The House of My Dreams

Okay, maybe I don’t want to live in the house, but I’d like to live next door and visit often. As an upcycle artist, I’m enthralled with Vanadu Art House, which happens to be a quick 20 minutes down the road from me. I’m not sure how I missed its existence for all these years. The owner as been busy at work creating art of his home and vehicles for quite some time.

In the Eye of the Beholder

I read a bit about Vanadu Art House and its owner and artistic director, Clarke Bedford. For 23 years, Bedford worked as a conservator (preserving and repairing art) at the Hirshhorn Museum in D.C. And for most of his adult life, he has been exploring and working in many forms of art—painting, photography, writing, sculpting. With time on his hands during retirement, why not create artworks of his home, yard, and vehicles? 

I also read the reviews below some articles. There are folks like me who are in awe of the creations and the artist. And there are others who label Bedford a hoarder and a nuisance to his neighborhood. I suppose beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder, and no artist can please every onlooker. 

For the record, it seems his neighbors have no grievances with Clarke Bedford and his upcycled artwork house. I read as much, and I also experienced local sentiments first hand, as almost every person who drove slowly by the home stopped to chat with me during my gawking…er, filming. In fact, one landlord uses Vanadu Art House as a marketing tool for her neighborhood.

How would you feel about living next door to this eccentric home? Let me know in the comments below!

Almost There 

Referring to my own recent adventures in upcycling, I poke fun at my comparison of me and Bedford. I now have six upcycled artworks that I will claim to have made in public, a few others I pretend not to know. If I’m to get anywhere close to creating a masterpiece of my home, I had better get to it (and mention it in mumbled passing to my cohabitator). Which reminds me, I have some steampunk upcycling to do with the trashy treasures I found at the park near Vanadu Art House. Best get to it.

I hope you’ll come along with me for a tour outside Vanadu Art House in this week’s outdoor adventure episode below!

-Lisa B

Thank you for joining me on this and future Ecopsyched! adventures!