Art in Ashes - Help Christopher rebuild after studio fire

Art Studio in Ashes

On Wednesday, July 31st, our dear friend Christopher Owen Nelson arrived at his downtown studio to find everything destroyed by fire, believed to be a random act of arson committed late the night before. Chris was in the middle of a move and was temporarily storing all his personal items there, including personal photos and family treasures. He lost almost everything he owns, including hundreds of incredible works of art, tools, bikes, hard drives, music equipment and, well, I could go on and on. Everything Chris needed to create his art and support himself is gone. There is a small insurance policy in place but will truly only pay for an EXTREMELY tiny fraction of what was lost. Two decades of works of art are gone forever and not covered by insurance.

This GoFundMe will help him to start replacing his tools and get back to work creating incredible art and building beautiful spaces.

As you would expect, he is feeling pretty shell-shocked, but he has been working hard to remain positive and see the good things that could come to him from this. I have been touched every day watching him move through grief and frustration and alchemize them into hope and possibility. He is ok, really. Of course he is also not ok, but he’s got this.

All of that said, he really needs some help from us, his loved ones, family, art community/patrons and anyone that might just be able to contribute to this heart-centered brilliant artist, craftsman and friend.

Of course, any monetary donations will be the most useful as they can go to so many things, but if that does not align, there are lots of other ways to help. Tools (new or used), a gift or long-term borrow of an enclosed trailer where he can start collecting things to take to whatever space he finds to work in next. Leads on inexpensive or borrowed studio space, clothing. He also welcomes any new business doing fabrication, art commissions, design projects, artistic building projects, etc.

To get focused on moving forward, Chris has decided to lean into the completion of the tiny house he started building many years ago. For that we need land! The ultimate dream is to purchase some mountain land where he can put the tiny house AND his studio. Any leads on a flat parcel with power (some shady trees would be amazing). Owner financing would be ideal

Also, STAY TUNED!!! Chris still has some art that was stored off site, and we will be holding an art and crystal sale event this October as another way to work towards rebuilding. Connections for event space and any other contributions to putting that together will be welcome.

Quick glance at ways you can help:

--Share this GoFundMe with your network

--Contribute Direct funds to Chris using Venmo @slickfuzz or Paypal @cnelson964

--Come to, or contribute to, our art and crystal event in October

--Donate clothes, tools, event space for the art event, studio space, enclosed trailer.

--New business doing fabrication, art commissions, design projects, artistic building projects, etc.

--Leads on owner financed land within an hour of Denver where he could live in and work on the tiny house and possibly even create a new studio.

Chris is dear to me, and it would mean the world to me to see him supported and held and I know you are all here for it! Thank you in advance for all that you do, it is so appreciated.

Nichole Barnes

For art inquiries and to obtain a list of works that were not destroyed in the fire, please contact Chris through his website at www.christopherowennelson.com.