My name is Elisha Harteis, and I’ve had the privilege of creating and teaching
ceramics in the vibrant art scene of Missoula for nearly a decade. My journey has
included collaborations with esteemed organizations such as the Missoula Art
Museum, the Clay Studio of Missoula, the ZACC, Flagship, the Lewis and Clark East
Program, and SPARK Arts.

Today, I am thrilled to share an exciting new initiative that aims to take my teaching
to new heights. I am in the process of launching a non-prot called Wheels on the
Bus, a pioneering project designed to bring the magic of ceramics directly to young
people through a unique mobile art studio. We are taking a school bus transforming
it into a fully-equipped ceramic studio, complete with throwing wheels, traveling to
schools, after-school programs, home school hubs, and preschools throughout our
community.

The goal of Wheels on the Bus is to enhance access to visual arts by eliminating
barriers and directly engaging youth populations. By providing hands-on
experiences with clay, we aim to ignite creativity, foster imagination, and build
self-condence in our future generations. Visual arts oer invaluable opportunities
for problem-solving, personal expression, and mental well-being, creating a
necessary balance to the demands of academic life.

To bring this vision to life, we are embarking on a startup campaign with an
ambitious goal of raising $140,000. This funding will support key components of our
mobile studio, including wheels, a kiln, refurbishing materials, clay, and
sponsorships for classes and residencies. Your support can make a tremendous
dierence. Whether through a donation to help cover specic needs or by
sponsoring a class or residency, your contribution will directly impact the lives of
young aspiring artists in our community.

We are excited to announce that we have already raised one-third of our goal,
thanks to the generous support of family, friends, local businesses, and the
Appleseed Foundation. We are also delighted to be fiscally sponsored by Arts
Missoula, a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations made to Arts Missoula on behalf of
Wheels on the Bus will be held in a dedicated account for our project.
Thank you for considering supporting this transformative project. I would be thrilled
to discuss this initiative further if you are interested. Please feel free to reach out to
me!

Warm regards,
Elisha Harteis

Wheels on the Bus

Thank you for your donation!