44
a home magazine for the east river valley inside HISTORIC RENOVATION GREEN LIVING A RIVER RETREAT 2011 WWW. THEPEAKCB .COM Peak t
| Date post: | 13-Mar-2016 |
| Category: |
Documents |
| Upload: | crested-butte-news |
| View: | 225 times |
| Download: | 6 times |
a h o m e m a g a z i n e f o r t h e e a s t r i v e r v a l l e y
insidehistoric renovationgreen livinga river retreat
2011 www.thepeakcb.com
Peakt
Your local resource for building & home improvement supplies.Including environmentally friendly paint, stains, lighting & hardware for doors, cabinets & bathrooms. And at Mountain Colors, we go beyond supplies & always offer color matching & 6 oz. paint samples along with our knowledge, advice & solutions. We’ll help you get your project done right the first time!
As always, Mountain Colors is a proud supplier of Benjamin Moore Paints.
970.349.9200mountaincolorsincb.com
301 Belleview Ave.Crested Butte, CO 81224
Exterior Lighting Regulations.New downlighting regulations are now being enforced. Check with us to find out what light will work for you!
NEW
sitE!
A professional Custom Home, Remodel and Historic Renovation Company
1880’s Cabin Restoration | Maroon Avenue, Crested Butte
Johnny Biggers General Contractor
405 3rd St. Suite E Crested Butte, CO 81224
photos by bob brazell
4 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
t a b l e o c o n t e n t s
river retreat: a river running through it page 10
reclaiming history: what was old becomes new page 16
taking the leeD: simple green page 22
ore: a closer look page 28
grubstake: an iconic building page 32
artist profile: john ingham page 34
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 5
Visit Crested Butte’s Finest Properties Virtually at CrestedButteBroker.com
Channing Boucher ~ Broker AssociateBenson Sotheby’s International Realty970-596-3228CrestedButteBroker.com
39 Whetstone Road The Crested Butte Retreat
$4,499,000
873 Skyland Drive Log Masterpiece on Lake Grant
$2,995,000
28 Gothic Avenue Coveted West Side Craftsman
$1,295,000
2350 Slate River DriveKelly’s Cove at Nicholson Lake
$1,895,000
122 Elk Avenue Luxurious Coal Creek Condo
$850,000
No. 13 at Eagle Ridge RanchOhio Creek Valley Ranch Parcel
$1,150,000
696 South Avion DriveBuckhorn Ranch Beauty
$900,000
No. 7 at Summit Stunning Ski In Ski Out Home site
$195,000
welcomeA sense of place. We all want our home to re-flect where we live. When surrounded by the beauty of this valley, it only seems fair to pay homage to it on the inside and outside. The homes we feature in this issue of the Peak Magazine give tribute to the area in their own unique ways.
Seth Mensing writes about the Western Slope’s first LEED gold-rated residence, right here in Crested Butte. The house sits on the edge of technology and sustainability. It’s a small home, big on craftsmanship and cutting-edge green building techniques. The home is not only a net-zero home, as Seth points out, it’s “a singular work of art.”
I was lucky enough to be invited to a home on the Gunnison River that exudes family fun. It’s a retreat for extended family and friends to visit for a Colorado vacation. The home’s craftsmanship is to the highest level. And sustainability was also on the minds of the homeowners. They use geothermal energy, a practice they hope to see grow in the area.
The third home tour in this issue is a story of bringing a Crested Butte original back to life. Writer Alissa Johnson tells the tale of a home-owners’ quest to celebrate the history of town by restoring it, one building at a time. No one knew what they would find underneath the asphalt shingles on the exterior of the house. But it would be a promising surprise.
The homes we feature each tell their own story, but all share the beauty and charac-ter of the valley. It’s a story of preservation, a story of modern efficiency and a story of creating a place for generations to create new memories.
Enjoy.
–Melissa Ruch publisher
6 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
B L A C K J A C KG A R A G E D O O R
Riverland Industrial Park • Crested Butte, CO 81224www.blackjackgaragedoor.com
970.275.8929
Residential & CommeRCialQuality Sales, Service & RepairsCustom Wood & Steel Overlays
Emergency Door & Operator Service
servicing most brandsfRee estimates
Big Picture &Practical guidance
Get the
From one of the most trusted names in Crested Butte.
Put 33 years of local real estate experience to work
for you. Doug’s sound judgement will provide you with the unique perspective needed to gain an edge in
Crested Butte’s ever-changing real estate environment
DOUG KROFTBROKER GRI/OWNER
215 Elk Avenue(970)209-0373 DougKroft.com
crested butte news, inc.PO BOX 369 • Crested Butte, CO 81224970.349.0500 Tel. • 970.349.9876 Fax
www.thepeakcb.comwww.crestedbuttenews.com
publishersJill hickey & melissa ruch
eDitormelissa ruch
Writersalissa Johnsonseth mensingmelissa ruch
maya silver
photographersbob brazellAlex FenlonJames ray spahn
graphic Designtyler hansenJill hickeynicky o’connor
aDvertisingFaith Gasparrinikimberly metsch
copyrightno part of this publication can be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. copyright 2011.
cover photoJames ray spahnclariday home, gunnison river
the peak is an annual publication.to advertise, call 970.349.0500.
For editorial inquiries, email [email protected]
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 7
Mt. Crested ButteElegant and Relaxing9 Silver Lane is located in the highly desirable neighborhood of Gold Link with access to the Gold Link ski lift. Majestic panoramic mountain views overlook the oversized lot and open space. Three master suites all include spacious sitting areas and beautiful custom tile baths with steam showers.BEDROOMS: 5BATHROOMS: 4 Full & 2 HalfLIVING SPACE: 5,222 SqFtPRICE: $1,699,000
Mt. Crested ButteWestWall LodgeThis extremely spacious condo is located in Mt. Crested Butte’s most prestigious ski in/ski out residences. Located slope side steps from the West Wall lift this complex enjoys heated garage, swimming pool, hot tub, fitness room, ski valet and private slope side bar.BEDROOMS: 2BATHROOMS: 2 Full & 1 HalfLIVING SPACE: 1,874 SqFtPRICE: $699,000
Crested ButteQuaint Victorian Home Near DowntownQuintessential Crested Butte home nestled on three lots just a hand’s throw from downtown Crested Butte. This quaint Victorian home and cozy two bedroom guest home has under-gone an entire remodel consisting of the finest hardwood floors, solid wood cabinets, high-end kitchen appliances, counter tops and fixtures. Impeccable and original wood details can be found throughout the entire home. The expansive and very usable fenced yard has been professionally landscaped to create a truly inviting experience.
BEDROOMS: 5BATHROOMS: 4 FullLIVING SPACE: 2,467 SqFtPRICE: Units Start at $1,795,000
Crested Butte‘The Dogwood” BuildingA vibrant, stable and attractive building that greatly enhances the Historic District of downtown Crested Butte.” Winner of the Bozar 2008 Project of the Year. Currently home to the finest bar in Crested Butte this structure can easily be transformed to a three or four bedroom home great for entertaining in the heart of town1,529 SqFt of Living or Commercial Space4 Off Street Parking SpacesPRICE: $985,000
CrestedButteForSale.com
I have known Corey for several years. In that time we have completed three purchases and one sale. Corey continues to demonstrate that not only is he a consummate real estate professional, but goes well beyond his basic responsibilities to make sure that he exceeds customer expectations. It is for this reason that our relationship has grown well beyond the mere transaction. I would highly recommend that anyone interested in real estate
transactions (purchase, sell, invest) in the Crested Butte /Gunnison area engage Corey as a partner.” - Dan Bregman, San Paulo - Brazil
Corey DwanRealtor
· In the Top 10% of Highest Producing Realtors in the Crested Butte and Gunnison Areas
· Top Producing Broker at Benson Sotheby’s International Realty· Strong Online Marketing Presence with Banner Ads on
Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com and Google
A R C H I T E C T U R E , I N T E R I O R , L I F E S T Y L E & R E S O R T P H O T O G R A P H Y
www.jamesrayspahn.com 877.772.6097
james ray spahn photographer
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 9
inte
rior
pho
tos b
y Bo
b Br
azel
l
Chris KopfBroker Associate, Coldwell Banker Bighorn [email protected]
bighorn realty
ready to Earn Your Business faith, integrity and
hard Work
Call Me Todayto Discuss Your real
Estate Needs.
