Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Day Number One at the Arthur Dove- Helen Torr Cottage, Centerport

 This is the loft space in the Artur Dove 1880-1946)-Helen Torr(1886-1967) cottage on the Titus Mill Pond in Centerport.  It had served as a post office and general store prior to becoming the home of these two American Modernist painters.
 When I arrived the painters were working on the exterior of the cottage.
 My friend and co-volunteer, was beginning the re-building of the rustic staircase.
I jumped in prepared with plaid shirt, work jeans, denim apron, and work gloves.
 Everyone who visits this site exclaims that they wish to live there.  The view is stunning and tranquil.
 He checks the level on the first tread.
 A while later, Michael W. Schantz, Ph.D. the executive director  and CEO of the Heckscher Museum of Art which owns the cottage,  came to look around and help out.  Here he takes the first steps on the stairs to see if they feel right.

 Because the cottage is right on the Mill Pond, the basement was wet from Hurricane Irene, something I know a lot about.  A hose is syphoning out the water. 
 Another view of the Mill Pond.
 The interior of the cottage has suffered some damage, and
fixing it will be another project, a long project.
Original wainscoating, which was behind wall board, was installed in two directions.

 A very nice feature, maybe leftover from the general store?
 The staircase under construction.
The volunteer adjusts the concrete footing.
 Volunteers usually bring their own tools, including power tools.

 He clamps the uprights for the railing.

 A messy re-do of the trim around the front door, when a  screen door was previously hung, wasn't right.  So he replaces the trim and improves the door way.
Although we were tired after hours of work building the staircase, it had to be primed with paint left for us by the house painters.  Good thing that my knees still work well!  Eventurally they will paint it the dark green.
 We cleaned up the debris around the workplace,
and called it a day.  Day one at the Dove Cottage. 

8 comments:

Elizabeth said...

I always wanted to live in this cottage!
What a position.
Well done you fixing it up!

Margaret Gosden said...

As I said, I would like to be the one living-in to care for this cottage! Lovely!

BernieH said...

What a fantastic project to be involved with. The snippets you showed today do give the impression it's a great little cottage and the view onto the mill pond is fabulous.

Acornmoon said...

How lovely!

lisa lewicki hermanson said...

A good beginning. I have always loved this place, but I did not
know that that inside had been
modernized.!

Lona said...

What a wonderful cottage. I think the view is so amazing. I would love living there. The spiral staircase is so nice. A lot of work to do. The steps turned out wonderful and look natural to the cottage.

Lona said...

I forgot to thank you for the great tips about trimming the callicarpa. I appreciate it.

Kat_RN said...

Looks like work but it also looks like fun.
Good for you! Helping to save something
like that is an excellent idea.
Kat