I was cleaning out some files of pictures/articles I had saved back in the olden days when we read things (wait for it) on PAPER. Yes, kids, back in the day there was this thing called print and it was how we transmitted ideas and pictures.
I ran across an article I had saved on architect Jeff Shelton and his wonderful Cota Street Studios in Santa Barbara, thinking if I ever went back to a non-house living situation I'd maybe consider getting on the list for this place. It would kind-of be the next best thing to being able to build my own James Hubbellesque art studio.
I particularly like the ironwork and doors. Would you live here?
Artist James Peterson had me at 40' interactive sculpture. Yeah, I'll get on that bus, no question. Oh, wait. It lights up, too? I'm really on board now. Inspired by barnacles? Love it.
The clincher?
He wrestled internally with building in plastic - the very material destroying a lot of sea life. He eventually chose to imagine his sculpture as what might happen if the plastic took on the shape of the very things it was destroying. I love a good circle of life story, so that resonated with me.
Since I've been immersed in learning metalwork lately, this really turned my crank. Not only is it flat out cool looking, it moves (yay for kinetics!), and it has a message built into it.
The various "wheels" each depict and different water conservation message, timely for us Californians, no? I also love that it lights up, because I think everything should light up ;)
Today is an all video post because if you're going to showcase things that move, you need video of the thing actually MOVING. (Ya think?) The artist on these is David C. Roy and there are more lovelies on his website.
This gazebo by Creative Carpentry is full of awesome, that all I'm sayin'. I, personally, would either put a hot tub in this baby or turn it into a drawing/creative daydreaming space.
I've finally been nudged out of my overwhelm by this lovely piece of architecture in Taos, NM called Solaria. While I love the house - and especially that mosaic column - the landscape around is a little bleak for me. I'd want trees. And lots of them.
The idea of being totally off the grid appeals to me in so many ways...right until the part about internet connectivity and speed. That's the deal killer. I suppose that if I didn't make my living needing high speed internet it might not matter, but for now it does. Sigh.
The video is a slide show of many of the pictures of the interior/exterior of the house, sadly it isn't a walk through talking about construction and livability. But we can't have everything I guess ;)