This mountain retreat is perfect for a large family, entertaining guests or clients with 3 beautifully designed buildings. Sleeps 18 comfort-ably, includes four car heated garage for all your mountain gear and toys. Great view ofMt. CB, and only four min-utes from downtown Crested Butte via Kebler Pass Road. 35 Acres in Trappers Crossing at CB.offered at $3,450,000. MLs #32766
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath Columbine
Condo with large coveted garage. $695,000, MLs #31706
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Gateway Condo with Parking Garage.
$495,000, MLs #33761
Adjacent Lots 13 & 25, Trappers Crossing at Wildcat (over 70 Mountaintop Acres). $295,000 each, or Both for
$590,000, MLs #32212
Great level building site and views from this convenient 1.37 Acre
Glacier Lilly lot.$249,000, MLs #32627
One-of-A-Kind Property – 4.5 Acres in the Gothic Corridor.
No BOZAR restrictions.$650,000, MLs #33141
see the Big picture (and
all the details) of the Crested
Butte real Estate Market
Contact me or Visit mywebsite to get your copy
of the current Crested Butte Real Estate
Market Reportwww.chriskopf.com
Chris Kopf Broker Associate Coldwell Banker Bighorn Realty (970) 209-5405 [email protected] www.chriskopf.com
Each office Individually Owned and Operated
Ready to Earn Your Business Faith, Integrity and Hard Work
Call Me Today to Discuss Your Real Estate Needs.
See the Big Picture (and all the details) of the Crested Butte Real Estate Market
Contact me or Visit my website to get your copy of the current Crested Butte Real Estate Market Report
www.chriskopf.com
This mountain retreat is perfect for a large family, entertaining guests or clients with 3 beautifully designed buildings. Sleeps 18 comfortably, includes four car heated garage for all your mountain gear and toys. Great view of Mt. CB, and only four minutes from downtown Crested Butte via Kebler Pass Road. 35 Acres in Trappers Crossing at CB.
Offered at $3,750,000. MLS #32766 Adjacent Lots 13 & 25, Trappers Crossing at Wildcat (over 70 Acres). $295,000 each, or
Both for $590,000, MLS #32212
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath Columbine Condo with large coveted garage.
$695,000, MLS #31706
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Gateway Condo with Parking Garage.
$495,000, MLS #33761
Great level building site and views from this convenient 1.37 Acre Glacier Lilly lot.
$249,000, MLS #32627
One-of-A-Kind Property – 4.5 Acres in the Gothic Corridor. No BOZAR restrictions.
$650,000, MLS #33141
Chris Kopf Broker Associate Coldwell Banker Bighorn Realty (970) 209-5405 [email protected] www.chriskopf.com
Each office Individually Owned and Operated
Ready to Earn Your Business Faith, Integrity and Hard Work
Call Me Today to Discuss Your Real Estate Needs.
See the Big Picture (and all the details) of the Crested Butte Real Estate Market
Contact me or Visit my website to get your copy of the current Crested Butte Real Estate Market Report
www.chriskopf.com
This mountain retreat is perfect for a large family, entertaining guests or clients with 3 beautifully designed buildings. Sleeps 18 comfortably, includes four car heated garage for all your mountain gear and toys. Great view of Mt. CB, and only four minutes from downtown Crested Butte via Kebler Pass Road. 35 Acres in Trappers Crossing at CB.
Offered at $3,750,000. MLS #32766 Adjacent Lots 13 & 25, Trappers Crossing at Wildcat (over 70 Acres). $295,000 each, or
Both for $590,000, MLS #32212
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 3 Bedroom, 3 Bath Columbine Condo with large coveted garage.
$695,000, MLS #31706
Ski-in/Ski-out furnished 2 Bedroom, 2 Bath Gateway Condo with Parking Garage.
$495,000, MLS #33761
Great level building site and views from this convenient 1.37 Acre Glacier Lilly lot.
$249,000, MLS #32627
One-of-A-Kind Property – 4.5 Acres in the Gothic Corridor. No BOZAR restrictions.
$650,000, MLS #33141
Each office Individually Owned and Operated
photo by bob brazell
10 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
r i v e r r e t r e a t
Welcome to Chateaux Relaxo,” says the sign in the kitchen of Barbie
and Greg Clariday’s home on the Gunnison River. And that sign says it all. The Claridays built a river retreat for their family and friends to come to… and relax.
“We have a big family, a lot of friends and we wanted a gather-ing place, a big open space where we can entertain,” explains Bar-bie. “We wanted a place to relax, a place to share with others.”
Houston-based designer Gail Ly-ons of Marketing Designs, who has specialized in architectural interior design for 35 years, de-signed the home. Barbie and Ly-ons work often together, as Bar-bie owns her own interiors store, Oohs and Aahs, in the Houston area. The two women make an incredible team, as the space is designed flawlessly.
“The house is unexpected. It’s unique,” says Barbie. “We didn’t want what everybody had. We didn’t copy anybody’s else’s house.”
running throug h i t by melissa ruch photos by James ray spahn
“
a river
12 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
r i v e r r e t r e a t
It’s a house that mixes the timber framing of Col-orado and the welcoming feel of Texas comfort. Barn wood, large timbers and reclaimed walnut floors deliver the feeling of rustic elegance to the home. Pair that with the natural stone and soft-hued walls and you get a perfect combination. The home has a natural touch that is achieved with the mix of textures.
“Our goal was to create a very livable, very practi-cal house with rich textures, rich color tones to re-flect what’s outside,” explains designer Gail Lyons.
“We wanted it to blend with nature, be real open and at the same time have intimate areas,” she says.
One of the first intimate areas you encounter in the home is the foyer with stone walls, a special touch, says Barbie, that Pike Builders’ brothers Paul and Steve brought to the project.
There is no ceiling to the entry room, giving you a view to the reclaimed timbers above. The room lets you know from the minute that you walk in that this house is distinctive.
“That was a real challenge, to make sure it came across right,” Lyons says of the foyer, “but it did.”
The large kitchen is welcoming with its warm tones on the custom cabinetry, all done by John Welch of Colorado Custom Cabinetry. A spacious island allows a multitude of guests to gather. The dining table is actually three separate tables. This way, Barbie says, they can accommodate whatever type of gathering they’re having. If it’s game night, then there can be three tables to play.
“From the very beginning,” says Lyons, “this has been a house for a lot of people. That was a ma-jor element when designing. It wasn’t going to be a house to just look at and not function. It’s a people house.”
The kitchen reflects that design philosophy. The kitchen is roomy enough for multiple people to cook in and plenty of room to entertain.
Adjacent to the dining table in the open floor plan is a bar area. A standout piece is the custom island that soars to the ceiling. But Lyons again kept it open at the top. “We didn’t want to close off the beam work and volume in the room, but we still wanted an intimate atmosphere.”
The island is a gorgeous rustic red that draws the eye in. Next to the island is a custom built-in wine rack, which adds texture and warmth against a stone wall.
The living room just invites you in with its comfort-able furniture in red and brown tones. The fire-place is covered in the same stone on the walls in the entryway. You can just imagine yourself loung-ing in the sofa, looking up at the reclaimed timbers above.
14 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
Right off the kitchen is the backyard—the Gunnison River. There’s a deck with sitting area; down a few steps is a gas-fired outdoor fire pit.
One of the highlights while building this house, says Paul Pike, was sitting out by the river for lunch, watching the action go by.
The master bedroom has its own patio with a river view. That’s just one of its many features. The master suite is a place to retreat in total comfort.
There’s a mix of textures on the walls, a warm plaster-looking patina on many walls, then reclaimed barn wood on the walls in a sitting area. To create a seam-less transition, the bathroom is a continuation of the color palette. A pounded-copper tub sits below a Western-style glass lighting fixture. And behind the tub is a painting of the area’s aspen trees.
Upstairs is a sitting area where you can watch some TV or work at a desk; the kids can play games. It’s an open view down to the kitchen, meaning it’s also a bird’s-eye view of the timber framing; you feel as though you can reach out and touch the beams. It’s a chance to notice the great craftsmanship of the frame-work.
A hallway leads to the kids’ quarters, or as Barbie named it, “Camp Clariday.” There are eight custom-built bunk beds, creating a deluxe camp. A hand-painted mural on the wall reveals a forest and critters. Then there’s an enormous stuffed animal bear, which stands to greet you as you enter the room. On the floor are big furry rugs. The Clariday grandkids absolutely love this room, Barbie says.
The Claridays have built this home for every generation of their family. They kept the future in mind when they thought about the efficiency of the house, as well, using geothermal energy to heat their home. Water is pumped from 25 feet below the surface of a pond on their property. Pike Builders put down 3,600 feet of one-inch coils below the pond. The 50-degree water underground is heated to 120 degrees on outtake. This water heats the home and fulfills their domestic hot water needs.
