an introduction to the

A R T S and C R A F T S  C O N T I N U U M

An evolving, collaborative, educational process creating opportunities to support renters as they learn, create, work and profit independently and live collaboratively as gardeners, artists and artisans using increasingly affordable residences and work spaces on debt free land in Center, Port Townsend, Chelan, Woodinville and Seattle. Washington.

Educational resources include farms, woodlands, a variety of furnished dwellings, gardening plots and working spaces operated collaboratively by changing cohorts of participants for periods of one to three months or more. Income from the increasingly affordable equitably priced, flexibly scheduled monthly rentals recycles through educational work projects designed to improve the land, resources and lives of participants.

...Artists and Artisans, Farmers and Gardeners, Conservationists and Preservationists, Equestrians,  Plumbers and Electricians, Singers and Writers, Wood Workers and Weavers…Please review the following video describing the major influence for the formation of the Arts and Crafts Continuum which is at the beginning of organizing participaion in a four year design / implementation / design process, a state of praxis where practice influences participation influences practice...


We especially recommend the first and last three minutes of this 3 part series :  


William Morris and the English Arts and Crafts Movement :        

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhavbSbdnhw

 

Links to additional Historic and Cultural Resources

 

Arts and Crafts

Continuum


Draft Planning Outline   September 2023
1. Background

In the spirit of the English Arts and Crafts movement, this design is a work of art, with an intention to be open and free in the creative details , dynamic around a fixed, guiding, internally structural holistic intension.

In 2028 Ron and Judy will celebrate 50 years of marriage. We are considering and negotiating as a family the gifting of debt-free working farmland, pastures, fruit trees and berries, wild woodlands of fir and cedar, streams and ravines, a couple new and a few historic buildings in a diversity of environments. Rural, small town, suburban and city locations where people have lived and worked with their families and communities with a diversity of opportunities available for discovery and creation.

Since 1978, we have managed, maintained, re-designed and restored places with an effort and income comparable to that of 2 part time jobs. We each had another occupation in teaching or art and still had time to share good times with our family and friends. This property management was accomplished within our normal everyday stream of living. Those people who used our properties helped make our ownership and enjoyment of them possible. Without the rents they paid, this would have been impossible.  

From experience, we know the current income and management system is sustainable. Our plan is to share this working process so, hopefully, generations of others can together, share and enjoy affordable housing, essential natural resources, wholesome food, creative education and discover meaningful occupations. We believe that the sharing of these properties will be good for future users. Debt-free in perpetuity means natural places will remain, farmland and work spaces will be fruitful, educational and housing resources will be protected, maintained, become more affordable and be of truer value in the future. Sharing and saving are essential loving virtues in nature.

Managing properties collectively is easier than individually. Making bill payments or scheduling rentals or maintenance or classes for a few properties is not much different than for one. Managing properties collectively is also more flexible and resilient for a group of users than if each was held individually. Resources from one property can be used for maintaining other properties.
As absentee, benevolent land owners we attempt to put ourselves in the position of being the servants of our guests. We schedule, clean, and maintain the properties when convenient for others. They are guests as each unit is furnished as if it was our home. We are rewarded by them when they leave the unit as clean as they found it or leave gifts, improvements and cheerful comments for our enjoyment and encouragement.

2. Gifting
A gift should not be a burden. A positive enhancement to the quality of life for the beneficiary and the grantor. True value is how much an item is needed in the process of making the life of the user better.

3. Human Resources
Housing is a necessity of human life, not an investment which makes housing less affordable. Affordable housing is an asset that should be maintained and valued because of it’s use as an essential resource.

4. Natural Resources
Natural processes are holistic and life generating. Human processes as part of nature should be compatible.

5. Educational Resources
Human educational experiences are naturally attuned to small group family- sized non-hierarchical interactions of 6 or fewer participants.

6. Functions of the Trust
A For-Profit Perpetual Trust supports the purpose. In the cases of the intertwined purposes of affordable housing, creative employment and environmental protection, the Arts and Crafts Continuum benefits participants within the Trust as well as the nature of society outside the Trust.

Trustees are responsible for seeing that their actions equitably support all beneficiaries of the Trust. Beneficiaries may be rewarded through profitable employment, affordable housing, maintenance of shared facilities, and access to educational experiences and natural resources. Beneficiaries may include other supportive, co-operative organizations.
Land Trust Partners would benefit Trust Beneficiaries by way of agreements to preserve Trust natural resources in perpetuity. These partners would benefit from adjacent Trust property being well managed farm land, educational workshop facilities and affordable housing for preservation workers and farmers.

