Sidney's Newest Business Is Opening

A quiet sunrise glimmers over the tops of buildings, birds chirp and sing as Spring weather approaches; hints of emerald green begin to emerge from the flower beds surrounding our municipal sidewalk curbs. Downtown has dipped its proverbial toes into the pool of community creativity; from Hickory Square's colorfully painted sunset mural to the clay-dusted floors of Sidney's latest artistic destination, Elston House. Located at 1005 10th Avenue, the little shop is a creative's dreamland waiting to be explored.

Awaiting behind a giant white curtain that eludes to a "coming soon" attraction, is a collective space looking to be discovered; an opportunity for people to try their hand at a variety of mediums. Elston House will feature pottery wheels, ready-to-paint clay works, a collaborative workspace, and also an off-site kiln for all pottery pieces created in-house.

The launch of Sidney's newest business began 10 years ago as a dream for Matthew Elston, his wife Sarah, and their small family. Just as their goal relied on the right location, the same can be said for finding the right town. "Something like this happening in a big city like Denver just wasn't feasible," Elston said, affirming that Sidney helped to cement his ambitions. "In a small town, a space like this provides something unique. Sidney is its own ecosystem and I feel this is one thing it needed to create a more well-rounded shape as a community."

Originally from the small town of Leon, IA, Elston moved to Colorado with his parents during his high-school years and is also where he attended college and met his wife. Together they decided to move their family to the area."We like the small town atmosphere," Elston remarked. Now living on a farm outside of Gurley, he enjoys using his farmland as a resource, "There's clay everywhere, you just have to look," Elston says with a chuckle.

Seeing a real need for a creative outlet in Cheyenne County, he focused the past three years on preparing his historic downtown location that was once a "Mom and Pop" diner as well as a lively bar and pool hall, and has transformed it into the artistic gallery and gathering space it is today.

Imprinted with fond memories of the past, Elston has done what he can to preserve the building's history; from the newly uncovered tin ceiling tiles, to the intricate stained glass windows that have been preserved as the register booth in the center of the workshop, the attention to fine details coupled with the appreciative conservation of days past is more than evident. "My vision of Elston House is transformation, that's why we wanted to build in an old location, to show that transformation, as it plays right into art. The whole process of art is learning and improving," Elston said. The renovation process has come with its complications, one being a lack of electricity for three months, but it came with rewards as well. "These buildings are like a family member, you start to learn what the building wants," Elston says.

The workshop will serve as a community gathering space, encouraging patrons of all ages to give their inner creative a chance to shine, "People can come here and be themselves; if they want to come in and just sit – they can sit. If they come in and want to utilize our services, that's okay too. We're just excited they decided to stop by," Elston affirms.

Typically an in-house a pottery project can take 1-to-3 hours, depending on the detail. The finished pottery pieces are then carefully transported to Elston's off-site kiln, and then brought back for the following week's pickups.

Also an opportunity for local artists to display their work, Elston House is seeking submissions, "We want to work with our community to bring handmade artwork in," Elston said. "Everybody's art is good enough, it doesn't matter if you've been doing it for a month or you've been creating for 30 years, the community wants to see it and they will probably like it.

There's always someone out there that will appreciate your work and what it has to offer," Elston encourages, "We want to give people the chance to be vulnerable and display their creations. Taking that chance and displaying work is a step someone else may have been too scared to do, and that is admirable."

Elston House will officially be opening its doors Friday, May 3rd, and will be welcoming guests the following day, May 4th, for Girl's Day Out. The location is also available for special events or private parties.

Shop hours will be as follows:

Monday: Closed (open by request)

Tuesday: Closed (open by request)

Wednesday: Closed (open by request)

Thursday: 4:00 – 8:00 pm

Friday: 4:00 – 8:00 pm

Saturday: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Sunday: 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

With much to look forward to on the horizon, Elston is optimistic about its impact on Sidney, "We're just adding a log to the fire, now we've all got to work together to create that perfect fire."

If looking to submit work to Elston House you may contact them by calling: 308-203-1133, or by reaching out to them on their official webpage: http://www.ElstonHouse.com.

Author Bio

Kelsey Arrington, Staff Reporter

Cheyenne County native, local business owner.