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Greetings from Shake Rag Alley, where the blossoming Virginia bluebells and unfurling ferns are brightening our spirits amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the extension of Wisconsin's Safer at Home order to May 26, we have hit pause on all of our workshops, retreats, and events through May, but as workshops and retreats are rescheduled they are being updated here on our website.
There continue to be numerous ways to engage with Shake Rag Alley, even if from afar for now. More Art at Home tutorials featuring our talented instructors have been added, and last month we began the distribution of youth arts and crafts projects on Art Kit Mondays. Each Monday at noon we put out a number of kits that are free while supplies last. It's a great opportunity for families to enjoy a stroll through our grounds.
Read on for additional ways you can enjoy Shake Rag Alley until our programs resume.
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WELCOME TO THE SHAKE RAG ALLEY ARTISAN MARKETPLACE
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Just in time for Mother's Day, we've added a shop to our website!
You'll find the Shake Rag Alley Artisan Marketplace at "Shop" on our main menu. Click it to find jewelry, art, Shake Rag Alley merchandise, and more, with new products being added regularly. The arts and crafts were created and donated by members of our Shake Rag Alley community, including instructors, students, and volunteers. The purchase of their creations benefits the artisans and Shake Rag Alley. The purchase of Shake Rag Alley merchandise supports the general operations of our nonprofit school of arts and crafts.
Due to limited staffing through the current Safer at Home order, we are shipping orders via USPS once per week. Orders placed any time before Sunday will be shipped on Monday. If you selected curbside pickup, we will email you when your purchase is ready. Thank you for your support and patience! Happy shopping!
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Driftless Poets
The May 9 workshop is going virtual. If you'd like to join us on the Zoom meeting screen at 2-4pm May 9, please email us for login info.
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Women's Art Party
The kickoff to our monthly Women's Art Parties has been delayed again, but we expect to resume our regular third Wednesday of the month schedule beginning in June.
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Tour of Fairy Homes
The Shake Rag Alley fairies are practicing social distancing. Recently, they held a Zoom meeting and decided to postpone this year's Tour of Fairy Homes. When they reschedule a time to make their homes visible, we'll be sure to let you know.
Watch for an announcement on the Shake Rag Alley website or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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HONORING OUR SARDESON 223 CAMPAIGN DONORS
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Among the many reasons we were excited for the start of this year's workshop season was the chance to show off work that Program Director Carole Spelic' completed this winter at Roland's Loft in The Sardeson at Shake Rag Alley. The stair risers leading up to the loft — which serves as guest lodging that generates income for our nonprofit operations — now feature the names of the people and organizations who made significant financial donations to our 223 Sardeson Campaign. The 2018 campaign supported the completion of our historic preservation of the building Roland Sardeson bequeathed to us upon his death in 2016. Carole's font selection was inspired by the Mineral Point Tribune newspaper masthead from around the time period when this section of the former Globe Hotel was built at 223 Commerce St. Thank you again to these generous 223 Campaign donors:
Don and Lisa Hay * Sherry Viktora * Bruce Howdle * Mineral Point Community Foundation * Lois Alm * Farmers Savings Bank * Jim & Barbe Kackley * Catherine Palzkill * Mineral Point Community Chest * Mineral Point Lions Club * Ken Wallace * Randy & Cindy Fleming * Judy Sutcliffe & Sandy Scott * Mike & Quinn Christensen * Gary & Laura Cisler *
Dan’s Plumbing * Mitchell Hardware * Joel Duncanson
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SHAKE RAG ALLEY MOVER & SHAKER: DENNIS McKERNAN
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Fresh on the heels of National Volunteer Appreciation Month, we’re kicking off Shake Rag Alley’s Mover & Shaker Club to honor some of the many people who have been critical to our success over the past 15 years.
Last month would have marked the start of our blacksmithing and welding program’s 12th year with an Intro to Torch Welding workshop and an Open Lab for Blacksmithing with Dennis McKernan (pictured above right with instructor Bob Tuftee). It’s a good time to take a moment to recognize Denny, Shake Rag Alley’s volunteer blacksmithing supervisor and welding instructor, who originated the program and is retiring as supervisor this year.
When former Board member Brent Starck donated a generous sum for setting up blacksmithing in the old Potters Barn at Shake Rag Alley, it was Denny who took on the project of locating traditional coal forges, anvils, standing vises, hammers, tongs, and much more. As a member of the Upper Midwest Blacksmith Association, he was able to contact potential instructors for the beginning program. As the number of stations grew over the years to the six sets of forges, anvils, and vises now in place, Denny handled their maintenance and repair while organizing all the required equipment. He readied equipment for each instructor’s class and was always available for help if needed. In the past couple years he has spearheaded the construction of a new ventilation system for all the forges. His many years of volunteer work have created an excellent and very successful metalsmithing program for our school of arts and crafts. Thank you, Denny, for being a Shake Rag Alley mover and shaker! We will do our best to honor your legacy as staff begin to absorb your supervisor duties.
Thanks to Judith Sutcliffe for sharing this tribute to Denny.
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Has time at home sparked your creativity? Tell us about your project and send photos to share. Let your artistic community swoon, applaud, be inspired, and smile ear-to-ear like we did when we received this adorable picture of a young Mineral Point lady sporting the beaded necklace she created the first day we launched our Art Kit Mondays!
Please send us an email or tag us in photos you post on Facebook or Instagram so that we may share them with the Shake Rag Alley community.
Thank you! #creativityisn'tcanceled
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#GivingTuesdayNow is a new global day of giving and unity that will take place on May 5 – in addition to the regularly scheduled Dec. 1 #GivingTuesday – as an emergency response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19. The day is designed to drive an influx of generosity, citizen engagement, business and philanthropy activation, and support for communities and nonprofits around the world.
At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people together across the globe. Generosity gives everyone power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on. It’s a day for everyone around the world to stand together and give back in all ways, no matter who or where we are.
If you can, on May 5 please consider making a donation to help Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts continue to:
- provide educational experiences in visual, performing, and literary arts to adults and children
- cultivate the creativity that thrives in our rural community
- rehabilitate and preserve our historic buildings and rustic campus.
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After you make your donation to Shake Rag Alley, follow this link to pin your story of giving to the #GivingTuesdayNow Map and help fill the world with kindness!
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P.S. MOTHER'S DAY IS SUNDAY!
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You know she's going to have a lot of pent-up creative energy later this year – not to mention a well-earned need to get away!
Email a gift certificate for workshops or lodging at Shake Rag Alley and let the moms in your life begin dreaming now – when the time is right we will welcome them with open arms on our lush and lovely campus!
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Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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Youth programming at Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts is supported in part by a grant from the Mineral Point Community Chest and United Fund of Iowa County.
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