Member Supported Art Workshop Shares Tools And Classes With The Community

A place in Truckee that provides tools and space for people to build anything they can imagine is seeking its first expansion six months since its opening.

At an indoor lumber yard on the east side of downtown visitors rub elbows with artists, touch ceramics, ogle paintings and sculptures. The artists are part of the Roundhouse, that’s a member-supported workshop in Truckee where experts share tools and classes with the community.

Architect Gordon Cross used the Roundhouse resources to make illuminated metal wall art. One of the keys to success for the Truckee Roundhouse is a "maker fair."

“The architecture was getting a little stale so I was wanting to do something a little more creative. And this is letting me do something more creative and do something that I want to do,” Cross says.

His business is one of many that have started up with the help of the Roundhouse since it opened just six months ago. Morgan Goodwin is a board member.

“Really the magic behind this is that when you get all these different uses and people from different walks of life who are in here connecting and making things together and sharing skills that is real community, that is a real valuable thing and that is why we are so invested in doing it right and pushing this project so far,” Goodwin says

The Roundhouse already has 150 paying members, is expanding floor space by 50 percent and is working on a partnership with the school district.