SMALL AT LARGE

1994 LIVING IN CONSERVATIVE PARADISE WALDPORT OREGON I GAVE A LECTURE AT OUR FARM HOUSE TO LOCAL FRIENDS. IN ATTENDANCE WAS QUIRINA KRYGER A SILICON VALLEY TRANSPLANT AND HER HUSBAND BERNARDUS SMITZ . QUIRINA BORN IN AN INDONESIA JAPANESE PRISON CAMP AND ARRIVING IN SILICON VALLEY WITH FIRST HUSBAND ENGINEER . BERNARDUS AS A TEENAGER WAS PART OF THE RESISTANCE MOVEMENT IN HOLLAND AND WAS BROUGHT TO THE USA BY A DOWNED USA PILOT THAT WAS SMUGGLED OUT BY BERNARDU’S FAMILY. BERNARDUS IN JAIL FOR STEALING MILITARY MOVEMENT DOCUMENTS, MOTORCYCLE, NAZI UNIFORM, ETC. BEING READIED FOR EXECUTION AT TIME OF USA WORLD WAR II LIBERATION OF HOLLAND. JUST IN THE NICK OF TIME. BERNARDUS WAKING UP ONE MORNING IN PRISON AND ALL THE GUARDS HAD DISAPPEARED.

QUIRNIA APPROACHED ME FOR A REMODEL OF HER ART ON THE ROCKS ART GALLERY. A COMBINATION OF ROCKS AND ART WORK. THE BUILDING A 1950 CONCRETE BLOCK NOTHING BUT SQUARE FOOTAGE BUILDING. ON COAST HWY 101 THE CONNECTOR FROM CANADIAN WASHINGTON BORDER TO THE TIJUNA MEXICO HOT SPOTS.

WHAT I STARTED WITH. THE TOTAL BUILDING WAS SAVED AND THE PROJECT IS BASICALLY A FRONT WITH A GALLEY BAY ON THE LEFT SIDE. A STAGE SET THAT I HOPED WOULD HAVE LED TO MORE. SO AT LEAST I COULD LOOK AT A FEW GOOD PIECES OF ARCHITECTURE. AS ONE KEEN INVESTOR VIEWING TO BUY SAID. “THIS IS THE ONLY PIECE OF ARCHITECTURE FROM CANADA TO MEXICO ON HWY101. A BIT OF AN EXAGERRATION, BUT THERE SHOULD BE MORE.

THE FOOTPRINT EXTENDED ON THE NORTH SIDE WITH A ROCK GARDEN. I WRAPPED THE FRONT AND NORTH SIDE WITH A THREE BAY UNDULATING PATTERN GRADUALLY GETTING HIGHER ON THE NORTH SIDE TERMINATING IN A HIGH GALLERY CEILING BAY THAT WAS ONCE AN EXTERIOR ROCK GARDEN. THE EXISTING STRUCTURE SAVED WITH HOLES PUNCTURED ON THE WEST SIDE FOR DISPLAY WINDOW AND GLASS ENTRY DOOR SYSTEM. THE BUDGET WAS LIMITED AND THE CONTRACTOR JOHN WHITLOCK WAS SAVED BY TIM MARTIN A SKILLED CARPENTER, BUT STILL PUT AN UNSPECIFIED MULLION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DISPLAY WINDOW. WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE OUT OF TOWN DURING CONSTRUCTION. I ENDED UP PERSONALLY WORKING AS A CARPENTER FOR NOTHING TO REPAR THE FLOW OF THE CURVES IN THE PLANTER ELEMENTS..

I BUILT A MODEL AND SHOWED IT TO QUIRINA, AND SHE WENT SILENT ON ME. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE, TELLING ME WE ARE GOING TO BUILD THIS.

THE PROPERTY WAS GRANDFATHERED IN AS A CONDITIONAL USE ROCK SHOP. SO IT WAS A BIT DICY WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, BUT QUIRINA MADE A CONVINCING EMOTIONAL PRESENTATION IN THE PUBLIC HEARING AND ALL SYSTEMS WERE GO INCLUDING GETTING A CONSTRUCTION LOAN FOR THIS RADICAL LOOK.