From the energy efficiency to the smart home concept to the incredible crafts-manship, the Claridays couldn’t be happier with their home on the river.
“It’s warm, welcoming and eclectic,” Barbie says, “and I loved the whole process of building it.”
Her advice for those building their own dream home: “Take your time, appreci-ate craftsmanship, and trust your builder. Because we trusted the Pikes so much, there were so many things they took to the next level. The craftsmanship is what we love about this house. The difference is in the detail.”
But lastly, Barbie says, when building a house you have to trust yourself. “If you really want something, just do it.”
r i v e r r e t r e a t
In g h a mar t .c o m
John Ingham, Inc.
G a l l e r yJohn Ingham, Inc.
s t u d i o
gallery located at:403 3rd Street (Corner of 3rd and elk)Crested Butte, Colorado 970.349.5174
emaIl: [email protected]
Web: Inghamart.Com
Post Office Box 2751 • Crested Butte, Colorado 81224 970.349.5261 phone • 970.349.1097 fax
Highest Standards of Excellence
Quality
Integrity
Creativity
Honesty
B u i l d i n g F i n e r H o m e s
Mountain Concepts
LLC
High
phot
os b
y Bo
b Br
azel
l
Bob BrazellPhotography, Inc.ARCHITECHURAL COMMERCIAL
800.331.0351 office/fax www.bobbrazell.com 970.209.4975 cell
architectural specialist since 1979
r e c l a i m i n g h i s t o r y
by alissa johnson | photos by bob brazell
What was
old becomes
newhistoric
renovation
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 17
he original house at the corner of First and Maroon was a hand-hewn log cabin, not much bigger than an apartment living room. In fact, these days, it is a living room. Weathered wooden trim around the windows and beams across the ceiling frame bright, white walls, and a leather couch and reading chairs encircle a wood-burning stove. It has the classic feel of an old ranch, yet it is
somehow modern at the same time. Standing in this gracious and inviting space, it is hard to imagine that it was ever home to miners—as many as 13 at a time, according to homeowner Nora Murray.
“The original house had a little stove and a little spiral staircase,” she says. “It was built on a foundation made of rubble and insulated with newspapers. They had to get these houses up fast, before winter.”
Nora and her husband, Scott, didn’t know much about the house’s history when they bought the property. They live in Chicago but have been vacationing in Crested Butte for years. They own and rent out the companion dwelling and refurbished church next door, and now spend their visits in a newly renovated home just up the street. They just wanted to see something nice hap-pen on that corner of the neighborhood. The house was covered in board-on-board siding, and while they suspected that the front building was historic, a 1970s addition on the back was not well built.
t
18 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
“We love this town and want to help improve it,” Nora says. So when the owners of 102 Maroon approached them about buying (Nora and Scott had inquired about making an offer a year or two earlier, to no avail), the Murrays asked Johnny Biggers of Crested Butte Builders to help with the renovation. They had worked with him before, and they love his talent for being resourceful—transforming Nora’s latest finds into functional, modern pieces, like an antique copper basin he turned into a sink for another house. But they also appreciate the history they share.
“Working with Johnny really became a friendship. We en-joyed that relationship, and it’s one of the reasons we took this project on,” Nora says.
Together, they peeled back the layers of the existing house to see what lay underneath. And under the vertical wood siding and a layer of asphalt shingles and then a layer of boards, they found hand-hewn logs with chinking of mud, cement and rocks.
r e c l a i m i n g h i s t o r y
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 19
They already knew the house was historic. Known as the Volk House because it was once inhabited by the Volk family, it is one of more than 250 primary buildings and more than 200 outbuildings that tell a story about Crested Butte’s coal mining days. But it wasn’t until that moment, peeling back the layers of history literally piled up on top of the original structure, that they realized just how special the Volk House was. Johnny and the Murrays contacted Molly Minneman, design review and historic preservation coordinator for the town of Crested Butte right away. She acted as liaison to the Board of Zoning and Architectural Review (BOZAR) for the project.
“The owners as well as the contractor Johnny Biggers came to us and said we know this is a historical building in front, and we want to uncover it,” Molly says. “Once they did, they really fell in love with the building. They hold themselves to a higher standard as far as rehabbing buildings.”
Preserving old structures, according to Molly, does more than provide a sense of character to Crested Butte’s community. It preserves the his-tory of the town, which was declared a National Historic District in 1974.
“Each historic building adds information about how this town was lived in during the mining era,” Molly says. “Almost all are some sort of wood frame building, constructed out of old-growth wood, especially those built in the late 19th and early 20th century.”
The many layers of an old building can be read like a blueprint—elements like the siding, the wavy glass, the window trim and the place-ment of doors all tell a story about Crested Butte’s past. One of the main tenets guiding historic preservation is to balance the preservation of that past while allowing homeowners to create a livable space.
“The application that Johnny brought forward [to BOZAR] was to un-cover the front historic portion and renovate the [the 1970s addition] so these folks could have a full basement, which they have, and then living space on the first floor,“ Molly says.
20 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
Homes Built with....
Optimum Value Engineering(OVE) Framing Technology
Isolation, Insulation & Ventilation
Designed for Super Insulation
Build Now with the Option for Future Photovoltaic Electric Panels or Hydronic Hot Water Heat
Let Bearcat help realize your dream...
Make Tracks to QualiTy!
Robert B. VandervoortPO Box 802 • Crested Butte, 81224
970.349.5159www.bearcatCB.com
Bearcat Builders, Inc
San Juan Stone Company970-626-5624
Flagstone • Patio StoneBuilding Stone • Veneer Stone
Decorative BouldersDimension Cut Stone
Masonry Tools
Natural Decorative Stone For Building & Landscaping
WE DELIVER179 Liddell Drive, Ridgway
It sounds simple, but the renovation process—begun in the summer of 2007 and finished in the fall of 2008—was anything but that. Johnny and his team demolished the addition in back and then worked with Vogy’s House Moving to hoist the original log structure onto steal cribbing. Johnny’s crew and dirt workers then excavated under the house to make room for a basement, put in a drainage system and pour concrete footings and a new foundation that would allow the house to live on for years.
“The original cabin was sitting on rocks, and over time that type of foundation disintegrates into the ground, so we can use modern techniques to attach a new foundation,” Johnny says.
The goal in historic preservation is to maintain how and why the building was built by reinforcing the old product. Inside the house, that meant leaving the original rafters in the roof but reinforcing them with new wood. And when it came time to cut interior walls, each one had to be cut individually to fit the original structure.
The other unique aspect of restoring historic buildings is that new features can-not detract from the historic story. Adding windows or doors on the front of the house, where they will be visible from the street, can disrupt the original way the house was used. But in the case of the Volk House, Johnny and his crew uncovered two doors and a window that had been framed in from the outside. Working with Brad Crosby, a member of Johnny’s crew who specializes in draft-ing and design, and under consultation with architect Dan Murphy, Johnny and the Murrays were able to add the features back into the design of the house, while also adding a new entrance on the side that worked better for the interior layout. It’s a complex process that requires attention to detail.
“The architect and the engineer have to work together to make sure it’s going to stand,” Johnny says. “It’s completely new architecture. The building is a foot deeper but no taller. We got rid of the ’70s frame structure in back, but kept that footprint. And discovering the beautiful structure in front allowed us to make that other building look old with reclaimed wood and some new wood made to look old.”
The result is a home that from the street looks for all intents and purposes like a late 19th-century or early 20th-century cabin, invoking all of the familiar words we use to describe what once was: quaint, charming, historic. But inside, the house is anything but small or old.
A wrought iron spiral staircase anchors the front room to the rest of the house: a modern eat-in kitchen on the main floor, two bedrooms under a peaked roof upstairs, and a spacious refinished basement. Modern flare accents weathered beams, like a liquid metal kitchen counter the color of copper that Johnny had poured and then sent to Denver to be given more of a distressed look. Upstairs, guests can lie in the comfort of their beds and look out at Mt. Crested Butte, perfectly framed by skylights. In the basement, light pours into the bedroom and family room from a recessed entryway with floor-to-ceiling windows. It feels homey and comfortable, with four and a half bathrooms, room for six to eight people to sleep comfortably, and furnishings and decorations picked out by Nora herself. The Murrays and Johnny struck that perfect balance between preservation and expansion.
