TimberHut Cabin Company Seeks Artist
TimberHut Cabin Company Seeks Artist
TimberHut Cabin Co. seeks artist to create 38x16-foot mural on exterior of showroom building
One of the largest forms of public-facing art, murals are unique expressions of the culture, place, and time in which they were created. From Keith Haring’s iconic 1987 “We the Youth” mural to more recent creations such as Kelsey Montague’s COVID-19 memorial mural, each one tells a story and draws in visitors who want to experience that story. For Brooks Anderson, founder and president of TimberHut Cabin Company, the beauty and excitement of Cattaraugus County’s natural landscape is a story worth sharing, and he’s looking for an artist to portray this through a building-sized mural at TimberHut’s production facility.
In fall 2021, Anderson moved his Buffalo-based production facility to the former car dealership site at 4580 Route 219 in Great Valley. The 15,000 square foot space occupies five acres, including a well-lit lot, and is exactly what Anderson needed for his rapidly growing custom cabin company. The exterior wall of the north face of the building has an open area that is 107 feet long by 16 feet high, and Anderson would like to devote approximately 38 feet of this space to a mural that reflects the natural beauty of Cattaraugus County.
“The side of the building is the perfect setting for a mural that tells a story about Great Valley and Cattaraugus County as a whole, especially the four seasons aspect of this area that draws in visitors and adventure seekers,” he said. “It’s a cool location for it because it’s centrally located in Cattaraugus County, and I’d love to have the mural be a destination. With the right artist and the right theme, we could paint a very nice, really beautiful setting that reflects all that our area has to offer.”
Anderson pointed out that he’s not looking for an exclusively “TimberHut mural;” rather, the mural should portray the qualities that make Cattaraugus County such a wonderful place to visit. Prospective muralists should plan to use as much of the space as possible to include representations of the four distinct seasons of western New York, as well as three elements in each seasonal landscape: 1) illustrations of year ‘round activities such as biking, skiing, hiking, camping, golfing, picnicking, and more 2) an image of one of TimberHut’s cabin models, which are available online at www.timberhut.com, and 3) the TimberHut logo somewhere in the mural. Artists are encouraged to incorporate elements that would inspire visitors to stand, sit, jump, or strike a pose for a memorable photo of their visit.
Designs should be submitted to TimberHut Cabin Company by Tuesday, February 15th and should include the following:
A design sketch drawn roughly to scale on either one long poster paper or four pieces of landscape-oriented 8.5 x 14-inch paper;
A good-faith estimate of the total cost of the project (time and materials itemized);
A good-faith estimate on when work would commence and conclude; and
A list of anything required from TimberHut for completion of the mural.
Once submissions are received, TimberHut’s panel of judges will review them and select their top three designs. The first place artist will be contacted first, and if he or she is no longer able to participate, the second place artist will be contacted, and so on. Anderson is planning for work on the mural to begin this summer, which will coincide with his plans to have a completed showroom.
While Anderson hoped to have the showroom well underway by the end of 2021, business has been so steady that all efforts have been concentrated on filling orders for TimberHut’s move-in ready artisan-crafted cabins. “Our markets are really hot right now, and we’re very happy about that,” he said. “We haven’t had any time to build out the showroom the way we want to, but we’re hoping to have a break so that by March or April, we’ll have a showroom.”
Right now, Anderson and his crew have been busy in the back of the building working on their redesigned basic model that uses structural insulated panels instead of a traditional stick build. The panels, which are more cost-effective and sustainable, produce far less waste, and Anderson is pleased with the finished result. While supply-chain issues have created some hurdles for TimberHut, “One thing that we haven’t had problems with is labor and talent,” he said. “People have been really receptive to the idea of working with us. We’ve built a solid core team of five - all from Cattaraugus County - and we’ll probably hire two to five more people in the next 60 days.”
The crew looks forward to warmer weather, when they can begin developing the five acres of the property to include model cabins, as well as retail space where visitors can find anything they might need within a 100-foot radius of their cabin or home. From fire pits to hammocks to outdoor games, sleeping bags, cooking fire tools, and more, Anderson wants TimberHut to become a one-stop destination for outdoor recreation.
TimberHut’s generous space is also ideal for hosting events such as car shows, music festivals, and farmer’s markets. Anderson plans to host weekly events on his site so that those looking to invest in a cabin or outdoor gear - and even those just passing through - can enjoy their visit. A beautiful mural that represents all there is to enjoy in Cattaraugus County is a key part of this vision, and Anderson hopes others will find inspiration in it, too. For more information about the mural contest or to submit a design, email info@timberhut.com or mail your design to TimberHut Cabin Company, PO Box 86, Great Valley, NY 14741.