THE SIDING WAS TIGHT KNOT CEDAR. VERY REASONABLE AT THAT TIME IN OREGON. THOUGHT OF  AS A JUNK PRODUCT. I PREFERRING THE PATTERN TO CLEAR GRAIN. THE ROOF WAS TORCH DOWN THAT WAS ACTUALLY USED AS A CAPPING ON THE CURVING FRONT EDGE. THERE WAS NO FLEXIBLE CAPPING AVAILABLE AT THE TIME FOR TWO WAY CURVES. I HAD A STAINLESS STEEL FACIA FIGURED OUT, AN AFTERTHOUGHT THAT NOBODY WAS GOING TO SPRING FOR. THE BUDGET WAS NOT WHAT YOU EXPECT FOR A GALLERY. ALL NAIL ON WINDOWS AND SIMPLE DETAILS. THE PRICE OF YOUR UPSCALE CUSTOM HOUSE IN THE AREA.

THERE WAS A PLANTER EXTENSION ON EACH BAY THAT I ENVISIONED WITH PROFUSE PLANTING SPILLING OUT AND DRAPING DOWN. OVER THE YEARS VARIOUS ATTEMPTS AT MAKING IT ATTRACTIVE.

THE OREGON COAST TO ME IS WEATHERED GREY WOOD. AN INTENSE COLOR PERFECTED WITH AGE. WELL, IT SEEMS THE TOURISTS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE CLEAR COLOR OF NEW CUT CEDAR AND DROP OFF IN ATTENDANCE WHEN THE BUILDING WOULD WEATHER. ALL SILLY TO ME. BUT BOTH QUIRINA AND THE NEW WINDIMERE REALTOR OWNER MICHAEL SMITH WANTING THE NEW CEDAR LOOK AND POWER WASHING TO KEEP THAT LOOK. THE POOR BUILDING REVERTING TO NATURAL GREY EVERY CHANCE IT GETS.

INTERIOR SPACE BEHIND THE CURVED FRONT.

A DUCK HANGING IN THE GALLERY CEILING, A LAME ONE AT THAT.

SANTILA THE LOCAL MOTHER TERESA GIVING HER PITCH TO BUY HER ART IN THE ALCOVE OF MAIN SPACE GABRIELLA HAT IN FOREGROUND.

THE 101 HWY ELEVATION FOR YEARS THE 2ND MOST PHOTOGRAPHED BUILDING IN LINCOLN COUNTY BESIDES THE LIGHT HOUSE.

THE CARS DO SLOW DOWN AND TURN AROUND. THIS IS A SHOW STOPPER. QUIRINA LIKES ABSTRACTION OF ANIMALS AND THE NEON HORSE IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE. SOME KIDS DESTROYED THE HORSE ONE NIGHT AND THE COMMUNITY WAS UPSET AND HELPED TO RESTORE THE DAMAGE.

I ALWAYS THOUGHT IF THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST SOLD SOME ICE-CREAM, A FEW CANDY BARS, AND HAVE SOME TRINKETS AND TIP A MUSICIAN PLAYING THE PIANO THE PLACE COULD HAVE SURVIVED, BUT THE PRICE FOR SERIOUS ART IS DIFFICULT TO SELL EVEN THE LOW COST ITEMS QUIRINA HAD TOOK A BEATING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DOWNTURN IN 2008. MONEY WAS SCARED ,THEY STOPPED BUYING. QUIRINA ALWAYS PAID WELL AND TOOK CARE OF HER EMPLOYEES FIRST. AND WORKED LONG HOURS FOR NOTHING. OREGON IS AN ILLUSION, SO BEAUTIFUL BUT NOT SUPPORTING SOPHISTICATED CULTURE.

QUIRINA RECENTLY MOVING TO SAN DIEGO AND LIVING IN A SPRAWLING RANCH HOUSE WITH LARGE LOT. THAT SHE TOILS ENDLESSLY TO CREATE THE GARDEN OF HER DREAMS. ALL THE PROPER ART ON THE WALLS, BUT LACKING ARCHITECTURE, WHICH SHE CLAIMS ALMOST NOBODY CARES ABOUT. I TEND TO AGREE WITH HER. BUT SHE DID EXPERENCE ARCHITECTURE FOR TEN YEARS WITH HER GALLERY .

QUIRINA STAYING CLOSE AND ENCOURAGING ME AND SOLIDELY BEHIND MY DESIGNS BY CONNECTING ME FOR OTHER COMMISSIONS.

MICHAEL SMITH KEEPING THE BUILDING MAINTAINED, BUT NEEDING MORE. ALL PRAISES TO HIM FOR RESPECTING THE DESIGN .

GLEN