We have a building, and it needs work

Here's the door. We're in River Park on Mishawaka Ave. near Ironwood. I'm excited to be near IUSB, the zoo, the conservatory, the farmer's market and all of River Park.

A month ago this idea was only shared through a few conversations with other artist friends. It's quickly grown since my holiday show craziness has ended. We have found a space to rent, created our website, Facebook page, and mailing list, gained a lot of support, started our business accounts, filed as an operating business, and found that this town is just as excited as I am to have another creative space. I still have to stock the store, buy equipment, get insurance, put together our class schedule and draw up a ton of papers. On top of that, the wonderful space we got needs a little help to look good.

This front section will be the gift shop carrying locally made goods from knits, to art to chocolate and more.

What you see when you walk in. We need to paint over that red and build some shelves for the shop; I'm thinking of reclaimed wood. We'll also strip and rewax the floor.

If you stand in the store and look to the back you'll see coworking tables and workbenches and our class area in the middle. It's a nice big space, and it needs lots of paint and cleaning. And that carpet...it's getting removed.

Inside the teaching area looking back. We'll have at least four tables and chairs enough to host classes with 20 spots per session. The back section will have sinks and work areas for more coworking spaces.

The window display areas are great, though they need some work to get lightings

The back has a room for a kiln and drying racks. We need to build shelves and and paint these walls too.

Inside one of the small private studio spaces. Four of them are 7x8 feet with plenty of electric outlets and locking door. The smallest room is 6x7.

And there's a basement too. This is inside one of three smaller rooms, and then there is a big open space in the basement. We need a shop vac, a shovel, some paint and cleaning and equipment to create a woodworking and a screen printing area.

You can see, there's lots to do. But I'm hoping with some work days with friends and community members and some crowd funding, we'll have the space ready to shop, take classes and use for coworking by February. It may seem audacious, but I know we can do it.

To help us get started, please donate to and share our crowd funding campaign with everyone you know. Thanks, and we hope to have some wonderful updates for you soon.