A Great Beginning

When our small team of artisans and contractors first moved into the building at 298 Northampton Street last April, we had only a shell of a plan for the building. We knew we wanted to create a community of artisans, because collaborative work can be so much more inspiring than working alone. We knew we wanted to create an anchor institution in the neighborhood, to provide a place for people to come together to share and learn. We knew there was a need for an innovative environment where new ideas can be born and nurtured.


So we started. We shared our intentions with others, invited others to get involved, and opened our doors to the community. In just over eight months, we've hosted theater productions, puppet shows, our monthly Saturday Sale, the steadily expanding artistic creation of a local architect, and numerous other community events. We've collaborated to build out spaces in order to create humble, affordable workspaces for emerging artisans. And we've brainstormed a plan and structure we're confident can get us to the next level.

Big Plans

2013 is about realizing our intentions. It’s about building, and playing, and experimenting. It’s about creating a home for more artisans, about sharing and teaching those who want to learn more. We're finalizing the process of acquiring the building and developing a master plan for how the building will grow over the next twelve months. By year’s end, we hope to have the building 70% occupied with metal workers, fiber artisans, woodworkers, glass workers, and expanded programming for the community. Our vision of building an affordable community workspace for artists and artisan is coming into focus.

A Vibrant, Local, Green Economy

Though we love the opportunities for community engagement that occur under The Foundry's roof, our biggest priority is to incubate and support small businesspeople and changemakers who are the backbone of a vibrant, local, and green economy here in Western New York.

Our master plan is expanding:

• We’ll include local food entrepreneurs by incorporating a community kitchen and cafe which sources the majority of its produce from community gardens and urban farms.
• We’ll be collaborating with local education institutions to implement an entrepreneurial program that helps develop good ideas into strong business plans for the community.
• Our educational programs will help share new ideas with the local community so they can make more informed decisions in their energy use and purchasing.
• Our Second Saturday events are regular opportunities to learn more about and actively support this effort.

We Invite You!

This effort, like any new effort, grows and expands with the input of those who care, those who believe another way is possible. We invite you to get involved. Our community is growing, and there’s room for you. Share our work with your friends and family. Bring them out for a Second Saturday event, we have one Saturday February 9 (see the schedule below), or mail us if you're interested in contributing your time and skills to writing this next chapter. We’re so excited about what lies ahead and we hope to see you soon.

Onward!

Second Saturday at The Foundry

Saturday, February 9, 2013 - Noon to Five

• Art & Craft made by local artists and artisans
• Come buy presents or shop for yourself
• Support LOCAL artists and artisans!
• SOLE of Buffalo's Urban Agriculture Series - Class #2 - Winter Seeding!
• Live Acoustic Music
• Enjoy good food and live music
• Fresh Produce from local farms
• The world-famous Kissing Museum!
• Food & Refreshments by Chef Stefan of Three Brothers Catering

For the first ten years of my professional life, I spent a considerable amount of time working in the field of education. I taught at public schools and private schools. I did a lot of mentoring of youth in alternative/outdoor education programs. I helped found a not-for-profit, private school focused exclusively on supporting the individual needs and interests of young people who struggled in traditional education models. Through these experiences, I've seen amazing successes and abysmal failures.

A Great Concern

The issue of dropouts from our public high schools across the country should be one of our greatest concerns as we consider the future of our nation, yet I feel it’s an issue that’s largely ignored. Programs exist to meet the needs of some youth who have left school, but increasingly I’m finding the services don’t address their needs.

Looking at the Big Picture

At Net Positive, our focus on community education is intended to look “big picture” at these educational gaps and propose solutions to leverage existing resources to meet new, emerging issues.

A small group of friends and I have been grappling with this issue for years. We don’t just sit around and lament the fact that young adults who drop out make up a growing percentage of the prison population (in some states greater than 50%) or that young adults who drop out are more likely to be underemployed or live in poverty (we have lots of stats to back up these facts, for sure). We actually have ideas, we have a real plan.

So when you have a plan you talk to folks about it. We’ve been working on a year-long program/curriculum for young adults ages 17-28 for several years now. It combines mentoring, interpersonal development, and educational opportunities, with a real work component that generates revenue to support the program. Based on our experiences, we have learned what really makes an impact in the lives of youth. Most notably, unconditional support, belief in a young person’s ability to contribute and make a difference in their own lives and the lives of others, high expectations, good models of a diligent work ethic and meaningful work.

The Limits of the Current Approach

A couple of weeks ago we met with the recently appointed Administrative Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Workforce Development Consortium, Inc.

We learned that our program just “doesn’t fit in” to the structure in place at the local, state, and federal levels to address the needs of dropouts.

We were explicitly told that training programs do only that, training. If a young person has an issue, or a social need, or is struggling with the challenges life has delivered, social services are available for those young people.

