Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Beauty in a Building's Renovation / The Mystery of Taos Blue




Located in the Taos Historic District, Common Thread is situated in an old adobe and wood structure that has been placed on the New Mexico State Historic Register. This week, the John Dunn House, part of which was originally a stables, is undergoing a series of cosmetic renovations to bring it into compliance with it's historic status. These renovations include period architectural details. 

In preparing the exterior walls for a fresh coat of plaster, the removal of layers of plaster and paint reveal previous eras of color and texture--including what appears to be a layer of blue. Is this the color the building once was? Or, a painted advertisement from once upon a time? The mythical color, "Taos Blue", is said to have been one of the few commercial paints available in this geographically isolated village for many years.. 

It is most likely that, before we know the answer to this question, these etchings of time will disappear under a fresh layer of mud--only to be revealed again one day...