3 proposals, 52 patron votes, $520 in proceeds, 3 styles
of home brew from the Dubuque Society of Brewers, Soup & Bread from L May Eatery sent potter Ken Bichell ($370) and letterpress apprentice Rachel Yoder ($132) each home with seed money for their
projects. The June funding cycle was open to individual artists or
creatives.
 |
| AG June Crowd at St. Mark Community Center. |
Potter Ken Bichell swayed the audience with his proposal to build a new wood-fired kiln on the property of Four Mounds in Dubuque. The wood fired kiln is a 2000 year age old process that
produces unique surfaces which result from temperatures of 2300F, melting fly
ash, and flame impingement. The resulting organic colors and textures are
unique to the process.
"In Northeast Iowa there were no opportunities for regional artists to fire with
wood until in 2000 a group of potters built a kiln in Menominee, Illinois, Ken said "The
kiln became a focal point for a growing community of dedicated potters and
students. Hundreds of firings and thousands of pots later the kiln is reaching
the end of its useful life leaving an uncertain future for those that have come
to depend on producing work in this unique way."
Building a new kiln at Four Mounds provides an opportunity for the existing
community of artists and students to maintain contiguous use of a wood kiln,
but it also offers an opportunity for further outreach to youth programs in
conjunction with existing programs at Four Mounds.
 |
| Potter Ken Bichell awarded $370 for his wood fired kiln. Pictured with host Connie Twining & DubuqueFest's Aaron Hefel. |
Rachel Yoder, letterpress apprentice at
SlowPrint Studio won second place to
help fund her idea to create a series of a letterpress postcards using the collection of historic letterpresses at
SlowPrint. The content of the postcards will come from collaborations with local artists, designers, poets, and writers.
"The postcards will be composed on any of four presses: a 1960’s Original Heidelberg “Windmill”, a
1940’s Vandercook 219 flat-bed proof press, 1930’s Miehle Vertical Cylinder
Press or the 1900’s Chandler & Price Gordon Old-Style press," Rachel said. "We would first curate the compositions to be
published through an editorial submission process and work with collaborators to
best display their work, whether visual art or literacy." The postcards will be distributed for free
in local cafes and galleries and also by subscription for people who want to be
sure to receive the whole series as produced.
 |
| Rachel Yoder, letterpress apprentice at SlowPrint Studio. |
The night also included a
proposal by Roger Richard to create a free alternative newspaper
written by the community contributors.
 |
| DubuqueFest Art Fair Director Paula Neuhaus & the Community Murals |
We are nothing with YOU and our SPONSORS. A big thanks!
- L May Eatery
- Northeast Iowa Community College
- DigitalDubuque.com
- Dubuque Society of Brewers
- Loras College Food Service Dept.
- St. Mark Community Center
A special thanks to guest host Connie Twining of Outside the Lines Art Gallery. ;)
 |
| The ever-inspiring Connie Twining! |
FYI: Since our launch in September 2010 AG has funded 12 projects raising a total of $6,170 for Dubuque
art projects!
