Finishing the Siding
With help from Elise, the final length of siding was installed today. With the studio now fairly sealed from the elements, work can begin on the interior.
Tiny Studio
The Tiny Studio project is the first step in a larger dream for The Conestoga Iconographic Studio. Since its inception in 2002, Conestoga Icons has created traditional orthodox icons in a profoundly beautiful way through master iconographer Symeon working locally and ecologically to celebrate the inherent beauty found in mankind’s labour when done harmoniously in a place.
Since 2022, when Conestoga Icons left its namesake village of Conestoga, the studio also lost connection with a particular place. The Tiny Studio is being constructed in the hope that it will someday move to a new home where Conestoga Icons can once again commune with the land and offer a witness to the fruits of such local labour more broadly.
In the meantime, this small 8’ x 12’ building allows the studio to continue making its unique icons using the trees, rocks and dirt packed up from Conestoga to continue painting a vision of reality fulfilled by Jesus Christ in its icons through the place where its work began.
Hanging the Door
With the siding well under way, Michael and I took the time to hang the metal door he salvaged from his work at Mount Carmel last year. It’s very nice to have such a solid door for the studio.
Siding all over
Layer by layer the cedar siding is stacking up to cover the studio’s walls. Of course, since the design of the studio isn’t completely conventional, there are a few places were extra care and creativity are necessary—as here, where Adèle is finishing the underside of the double roof.
Starting the Siding
One of the special details we have planned for the the tiny studio is to use cedar bevel siding for it’s exterior. So, with Elise holding our newly created storyboard pole (so we can get the spacing right), we’re ready to start hanging.
Wrapping it up
With the insulation all squeezed between the studio’s studs, we’re ready to wrap up the outer walls.
Insulating
We ended up using foundation insulation for the Tiny Studio because were able to get a lot of it for cheap (as you can see from the early truck load photo.) Michael ended up taking the lead on tightly fitting each section, which ended up being pretty miserable work, but he got it done without …
Finished Roofing
After a couple of days of hard word, Adèle has finished shingling the roof in the wonderful blue shingles we found at our local reStore. She did a very careful job, and everything looks great.
Making a Mess
With the building space being small, and all of our materials piling up, our working area is getting tight for the build. But, we’ve got the walls up and we’re ready to begin the rafters.
Building The Walls
With a solid foundation in place, it’s time to start building the Tiny Studio’s walls. And, while she wasn’t thrilled with having her photograph taken, my daughter Adèle was very excited to help frame the studio this week.