Pottery kiln shed goes up at Dahmen Barn

Garth Meyer, Gazette Reporter | Jun 29, 20170

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Kiln Shed

The 10X16 shed arrives earlier in June at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown. It now contains kilns and supplies for clay classes.

The loafing shed at the Dahmen Barn has been open for close to a year; it may be considered finished this week.

With the 3,600-square foot shed’s opening last July, the Dahmen Barn started to offer pottery classes, moving in three kilns with six clay wheels donated by Colton School after its recent remodeling and expansion.

People signed up quickly.

“Classes have been so well enrolled and going well,” said Leslee Miller, Dahmen manager.

In turn, plans led by Kassie Smith, instructor for the clay classes, got underway to add a 10x16 prefabricated kiln shed.

Its estimated cost is $10,000.

“We basically said, you’re on your own,” said Miller. “She is probably more than halfway there.”

Smith, who has taught Introduction to Ceramics at University of Idaho for four years, started teaching clay at the loafing shed last year in one 11x12 studio.

“There was a pretty immediate need for expansion once we got the students in,” Smith said. “There was a high demand and not much space to use.”

Steve Vachon of S.H. Vachon, LLC, contractors in Moscow, a friend of Smith’s, agreed to front the money to install the shed.

“I decided to go build before fundraising because the need was immediate,” Smith said. “Now I’ve got to pay him back. I’m still nervous about it.”

Her plan was approved by the Uniontown Community Development Association, which manages the Dahmen Barn, after which a member donated $3,000 to the project.

While more funds are still being raised, Vachon put the building in earlier this month and graded the walkway to connect the loafing shed to the new building off its northwest corner. Concrete is to be poured Friday.

On Aug. 12 a fundraiser will be at the loafing shed called “The Mudslinging Extravaganza ” which will center on activities with clay.

Smith earned a master’s degree in fine arts from University of Idaho last spring after coming here from Saginaw, Mich., where she graduated from Saginaw Valley State University.