A mediation on the work of Rosalind Epstein Krauss, Sculpture in the Expanded Field.

Making structures is core to my artistic practice. I’m often tinkering and constructing small houses and outbuildings. These are experiments in how the built environment can alter or enable opportunities for thought, interaction, and productivity.

Corn Crib to Grin Cupola

The Corn Crib was built in 1938 and was initially renovated in 2013 building out studio spaces and offices on the first floor. The second-floor gallery and third-floor outlook cupola are currently under renovation.

The structure will be renovated to house Grin Cupola, an art gallery and gathering site. The gallery and renovations are on track to launch in May 2023.

www.grincupola.com

North House

A 150-year-old farmhouse I have been working on for the past several years. Recent changes include; monochromatic gray siding and roofing, replacing several windows, and a remodeled main bathroom.

The end goal for the building is to be a guest house and small art gallery.

Tofu Factory - Wash House Addition

The main building was originally built in 1998 and housed the MidWest Harvest offices, an experimental kitchen, and tofu manufacturing facilities.

In 2002 tofu production concluded and the space was repurposed into an art studio. In 2006 it became the catalyst for starting an artist-in-residence program called Grin City Collective.

Grin City closed in 2018 and the building now houses my and my Mom’s studios, Bread Tree Bakery, and Middle Way Farm (MWF).

In the spring of 2021, I built a 20’ x 50’ addition to the structure to expand MWF's vegetable wash/pack operations.

Fondly naming the addition, Wash House. This build was a collaboration between the MWF team members.

Cat House

The farm has two guard cats, Luna and Louie. In 2018 I made them a winter shelter in case they get stuck outside overnight. The structure is heavily insulated, with 6” thick form insulated walls and triple-pane windows.

The architectural style is rustic DIY cabin meets brutalist modern architecture.

The cats are indifferent to the structure.

Nanoth

a.k.a. nano a.k.a. nano hut a.k.a. nano bar

The Nanoth structure started off as an experiment, an opportunity for Grin City artist-in-residence to learn carpentry and framing skills. It moved and morphed several times, from a simple shed-style building to a building resembling the shape and scale of a Mammoth and to its final version, a tipped-over, moldy bonfire.

Nanoth was my first real structural build, it will always have a special fuzzy place in my heart.

RIP 2020, death by derecho.

Below is a catch all of other structures I have built or modified over the years, enjoy!