Webster defines SENSIBLE as “having, using, or showing good sense or sound judgement”. I don't know what’s going on in my universe this week, but I keep getting extreme examples thrown in my face of what just doesn’t seem to me to make a lot of sense.

In our purpose statement defining our intentions in starting Net+Positive, we explicitly refer to “common sense housing” as one of our goals. We support and advocate for housing models that are cost-effective, energy efficient, AND good for the planet. When it comes to houses, when we say “sustainable”, we want to answer the questions “Will it still be viable five or ten years from now?” and “Can a working family afford to live here?”

We have many ideas in this area and you’ll see those ideas in action in the coming year—use of reclaimed materials, coordination with other organizations to provide relevant on-the-job learning and training opportunities, incorporation of natural building techniques—the ideas are endless. And yet, these options seem so distant from our current realities.

One Kind of Green

Last week, I was speaking to a client who boasted about the project he was supervising, a 14,000 square foot residential building (single-family home), LEED Platinum (the highest rank of the national green building standard, as defined by the US Green Building Council).

In fact, this structure will be the world's LARGEST LEED Platinum home. I guess I should have been gleaming with pride to be standing witness to the “advancement” of our construction industry and its “green” parts, but instead I stood speechless. 14,000 square feet? Green? You decide! In my world, a building of this size is the antithesis of GREEN, by nature of its size alone, I don't care how much insulation you throw in those walls.

Saturday, October 13, 2012 - Noon to Five

• Once every month (Second Saturday) at The Foundry
• Art & Craft made by local artists and artisans
• Come buy presents or shop for yourself
• Support LOCAL artists and artisans!
• Enjoy good food and live music - Jony James Blues Band this month!
• Fresh Produce from local farms
• Food & Refreshments by Chef Stefan of Three Brothers Catering

Live Music by Jony James Blues Band

Jony James is overflowing with soul. It drips down from his hands onto his guitar, in lyrically urgent bends and intense ethereal assaults. It pours out through his weathered, leathery voice, telling vivid, open-minded tales of a tumultuous life, with his impressive song writing skills. His jovial, yet pensive nature is evident in both his music and stage presence.Check out Jony's website here.

Delicious food by Chef Stefan of Three Brothers Catering!

Start with a small idea . . .

The Super Saturday Sales at The Foundry started when Kevin Hayes, a Net+Positive co-founder, pushed for a way to get rid of some of the extra materials that had begun to gather dust around the building.

We are definitely a community of trash pickers and we’d much rather see materials leveraged to make something new, but sometimes we just have too much stuff lying around. So the Super Saturday Sales began.

. . . end up with a big result

Now just a few months later, on every Second Saturday we have a growing cast of artisans selling their wares, live music every month, talented folks who demonstrate their skills, fun activities for kids, fresh food and produce, a growing number of new friends and supporters – and we've sold a few old doors, too!

It all became a reality because someone decided it was important enough to just start!

More than the usual Talk Talk Talk . . .

Net+Positive is about creating positive change through ACTION! You gotta get things started, even if you don’t have anyone to help out with what you’re starting. If the idea or project is any good, someone will come along to help. If you haven’t started it, that person won’t be there, he or she will be doing something else, that somebody else started.

Here's a truth most of us know - there are plenty of people out there just waiting for some kind of actual progress. There are plenty of people who want to actually be doing something rather than the usual talk talk talk.

I think we, all of you and all of us at Net+Positive, ARE those people!

Saturday, September 8, 2012 - Noon to Five

This month will be a HARVEST FESTIVAL!

Come buy presents or shop for yourself, enjoy good food and live music, support LOCAL artists and artisans! Once every month (Second Saturday) at The Foundry.

Fresh Produce from local farms

Food & Refreshments

Art & Craft made by local artists and artisans

Live Music by BABIK! - Gypsy Jazz

Babik (pronounced Bah-Beek) is a progressive Gypsy Jazz band inspired by the legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt. In their six years together Babik has reached across generational and stylistic lines, creating a fan base that is as diverse as their musical influences. At Babik’s concerts it is not uncommon to see a white-haired 75 year-old grandmother dancing next to a purple-haired 20-something. Check out their website here.

Food and Cooking Demonstrations by Three Brothers Catering!

At The Foundry, 298 Northampton Street, Buffalo, New York 14209 (map here) Artists & Artisans: Do you make things and live locally? Are you interested in selling at the sale? Contact us at info@netpositivefoundation.org or call Megan at 716-912-5529.

New East Side Community Action Venue Hosts the SUPER SATURDAY SALE!

The Foundry Delivers Artisan Craft, Family Fun And Community Action At 298 Northampton Street

This Saturday, August 11th from 12p.m. to 5 p.m., we'll be hosting our HUGE, SECOND SATURDAY ARTISAN SALE and FARM STAND at THE FOUNDRY, 298 Northampton Street, Buffalo. Click here for more event details.

