Become Resident Artist,a Friend or Patron
You can join as an Artist in residence, a Friend or Patron.
Fire Arts is thankfull to the community we serve
On October 1,2009 the City of South Bend demonstrated their support of Fire Arts' contributions to the community, through their Department of Redevelopment, by generously selling it their building for $10. The building, scheduled for demolition, saved by its artists with 5 years of investment of money and a lot of sweat equity, has become a permanent home for Fire Arts, now called an anchor for the Colfax arts corridor.
The Community Foundation of St. Joseph County demonstrated their support in 2009 with a very generous $5,000 grant (for Geil Kiln) that Fire Arts had to raise funds to match,and a second $5,000 grant (for Heating and AC) in 2010 which we raised matching funds. In 2012 we got a 3rd grant, this time to make the pottery area safer, cleaner, and easier to use, and our community responded again with matching funds. Thank you
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 The used Slab Roller we picked up has been very popular with students. |
| We now have an air cleaner hanging from the ceiling, upgraded wiring, additional racks for pottery ware, clean storage cabinets, an additional pottery wheel (repairing broken one), painted walls, floor, doors and added trim, extruder mounted on the wall, and a window added to monitor work in the handbuilding area. |
David Matthews, developer of East Bank Town Homes just west of Fire Arts, generously helped us with a matching Façade Grant from DTSB. We have replaced windows in the showroom, installed new signs, new lights, a mural painted by Dave Blodgett and Linda Crimson on the west side of the building, flowering trees, and more.
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 David Matthews |
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| Christine Monteleon |
 Flowering tree |
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| 2011 DONORS |
PLATINUM - $5,000 and above GOLD - $2,000-$4,999 SILVER- $1,000-$1,999 BRONZE - $500-$999 COPPER - $200-$499 |
FRIENDS $25-$199 |
| Thanks again to supporters in the past who layed the foundation. |
Fire Arts Patrons:
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Fire Arts Friends:
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Thanks so much for your support!
Since the building purchase Fire Arts has replaced a dangerous, inefficient, old, wood overhead door with a new steel insulated one and replace a furnace leaking carbon monoxide with a new, safer, and more efficient one.
Fire Arts has many more plans for their building and many more contributions to make to the community.
Join Fire Arts and be part of the fun!
Become a Friend of Fire Arts: $25 - $199
- Attend events we only invite Friends to.
- 10% off all workshops and lectures.
- Receive our 4-page, illustrated b/w newsletter (or get the color version via email.)
- Receive e-nouncements of our exhibitions and other activities.
- Attend our special community-centered events.
Your Friend level of support brings you all these benefits while it supports our lectures, tours, demonstrations, the Talented Student Summer Program, and exhibitions of three-dimensional artwork.
Become a Patron
Receive all the above benefits of the Friend level of support plus:
- Patron Preview Party: You will be invited to enjoy special hors d’oeuvres in an intimate party for patrons and exhibiting artists before each of our three community-wide exhibits. This is your opportunity to see the artwork without the crowds, to have the first chance to buy artwork, and to chat with artists and with our other supporters.
To become a supporting Friend or Patron, stop by the studio, donate though PayPal, or contact us.
Artist in Residence
An artist who pays rent at Fire Arts gets access to a fully equipped 8,000 square foot shared studio space in which to make pottery, sculpture, jewelry, or ? They will be able to work among others artists in an informal way, learning, teaching, sharing, skills, ideas, & enthusiasms, or in a formal way with a mentor to learn a particular skill. Fire Arts provides the large equipment and space to make a temporary mess, and each artist provides their own art materials, hand tools, and specialty tools. We also offer two places for artists in residence to show their work, a physical showroom at our South Bend location and a virtual showroom on the web through artist's pages on Fire Arts website.
CERAMICS - Functional or Sculptural, on the wheel or hand built, Raku, or ? Ceramic artists are responsible for their own art materials and hand tools and share the cost of glazes and firing. Some of our artists have their own wheels, but we have others that may be available. We do not do work from commercial molds; all the work you see is unique.
SCULPTURE - Bronze, ceramic, wood, stone, or ? Representational or Abstract, Sculptors are responsible for their own art materials, hand tools, supplies, etc. and fuel cost for burning out their wax and casting bronze. They share the cost of the model when working from one in a group. Sculptors can bring their own modeling stand or borrow one if available.
JEWELRY - Copper, Silver, or ? Jewelers are responsible for their own art materials, hand tools, supplies, etc. Our jewelry area has recently added a professional buffer and Metal cutter to the small kilns and work tables available.
Artist in Residence fees
PART TIME Artist in Residence $75/month
Work Tuesday and Thursday evenings alongside other artists from 6:30 - 9:30.
Work 10-4 on Saturdays alongside other artists.
FULL TIME Artist in Residence $500 one time fee plus $150/ month or $200/month for 12 months & then $150/month
Artist gets his or her own key to the building and can work at any time of day or night.
This is an elected position that requires a one year commitment .
MENTORING additional $25/month
Artist in Residence who wants to learn a specific skill connects with an Artist in Residence that has that skill, and desire/time to work one on one sharing their knowledge of that skill.
Download an artist's application (MS Word), or contact us if you are interested in learning more.
Fire Arts thanks many for their service:
Below are just some of the helpful people who have donated their services to Fire Arts:
- President of Board of Directors: Ralph Lampkin
- Vice President of Board of Directors: Yvonne Desrosiers
- Secretary of Board of Directors: Jackie Carlson
- Treasurer: Marilyn Shaul
- Events Co-Chairpersons: Julie Neises & Jackie Carlson
- Publicity – Community Events: Julie Neises, Jackie Carlson, and Ralph Lampkin
- Building Manager: Bill Healy
- Accounting Advisor: Kurt Krueggel
- Tax Advisor: Ron May, Schroeder May & Associates
- Website Advisor: Kay Westhues
- Website Maintenance: Bill Healy
- Technical Advisor for Sculpture: Tuck Langland
- Technical Advisor for Ceramics: Yvonne Desrosiers
- Computer Technical Advisors: Becky Wainwright and Yvonne Desrosiers
- Writers: Janice Langland, Julie Neises, and Jackie Carlson
- Photographer: Bill Healy
- Designers: Becky Wainwright, Dave Blodgett, and Jackie Carlson
- Thailand Liaisons: Barry and Lily Davis
- Special collaboration with:
- Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, Dowagiac
- CircaArts, South Bend
- Fiddlers Hearth (in 2009)
You or your organization can also support Fire Arts and help keep the arts alive in Michiana. Check out our wish list if you have equipment you would like to donate.