Finding the Art in Independence Heights

After taking in this weekend’s open house at the thriving shipping-container art colony ensconced in Stephen and Thedra Cullar-Ledford’s Independence Art Studios at 419 Janisch Rd. between Shepherd and Yale (above), fine-arts hound Robert Boyd pokes around a few more streets in Independence Heights — and finds a lot more art lurking in the neighborhood’s big lots. Boyd writes: “I think we can say that this is a little hidden art neighborhood. And if it follows the pattern of other art neighborhoods like Montrose and Rice Military, in 25 years or so, it will be full of expensive townhomes.”

Photos: Robert Boyd. Sculpture: Jonathan Clark

3 Comment

  • I find container buildings interesting, but often times not very aesthetically pleasing. I really like the deisgn of these, and they look great. I could use one of these in my backyard.

  • Interesting, how do they keep water from penetrating the wall on the low end of the shed roof? It used to rain a lot here.

  • from the “Independence Studios” link:

    “We got a little insurance money for Ike damage to our kitchen, and promptly spent it at MBCI on metal roofing. The valley gutter at the bottom of the slope once again is the tricky part. On the first one, I used sheets of lightweight aluminum that I could bend by hand, fitted them under the windows, along the cricket, and up the slope aways. Then I’d caulk the sheets together and lap the roofing over it and screw the whole thing down. Not too bad, but lots of room for leaks and the aluminum was pretty expensive.

    Finally went to United Lumber and they sell rolls of metal for exactly this purpose. I think it’s galvanized steel instead of aluminum, but it will work. It’s lighter weight and one piece will do the whole run, so it’s an improvement. Much cheaper too.”