through the Capital Campaign link on the website.
If you have any questions, please email me at cheryl@berkeleypottersstudio.org
