In 2019 my husband Taylor and I bought a decrepit building in the West Colfax area of Colorado’s Denver-adjacent town of Lakewood. Along with our architect (ArcDen Studios) and build team (Build3), we spent the next year and a half gutting the place and building my dream studio along with three other spaces to rent to other artists. This property became Blackbrush Studios - a space for my team and myself to do our own work, home to a couple other creatives, and where I host occasional events such as studio parties, exhibitions, and artist dinners.
MY STUDIO
1431 Estes St, Lakewood CO 80215
Want to visit my studio?
This is where all of my creative work is done, as such I am very protective of mine and my small team’s time here! Studio visits are by appointment only, we are generally unavailable on weekends. Visits are for serious inquiries and buyers only (prints or originals), no tours.
Please email me at noelle@noellephares.com to schedule an appointment.
RENTAL STUDIOS
*****All of our rental studios are currently occupied. Please email noelle@noellephares.com to be added to the waitlist.
Each studio has:
Brand new plumbing, electricity, HVAC, lighting, drywall, framing, insulation, paint… these spaces are completely rebuilt
400 sq foot artist studio space
Additional 80sq foot room for storage or office space in two studios, 40sq foot in third
Vaulted cieling (15 - 18 feet depending on space)
Separate entrance to building exterior (covid-friendly! )
Private bathroom
Utility sink
Gallery track lighting and can lighting (these spaces also get fabulous natural light)
Heating and cooling separately controlled per studio
Skylights
Loft with storage space
Double-paned Anderson windows
Sound insulation between studios
Small outdoor area with awning
Wifi and utilities included
Property features:
Exterior camera surveillance system - you can add your own interior security if desired
Parking for all tenants + additional parking for guests
ADA bathroom accessible to all tenants / guests
Recycling and garbage dumpsters
Additional Images
Please note:
I took these images with my iPhone, so they aren’t great. But these spaces are gorgeous.
Images below are of a single unit. The other two are very similar in layout with slight differences.
These photos were taken before construction was completed, so please pardon the dust, stickers on windows, etc… they are perfect now!
What we are looking for in an artist tenant
You want to be part of a community of creatives who are interactive, conscientious, and supportive of each other, and may put on occasional events together (eg. open studios for an occasional First Friday)
You use this studio as work space only, AKA no live-in
You produce some sort of creative work out of this space. Painter? Poet? Photographer? Jewelry maker? Ceramicist? Weaver? Illustrator? Something awesome I don’t even know about? Thumbs up!
Your creative process is not extremely destructive. These are nice spaces and we want them to be used as studios, but we don’t want them to be destroyed. Eg. No large metal-working that requires massive power tools and sprays hot metal particles all over the walls, a huge kiln that could light the whole place on fire, anything that produces large amounts of toxic fumes, a painting practice that requires you to splatter paint all over the walls… you get the drift.
Reliable and timely rent payer
You will need to have general liability insurance by the time you sign the lease
Rental Terms
$1200/month per studio, utilities and wifi included (may do consumption-based utility charging if tenant’s creative practice is uniquely energy or water-intensive)
$1200 security deposit
Annual lease
How to apply
Email me at noelle@noellephares.com with the following information:
Name
A brief description of your creative practice and how you plan to use the studio space. Please note if you have any employees/regular helpers, and if you foresee having regular visitors/customers at the studio.
A link to your website
When you can move in