“Any building projects that involve working on existing buildings, historical or non-historical, take a certain amount of skills and craftsmanship,” Molly says. “And with some contractors, like Johnny Biggers, you find these craftsmen that can take a construction project to that next level that’s required of historic build-ing, and that’s not everyone’s bailiwick. Some like new construction and energy efficiency, but folks that get into historic buildings really enjoy the character. They are preserving a lot of embodied energy, especially when you have all those logs that are hand-hewn.”
r e c l a i m i n g h i s t o r y
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 21
Now you know your local independent agent!
For all your commercial & personal insurance needs. Diane Markowitz318 Elk Avenue
Serving the Entire Upper East River Valley
Fireman’s Fund - Acuity - Allstate - Allied InsuranceColorado Casualty - Travelers - Pinnacol - Safeco
Mountain States - Chubb - Zurich
EnergySmartG u n n i S o n
Making energy improvements simple and affordable
Save Energy. Save Money. Start Today.
Your Energy Smart Resource Center is here to help homeowners & property managers stop the leaking.
11-107_PeakAd.REV.indd 1 3/30/11 12:11:11 PM
No one knows for sure who first cut the logs for the Volk House. Its exact origins are hard to pinpoint. According to Molly, Crested Butte was a com-munity based on an oral history. Little was written down, so most historic information comes from houses associated with notable people whose rela-tives still remain in the area.
“Whoever was associated with this house didn’t have a lot of information regarding its origin,” Molly says. “[As part of a historical survey conducted for Crested Butte,] the cultural information found was from a 1920 United States census. John Volk was a coal miner who lived here and came from Austria or Slovenia, but we know more about him than the building.
“The mystery,” she continued, “is did it come from Irwin, or was it built on site here? It could have come down from Irwin because it was a silver town. They were looking for silver and the market dropped out of the sil-ver market. After that people left. There was no reason, so far in the West Elks where winters are horrific, to stay. If you can’t get silver, why are you going to stay? Irwin became a ghost town over night, so the house easily could have been brought down somehow. The great thing about the min-ers, they didn’t let anything go to waste.”
It’s the story that makes the most sense to Johnny, who imagines a fam-ily disassembled the home log by log and brought it down by horse and wagon.
“The logs didn’t fit perfectly,” Johnny says, “which makes me think it’s pos-sible it came from Irwin.
It’s likely to remain a mystery—one that adds to the mystique and old-time quality of the home.
“It really has become a gem, going from a ho hum building to really un-covering a gem,” Molly says. “What Johnny Biggers as well as the Murrays did with it really made it into such a beautiful building representative of the historic character and simple architecture that a lot of us enjoy here. Not high Victorian, it’s western Victorian—simple lines and openings, and yet at the same time, each has its own special character.”
22 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
As the valley south of town starts to rise out of the Slate River bottom toward Crested Butte Mountain, there’s a house that fades into the twilight. By night, by design, it has all but vanished. But when the sun comes up and shines on Doug Hosier’s McCor-mick Ranch home, the potential for doing more with less becomes clear.
The worn look of a century-old miner’s cabin belies the fact that this house, finished last year, sits on the cutting edge of technology and sustainability. Space is maximized, from the roof, which sup-ports 280 square feet of solar thermal panels and a 5.1kW solar array, to the way the house is situated on the lot. The result is a net-zero home that produces as much power as it consumes.
“Step number one to building a sustainable house is to keep it small,” builder Todd Carroll of Sopris Builders says. So while the property’s covenants allow for up to 7,500 square feet of floor space, Hosier has no intention of taking the property anywhere near the limit.
us i m p l e G r e e n
by seth mensingPhOTOs By AleX FenlOn
The neT-zeRo MccoRMick Ranch house is WesTeRn slope’s fiRsT leeD golD-RaTeD ResiDence anD sTays TRue To local aRchiTecTuRal heRiTage
t a k i n g t h e l e e d
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 23
Instead, he commissioned something to suit his needs: a 1,500-square-foot house and a 1,000-square-foot garage that would be the envy of most gear-loving folk.
When Hosier bought the property at McCormack Ranch, his life was different from what it is today. His daughter was still at home. She’s since graduated from college. So the plan he had in place changed, too. “I realized I didn’t need the house I thought I was going to build here,” he says.
His intention to build the house in a low-impact manner stayed the same, however, and he enlisted the help of Carroll to put his ideas to paper, and eventually onto the property itself.
The plan that unfolded took its architectural cues from the past, with shed roofs to protect walkways and hinged windows and screens that swing out, just like an old cabin. But the draft dodg-ers and dusty windowsills were replaced with Structural Insu-lated Panels (SIPs), triple-paned windows and a myriad of mea-sures that earned the house the distinction of being the Western Slope’s first Leadership in Energy Efficient Design (LEED) gold-rated residence.
To achieve what Hosier set out to do, the entire house was engi-neered, from the structural shell to the mechanical systems that really give the house its net-zero status. Carroll says when the need arose to have engineers involved in the building process, they turned to August Hasz, P.E. and the team at Crested Butte-based Resource Engineering Group (REG).
Hasz and several others at REG worked sporadically for over a year on the project and weighed the benefits of different sys-tems before coming up with the right combination for Hosier’s house.
First, Hasz says, they tried to use as little material as possible by tweaking the building envelope and orientation. Then the goal was to try to reduce the home’s energy use once the house was in operation. “That was the first and most important part of mechanical system,” Hasz says. “We had to maximize that be-fore going to heating, and maximize [heating] before going to efficiency.”
In putting the house’s plans up against the LEED standard, Ho-sier says he just wanted to build the house the right way. He wasn’t concerned with the time it would take to recoup the in-vestment with energy the PV panels generate.
“I tried to build a beautiful thing. I didn’t build it as a speculative venture,” he says. “I built it because I’ve always wanted to do something like this. I had the opportunity and I think the value is here—with the land and the location as most of the value—and then making responsible choices about what to put here.”
It took time to make those choices and once the decisions about design and materials were made, it took over a year and a half to turn the vision into livable, workable space.
24 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
“Ideally this is about being a super-low-impact house, being ecologically responsible and be-ing architecturally responsible as well, so it looks like it belongs in the valley,” Hosier says.
But it’s the time-consuming detail, from de-sign to the finish work, that makes the house one of a kind. Even the exterior of the house, which is sided in reclaimed wood, was milled to join edge-to-edge with a ship-lap, so when the wood inevitably shrunk after being put up none of the material under the siding would be exposed.
Freshly cut edges are unavoidable and unsightly when working to make reclaimed siding look uniform. “Finding reclaimed wood that matches perfectly with the materials needed to build a house just isn’t realistic,” Carroll admits. So where he and his crew encountered exposed cut edges, they blended the look with a treatment that involved burning each with a torch and then brushing them with a wire brush so they didn’t look freshly cut. “One of the cool things was that Doug really appreciated all of this detail work and gave us the green light to spend the time needed for each detail,” Carroll says.
The attention to every detail was extended to the metal hardware that is visible around the house. Every sheet of roofing, nut, bolt and washer was sprayed with saltwater, giving all exposed metal a patina. “We just got a little garden sprayer and put a bunch of rock salt in there and laid the stuff around the whole lot, sprayed it, let it sit for a few days and then put it up.”
t a k i n g t h e l e e d
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 25
Come See Our Showroom! Located in the Historic Red School House6 Miles South of Crested Butte on Hwy 135 or Shop online: RedMtnLog.com • (970) 349-7340
Deck rails are our specialty!
232 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnison
970-641-0320
www.gunnisonbank.com
6th (Hwy. 135) & Gothic Ave., Crested Butte970-349-0170
www.crestedbuttebank.com
Courteous service With integrity.
A full service community mortgage department offering the stability, service & integrity you need in today’s
unpredictable marketplace.
Beth Ware [email protected] | 970-641-7841
Mark Ewing [email protected] | 970-349-5953
26 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
Spring Clean Up
Lawn and Garden Maintenance
Custom Landscape Installation
Hydroseeding
Patio and Retaining Wall Installation
Licensed and Insured
Free Estimates and Consultations
970.209.4918
Spring Creek
LandSCaPECompany
A locally owned business dedicated to
Designing & BuildingSuper Energy Efficient, High Quality Custom
Homes that are Healthy to live in.
We build with Sustainable MaterialsAttention-to-Detail & Honesty
It’s just one of the details that sets the house apart and each was labor intensive.
But for Hosier, the investment in time and money is as much for his own benefit as it is for the benefit of anyone who looks out across the valley floor.
“Saying you own it is semantics. You don’t own it, you caretake it for a little while and then you pass it on to someone else. I take pleasure in thinking of it that way.”
