From Outhouse to Emporium…

I spent a few hours on a beautiful Thanksgiving day finishing off my outhouse ‘folly’. I reckon I’ll be making additions to it for quite some time, but for now it is christened with a few pots down the hole. In a couple of hundred years it might be interesting to a privy digger. I’ve got a goofy collection of books for this very important library. Here are a few images.



It’s been a week since I’ve been to my studio.The last few days have been jam packed with LibertyTown activity as we are embarking on an exciting new venture in our gallery. I’ve been thinking of this change for a long time, as is my way, and now that it is coming together I think it will be an excellent addition to the art center. We’re remaking the main gallery into what we’re calling a “Craft Emporium”. We’ve assembled 20 different pieces of IKEA furniture, built a new sales counter and patched and painted walls. With Susan Wyatt in charge of installation, we are filling the gallery with all kinds of handmade goodness. Mostly drawing from our own group of artists, we are combining our forces to create a very different kind of marketplace. After day one of the installation, Elizabeth said it reminded her of a museum store, which sounds just right. Here are a few photos of the gallery as it has been. Stay tuned for new and improved LibertyTown.


Just as a footnote of sorts…most of my best projects have a long ‘gestation’ period where I roll things around in my head, visiting and revisiting an idea from different angles, sometimes drawing and redrawing, picturing in my mind’s eye the new thing. And still, when it comes to the execution of the idea, there is always a need to be open to a change that makes better sense.

7 Responses to “From Outhouse to Emporium…”

  1. Ron

    Hey Dan. Just catching up on your posts. I love the salt patterns. I always enjoyed cleaning my salt kiln shelves, scraping that away was fun.

    What is the material on the outhouse roof? It looks like newspaper printing plates, thin sheet. ??

    Reply
  2. Incognito

    Congrats on the outhouse progress! Only you would make it such a work of art.

    Stopped in to see you about the chairs today (thank you!) and I LOVE the new look with the shelving and the craft work. I think it will be an important and positive change for the lobby.

    Looking forward to doing some of my own throwing again very soon–it’s been way too long.

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth

    Dan !
    The Fine Crafts Gallery/Emorium is wonderful!! the transformation that took place between Tuesday and late Thursday is truely amazing. The crowd last night was very enthusiastic and the offerings are unlike any other space in Fred’burg! i am thrilled that you like my work enough to incude it in the offerings and I am very pleased to be associated with Liberty Town and the Guild.
    Good Things don’t evolve overnight!!
    Well Done!!
    Elizabeth Woodford

    Reply

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