Catherine Wines & R6 Studio
Contributed by Susanne Kaime Reese
Catherine Wines is a proud fifth generation Nevadan, arts advocate, and principle architect and owner of R6 Studio. Her true artistic calling and passion is expressed in her historic architectural restoration. She attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and University of Arizona, earning her architecture license in 2008. People sometimes forget architecture is one of the seven fine arts. There is no doubt Catherine is an artist at heart, when you see her use pencil and paper to document creative imagery from her thoughts, into beautiful and graceful designs, that translate into useful and practical structures. Her profession comes down to hard work, focus, precise planning, and artistic design. Her recent work is helping to reshape the personality and beauty of the historic heart of Elko in our City Center. Just one look at the new Cowboy Gear Museum makes my point.
Wines’ ongoing project is the Taber Building on Railroad Street. Built by James Errol Livingston Taber, a local attorney who became the Chief of Justice of the Nevada Supreme Court before his death in 1947. The structure is even older than its neighbor, the Henderson Bank Building. Catherine’s vision and creative talents will eventually return the building to its youth and it will look much as it did in 1919. “I feel like I can hear the building speaking to me,” Wines said. “I believe it is begging me to make it beautiful again.” An upstairs office once belonging to her uncle, Chuck Armuth, is her office. She discovered the original Douglas Fir hardwood flooring in the office only after removing layers of glued-down commercial carpet, a particle board sub-floor, linoleum and tar paper. Each project offers a mystery and a challenge.
Catherine is a strong community voice and advocate for the arts. She is active in the Elko community and works to inform people of the importance of the arts and sustainable design. Catherine is the chairman of the Elko Arts and Culture Advisory Board and has created a venue for Northeastern Nevadan artists to have their ideas and talents communicated to the Nevada Arts Council via local “Art Connect” meetings. She is also a member of the new Elko Arts Foundation, and both artist and organizer of the Elko Boot Project.
If you are a Northeastern Nevada Artist, and wish to share your art and story, please email susannereese@earthlink.net