July 5th and July 11th
Installing Insulation in the Shed's Ceiling
A Message from Watts House Project Director Edgar Arceneaux:
Rick Lowe, co-founder of Project Row Houses
in Houston said to me something one day that was profound: “all artists
should learn to build a house”. I took it to mean that all the systems
of a house that we take for granted - plumbing, electrical, air; its
structure, weight and mass; the delineation of inside and out; and the
psychology of the inhabitants - is what makes it “home”.
The Shed's Frame
This weekend we got but a small taste of what it takes to make a small building happen. Picking up where East LA’s Youth Build
left off, we began adding the siding, insulation and drywall to the
Madrigals’ new shed and patio. The shed was designed by resident
designer Francisco Arias, and volunteer and our new Green Advisor
William Winchester led the construction effort. Artist Jerri Allyn,
Writer and critic Ed Schad, resident designer Ed Pine Stevens,
Francisco Arias, WHP Assistant Director Sue Bell Yank, Site Coordinator
Jessica Ruvalcaba, resident Felix Madrigal and myself, worked
throughout the hot sunny day in our first from the ground up
construction project. A few days before, we hired next-door neighbor
Louis Cerant, general contractor, to install the roofing and sky lights.
Skylight
As
insulation and drywall were being cut and installed on the interior,
hardy plank siding was being attached on the exterior. I was reminded
of the difficulty of installing a ceiling of heavy drywall sheets that
dangle awkwardly overhead as gravity fights them from being screwed in.
I learned that installing siding is more measurement and exactitude
then brawn.
The end of day left plenty more to be done but the sense of
accomplishment was shared by all. To be covered in sweat and sawdust,
splinters and scrapes along with calloused hands should be more then
enough of an incentive for many more to come to this next volunteer day
to complete the job. From the foundation to its skeleton and skin, we
know this building for not just why it stands (its function) but how
(its structure). This storage shed will allow for more open space for
the Madrigals home and double as the back wall to a new patio area for
barbecues and family gatherings. Equipped with a retractable canvas
awning, this will be one of the finest multi-use spaces in Watts.
Addendum: Ed Schad, Rob Sherer, York Chang, Noelle Claudat, artist
Alexandra Grant, and neighbor Genaro Alvarez were among the volunteers
that installed the rest of the siding and sanded the inside of the shed
the following weekend (July 11). The shed still needs to be painted,
but is a beautiful, solid, and real little structure now.
- Edgar Arceneaux
July 12th, 2009 | Category: Construction Updates, Volunteer Days | Leave a comment
