When Brian Nettles opened Nettles Pottery in 1997 in Pass Christian, Mississippi, he’d always see CERF+’s boothat clay conferences he attended around the country. I’d always think, “damn that would be horrible” when I saw photos of artist studios after disasters.
“In 2005 Hurricane Katrina came ashore with a 37-foot storm surge wiping my gallery and studio down to the concrete slab, ripping my home in two with water over the roof.
The first day the mail resumed in my town I received a handwritten letter from Cornelia Carey, with a grant check telling me to spread the word about CERF+ to other craftsmen in my area and use the money as needed. Weeks later Cornelia came to town to pass out applications and see the disaster for herself and to help spread the word about CERF+. CERF+ assisted me after the storm in securing a new kiln and grant money to help me restart my studio. After seeing how important CERF+ was to the Gulf Coast arts community after Katrina, I will always be thankful and a supporter.
