August Visit 2019

Yasufumi San installed plumbing in the ceramics studio. 

Four faucets over the cow trough, which will be a great huge sink!

Cleared out the ceramics barn. Here's Kazuki burning the old straw before the typhoon hit!

I decorated the toilet room with all kinds of bamboo items.

This was the coolest bug ever! A stick bug that totally looked like a stick!

Went to the beach in Minamishimabara, not too far from Serendipity. It was beautiful!

Went to Costco in Fukuoka for studio shelving. 

It was very similar, but with some yummy Japanese food. 

I've been buying muffins for the workshops at SNC for over 20 years! So funny!

Going back this fall! Can't wait!! Thank you, Kazuki!

The BAR is Open!

I owe my husband, Kelly, big time! He worked hard with the others to pour the concrete floor in the BAR, (Bamboo Art Room). We'll have our first workshop there with Glenn Grishkoff in late May. We'll make brushes with the bamboo at Serendipity!

This is how the BAR looked last May. We call it the BAR because wild bamboo was growing inside!

They also poured a sidewalk to the BAR.

BAR - before pic

We also put gravel on the driveway.

I'm am EXTREMELY grateful to Laguna Clay for their very generous donation to Serendipity!
Thanks sooooooo much, T, Bryan, and Jessica!
The ceramics studio will be up and running soon thanks to you!

T hung up the SNC workshop poster.
She'll be teaching a Paperclay workshop this summer at SNC in Tahoe!

T gave us an amazing tour of the Laguna factory. Here's a pic of their train kiln firing kiln shelves.

I'm also super thankful to Morgan and Bart for their gifts of ceramic equipment to Serendipity!

Here's a pic of my sister, Reisa, and me, enjoying lunch at Kazuki's restaurant
down the street in Tonasaka.
Oishi! Delicious! 16 different noodle preparations; so cool and yummy!

Kazuki is an awesome friend, and I'm so glad we met. It was "Serendipity"!

Making Progress!

I've been able to make several trips to work on Serendipity, and each time Kazuki surprises me with all the work he's done. It's looking great! 

 New kitchen! 

 My son Ryland Sweigard's drone photo of Serendipity.

 Love my log pillows. 

 Bought a small gas kiln and pugmill.

 Ceramics studio barn. Planning on making the trough a sink, putting wheels downstairs, and hand building tables upstairs in the loft.

Side view of the ceramics studio in the summer.

 Kazuki's rice field down the road in Tonasaka village. Drone photo by my son, Ryland Sweigard.

 Surrounding landscape down the hill from Serendipity. 

 I'm planning on making this area the glaze room.

 Kazuki's lawn mowers. 

 House has air conditioner / heater. Also has a washing machine that washes and dries in the same machine.

 Other view of house. It connects to the barn that we hope to turn into housing someday.

 Best renovation so far! I love the water saving sink and of course the "bells and whistles" of Japanese toilets. Control panel on the wall.

Massive improvement over the original toilet. 

Enclosing toilet room and shower.

Gorgeous rooster strutting his stuff. Had to keep the door closed, or he'd walk into the kitchen! 

A lot of people ask me when we're opening. My response is, "When it's Ready". I have no idea when that will be. Each time I'm there, I see excited progress, and get new ideas. I hope to open the ceramics studio first. Folks can stay in Unzen, and make ceramic work at Serendipity, a 10 minute scenic ride away. Kazuki has a small bus/large van, to transport folks.

I want to thank all the people that have helped us create this future art center.

I can't express my gratitude enough for Kazuki! My dear tomadachi - friend. This art center is truly: