Art in the AM: Beer Can House

Join Writespace for a morning tour of the outsider art space The Beer Can House and get your creative juices flowing. Soak in the art, get a breath of fresh air in their courtyard, and take some time to jot out some thoughts with a writing prompt from a Writespace volunteer.

John Milkovisch, a retired upholsterer for the Southern Pacific Railroad, started his project now known as the Beer Can House in 1968 when he began inlaying thousands of marbles, rocks, and metal pieces into concrete and redwood to form unique landscaping features. When the entire front and back yard were completely covered because he "got sick of mowing the grass", he turned to the house itself and began adding aluminum siding - aluminum beer can siding, that is.Over the next 18 years the house disappeared under a cover of flattened beer cans for both practical and decorative reasons. Garlands made of cut beer cans hanging from the roof edges not only made the house sing in the wind, but also lowered the family's energy bills. Ripley's Believe It or Not estimated that over 50,000 cans adorn this monument to recycling.

Photo by By Andrew Wiseman

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