Whistle Creek: A Friend in Need...

Monday, March 4, 2013

A Friend in Need...

Joe Frank McKee is a potter and gallery owner in Dillsboro N.C. You may know him through his work or because he puts on THE WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA POTTERY FESTIVAL in Dillsboro every November. Last night, his studio at his home burned to the ground. The fire did not reach the house and everyone is fine but the studio is a total loss. He is scheduled to do Raku and Demos at Mike and Karen Baum's Studio sale in Lebanon, Ohio in a couple of weeks and says he still plans to attend. Here is the letter I got from Mike and Karen...

Clay Alliance Members:

We just heard some really bad news. Our good friend and potter, Joe Frank McKee, of Dillsboro, NC, lost his entire studio in an electrical fire last night. Luckily, no one was hurt. As many of you know, Joe Frank is the guest artist at our upcoming open house, March 22 & 23. Trooper that he is, he is still coming but he and his family need our help to rebuild. The scope of his loss is incomprehensible.
If you can please send a check to:

JOE FRANK McKEE
TREE HOUSE POTTERY
148 Front St
P.O. BOX 253
DILLSBORO, NC 28725.

You can also show your appreciation and support by purchasing his pottery at the openhouse.

Joe Frank is one of the hardest working potters that we know; please keep him and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Thanks,

Karen & Mike Baum

5 comments:

cookingwithgasMarch 4, 2013 at 5:04 PM
Dennis, you know I have lived through this. Please have them get in touch with c.e.r.f. to see if they can help him.

Did they have insurance?
I hope the very best for them.
Also.... if they have a PayPal account donations can be made directly to them at no charge.
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Tracey BroomeMarch 4, 2013 at 6:14 PM
Someone should set up a website for donations, how could any of us say no to a donation? Meredith is right, paypal would be the easiest way. I know Mark and Meredith could offer so much information, since they sadly lived through this nightmare as well.
After reading this, my kiln troubles over the weekend are like a grain of sand in comparison. Such sad news....
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Tracey BroomeMarch 4, 2013 at 6:19 PM
Dennis, he has a great website, do you know if the work for sale is available or did he lose it in the fire? It would be nice is some of us could just purchase some pots there on his site....
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Dennis AllenMarch 4, 2013 at 6:56 PM
The gallery is in town and was not affected so he has some inventory.. I don't know how much finished work he had in the studio. I got the info from my buddy Mike and he thinks they had insurance but try to come up with an accurate accounting on a loss like this not to mention the down time and lost production which is not likely to be covered. CERF and Paypal have been mentioned already but thanks Meredith for the ideas. Thanks to all for their interest and compassion. Joe Frank is a good guy with a family and things are going to be rough for a while.
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AnonymousMarch 5, 2013 at 3:20 PM
I also recommend contacting CERF (http://craftemergency.org/). They have small grants available that can help with rebuilding, etc.

Emily Lees
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Why Whistle Creek

Whistle Creek is near the area where my ancestors settled in East Tennessee. It is about 6 miles west of I-75 and 8 miles south of Jellico.At various times the land was claimed by England, France, Spain, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky,Tennessee, the Union,the Confederacy, and the Cherokee.My family was there around 1800 and possibly before.My brothers and I still own the top of the mountain and it is still very rough country. I named my studio Whistle Creek in memory of the Allens who scraped their living from the earth and managed to keep it for two hundred years.

Bricks,Bricks, Bricks

I have two loads of kiln brick at home and one more to go. Weather permitting I will get some help from my newly retired brother and haul the rest home next week. I'm still early in the planning stages for the kiln. I haven't decided yet whether to make the firebox perpendicular to the arch a la John Theis managama and groundhog kilns or to place it parallel to the axis of the arch. I do know that with #2 three inch arch brick It will be a 3"6" sprung arch on top of low walls with a sunken firebox. If i can find a saw that will cut 41/2" I can rip some of the arch brick to fill in the ends of the courses and use the arch brick on edge to make 9" thick walls. Any input appreciated.

The Pitcher and the Nun

Yesterday a couple of sweet elderly ladies came into my booth and fell in love with the pitcher from the last woodfiring. (See last Blog entry) They said they wanted to give it as a wedding gift, then they said the fatal words-" Do you take Mastercard? " I replied-" No, but I want this piece to go to a good home and I believe that if I send it home with you, you will send me a check." They agreed and we exchanged info. It turned out they were nuns.Instead of mailing me a check, they brought back a check and some homemade candy a couple of hours later.It was nice to make the sale, but even nicer to send out a little faith in mankind and have a good deed returned.

Ohio Slip

More Spring Fair Prep....

Today was spent loading a bisque kiln with pots I have been throwing the last few weeks.They are made with a really nice red clay that a friend sold me when I couldn't get earthen red at Highwater. I should be able to glaze Monday and fire the whole load again next week. This is the only clay that I fire in the electric kilns but it gives a look that a lot of people like and I can fire economically. This plus pots on hand and pots I have been glazing for the gas kiln should be plenty for spring fair so now I can concentrate on the booth.

Spring Fair

The main project of the week was to try to finish throwing a batch of red clay that I have been working on so I can get the pots fired and glazed for the big Spring Fair sale that the Clay Alliance is holding on May 2. This is the big annual sales event for the club and I am very happly to be included this year but I do feel a little pressure to up my game and have a booth that doesn't look like a yard sale. Once I get the pots fired, I will have to spend some time focusing on display space and building some nice shelving. The sale is 11 to 4 at the corner of Madison and Woodburn ( DeSales Corner) Just take 71 to Edwards rd., Edwards to Madison, Right on Madison and you will be there in a few minutes. You will have a great time and get to meet 40 of the best potters and ceramicists in the region. More info at http://www.clayalliance.org/.

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