In partnership with the Larry Woodrow Vest Fund of the Foundation for the Roanoke Valley, the Jacksonville Center in Floyd County will be investing in significant equipment improvements to its premier artisan teaching and working studios: Ceramics, Blacksmithing, and Glass-working/Jewelry.
This Studio Enhancement Project is a critical component of the larger, campus-wide Capacity-Building Project funded by the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission (TIC) and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), with local partners, and scheduled to begin construction before the end of 2013.
“Funding for this project allows us to make our studios more attractive to working artists and instructors by adding a new combination glass/ceramics kiln, kiln furniture, and a ventilation system in the blacksmith forge,” says Leia Wood, Director of Educational and Gallery Programming for The Jacksonville Center.
Since 2005, these three large, equipment-rich studios have been available for rent and used for teaching. Much-needed space and equipment is provided by The Jax so professional artisans can widen their income streams through teaching and/or studio rental for special projects.
“Currently, about 25 professional artisan instructors use Jax studios to enhance their teaching outreach,” says Wood. “With the possible exception of our local colleges and universities, no other facility in the New River Valley offers the level of equipment and services that professional artists and their students find here.”
All aspects of this grant funding are important to the organization, for several reasons: existing kilns have been refurbished to the extent of their capability to be re-built; having a dual-purpose kiln adds an entirely new dimension of instruction to the glass/jewelry artisan’s repertoire; and the venting system in the blacksmithing forge will contribute to the continued excellence of the instructor/student experience in Floyd.
“We are the only public teaching blacksmith forge in the state of Virginia west of Richmond,” says Wood. “Our partnership with the Old Dominion Blacksmith Association is key to our ability to offer this traditional art form to a wide range of students because we have developed a long-standing relationship with professional blacksmiths across the state. This has made our blacksmithing instruction among our most successful offerings. Funding for this project has the potential to draw new artists, instructors, and students to our rural community.”
Jacksonville Center organizers, volunteers, and audience-members stessed their gratitude for the donation from the L.W. Vest Fund of the Foundation for the Roanoke Valley for its contribution toward the economic and quality-of-life well-being of the citizens of Floyd County. The Foundation is a key partner in local efforts to enhance lives in Southwest Virginia.
