Leadgate Artefactory Mantle

  The image(s) shows the end product of a commission placed today by some folks up from Rickleton who called into the Art-e-Factory with one of the ceramic poppies produced by Paul Cummins for the Tower of London Remembrance of the First World War.  I asked them to watch out for it in the Leadgate Village Website so they could collect when ready.   For their benefit and anyone else interested, this piece can either be displayed on a wall or as a table dressing.  It has been certificated and allocated the URN PVN-14-12-4 and this number, if used intelligently, will provide its story for those who care to look back.       Three pieces of St Ives Elm and two small pegs of Billingside Beech; no screws, no nails nor glue.  Even the pegs are hand-polished and oiled to fit snugly and hold the centerpiece of the display in place.  This was one of the last remaining pieces of the 1^st Elm ‘made safe’ 5 years back which the then Derwentside District Council kindly allowed us to use.  Like all our wood and other occasional artifacts, the tree was destined to become firewood.  Now we have about £25-30K’s worth of seasoned hardwood as well as the tools salvaged to work the materials which we continue to salvage.   The Art-e-Factory is our Social Enterprise that we use to fund our few surviving caretakers.  No grants, no loans, and not much help by those that are supposed to help.  However, just for the record, this one piece of St Ives Elm has realized something in the order of £940 to date and we are approaching our £1000 target and still have no ‘Business Plan’ or clever folks telling us how to do it better, even though by now we would very much value any fresh ideas they might have that have not already been aired on the old Pont Valley Network website.   We’re at NT Gibside tomorrow for their Christmas market if anyone cares to join us.  For those staying in Leadgate, look in on Billy Foster’s shop window, call into the Consett Gas Showroom or take a look into our shed on St Ives Road and, if you can help in any way, please do.  And for Terry, the street lights idea isn’t a bad one.  Next year maybe but for now do the best with what we have..   David Shields Art-e-Factory & Caretakers