2018 SUCCESSES: HOLIDAY APPEAL LETTER
THANK YOU for making 2018 a monumental year for Habitable Spaces! We started the year out with the construction of a 2,400 square foot shop. The project was headed up by the amazing Mr. David Larison, who designed metal frames for the structure to be welded out of used drill pipe by his talented son Tristan. The project quickly became a family affair, with David's other two sons Zac and Clay jumping in to help.
Not stopping for an instant, we then turned our attention to finishing the grow roof. We were able to do this with the help of our friends Madeline and Jeff, and Nir and Noa Pinkas, a lovely Israeli family traveling across the US with their three wonderful children. We sailed into Spring, with the whole team erecting a domed rabbit run and a bountiful new garden near the kitchen. Our neighbors Butch and Laura donated a semi trailer to us which we are now able to use for materials storage.
On May 5th we held a big farm to table benefit dinner with ducks and veggies raised on the farm. Thank you to all who came out to support, and a big thanks to Tripp, Jeff, Madeline, Evelyn and Laura who helped to organize the whole event. The dinner would not have been possible without the skills, support and patience of the magnificent Anna Marie Somera, who came to help cook a five course meal for 60 guests!
In June, we held our 4th annual Summer Solstice Festival, curated by Jaime Idea. The festival featured three short documentaries that delve into the realm of post capitalist communities. Jaime also lead a design your own utopia workshop in which participants were able to draw out their dreams for a utopian world. In July we went to our friend Will Hemmick’s farm and harvested grapes and peaches to make wine. Will and Shane and I pressed grapes overlooking his beautiful property until dark rain clouds chased us inside to finish the initial fermentation process. Jackson Click arrived in September just in time to help refurbish a clawfoot bathtub given to us by Millie Glasgow. The work was grueling in the last heat of summer, but we got the tub installed and now can take luxurious baths at Habitable Spaces!
October 1st saw the arrival of our Artists-in-Residence. We took on more artists this year than ever before, because we were so inspired by all of their community oriented projects. All of the artists participated in our 7th annual Fall Harvest Festival. Justin Garrett set up a pop up office in which participants signed contracts to gain emotional ownership, or Eenership of any object in the universe. Emma and Adam led a shape note singing circle as well as performing in front of Johnny Harborth’s shop. Connor Frew took on the trading post and installed his lending library inside it, and Jayne Lawless led a group in a sketch club that travelled throughout the festival sketching different goings on.
The year continued in a flurry, with a beautiful Thanksgiving with family and friends, and Jayne’s curated show “A Postcard From Kingsbury” - a collection of art and objects from Kingsbury artists and beyond. The show took place at the new Kingsbury Volunteer Fire Station. We closed out the season with a final farewell potluck at Habitable Spaces. Adam Blaustein Rejtö and Emma Rothman led a shape note sing along, and all of the artists talked about their experiences during their time in Kingsbury.
If you like what we are doing and want to donate to our non-profit, tax deductible donations can be made out to Habitable Spaces and sent via the DONATE button on our website at www.habitablespaces.org, or mailed to 3050 FM 1104, Kingsbury, Texas, 78638.
