Restoration of the Second Floor
The remodeling of the second floor began with a vision of offering craft and art classes to children and adults alike of Parke County. It is in hopes to put our pledge into action to "promote art culture and art education in Parke County."
Clean Up!
Preparation began with our membership helping with clean up in January of 2012 by removing the Association's permanent collection of paintings from this inadequate second floor storage. Many hours were spent removing years of accumulated art items, old window decorations, crumbling plaster, and discarded furniture items.
Many Months of Dusty Work.
Work began, and by the summer of 2012 the old brick walls were resurfaced with new 2 x 4 wall extensions and drywall. New dry wall was installed covering all wall surfaces, some of which had all old plaster removed down to the lath. New electric wiring was installed for new dropped LED gallery lighting and ceiling fans, along with wiring for old crystal pendant fixtures that were salvaged from the old rooms. These were cleaned, rewired, and hung in the front 'gallery' to maintain some of the old era charm.
New Kitchen Location.
A kitchen unit was designed at the rear of the second floor and will soon feature refrigerator, stove, and low counter space in hopes to host future cooking classes.
New Bathroom Facilities.
A new bathroom location was framed in for convenient use during classes held upstairs. New heating and air-conditioning units were also installed for seasonal use.
New Storage for Artwork.
Storage for the Art Association permanent collection of paintings and art work was installed in a small 'alcove' closet that was the second floor bathroom for the origonal 'Odd Fellows' Lodge.
The Art Association currently has over 200 items in its permanent collection. These items are rotated through the Gallery window displays seen from the sidewalk. It is our hope to use some of the new second floor wall space to highlight more of our wonderful selections of artwork from the permanent collection.
The Art Association currently has over 200 items in its permanent collection. These items are rotated through the Gallery window displays seen from the sidewalk. It is our hope to use some of the new second floor wall space to highlight more of our wonderful selections of artwork from the permanent collection.
A Vision of The End!
Nearing its completion, final paint top coats were applied. Gallery display units were installed allowing for easy hanging of art work, and for use during future workshops. Several more hours were spent by the membership in a final clean-up, scraping and washing windows, installing storage units, making final touch ups, and dusting.
A Solid Footing!
A final hurdle to the project's completion is restoring the pine flooring throughout the second floor. Days of dedicated sanding to remove years of neglect have restored beauty and character to the space ensuring a solid foundation for the use of our second floor and the future and preservation of our entire building.
Photo credits to Loren Myers, Art Association Member.