“Doug really wanted something that performed well on every level and the LEED process really gave us a tool to make sure all the components of the home met that standard,” Andris Zobs, director of the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE), who walked the project through the LEED review, says. “That way we were able to make sure every aspect of the home meets high environmental standards, from energy to materials.”
Those decisions started with the design, which Hosier worked with Carroll and architect Betty Nickel (who is also Hosier’s mother) on to make the home’s adjacen-cies and positioning on the lot work to create the perfect weekend escape, within walking distance of town.
Improving the function of the PV and solar thermal panels, the house’s widest side faces south, to catch most of the day’s sun and increase the interior’s solar heat gain. The roof is set at 45 degrees to maximize its exposure to the sun. The height and depth of the surrounding shed roof allow the lower, winter sun to find its way inside, while blocking the summer sun.
“There are a lot of extremely talented craftsmen in here in the valley and it was great to get some of them involved with this project like Kent Preston, Bryan Shea, Dave Scheefer, David Tredway and Ben Eaton,” Carroll says. And Hosier fully appreciated their skills.
The wood that was left over from the beam work and frame construction was fash-ioned into furniture for the interior. Every countertop, even the kitchen windowsill, is made locally from soap stone; the trim is cherry that glows against the sage and tan walls. Every subtle detail was created for the house by a local craftsman, making it a singular work of art.
“That is kind of amazing in this little valley,” Hosier says. “We’ve got all these specialists in these different areas to work together and do something a little out of their comfort zone, which can be half-aggravating and half-fun, and some of them chose to give it a shot. Even the siding was like a fine wood-working project.”
Despite the detail, the house maintains simple lines and modest colors of Ameri-can Clay wall covering that blend the interior of the house with the surrounding sagebrush. The simplicity belies the technology and engineering that work behind the scenes.
There’s a solar thermal and 5.1 kW photovoltaic array on the roof, and the miles of piping and wires that support them, engineered specifically for Hosier’s energy needs. State-of-the-art ultra-tight building techniques and materials cut the home’s energy use down even further.
The super-efficient kitchen appliances are from the highest end of the market; benches are made from leftover beam wood and a network of systems can be monitored and controlled with an iPhone app—all encased in a subtle and so-phisticated shell that is the realization of an ideal. It’s a half-time house that creates power when Hosier isn’t there and welcomes him when he can be.
“When I’m gone, all the lights are off and I’m generating electricity and I just have an empty house here waiting for me to visit. That makes me feel a lot better.
“I love it. It’s fantastic,” Hosier says. “It’s everything I’d hoped it would be.”
t a k i n g t h e l e e d
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 27
FROM FIRST HOMES TO
RESORT HOTELSQUALITY FOR
EVERY BUDGETSatisfactionGuaranteed!
ExpErt DEsign Consultation & installation
115 South 14th Gunnison • (970) 641-4712 [email protected] www.mountainsurfaces.com
Specializing in Architectural Blacksmithing
& Structural Steel Fabrication
Jeff Brethauer / Owner970.275.8460 • 321 Red Lady Avenue
Crested Butte, CO 81224
www.blackstarironworks.com
PH
OTO
S B
Y B
OB
BR
AZ
EL
L
28 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
estled at the base of a snow-packed mountain, surrounded by a sway-ing cluster of aspens and evergreens, is a grand cabin—maybe yours. The interior is elegantly finished with rustic timber, a baroque palette and natural stone floors. The large fireplace provides a cozy area to
sit and enjoy the wintry mountain-scape through an expansive window wall. This house elicits the emotional properties of a “get-away:” serene, private and luxurious.
n
Common air leaks: this enerGy star diaGram Gives you an idea of the plethora of air leakaGe sites in the averaGe home.
a closer lookBy Maya silveR, OFFiCe FOr resOurCe eFFiCienCy (oRe)
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 29
the perfect house! or is it? While it may be a fine abode to the unsuspecting eye, a closer inspection would reveal an array of underlying weaknesses. High carbon monoxide levels, bone-chilling drafts, rooms that never quite get warm, rooms that are al-ways too hot. Many homes, expensive and otherwise, have health, comfort and durability issues. Having your home assessed for these issues can make you a better homeowner and the home a better place to live.
The most critical problem is the presence of any hazardous elements in your home, such as carbon monoxide, natural gas leakages and radon. These elements can be identified with the proper detectors. Installing solutions to these issues can make your home a more healthy and safe place for you, your family and guests.
Air flowing through your home also poses a series of prob-lems. Essentially, you end up paying to heat the outdoors, while inviting uncomfortable drafts into your living space. Just remember: “air out is air in.” If warm conditioned air is leaving the home, cold air that needs heating is coming in.
Low insulation levels are another familiar weakness, leaving your home to face winter weather in the equivalent of a sweatshirt, instead of a proper down coat. Upgrading insu-lation gives your house a fighting chance.
These are only a handful of the many issues commonly found during energy assessments. These threats don’t dis-criminate: they affect historic structures and newly con-structed buildings, small cabins and mansions alike.
Get started with a qualified Energy Smart Home Assess-ment: Step one is to contact the Office for Resource Ef-ficiency (ORE) and sign up for the Energy Smart Program. The Home Energy Advisor will provide you with free con-sulting to schedule a low-cost assessment with a local expert analyst. If you’re out of town, the advisor can coordinate with your caretaker, tenants or property management com-pany.
Step two is taking action. Making your home healthier, qui-eter, more comfortable and less expensive to heat is easy with Energy Smart. The Home Energy Advisor will walk you through this simple process, find rebates to cash in on and connect you with local expert contractors.
Homeowners Kristina and Nick Herrin signed up to up-grade their “cold, old and outdated” home. “We’ve defi-nitely noticed a big difference around doors,” said Kristina. “I feel very connected with the resources I need.” Kristina would “absolutely” recommend the Energy Smart Program to other Gunnison Valley homeowners.
thermal house: this imaGe was taken with a thermal Camera. red areas siGnify heat loss from the house due to poor insulation and air leakaGe.
30 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
Eco-friendly since 1980
New furniture at dealer prices
BOOM-A-RANG10,000 sq. ft. of shopping... shopping... shopping...221-225 N. Main, Downtown Gunnison
970.641.3115 or [email protected]
We pick-up desirable furniture for re-sale
Traders in contemporary, antique &
shabby chic furniture
We also specialize in:• estate liquidation• recycled clothing• costumes• jewelry• books
In the meantime, here are a few tips for reducing your home’s energy usage and start saving costs.
power down. Would you leave your car running for days at a time when not in use? Powering down your house when you’re away for more than a few hours is the most important thing you can do to reduce energy. Power strips. Install a few power strips for areas with mul-tiple plug loads (e.g. entertainment systems). Some power strips even come with a remote so they can be hidden but still easily controlled.
phantom loads. Think about how many devices stay plugged in 24/7! Just because you aren’t using your TV, phone charger or mi-crowave it doesn’t mean they’re not still secretly operating. Unplug chargers and TVs (or switch off power strips) to nip electrical activity in the bud.
heating systems. Empty homes need only minimal amounts of heat to en-sure pipes don’t freeze. If you’re gone for more than 24 hours, turn down your system to between 50 and 55 de-grees. Water heaters should be turned off. Whole-home ventilation systems can also be powered down.
outdoor systems. If you have hot tubs or outdoor melt or heating systems (e.g. for garages, driveways, etc.), be sure they’re off when not necessary.
seal up. You can’t always see your home’s holes and cracks, but you sure can feel them. Hire an Energy Smart qualified con-tractor to air-seal your home with caulk, spray foam and weather stripping. This is inexpensive work and will pay off quickly in energy savings and comfort! Some common spots where the cold comes in: windows, joints, outlets, switches and can lights.
upgrade. • Replace “antiques” with newer, more efficient models to
save energy and money: • CFLs, LEDs, dimmer systems or motion sensors• Boilers and furnaces with higher Annual Fuel Utilization
Efficiency (AFUE) percentage• Water heaters with higher Energy Factors (EF)• Programmable thermostats • ENERGY STAR appliances
You can contact the Office for Resource Efficiency online at www.resourceefficiency.org or by phone at (970) 641-7682. Their office is located in Gunnison at 202 E. Georgia Ave.
Gary Huresky, [email protected]
MyCrestedButteRealEstate.com
finding extraordinary homes
a c l o s e r l o o k
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 31
• Green Robin is an owner operated award winning building company.
• Offering full design and building services. • Specializing in innovative contemporary
building strategies, minimizing toxic impact to owner and environment.
• Recipient of sustainable house and business of the year.
• Committed to building responsibly with a vision for the future.
• Super insulated homes
Having lived and worked in the Gunnison Valley for over two decades, I am proud to call Crested Butte my home.
