This is where it all Began. We were searching for a Location on 9-8-2017. We found this Building and took this Image for our research file.
This would become one of the many locations we would explore over the next several months. On a chilly Sunday afternoon in January of 2018, I was parked out under the trees pictured here. There was something about the place that felt like Home. I knew the building had once served as the local Chapter for the Disabled Veterans of America so I gave my dear friend Chappy a call. Chaplain Tom Forbes is a Disabled Vet and I thought he might have information about the property. All was connected from there. Chappy, along with His Ministry, Covenant Promise Prison Ministries, secured the property and it was gifted to Earth Mother Studio. Several plans are underway including a Permaculture Institute, a Community Garden, an Artisan Teaching Village and the restoration of this historical Veterans building to be used as a Community Center that will focus on Disabled and Homeless Veterans.
The West Texas Sulphur Draw runs through the property. Top corner shows the building once occupied by the Girl Scouts. It is currently abandoned. This part of the property will be addressed during Phase 2, which launches in the fall of 2019.
This is the Veterans building that we are currently restoring. The two trees in the foreground have since been cut down and harvested for firewood, building/craft projects and mushroom cultivation.
The south side of the building once featured a war themed wall mural. The paint on the mural had peeled so the decision was made to paint over it. The "Bee Aware" mural will be painted here in the future to bring attention to Colony Collapse Disorder.
Looking down Sulphur Draw from the west side of the property.
The back side of the draw. This entire area fills with water when it rains. The draw will need to be re-structured to accommodate water harvesting.
Our Photo Journal Begins
These were the first of the building pics. We would need to secure a new door before entering.
We called local contractors and the thrift store in hopes of finding a good used one.
Harry Hamlin was a local artist here in Lamesa, Texas. This was one of the many wall murals he had painted in our little community.
Harry often traveled persuading one more wall to become a work of art. This section is a ~Cheers~ to Harry, wherever you may be.
We hope someday you will return................to where everyone knows your name.
Left: One of the 4 murals on the Dawson County Courthouse.
Right: The 3D Horse mural at "Park on the Square"
January 28th
The new metal door is installed and the work begins. Once inside the building our attention focused on planning what needed to be done from there. We spent so much time on the demo that we forgot to take pictures of the condition of the building when we first walked in. February's journal shows more on this subject. Many Thanks to James Beam for the work on the door and lock installations.
January 31st
Two of the Construction Team members; Kirt Rundle and Alex Parraz moved in the first load of recycled items as well as some other necessaries. We set up a work area out under the trees, a temporary compost bin, a stack of pallets for recycled wood, a few chairs and a grill for cooking our lunch. They also brought some aged wooden fence panels rescued from an alley and a few dog kennel panels that would be used to build a bull pen to store building materials.