The Museum of Art in Fort Collins announced the tour, and I decided to
go. The tour sounded tailor-made for me, as I had moved into a new
art studio/garage this year, and hoped to get some ideas.
There
were eight garages on the tour, and I was able to visit all of them.
There were a wide range of garages represented, at some level
representing some of the many ways garages are used.
The
first garage was a unique two-level garage. It looked like a
conventional two car garage, but included a basement accessed by two
double-decker elevators. The elevator was halfway between the top
and bottom position, so we could see how it worked. You can see a
classic Mustang in the lower level.
The
second garage that I visited was a photographic studio, with a white
background and floor. The car is a rare alloy gullwing Mercedes, not
owned by the photographer; we were told that it was worth six million
dollars. The Mercedes looked great, especially as professionally lit
by the photographer.
The
third garage was a zero energy ready house, recently finished and
still empty, except for a few paintings. The garage contained a
Tesla, but was otherwise uninteresting; this was the only stop that
was a real disappointment.
The
fourth garage was a hobby printing shop. I enjoyed chatting with the
printer's wife, who introduced herself as the "printer's devil",
and looking at the old printing presses and other equipment.
 |
| Architect's home |
The
fifth garage and home were built by an architect with his own hands.
The motorcycles in the garage were on loan; one had competed in the
Baja 1000 race.
The
sixth garage was an artist's studio, on the second floor of the
garage. It included a porch with a view of the mountains. She was
all about creative use of materials that would otherwise be thrown
away. She is a weaver and a basketmaker.
The
seventh garage was also an artist's studio. The artist was 80 years
old, and trying to sell some of her lifetime of work.
The
eighth garage incorporated the ideas of the author of the book "Your
Garagenous Zone", Bill West; this is his garage, and something
of a prototype. He is a big believer is visual storage; no need for
labels or memory if everything is in plain sight. As you can see
in the photos, he uses slatwall panels, which are much more
attractive than pegboard. Slatwall is common in upscale clothing
stores; there are many kinds of hooks and other accessories
available. He likes 42 inch
counter height, which he sees as better for standing, with more
storage underneath. He likes to have things off the floor, as it is
easier to clean; refrigerators and other large items should be on
casters.
I
plan to apply to have my studio/garage included in next year's tour.
Not that my garage is or will be a showcase, but it is a working
artist's studio. This would provide an opportunity to show my art,
as well as my studio. It would also motivate me to finish and clean
up my studio.
