This is a guest post by Kelly Patton – share yours!
I started the life of a tiny dweller when I moved to the country in Northern California. I landed at a sweet community spot where other artists and farmers lived, and was thrilled at the idea of having my own space, no matter how tiny. It was common to find people living alternatively and exploring a range of creative and inexpensive spaces.
Many of these people were artists, and other creative types living comfortably in trailers, buses, cabins, attics, warehouses and barns. Over the course of 1 year I moved around the land from a veggie powered school bus, to a studio with an attic loft in a warehouse, and a small 8’x8′ shack. There was a community kitchen and bathroom available on the land, and the people shared these amenities. It was a very sweet and community interactive situation.
That experience gave me the notion that I could live with less furniture, and so I found ways to make my things more mobile in case I wanted to move my studio at any given opportunity. I learned more about what I could do without, and more about my basic needs in daily life.
As an artist, I tend to collect lots of little fascinating relics and natural objects as reference for my drawings. These objects don’t move everywhere with me, but have proven to be useful as they reflect the environment around me and appear in my paintings. In a special way, they are preserved in the artwork, so there is an ongoing acknowledgement that all stuff is replaceable and this helps me curb my long term hoarding. Please enjoy, learn more and re-share below. Thank you!
Kelly Patton the Traveling Artist and Tiny Dweller
Images © Kelly Patton
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This 1988 Ford Econoline 350 Short Bus Conversion is a guest post by Lacey Leonard
My name is Lacey Leonard and I am an undergraduate Sculpture Student. This was my tiny house project and I am very excited to share it with you!
The bus is a 1988 Ford Econoline 350 with Short Thomas Bus Chassis. This bus was an undergraduate research project in sustainability, mid-century design, and woodworking. The entire interior is hand built with Virginia barn wood dating 150 years back (some of the pieces go back even further).
The project took about one year to complete and was a collaboration between art students. We designed and executed the bus to be functional and ergonomically through mid-century design. The bus is completely off-grid but has room for personal modifications.
There is a composting toilet, fold-out kitchen counter, stainless steel protected space for the heat source, AC unit, tiny closet, bench storage, sink, and red oak wood floor.
The wood used in the bus is red oak, white oak, chestnut, poplar, pine, birch, walnut, and redwood.
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Students design and build short school bus conversion/rolling tiny home
Images © Lacey Leonard
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This is a guest post by Kelly Patton on her 432 sq. ft. Artist Studio Yurt in Northern California.Â
This yurt is comfortable rustic living, or as I call it, fancy camping. It is nestled in the woods of Northern California and it is the perfect dwelling for the nature artist and writer that lives here. It was built by the land owner, 15 years ago, I rent it and have lived here for 2 years. Inside you will find a full kitchen with a classic Wedgewood stove, and the very efficient country wood burning stove. Fragrant cedar siding lines the interior and four Low-E windows add natural light. Please enjoy, learn more, and re-share below. Thank you!
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432 Sq. Ft. Artist Studio Yurt in Northern California
Images © Kelly Patton
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