The idea of living in a space that is inspired by someone’s personal artistic expression is fascinating. What stemmed from curiosity turned into reality and in my case, “If you want something bad enough, you’ll find a way.”
Bill Tonnesen’s work seems to have always been a part of my life, whether I realized it or not. Frequenting the restaurants that retain his sculptures or simply driving by his properties on my way to school, it’s always been there slowly but surely gaining my attention.
The possibility of living in one of Tonnesen’s “restored” properties was a nice thought but the exclusivity factor seemed challenging. Great location for a great price and not to mention, limited apartments available at each property. After graduating from ASU, I was more than ready to take the leap to independence and live on my own. I sought out a few different options in Tempe but my heart still resided with Tonnesen at the end of the day.
My cousin happened to be living at one of the Tonnesen properties and told me that there was an apartment available for rent in her complex. That same day, I called to set up a tour and moved in two months later. Needless to say, I didn’t need the time to think about it. My favorite part of the whole experience was Bill encouraging my dad and I to check out his newly renovated home that is for sale down the street before giving him the down payment on the apartment. I suppose I should start saving.
I have been living in a Tonnesen property for a few months now and its exactly what I imagined it to be. My friends don’t quite understand it and a few of them are threatened by my friendly gatekeeper, but I think it just adds character to the place. I would say its like living in an art gallery but Bill would rather me say, it spurs my creativity before heading off to a Public Relations & Advertising agency every day, which to some degree, is applicable too. Even more, I believe it entices my passion, the side of me that you don’t see in the workplace that yearns for weekend adventures and spontaneous discoveries.
Bill’s home office is truly a hidden gem in Tempe. It’s the epitome of his artistic influence and as soon as I saw it, I knew I had to showcase it somehow. So I reached out to my good friend who is an extremely talented photographer who I knew would perfectly capture the essence of Bill’s world. Mckay Jaffe, founder of I Must be Dead Photography has an eye for capturing emotion and personality in the most beautiful way. His capability to tell a story with each image is magical and sets him apart from most photographers that I know. I jumped at the opportunity to combine creative forces between Mckay and Bill by telling my own story. The dream-like qualities of the whole experience still has me wondering if it even happened.
