Creekside Foundry opens makerspace, bringing creative opportunities to White Sulphur Springs
By Jenny Harnish, The Real WV
A new makerspace is opening in White Sulphur Springs on May 1.
“The short and sweet of it is that it is a place for people to come in and make and create things and grow not only as artisans but as people as well,” said Creekside Foundry’s executive director Nicole Ramsey.
For a $20 monthly membership fee, creators will have access to a workspace and an array of materials and classes.
The large, bright, newly remodeled room features large tables that serve as workstations.
A 3D printing space offers three printers, including one capable of printing up to five colors. The design and template software, along with black filament, are included in the membership. Past the printers is the textile area, featuring yarn, crochet hooks, and knitting needles. Members can use two sewing machines, along with a variety of threads and muslin fabric.
Moving past the sewing station is the ceramics and pottery room. This room offers three pottery wheels, clay, corresponding glazes, and a kiln.
“Anything that we have within the space here, whether it’s our 3D printing, our textiles area or even our ceramics and pottery area — if individuals choose to be members, they have access not only to the space itself but to the basic tools and supplies,” Ramsey said.
Future plans include metalworking and woodworking spaces with basic supplies and tools.
Classes in basket weaving, quilting, pottery, and more will also be offered.
“Those are things that a lot of individuals from my generation and generations below me — we don’t know how to do. So this is a place for those older generations that do know the skill sets to be able to come in and teach these younger generations so that we don’t lose those true Appalachian arts,” Ramsey said.
Ramsey said the idea is to make a creative space accessible for anyone in the community. Even if they don’t want to use the materials offered, they can utilize the space for their own work.
“If they just want to have somewhere to be able to work on whatever their passion for creativity is, this is the space for it,” she said.
Ramsey said the goal is to make memberships as accessible as possible, adding that there will be scholarship opportunities for those who can’t afford membership.
“I’ve always had a love for the arts and always dabbled in drawing and watercolors. If I was in my late teens and early 20s and had access to something like this, it would have been life-changing for me.”
