Double birthday and new members!!!

Twins Bryan and Erik Hendrickson held birthday festivities all day at the shop yesterday.


Bryan was busy cutting off the back of the 63 Chevy dump - which finally came off late in the afternoon.

Next job - floorboard fabrication and door-frame rebuild.



Erik tacked away at a metal flower which is nearing completion.



The TA also warmly welcomes another member to the crew, Eric Tucker.



With many years working with his hands as a craftsman and industrial jewelry designer, Eric brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team.



Meggan Durst aka Gadget also began working on a fire fan to use in performance. Meggan is a culinary student at MCCC, and will be joining the TA full time upon graduation. Meanwhile she is helping with procurement of foods and hoola hoop lessons!



Somehow a praying mantis made her way into the shop during last night's festivities.

What an amazing looking insect!!

A Link To The Past

Recently uncovered documents reveal the plans and history for the Roebling complex.

Written in 1998, a recently uncovered web-document reveals detailed plans for redevelopment of the Roebling wire-rope building the Trenton Atelier now plans to revive.

The specialtyretail.net heading for the website reads: Roebling Complex, Trenton, New Jersey From Bridge Building to Bowling. At a projected cost of $35,000,000, this behemoth project would have created a 25-lane bowling alley and 14-screen theater in the heart of the former Roebling complex.

(http://www.specialtyretail.net/issues/dec98/Roebling_Complex.htm)

"That project would put you in the heart of Trenton, New Jersey, amidst the sprawling John A. Roebling and Sons complex of huge brick buildings and railroad sidings, dating back to 1848 and idle since 1974."

Since the December 1998 announcement in specialtyretail, the factory warehouse has remained a in a state of suspended decay, slowly breaking down into another monument in Trenton's urban gravyard.

The Trenton Atelier seeks to resurrect this property into a bustling artist's hub, at a fraction of the cost - only $350,000. Trenton's Atelier would be created from predominantly reclaimed and salvage materials with careful planning and foresight to meet the requirements of regulations, but with the thrift and creativity necessary to create a resilient, unique space.

Cooch Styles provides Industrial Singers for TA.

We had the great privilege to meet William "COOCH" Mackson yesterday. In the 80's, William created the brand "Cooch Styles", a line of fashions that was the precursor to today's Hip Hop fashions on the street. Long before Hoodies and over-sized wear became en vogue and lines like Phat Pharm, Karl Kani and Echo Wear came out on the scene, William was what Little Richard was to Rock and Roll, An innovator and creator of the first Black Hip Hop clothing designs that helped to create the culture. Without a doubt, the first in the area of the small town of Lakewood, NJ.

William is now creating childrens books in an effort to help children learn to read and appreciate the art. Trenton Atelier has the pleasure of adding William Mackson to our family! He will be giving us weekly lessons on how to create our own clothing.

Expect to see TA clothing in 2011!

Bryan teaches some culinary at the TA!

In an effort to scrounge up a delicious, nutritious dressing for a freegan salad courtesy Whole Earth, Bryan prepared an array of tastes from some left-over sauces.  Using combinations of rice vinegar, lemon, lime, garlic, Emeril's Original, dill pickle juice, and mustard, a pleasing aroma began to fill the kitchen air.

Jeanine watches as bryan explains how to properly separate the "yucky" parts of the lettuce and save the good pieces.  In this economy, one can be picky about the food they receive.  We should all be thankful for what we have been given, and we greatly appreciate the produce donations from our friends.

Nice work Bryan, and what a delicious salad it was.

Priceton University "Community Action" at Trenton Atelier

Princeton Unveristy students visited and created at the Trenton Atelier on September 7th, 2010.

View the full ARTicle at the link below
http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S28/39/51O64/index.xml