Hearst Church, Pinos Altos New Mexico- 2012
I was first inspired by the Hearst church while Reading Lambert Florin’s 1969 book “ Historic Western churches” I could imagine that a place named Pinos Altos would certainly be the kind of place I would want to be living back in 1898 or even now. Even with the lush forest resources, builders of the […]
Saint Rose Catholic Church 2002
French Gulch, California 1899. This was my first piece, inspired by my visit to this lovely setting in Northern California’s Trinity Mountains. I have always loved simple wooden churches. The symmetry and weathered yet pristine whiteness of this building spoke to me through the arched doors and windows pointing to the heavens. Perhaps I […]
Dechambeau Hotel and I.O.O.F. Hall 2003
Bodie, California. Constructed 1879 Artists that work in any medium could find an abundance of inspiration in this quintessential ghost town. For me, recreating the Dechambeau hotel and Oddfellow’s building in Bodie was my way of preserving the history of this wonderful place, and the beauty of it’s weathered wood and pitted brick façade. It […]
Knights of the Pythias / Miner’s Union Hall 2005-06
Knights of the Pythias/ Miner’s Union Hall Building Virginia City, Nevada. 1876 The Beehive so masterfully created in brick and mortar on the peak of the Miner’s Union Hall in Virginia City Nevada in 1876 not only symbolizes the hard work that was going on in the mines, but the bustling growth of a Western […]
Hotel Meade 2008-09
Hotel Meade,Bannack, Montana. 1875 In 1864 when the First Legislative Session was held in Bannack, it was named the County Seat of Beaverhead County. In 1875 an impressive brick building was built as the first Beaverhead County Courthouse, but by 1881 the gold rush to Montana was history. The citizens of Bannack fought to keep […]
Wells Fargo & Co’s Express 2009
Wells Fargo & Co’s Express, Silver Reef, Utah. 1877 I was instantly intrigued when I first saw this building in the Sunset pictorial “Ghost Towns of the West”. The black and white image, taken by famous photographer William Carter, Shows large rusting metal doors hanging precariously from corroded hinges. They were obviously there to […]
Fraternity Hall 2010
Fraternity Hall, Elkhorn Montana. Constructed 1893 After working with ceramics for three consecutive pieces, I wanted to create an all wood replica that would challenge my skills. I was very happy with the refinement I saw in the previous model’s wooden doors. Fraternity Hall’s outstanding architecture reflects the Greek Revival style. Its false front is […]
Preservation through Art
I create replicas of historic Western American building facades in approximately half scale. I concentrate on mid to late Nineteenth century buildings, because this was a time of so much activity in the West. I try to present the buildings as they may have appeared a century ago in a weathered and abandoned state, brought […]