Owner: Michael [email protected]
we are greenCPC Solutions recycled 1,356,610 lbs. of paper in 2010. In addition to be being an avid recycler, CPC Solutions is FSC Certified and an industry leader in applying environmentally responsible practices and techniques to our unique commercial printing processes.
PrintingAt CPC Solutions, our goal is to combine the strength of knowledgeable, dedicated craftsmen with the latest in printing technology. We strive to provide solutions that are superior in quality, timely in delivery and cost effective for our clients.
integrated marketingIntegrate print, internet, e-mail and customer relationship management programs into one functioning system.
web2PrintStreamline your print purchasing procedures by harnessing the latest technology with our Web2Print Ordering System (W2P). W2P allows you to manage your own print orders. Order on demand and take advantage of the most cost effective, high quality four color printing on the western slope.
ContaCt Crested butte/CPC solutions to see how we Can helP your business grow.122 elk avenue, suite b / 349-7511 / CPCsolutions.Com
the latest teChnology and unrivaled quality. ready to serve you, right here in Crested butte.
32 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
t’s an icon on Elk Avenue, the bright red Grubstake Building at the corner of Third and Elk. For well more than one hundred years, the Grubstake Building has been an anchor for the town, com-plete with its own character and stories
of the characters inside.
The original structure housed a bank, a meat market and a news office, according to an 1886 Sanborn map. But in 1890 a widespread fire destroyed the entire building. After the fire, three individual but adjoining buildings were erected. In the 1930s a big over-roof was built over all three for protection. In 1960 the separate buildings effectively became one.
Looking up at the building you can see the words “Bank” and “Drugs” signifying some the earliest, most notable businesses that took up residence. Molly Minneman, the town’s Historic Preservation Coordinator notes that having Crested Butte’s first bank in the Grub-stake Building “was really a validation that Crested Butte was financially viable and here to stay.”
The locally owned bank inside the Grubstake Building was a sign of Crested Butte’s stand-ing as a new town. According to George Sib-ley’s Crested Butte Primer, “One of the central institutions in any town is its bank. The bank of Crested Butte dated from the earliest days of the town, opening August 9, 1880–a month after the incorporation of the town.”
For decades, next to the bank in the middle section of the building there was a drugstore as well. At one time in the 1920s the last section of the building became a mortuary; before that it served as a space for the post office.
In 1958, according to Sibley’s Primer, Bill Whalen sold the three buildings he had put under one room in the early 1930s to Phil and Lillian Hyslop, who proceeded to re-model the three and turn them into one building. In 1961, the Hyslops opened the building as the Grubstake Restaurant, the name that sticks today. The restaurant and building went through numerous owners in the next four decades.
Sandra Cortner first came to Crested Butte in 1964. Her family rented the Bishop House, now the Dogwood, right behind the Grubstake Building. She remembers going to the Grubstake Restaurant for meals with her family. And since their house was so close, she would run from the restaurant home to check on her sleeping baby brother. “It was a down-home kind of place, very small-town kind of café,” she explains.
But her favorite memory of the building is the Miss Grubstake contest in 1980, when she took the title. Cortner remembers the ad that then-restaurant owner Judy Naum-burg placed in the local newspapers: “Enter the Ms. Grubstake Contest. Swimsuit, Evening Gown, and Talent Categories. Judges’ Questions. Win Fame, Fortune and $150 Cash!”
By Melissa Ruch
i
the iconic
g r u b s t a k eB u i l d i n g
1980s Grubstake. photo by sandra Cortner
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 33
D e f i n i n g M o u n t a i n S t y l eInteri r Visions
Professional Interior Design Services
New Construction & Remodels
Cabinetry Kitchen / Bath Design
Lighting
Home Accessories
313 Elk Ave • Crested Butte
(970) 349-5352www.interiorvisionscrestedbutte.com
www.gcea.coop | 970.641.3520
Keeping the power on by Serving members since 1941
“Well, shoot, I thought,” Cortner writes in her book Crested Butte Stories…Through My Lens, “she’s just trying to make the place look respectable with a beauty contest. Hippies and young working guys were the usual patrons of the Grubstake Bar, not the old-timers or summer tourists. About once a week one of the boys hurled another—usually a friend or acquaintance—through the front plate-glass window. The perpetrator and the victim were always three sheets to the wind, but duly paid Judy the cost of the glass. The Grubstake had changed a lot since the 1960s, when my family dined there. The $150 caught my fancy, though. I was paid a total of $40 a week—for three part-time jobs.”
After the swimsuit competition, the talent segment, singing her own lyr-ics to “Second-Hand Rose,” and the evening gown contest, Cortner took home the coveted crown.
Cortner’s newspaper office was at one time next to the building, giving her one of her favorite views out her window, the overhang on the Grubstake. That overhang collapsed from snow load in the 1970s.
Minneman agrees on how spectacular the building is.“The thing that makes this building so special,” says Minneman, “is its presence, its sheer stature.”
She continues, “So many people have enjoyed that building over time… it keeps that corner looking very vibrant. It has a lot of character.”
Its architectural style is vernacular. “It worked for the town of Crested Butte,” explains Minneman, “but it doesn’t mimic any other style.”
Its three bays, false front, and gabled roof with the parapet of today make this building truly unique. If you look closely at the building you will see beautiful corbels and frieze at the top of the parapet. “That detail and delineation tell us that this was a building that was important, that they poured money into,” says Minneman. This building was given more em-bellishment than many of the buildings of early Crested Butte. All of these details make the Grubstake Building one of Crested Butte’s icons.
34 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
a r t i s t p r o f i l e
s t o r y b y m e l i s s a r u c h | p h o t o s b y a l e x f e n l o n
P r O F i l e
J o h n i n g h a m
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 35
BUILDERSSOPRIS
For all your building
needs
Todd Carroll
R970.209.9253
soprisbuilders.com
John Ingham took a big leap of faith in 1996 the day he de-cided to give up his life as an optometrist and begin a new
life as a professional painter. Today he is a highly acclaimed landscape and portrait artist, based in Crested Butte.
He first started painting as a hobby in 1983. After a trip to Santa Fe, visiting galleries, he realized that he too could paint. “Interestingly, I’ve always been a do-it-yourselfer,” he says. “I said to myself, ‘I can do that.’ So I got home, went to Gunnison, bought some paint and supplies.” And the rest is history.
Ingham was self-taught for most of those years. Then several years ago landscape painter Jay Moore in the Front Range agreed to serve as his mentor, and Ingham also began working under famous Western land-scape artist Scott Christensen in Ida-ho. Learning from a master, Ingham realized that a painting has to be per-fect before it’s finished, and that may take years. Now, “No one gets to see a painting until I’m absolutely positive that I’m happy with it,” he explains.
For his landscape paintings, which range from river scenes to aspen groves, Ingham begins outside. His outdoor work includes studying the scene, or a tree, or a mountain he wants to put on canvas. “When you get an idea that is good enough, then you want to get in the studio and begin painting,” he says.
Ingham begins by composing the painting, which he believes is the most important thing in oil painting. “If you get the composition right, you can mess around until it’s just right. But if you don’t get the composition right at the beginning, it will only ever be so-so,” he says.
36 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
The County’s largest custom AV dealer423 Belleview Ave., Crested Butte
970.349.7700
• Audio Visual Specialists For Your Home & Business
• Sony Dealer
• Control 4 Dealer
• Home Theatre
PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN
SERVICE FOR OVER 15 YEARS
now offering:RESALE FURNITURE, ANTIQUES,
ACCESSORIES & MORE!
CALL FOR AN AppOINTMENT TO vIEw FURNIShINgS
970.209.7252 | 970.349.6822
515 RIvERLANd dRIvE, UNIT 202CRESTEd BUTTE, COLORAdO 81224
ANSLEyINTERIORS.COM
ANSLEYINTERIORS
Then Ingham begins to paint. “It can be the hardest thing to figure out,” he says. “You’ve got to go by feel. If this painting needs some light in the right-hand corner, then you put some light down there.” But he says the beau-ty of oil painting is you can make some really lucky mistakes—many times this happens by taking a chance. “You have to be able to ruin a piece by taking a risk to make it the best thing you’ve ever done,” he says.
Ingham also believes painting is problem-solv-ing, the first problem being how you choose to compose it. “Then once you get into the painting,” he explains, “you try to figure out what it needs. Should I add this? Should I re-move that?”
It’s the constant problem-solving, the constant thinking that drives Ingham to paint. “The most fulfilling thing about it is that you are obsessed by it. Painting becomes part of your existence,” he says.