Educational Organization Partners would benefit Trust Beneficiaries by organizing and managing educational activities including outdoor and indoor workshop facilities. These partners would benefit from use of facilities including access to affordable student housing.
Beneficiaries may profit from Trustee approved activities taking place on Trust property as land use and other restrictions allow. Affordable rental income will strengthen the viability of the Trust. Resources and donations will naturally flow toward the Trust as it encourages more affordable and easier access to creative opportunities.

7. Design Concept : arts and crafts continuum
A taxable, debt free, for-profit land/community/housing perpetual purpose trust providing support for it’s beneficiaries. The beneficiaries are a collective of Arts and Crafts Continuum self-organizing workers. Of these, three are trustees who manage the yearly budget for the collection of Continuum properties funded by workshops, conservation trusts, gardens and work spaces, products and affordable housing.

A Pair of Family Trustees (Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 ) are assigned by the Grantors who are contributing the debt-free income producing properties. The participants who Steward the properties are Use Beneficiaries. They each occupy One Unit Share for work and/or residency. Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 are Beneficiaries and each have One Unit Share. All unattached personal items are the property of Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 and managed as they see fit including allowing the Trust to use them as resources. Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 are responsible for finding, selecting and collaborating with Trustee 3, also a Beneficiary holding One Unit Share. Trustee 3 also holds a yearly management contract and is responsible for planning, budgeting and maintenance of properties and facilities. Trustees are responsible for meeting the needs of all beneficiaries as best they can, so they may all be free to live their lives more easily. Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 each name their replacements. If one of these two Trustees is not available to serve, the two remaining Trustees agree on a new Trustee. Trustee 1 and Trustee 2 are responsible for overseeing and approving the Management Process decisions made by Trustee 3. The Management Process includes all planning, budgeting and maintenance of continuum properties and facilities. This process is open to all Beneficiaries at small group continuum property meetings.
Use or value of each Unit is considered One Unit Share. Trustees may occupy One Unit or receive taxable income as part of the management process for One Unit. Each Unit is flexibly scheduled yearly and on a monthly basis or less as land use restrictions allow.
Living Units, Commercial Units and Farming Units are scaled equitably so they roughly have the same value of use. They provide space and resources to address the needs of each Beneficiary balanced with the needs of all Beneficiaries. Any inequities which might arise would be negotiated and settled at the annual dispersal of profits and in budget planning. This scaling equitably process allows Units to be scheduled, planned and managed more easily. Trustees are encouraged to be open to a future of possibilities this Trust will create. Improvements and additions to properties must only be by debt free methods including a savings account and donations to preserve the affordable and resilient aspects of this Trust.
To this end, the Trustees are encouraged to oversee scheduling educational activities for the benefit of the Arts and Crafts Continuum as resources allow.

8. Educational Activities
Philosophy, Nature, Arts and Crafts Workshops :
An introduction to the arts and crafts continuum philosophy, planning, organization and implementation
Other Relevant Subjects of Nature, Arts, Crafts and Philosophy to be encouraged:
Nature
Gardening Farming Forestry Arts Music Crafts Handcrafts Cooking Carpentry
Philosophy
History
9. Educational Environment
Indoor and Outdoor locations.
Creative Small Group (6 persons or less).
Onsite and At-distance sessions.
Task based, self-guided educational process.
Participants sharing knowledge with participants.
In a state of praxis. Theory in Practice re-creating the Theory.
Sessions are community projects which help maintain or improve the resources of the arts and crafts continuum.
Educational/residential facilities are multi-purpose and residential in scale including workshops, barns, storage, utilities as allowed by land use requirements.
Monthly affordable housing guests would have the opportunity to engage with local residents and organizations, propose focused workshops with like-minded guests and residents.
Associated Community Components :
Retail, Office, Agricultural and Residential
Draft Outline    2/21/2022   (2021 income/cost figures are used for planning purposes only)
Sharing linked resources enables participants to reach goals more easily. Funds for maintenance and improvement expenses are available through the management of a group of affordable rental residential properties which are enhanced by and in return benefit agricultural/housing activities. 
Affordable furnished Housing Rentals are flexibly based on 25% of income . All utilities and housing costs are included. The management process encourages those with a rate lower than 25% to support the Trust through donations of goods, services or property. 

Farming costs of $500/$1500/month for land use and RV/tiny house sites can be offset with part time employment at $25/hour or more (depending on experience) for residential maintenance and farm improvement work. Taxable farm production income is managed by the farmer. The affordable, variable land use rental rate is linked to this farm income.



T h e   A r t s  a n d  C r a f t s  C o n t i n u u m

community gallery, workshops, working farms and guesthouses

inquiries via email: rpb@windowsart.com

Copyright 1999 by ron paul baum.

(206) 632-7332