The Hoarder Gives Back. | St. Louis General Contractor

My dad is a collector. We jokingly call him a hoarder but really he isn't, he's just a lover of all things old. Pieces of history that have a story. Tiny pieces that once made up someone's home. He has SO many things crammed organized nicely in his shop, it's really a treasuretrove of items and one that I've used many times to find something cool!

Recently, a local artist, Ashley Drissell, came by and dug through everything to find some pieces to use for her artwork. Rick and Ashley are kindred spirits in that they both create beautiful art from discarded items.

Here are some examples of items Ashley was interested in...

I've used pieces of his old trim for projects around our house, we have an awesome old window hanging in our hallway and my kids LOVE "working with PawPaw" out there with all of his odd bits!

BUT none of us are professional artists in the same way Ashley is and we can't wait to see what she creates using the things she pulled from the Kuhn Shop! We'll be watching her website (LINK) to see if anything we recognize pops up!

Also, I just had to share Ashley's kind words for my dad...

Dear Rick,

I want to sincerely thank you for sharing your work and your passion for turn-of-the-century homes with me. As an artist I value craftsmanship, quality, and nostalgic respect for the past. I can see that you share these qualities for your work, home, and family. Your contribution of salvaged and recycled home items from your own personal collection is not only magnanimous, but will help me greatly in the preparation for my graduate M.F.A. thesis show. My art explores notions of family, memory, nostalgia, and tangible and intangible connections to my familial past. The pieces you gave me will serve as placemarkers for memories- or a tangible evidence of a past which might otherwise be remembered by photographs or stories. I can't wait to see how each piece will evolve into a more visceral narrative as I begin to layer, sculpt, and build.

I am grateful for your generosity.

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