.4.
Penland Line Summer 2004
Playing a Part in Pen land's Future
The sound of construction has been filter
ing through my windows all spring and
summer. Workers hammering, backhoes
digging, and concrete trucks mixing.
Projects are being completed all over cam
pus, and it’s all because of you. Over 1,300
members of the Penland community have
responded to our invitation to participate in
the Preserve Penland campaign. This $8 mil
lion campaign for studio, housing and infra
structure improvements, scholarships, and
operating support, is the largest fundraising
effort the school has ever undertaken. It
was launched with a bit of trepidation and a
lot of optimism, and we are thrilled with
your generous response!
This spring, we opened Dorm 5^4,
named after its street address: ^4 Dora’s
Trail.This is the first new building complet
ed with funds from the campaign. Major
renovation is underway in Radcliffe, next
door to the new dorm. A completely gutted
and reconfigured interior will provide hous
ing with private rooms and baths. Life-safe
Dorm 54, designed by architect Dail Dixon, was built with funds raised as part of the Preserve Penland
campaign. The steel caps on the posts were designed and made by resident artist Marc Maiorana.
that is such an important part of the
Penland experience.
Kohin Dreyer
It has taken several
years to get to this
This wood and steel bench, which sits on the porch (f the new dorm, was
designed and built by instructor Jim Cooper.
ty improvements have been made to Craft
House, the Pines, and Horner. Doors now
open out with new easy-to-use hardware,
and we are working on new fire alarm and
sprinkler systems. A design for a new wood
studio is in process; a design has been com
pleted for an accessible walkway connecting
the Pines, Lily Loom, and Craft House.
Planning is underw'ay for a new studio for
2-D media, and for expansion and improve
ments to the gallery and the housing in
Horner.
With your help we are making sure that
the historic structures at Penland are pre
served, that our studios are well construct
ed and well equipped, that our facility con
tinues to provide the retreat environment
point. Penland’s board
of trustees launched the
Preserve Penland cam
paign in January 2001
to begin to meet the
needs outlined in the
1999 campus master
plan. That plan identi
fied over $ 18 million of
necessary capital
improvements. That
seemed like more than
we could handle at one
time, and the board
wanted to build the
school’s endowment
and strengthen annual giving as well. After
careful consideration, the campaign goal
was set at $8 million: $4.5 million to fund
studio, housing, and infrastructure projects,
$5^00,000 for new endowed scholarship
funds, and $3 million in annual operating
support.
Leadership gifts from board members
established a strong foundation. Together,
the board pledged over $ i million to kick
off the campaign. A campaign steering com
mittee, composed of current and former
trustees, has been leading the effort to con
tact friends of the school to share the
Preserve Penland story. They reconnected with
people who had been an important part of
the school’s history and developed relation
ships with new friends. Because we wanted
to reach as many people as possible, we also
engaged a fundraising firm to help us with
letters and phone calls.
Requests for support have been greeted
with a heartwarmingly positive response.
Rarely has anyone said no. Conversations
and correspondence reflect how much peo
ple love Penland, and how the school has
contributed to their lives. Students, instruc
tors, and collectors all want to give some
thing back. They want to help make the
Penland experience available in the future.
Along the way we have been blessed
with a few special gifts and opportunities.
Staff, current and former core students and
residents, and community members collab
orated on a special event in April 2004 to
honor Pearl Grindstaff, Penland’s beloved
baker, who has worked here longer than
anyone else. A wonderful auction of donat
ed art work raised over 817,000 for the
campaign. These funds will be used for ren
ovations on Bascom House, a Penland build
ing which was Pearl’s childhood home.
Elizabeth Brim created a stunningly beauti
ful iron smock to place over the door to The
Pines kitchen officially designating it the
Pearl Grindstaff Kitchen. Store manager
Kat Conley and head chef John Renick, two
of Pearl’s closest friends on staff, spearhead
ed this project.
In June 2003, an anonymous donor pre
sented Penland with a challenge. The donor
would match gifts to the campaign, desig
nated for capital needs, up to $2 million. To
qualify for the match, the gifts could be
multi-year pledges, but had to be made by
December 31, 2004 and paid in full by
December 31, 2006. This challenge moti
vated and energized our steering commit
tee, staff, and the larger Penland community.
Individual contributors made new or
increased gifts and pledges to the campaign
in response to the challenge. Several major
foundations have helped move us closer to
meeting the goal.
From the $2 million challenge to the
$25 contribution, every gift counts. It’s
important to have many gifts of varying
sizes from many different people—it all
adds up. Together we have raised
$1,67^,986 toward the $2 million chal
lenge, with only $324,014 left to meet our
December 2004 deadline. And, we’re close
to meeting the total campaign goal as well,
with $1^9,341 remaining to be raised for
endowed scholarships, and $93^,732 in
annual support.
Thank you all, so much. Many have
responded with a first gift to Penland.
Others have made their most substantial
gift to Penland. This overw'helming support
is tangible evidence of the achievement of
our mission—individual and artistic growth
through craft.
—Barbara Benisch, Director ojDevelopment
and Communications
Head chefJohn Rennick and a large group of current andformer Penland kitchen staff paid tribute to
Penland’s baker Pearl Grindstaff at a special auaion and dessert party held in her honor.