Recovering from a major disaster can take a long time. That’s why we were thrilled to hear that St John’s US Virgin Islands-based ceramic artist, Casey Giakis, recently celebrated her first kiln firing since Hurricanes Irma and Maria seriously damaged her outdoor studio and kiln. CERF+ was there after the dust settled to provide emergency relief to Casey so that she could rebuild and retool her studio.
“The grant program was a beacon of light during a very bleak time,” Casey said. “The CERF+ staff were considerate, patient, empathetic and helped me gather the information needed to apply for assistance. More importantly, they heard me and listened to my story all the while being compassionate to the fragile mindset my business partner and I were in.”
Today St. John VI Pottery Inc is up and running again and offering workshops, open studio time, classes, and more!
