Re-Vision

I love to see old things re-used in creative, beneficial ways. It satisfies on so many levels: by re-using, you save resources; by restoring, you honor the original... It especially delights me when an abandoned building is revived to a new use.



I first experienced this when my sister lived in a Brooklyn building that had been a cinnamon factory. The neighborhood was iffy, but the space was splendid: ancient brick had been repaired, creaky old floors had been polished, and everywhere clung the faint, stimulating fragrance of cinnamon.



Saranac Lake is home to a great deal of old architecture crying out for re-use; fortunately, some of it has already been claimed and revived. Todd Smith, artist and visionary, has transformed a small, once-forgotten building into a community art space named for the town's latitude and longitude coordinates: 7444 Gallery.



About a hundred years ago, the railway was Saranac Lake's lifeline; at its peak, eighteen to twenty trains came through daily. Parcels were transported too, and, as passengers would await the next train at the elegant depot, packages also needed a place to wait. So a small, utilitarian warehouse of sorts was built by the Railroad Express Package Company (which evolved, over time, into the United Parcel Service).



Now owned by the New York State Department of Transportation, this little warehouse is actually on the National Register of Historic Buildings, though it does not bear a plaque. There is nothing fancy about it - no baroque flourishes or birchbark embellishments: but it is beautiful. The builders of an earlier age used quality materials, and did their work well. Today, the floor has been restored to its original warm hardwood, and the multi-paned window casements still feature sturdy brass hardware. Just as my sister's apartment bore the fragrance of its cinnamon-dusted past, so this place is redolent of history, and the dignity of honest hard work. Lay your palm on the whitewashed wall, close your eyes, and you can almost hear the voices of people collecting their goods, the shuffle of crates passing from hand to carriage.


The richness of this life long gone infuses the life now there. All year round, 7444 Gallery showcases the art of people exploring materials, methods, meanings, and minds. At present, nine different artists, called the 7444 Collective, share work in diverse media. From fiber to pottery to wood, from glass to paint, a wide range of expression is on display to illuminate the viewer. A formal opening reception will be held tomorrow, Saturday, January 9th 2010, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm.


One can only speculate on the variety of belongings that may have passed through this old building. But now, one can visit, and admire, and enjoy a great variety of art. What a fine new life for an old piece of architecture.