This month' events include music by the Andrew J. Reimers Country Punk Extravaganza, locally produced artisan crafts, locally harvested and unique architectural materials, great food including GOODIES FROM THE GARDEN, and an awesome Beer Brewing workshop by a local craft brewer.

Kevin Hayes, co-founder of Net Positive said, "what's happening at the Foundry is really exciting.  Last week we hosted Torn Space Theatre and their production of "He Who Gets Slapped", this Saturday our monthly sale, lots of volunteers bustling to create unique work spaces, the building is really in transition!"

Saturday Sales occur every Second Saturday of the month and feature the work of local artisans, musicians, culinary artists, and educators.  Caesandra Seawell, Net+Positive's Director of Shenanigans, says "This is more than an opportunity for artisans to sell their work; artists share their inspiration with each other and their public.  My hope has always been that our impact on the community is an exchange of inspiration, that people will say, "Well, if they can do it, so can I - I can pursue my idea and develop my talent and enjoy my work."

Net Positive is inspired by and engaged in opportunities to support local enterprise and entrepreneurship, sensible housing alternatives that incorporate reclaimed materials, and educational programs to benefit the planet and people too, more information at netpositivefoundation.org/about.

Monday night, during the pre-show performance of “He Who Gets Slapped” at The Foundry, I caught a young girl and her sister peeking in from outside of the large garage door at the front of the warehouse. They were so curious and eager to learn what the BIG ATTRACTION was on Northampton Street. Since the circus is in town, you can imagine there is a lot of excitement, lots more cars than usual, and a good dose of heavy laughter (check out the show and you’ll know what I mean).

I tracked the girls down and invited them in for the performance…after all, it was “Pay What You Can Night,” so they got a super deal!

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt excited about a new venture, but hosting Torn Space Theater at The Foundry has helped me to feel hopeful and excited again about the future of Buffalo and my role in it. The manifestation of artistic works, dialogue and debate, music and dance, individual creativity and expression, innovation and problem solving…all of these characteristics make up the personality of The Foundry.

Wrapping up work at The Foundry the other night, I witnessed something quite out of the ordinary – a circle of actors rehearsing a stage slap for Torn Space Theater’s upcoming performance in the building. You can imagine the chaos; a line of people were slapping each other one-by-one and crying a staged, “Ow!”

Though otherwise out of the ordinary, circus performers and stage slaps have been a typical scene at The Foundry for the past few weeks. The more production ramps up, the more we are very excited to host Torn Space Theater’s performance of He Who Gets Slapped for the 2012 Buffalo Infringement Festival, because we see how it connects to part of the vision of our non-profit Net+Positive: creativity and activity within a shared workspace. Our vision is to create a space where artisans interact. We believe that sharing creative space encourages artists and artisans to challenge each other in their respective fields and bring new ideas and attitudes to the table, in turn collaborating on projects in unique and significant ways.

Saturday, June 16, noon to 5pm, 298 Northampton Street, Buffalo

Our Super Saturday Sale is an opportunity to buy local arts and handcrafted objects as well as support the artisans within our community. Learn about the newly opened artist business incubator - The Foundry- and the future plans for NET+POSITIVE and of our space on Northampton.

Food and Entertainment

• Music by the Fairweather Foes
• Strawberry Shortcake harvested locally from community gardens
• Kid's Tent!

Our lineup of vendors (click links for more info)

• Amanda Hippert: Jewelry, Fabric Arts, Paintings
• Bekah Starr: Kid's Table
• Buffalo Bottle Craft, David Sheffield: glass creations made from reclaimed materials
• Carrie Nader: Soaps and Lip Balm
• Crooked Pinkies Art, Ian MacDonald: drawings, woodworking, blank books
• El Buen Amigo, Santiago Masferrer: Latin American Art and Crafts
• Joleen Snowdon: Knit, Crochet, Sewn Creations
• Leo Powell: Mini drawings/paintings
• Mariah Kegler: Homemade crafts & Silkscreen T-Shirts
• Petrichorpaper, Danielle Myers: Books and Paper
• POPress, Lauren Rebecca Gay: Handbound books of Poetry, Fiction, Blank Notecards
• Rusted Grain: Woodworking

In addition to sales, we'll be having craft demonstrations by the following local artisans:

• Dave Sheffield - making wine bottles into wine glasses
• Crooked Pinkies Art- making decorated paper
• Rusted Grain - to be determined
• More . . .

Because the Allentown and Allen West Art Fesivals are on the second Saturday of June, we are switching this month to the third Saturday. We'll have our next Second Saturday Sale on July 14. Sponsored by Net+Positive.