Otis Street Arts Project :: Do you have the desire to help us out?

Otis Street Arts Project is something I've been working on for a while now. It started well over a year ago when my friend and fantastic artist Margaret Boozer told me she would be leaving her studio because she wanted to buy a firehouse. Her studio is right next door to the Washington Glass School, where i've been working for a number of years now. But I've known Margaret even longer than that.

And Margaret's been in the space for a long time. 15 years or so. I imagine she'll leave a bit of her energy behind as she moves to her new studio.

She told me about the move, because she was hoping i'd take over her space. I felt and feel very honored to carry the torch of having a positive and creatively fueled arts space in Mount Rainier, Maryland. She's always been quite kind to me, even when i barely knew her and she offered herslef and her pickup to help me move into my former home, almost 12 years ago. She pulled me on to the board of trustees of the Washington Sculptors Group, and has just always been a wonderful person.

But the new space! i'm super excited about it.

The space allows me to have a large work space, but also to have an exhibition space and to create affordable studio spaces for other artists. 

Rather than take on the financial and work load responsibilities on my own, I invited David Mordini to partner with me. I barely knew David, but i had met him at a party on the Chesapeake Bay thrown by Molly Ruppert and Family ( read this article about them ). They put in a good word, and I guess he heard decent enough talk about me that we began working together.

So finally, we are on the edge of moving into our space.

Beginning a new studio space is challenging. 

So I have a request.

We need stuff. We need support. We need you to visit us. We need you to talk about us to help us get the word out about us. 

Stuff.

I'm trying to start a studio from pretty much scratch. If you know me personally, you may know what a hard few years it's been. if you don't, and you want to talk about it, message me.
Anyway, I hope someone out there might be interested in helping out. I will work out some type of trade with you, mostly likely in the form of artwork. perhaps a lesson or two. Maybe you just feel generous and want to help out. Maybe you've seen my work, been inspired by it, but never bought anything. here's a great way to help me to continue making art! We can talk.

These are the things I'd like for the studio:

Welder
A welder is going to be useful for constructing my frames and armatures, but it will also be necessary to set up tables and shelves and brackets we'll need to outfit the shop.

Plasma Torch
For cutting metal, this will help get me going in a new direction for work.

Kiln

Yeah, I'm a glass artist starting a new studio and I don't have a kiln. It's embarrassing. I've had opportunities in the past to get kilns, but i didn't have the space. I will now have the space, anyone have a gently used glass kiln for cheap? This is what i'm really lusting for though. One in which i can continue to work at a scale i'm currently working in.

Wet Saw

This is a pretty necessary piece of equipment. 

Compressor

to power my nail guns and sand blasting cabinet.

Sand Blasting Cabinet

glass and metal so often need to be sand blasted, but i'd also love to begin some sand carving projects.

Tool Storage

gotta stay organized! we could use a few of these

Metal Band Saw

Tables

We'll need a place to work
This kind of thing

Wet Sander

Cabinets

and storage stuff

Wet Belt Sander

Cleaning up those edges is very important.

other things:

Refrigerator

We need two for our two spaces.
nothing fancy.

Coffee Maker

We need two, and i can pick up some cheap ones from the thrift store. but we are a little fancy....

Microwave

Again, we'd like 2. for lunch.

Hot Plate

Cuz sometimes lunch has to be more than a frozen Annies.

Stools
A Sofa
A desk
Flat files
a few mops
brooms
big ole garbage cans
cleaning supplies
spackle
white paint
extension cords
A shop vac

Here's a list of things for my DREAM SHOP
And my Amazon Wish List.

Now, i know i probably don't know anyone that is really going to buy these things for us, but if you know of some good used equipment, or are interested in helping out financially,or any opportunity that might help, let's talk.


In any case, we move in next week.
our Grand Opening will be May 9th. Please come.