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Clay Angels at Philipstown Rec Receive Donations of Pottery Wheel and Kiln
 | | Clay Angels: Chris Ostrowski, Sister Margaret Marie, Patti Pelican, Hudson Lovell (front row) |
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Angels are alive and active in Philipstown. They are working to help give fruition to the artistic visions of our children. And their work is gaining momentum.
"The artistic ideas of the children in our community are worth bringing to life." This was the basic premise behind the creation of The Living Room Project. Designed by Patti Pelican and Chris Ostrowski and implemented by the children of Philipstown, The Living Room Project was one of the many exciting opportunities offered to the children at Philipstown Recreation Department during its 2006 Summer Fun Program. With fantastic energy, artistry and teamwork, the children transformed the downstairs art room of the Community Center into "The Living Room." The key to the success of The Living Room Project was that the children's ideas were the focus.
The favorite medium of the children turned out to be clay. They worked together sculpting large scale group projects as well as individual creations. But with no pottery kiln in the Community Center, their clay artwork had a short life span. The children rallied behind the idea of doing a fund-raiser to buy a kiln but due to a town regulation that prohibits our Community Center from doing fund-raisers, an outside entity was needed to support the determination of the children.
Colleen and Chris Ostrowski formed The Living Room Clay Angels to meet this need. Operating separately from the Community Center and powered by local volunteers, The Living Room Clay Angels formed to raise money to donate a kiln to the Philipstown Community Center. And like most heart-filled projects the success of the Living Room Clay Angels has far surpassed its original goals.
Working together, the children created the artwork for the 2007 fund-raiser calendar. Fueled by the children's determination and spirited artwork The Living Room Clay Angels began to spread their wings. Parents joined the cause. Local merchants graciously offered space in their storefronts to sell the calendars, local folks bought the calendars and The Clay Angels soon raised over $300. Far short of being enough for a kiln, the money raised was nearly enough for a pottery wheel. And so the plans changed a bit but the heart-filled momentum continued.
Just as The Clay Angels decided to donate a pottery wheel to the Community Center this year and work again for a kiln next year, Claudio Marzollo, the Recreation Commissioner stepped up to the plate and loaned his pottery kiln to the Center. It had been in his garage for 25 years waiting for this occasion. And the momentum didn't stop with Claudio's generosity. The spillway of support for the artwork of our children continued to open.
Sister Margaret Marie of Graymoor had saved the original article from the Putnam County News and Recorder that described the work the children put into this project (December 20, 2006). It reminded her of her sister, Sister Vincent Marie, who had been passionate about both children and ceramics. For years she made ceramic artwork at Graymoor, fired them in her kiln, and sold them in the Franciscan Sisters Gift Shop at Graymoor. Just around the turn of the century Sister Vincent's health prevented her from continuing in ceramics. She insisted nonetheless that she still had more work to do in clay. It turns out that she was right. Sister Vincent Marie passed away five years ago. Her professional pottery kiln has been sitting in Graymoor since that time.
As Sister Margaret Marie learned of the children's need for a kiln, and of their passionate work to earn one, her heart moved her to call the Living Room Clay Angels and join up. The sun was shining and the birds were singing as Patti Pelican and Chris Ostrowski traveled to Graymoor to meet Sister Margaret and the kiln that is now named "Vincent." Sister Margaret greeted Patti and Chris with giant hugs and confirmed that it was a match made in some heavenly place. Vincent the Kiln is now plugged in at our Community Center, and waiting for the work of our children.
The Living Room is ready for the start of Summer Fun 2007 with two kilns, funds to buy a wheel, and another wheel on loan that needs a bit of motor work. Based on the response generated by the good work of the children and the good will of the adults, and knowing that The Angels are still at work, it doesn't hurt to mention that a pug mill/clay mixer would really be handy for recycling clay in The Living Room. A few more wheels wouldn't hurt either. This dreaming aside, The Living Room Clay Angels would like to express deep gratitude to the folks who rose to the challenge of our young artists. And it is never too late to join the cause.
If you would like to donate any of the items on the new wish list, or contribute to their purchase, or to be kept posted about developments with The Living Room Project, please email Chris Ostrowski at ctopots@yahoo.com or call 845-788-4088.
Most importantly, thank you and congratulations to all of the children who invested your artwork in The Living Room Project.
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