About Mudstrawlove
Currently, MudStrawLove is Steve Kemble and Mollie Curry. We met during a natural building colloquium (Build Here Now!) at Lama Foundation, and eventually combined our businesses (Sustainable Systems Support and Earth Circle Natural Building) and lives to become MudStrawLove. We collaborate with other people in the field when appropriate, which is often!
Most recently (2006 and 2007), Mollie and Steve have led two natural building apprenticeships (6-8 weeks long) at Lama Foundation in NM and led the hands-on straw bale part of the 2007 Texas Natural Building Colloquium, in which they directed the construction of what will become the main volunteer office for the Kerrville Folk Festival.
They greatly enjoy training enthusiastic folks in the green techniques that will be part of reducing our impact on the planet and healing our relationships--with Earth, with Self, with Each Other. The process of physical manifestation (building!) is dear to them both. Together, with energy, efficiency, affordability, connective design, durability, water management and more, they aim for a perfect marriage of beauty and practicality.
Steve Kemble
Steve Kemble has been involved in the straw bale building revival from the beginning. He attended the first ever class in the subject in 1990 (taught by Matts Myhrman), then immediately went home and designed his own house. He sponsored the second straw bale workshop (1991) at his place in Bisbee, AZ. Under the name "Sustainable Systems Support," Carol Escott and he produced the first ever strawbale video (inspirational and educational) in 1992, then proceeded to produce a step-by-step hands-on video and book (How to Build Your Elegant Home with Straw Bales) focused on a project on their property (a small guesthouse). They taught many workshops together, mostly "bale-raisings" and "plaster parties" for owner-builders. They also built their own earthbag house in the Bahamas.
Steve is an engineer and has a great capacity for detail. He is adept at design, innovation, and hands-on application when it comes to building. He has years of design and drafting by hand under his belt (since 1981) as well as Autocad experience since 2002. In the course of numerous projects over the years, he has figured out ways to build straw bale structures more efficiently and effectively and has incorporated his discoveries in his designs, advice and teaching. His booklet of Straw Bale Home Plans is available for $5. He is also trained in permaculture.
Steve also pursues percussion persistently and passionately! Hand drums from Africa and other traditions inhabit his heart (and house) and call to his hands. He has played drumset since age 10.
Mollie Curry
Mollie Curry got involved with natural building when she moved to Earthaven EcoVillage in 1996. She has taught natural building workshops, often at Earthaven, and in the Western North Carolina area since 1998. She has taught cob, plastering, straw bale, straw-clay, earthen paint, earthbag, and carpentry, as well as permaculture. Being involved in many of the natural building projects at Earthaven, as well as teaching and doing projects in other locations including Kleiwerks, has informed her building experience. Being an "earth" person, cob, plasters and earthen paints (alis) are her favorite things to work with. She has run her own business (Earth Circle Natural Building) since 2003.
In the early-mid 90's, Mollie worked as a wilderness ranger for the Forest Service, backpacking, clearing trails, contacting the public and spending much time alone in the wilderness. She has written several articles for various publications (including the Permaculture Activist and Communities Magazine) on natural building, permaculture, and other practical, spiritual, and emotional topics, including Beauty.