P r O F i l e
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 37
Feature Property built by Miller Custom Homes
68 Mulligan Drive
Rachael Baskfield Miller Coldwell Banker
Bighorn Realty970.596.4423
www.rachaelbaskfield.com
MILLER CUSTOM HOMES LLC
970.209.4392www.millercustomhomescb.com
4 bedroom/ 4.5 bath premier luxury home in Skyland. Massive greatroom with amazing views of Mt. Crested Butte & Paradise divide.Reclaimed timbers throughout. Top of the line kitchen designed by Thurston Kitchen. Furnished by Interiors. $1,925,000. For more information or for a private tour contact Rachael Baskfield Miller (970) 596-4423.
Experience
Reputation
GUY • ICON, INC• Builders• General Contractors• Residential• Commercial• Renovations• Restorations
Client list available on request.
Fran Guy: 970-901-9243
Fran Guy has been in the high end home building business for 30 years. His ability to negotiate smoothly through the town and county regulations and his commitment to turning out the best project possible on time makes him one of the
#1 rates builders in the Valley and one of the largest renovation contractors.
photos by Bob Brazell
Early in Ingham’s painting career he was working hard to get better and be accepted as a painter. But after time an artist wants to reach the next level. “Artists will reach a level where they are going to get as good as they can get, but I hope I’m not there yet,” says the 65-year-old painter. “I’m constantly growing.”
He began showing his paintings in the old Timberline Restaurant before opening his own gallery on Third Street. He paints in his studio on Elk Ave. in the Zinc Building and hopes more people will come visit while he works. The critiques total strangers share with him are invaluable. “They’ll ask, ‘Is that tree finished?’ Then I guess not,” he laughs.
Painting in his gallery with visitors helped Ingham realize that he had made it to an indescribable level of painting. “I would be sitting there painting and someone would come in. We would start talking and I would keep paint-ing. And I started to paint intuitively. It was amazing. I realized I should be painting instinctively all the time be-cause that’s the highest level to get to.”
Another level Ingham hopes to get to is becoming a teacher himself. “You may know how to do something in-stinctively, but then you have to explain it,” he says about teaching. His plan is to take on a few students at a time for several days. “A painter can gain a lot of knowledge from sharing his own knowledge.”
As for now, Ingham is enjoying his career, enjoying ag-ing, and enjoying growing and improving as an artist. His landscapes and portraits are based in realism, but he has been pushing himself lately to see how much impression-ism he can add, while still staying realistic.
“With painting, or art of any kind, you never retire from it,” he says from his winter home in Moab. “That’s one of the big, wonderful pluses, being so into something as you get older—it’s the real beauty.”
Ingham’s gallery is located at 403 Third Street.
38 | www.thepeakcb.com | 2011
You Cannot Beat our unmatChed Professionalism, Knowledge and PriCes
deliverY anYwhere!!
[email protected] N. Main St., Gunnison
970-641-0280
Installations • Removal of Old Units • Warranties • Service
20+ years of Experience. Locally Owned. Ask for Mike or McKennaCUStOMER SAtISfACtIOn GUARAntEEd
Clear ViewWindow Washing
Servicing the Residential, Business, Commercial & Construction community
Owner Operated, Licensed and Insured, Free Estimates, High Quality/Prompt Service
“Immaculate results with a smile”
970.596.8103
Bonded & Insured Certified Member National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association
Tom & Lynn Duncanson, Blake, Mike, Joe, Hillaryphone/fax: 970.349-7400 • 310 Belleview Ave / PO Box 276
Crested Butte, CO 81224
Custom Property ProtectionCertified Locksmiths
r e - k e y i n g , l O C kO u t s & s A f e s • l Ow t e m P e r At u r e d e t e C t i O n
CA r B O n m O n Ox i d e d e t e C t i O n • C C t v w i t h r e m Ot e v i e w i n gsmO
ke &
heA
t d
eteC
tiO
n
• B
urg
lAry
wAter &
gAs d
eteCtiOn
with
AutO
shu
t-Offs
Sam Lumb970.275.2448 cell
970.349.5007 [email protected]
At Home in the West
Knowledge & experience
J.Olsen Construction, IncJoey OlsenPO Box 5091Mt Crested Butte, CO 81225 Office: 970-349-1582Cell: [email protected]
New Construction, Renovation & Cabinet Work
With Care for Every Detail
300 Belleview Ave. Suite 3C
CreSted Butte, CO 81224
9 7 0 . 3 4 9 . 3 4 2 5www.aliciadavisarchitect.com
a d a p c @ m e . c o m
MARKETPLACE
John’s Upholstery517 Cedar Lane
Elizabeth, CO 80107Serving Colorado 4 generations
www.johns-upholstery.com Parker/Elizabeth [email protected] Gunnison 970-642-1180
• Upholstery • Draperies • Dinky Childrens Furniture• Fabric and Leather Library • Antique Restoration
• Griffs Original custom ottomons and furniture
Recycle
Reupholster
Energy Efficient Hot Tubs • Maintenance Contracts • Supplies & Repairs
www.connelly.comAlso offering Connelly Billiards & Accessories
329 Belleview Avenue, Crested Buttewww.d1.com • www.aquaticfitnesssystem.com
Diamond Blue Pool & Spa
970.349.6202
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 39
Doug KroftJacKie ingham Joe garciaSteve mereDith molly elDriDgeglena galloway chriS gibSonmaggie Dethloff Diane aronovic
Sam lumb Scott love
For phone numbers & emails of agents visit our website:
www.redladyrealty.com • 215 Elk Ave • 970-349-5007
For all MLS
listings
and the most
current
information
visit
CrestedButteNow.com
Maggie DethloffBroker AssociAte
At Home in the West
SLEIGHTHOLMbuildWORKSHOP
designgeneral contracting + building design + custom woodworking
custom homes + remodels + energy retrofits
www.sleightholmworkshop.com
970. 590. 1185
Brick Pavers • Driveways • Patios • walkwaysPaul Barneyowner
ART ON THE
ROCKSby Mary Tuck, local commercial artist
River Rocks with Personality
970-349-5917See my work at Rijks Family Gallery
970.901.3333Commercial | Residential
Serving Crested Butte & Gunnison
PO Box 3404 | Crested Butte, CO 81224
Five Star Cleaning
MARKETPLACE
AlpinelAndscApes
r e f l e c t y o u r n a t u r e
winter & summer serv ices avai lable
970-209-8335
START RIGHT. START HERE.®
607 6th St, Crested Butte(970) 349-5305 • www.truevalue.com
B u s i n e s sAlternAtive energyDragon Sheet Metal 970.349.6231301 Belleview Avenue Crested [email protected]
AppliAncesThe Colorado Appliance Connection, LLC970.641.0280718 N. Main St., [email protected]
Architecture And designAlicia Davis Architect, PC970.349.3425300 Belleview Ave., Suite 3cP.O. Box 1902, Crested Buttewww.aliciadavisarchitect.com
Andrew Hadley Architect970.349.0806P.O. Box 1294302 Elk Avenue, Unit #107Crested Butte, CO 81224www.andrewhadleyarchitect.com
Laggis Architecture & Construction970.349.6201P.O. Box 2739, Crested Buttewww.chrislaggis.com
Lofted DesignAndris Zobs970.497.6090P.O. Box 2485, Crested [email protected]
Sunlit Architecture970.349.5311523 Riverland Drive, Suite 2FP.O. Box 970, Crested Buttewww.sunlitarchitecture.com
Artists & Art gAlleriesArt on the RocksMary Tuck Enterprises970.349.5917Crested [email protected]
John Ingham Inc.970.275.4434403 3rd Street, Crested Butte www.inghamart.com
BeddingCasa Bella970.349.6380321 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.casabellacb.com
Builders & engineersAbrit Construction, Inc. 970.209.4597P.O. Box 3704, Crested Buttewww.abritconstruction.com
Bearcat Builders Inc. 970.349.5159 319 Red Lady Avenue Crested Buttewww.BearcatCB.com
Beckwith Brickworks Paul Barney970.209.8605736 Riverland DriveCrested Buttebeckwithbuilderscb.com
Cement Creek Contractors970.349.6885P.O. Box 2465, Crested [email protected]
Copper Creek Homes, LLCPO Box 1116, Crested Butte970.349.5462www.coppercreekhomes.net
