Construction on my studio began in 2007 and was completed in 2009. The studio was a collaboration between myself and David Habicht, with the help of our architect friend Craig Hoernschemeyer. This is a handmade building, custom designed and custom built from the ground up. It is a timber-frame building built from ash killed by the emerald ash borer, and the siding is recycled telephone poles. The only work that was contracted was the cement and the windows. The result is a beautiful, eccentric, highly functional building.
The studio is heated with radiant heat. We laid more than a mile of pipe in the foundation of the studio! Just like the kilns nearby, wood provides the energy for the radiant heat.
I share the building with David Habicht, whose studio is adjacent to mine, separated by the common room. David has been making bronze sculptures, mostly portraits, for quite a few years but lately has been painting on canvas, mostly still lifes.
The room connecting our studios is a place for sharing and relaxation. There is a small kitchen for making food, and an area for making music. Craig Hoernschemeyer donated an old upright piano, ideal for playing ragtime or the blues.