Crested Butte BuildersJohnny Biggers 970.349.5990405 3rd Street, Suite E Crested Buttewww.crestedbuttebuilders.com
End of The Road ConstructionRobb Fessenden970.275.1120
Green Robin Builders & Design, Inc. 970.275.3462P.O. Box 1481, Crested Buttewww.greenrobinbuilders.net
Guy Icon, Inc. 970.901.9243P.O. 165 , Crested Buttewww.GuyIcon.com
High Mountain Concepts970.349.5261P.O. Box 2751, Crested [email protected]
J Olsen Construction Inc.Joey Olsen970.349.1582P.O. Box 5091, Mt. Crested [email protected]
Miller Custom Homes, LLC970.209.4392P.O. Box 1944, Crested Buttewww.millercustomhomescb.com
Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE)970.641.7682202 E. Georgia Ave., Gunnisonwww.resourceefficiency.org
Realty Solutions, Inc.970.349.6366P.O. Box 2419, Crested Butte
Sleightholm Workshop Design + Build970.590.1185909 Seneca Drive, Gunnisonwww.sleightholmworkshop.com
Sloan Construction970.641.04507776 Hwy 135, Gunnisonwww.sloancustomhomes.com
Sopris BuildersTodd [email protected]
Building supplies Mountain Colors 970.349.9200301 Belleview Avenue Crested Butte www.mountaincolorsincb.com
Western Lumber, Inc. 970.641.1819601 West Highway 50, [email protected]
cAteringThe Land and the LambPersonal Chef ServiceDana Zobs, Chef/[email protected]
cleAningFive Star Cleaning970.901.3333PO Box 3404, Crested Butte
electricAl engineeringSolar Bear Electric, Inc. 970.349.6473/970.349.7161P.O. Box 2419, Crested Butte
electronicsElectronic Solutions970.349.7700423 Belleview AvenueCrested [email protected]
GL Computer Service970.641.4051123 W. Tomichi Ave., Gunnisonwww.glcomputers.net
FinAnciAl servicesCrested Butte Bank 970.349.0170116 6th Street, Crested Buttewww.gunnisonbank.com
Crested Butte Savings & Loan 970.349.7207 501 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.gunnisonsl.com
Sarah BaskfieldLiberty Home Loans970.349.0400202 Elk Ave. #1, Crested Butte [email protected]
Flooring & Floor coveringsArtisan Rug Gallery970.349.0116311 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.artisanruggallery.com
Hi-Country Carpet & Tile970.641.3373111 South Tenth St., Gunnisonwww.hicountrycarpets.com
Mountain Surfaces970.641.4712115 South 14th St., Gunnisonwww.mountainsurfaces.com
Quick Draw Carpet Cleaning970.641.4247106 S. Taylor, Suite #1, Gunnisonwww.quickdrawcleaning.com
Furniture design & sAlesAt Home In Crested Butte970.349.5359319 Elk Avenue, Crested [email protected]
Back at the Ranch970.641.0727100 Spencer Ave., Gunnisonwww.backattheranchfurniture.com
Boom-a-rang970.641.3115221-225 N. Main, [email protected]
John’s Upholstery970.642.1180517 Cedar Lane, Elizabeth, CO 80107www.johns-upholstery.com
Red Mountain Logworks970.349.734021293 Hwy 135, Crested Butte www.redmtnlog.com
Studio West 970.349.7550115 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.studiowestinteriors.com
gArAge doorsBlackjack Garage Door, LLCCertified Raynor Dealer970.275.8929P.O. Box 4107, Crested [email protected]
hArdWAreTrue Value970.349.5305607 6th Street, Crested Buttewww.truevalue.com
home securityHVM 970.349.7400 310 Belleview Avenue Crested [email protected]
hot tuB & spA servicesDiamond Blue Pool & SpaMark and Liz Sawyer970.349.6202329 Belleview Avenue, Crested [email protected]
insurAnceThe Insurance CenterDiane Markowitz970.349.1144318 Elk Avenue, Crested [email protected]
interior designAmy Favour, ASID 970.901.1662PO Box 4051, Crested Buttewww.amyfavour.com
Ansley Interiors970,349.6822970.209.7252www.ansleyinterriors.com
Interior Visions970.349.5352313 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.interiorvisionscrestedbutte.com
Laura Mikesell Designs, LLC970.349.6531P.O. Box 2676, Crested [email protected]
lAnd & home sAlesBenson Sotheby’s International Realty970.349.6653/800.249.6653433 Sixth Street, Crested Buttewww.BensonSothebysRealty.com
Channing Boucher Broker Associate Benson Sotheby’s International Realty 970.596.3228 433 Sixth Street, Crested Butte wwwcrestedbuttebroker.com
Chris Kopf Coldwell Banker970.209.5405401 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.chriskopf.com
Corey Dwan Benson Sotheby’s International Realty970.596.3219433 Sixth Street, Crested Buttewww.CrestedButteForSale.com
Doug Kroft Red Lady Realty Inc.970.209.0373215 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.dougkroft.com
Gary Huresky, GRIBenson Sotheby’s International Realty970.209.2421433 Sixth Street, Crested Buttewww.mycrestedbutterealestate.com
Maggie Dethloff Red Lady Realty [email protected]
Rachael Baskfield Coldwell Banker970.596.4423401 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.rachaelbaskfield.com
Red Lady Realty Inc.970.349.5007215 Elk Avenue, Crested Buttewww.redladyrealty.com
Sam Lumb Red Lady Realty [email protected]
Wilder on the Taylor970.641.45456337 County Rd. 742, Almontwww.WilderColorado.com
lAndscApe Architecture & designAlpengardener970.349.0252193 Gillaspey Ave., Crested Butte South www.alpengardener.com
Alpine Landscapes Reflect Your Nature970.209.8335Skyland, Crested [email protected]
Rocky Mountain Trees970.349.6361305 Buckley Dr., Riverland Industrial Park, Crested Buttewww.rockymountaintrees.com
San Juan Stone Company970.626.5624179 Lidell Dr., [email protected]
Spring Creek Landscape Company970.209.4918523 Riverland Dr., Unit C [email protected]
metAl WorksBlackstar Ironworks970.275.8460321 Red Lady Avenue Crested [email protected]
Get Bent Blacksmithing970.275.5085P.O. Box 2184, Crested Buttewww.getbentllc.com
John Murphy Inc. dba Vagabond Forge970.596.7842738 Riverland Dr., Crested Butte www.vagabondforge.com
pAintingAltitude Painting | Jay Prentiss970.349.1119PO Box 3601, Crested [email protected]
property mAnAgement & concerige servicesCastle Peak Property Management970.274.1547P.O. Box 2981, Crested [email protected]
Custom Property Management970.209.9614523 Riverland Drive, Unit 1ACrested [email protected]
utilitiesGunnison County Electric Association970.641.3520116 6th Street, Ste. 202, Crested Buttewww.gcea.coop
WindoW instAllAtion And cleAningClear View Window Washing970.596.8103P.O. Box 5398, Mt. Crested Butte [email protected]
D i R e c T o R y
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 42
PhOTO: AleX FenlOn
p a r t i n g s h o t
2011 | www.thepeakcb.com | 43
H O M E S T E A D S I T E S N O W A V A I L A B L E
Stop by our new sales o�ce located at 6337 County Road, Almont, Colorado 81210. To learn more about the LIMITED Founder's pricing opportunities at Wilder, please call 970.641.4545
or visit us online at:
www.WilderColorado.com
G u n n i s o n - C r e s t e d B u � e , C o l o r a d o
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
WIlder_PEAK_FullPage.pdf 1 4/6/11 4:33 PM
MAJESTICMajesty...a word that conjures up regality. One of stately dignity. It defines what is awe-inspiring, a landscape that takes your breath away with its vastness. It is sky high
mountains, never-ending water and wildflowers as far as the eye can see.
Majestic homes define one’s essence.
Find your essence of extraordinary at
BensonSothebysRealty.com
433 Sixth Street 970.349.6653
Benson Sotheby’s International Realty clients seek more than just a location they desire property features that speak to their
individual lifestyles. The brokers at Benson Sotheby’s International Realty luxury real estate network specializes in presenting
their clients with not only the ideal house, but the prefect home. Contact one of our knowledgeable brokers today.
Start your Real Estate Search at BensonSothebysRealty.com
Cathy Benson970.209.5015
Megan Clark970.209.3537
Channing Boucher970.596.3228
Jamie Watt970.209.2675
Corey Dwan970.596.3219
Jill Matlock970.275.0595
Kiley Flint970.275.2554
Karen Redden970.641.3000
Gary Huresky970.209.2421
Katy Mattson970.275.4601
Jaima Giles970.275.9357
Larry Neilson970.209.7849
Image by CrestedButtePhotography.com
