IT ALL STARTED WHEN...

The initial plan was to use the space for production of A. D. Studio's hand-pressed ceramic tiles (As seen on the wall in the photo), but as work continued on the building – cement floor laid down, drywall put up and ceiling fans installed – the space began to take on a life of its own. It called for more than production work; it wanted people inside, sharing creativity, ideas, laughs and a sense of community. It has hosted parties, art exhibits, music and fun.

The building itself dates back to the WWII era, built at Camp Swift. If you look at the ceiling you can still see fingerprints in the long-leaf pine wood, left by the prisoners of war detained at Camp Swift as they built the building, and over time the oil from their hands altered the color of the wood. 

HISTORY OF ELGIN STUDIO 621

Barry Perez has been a professional artist for 30 years. Around 2012 he purchased a business that produces hand-pressed ceramic tiles. The tiles were designed to be reminiscent of weathered stone in the older buildings of England and Europe, with an eye for architectural design. He renamed the business AD Studios.

After living and working in Elgin for 25 years, Barry was finally able to purchase the storage units next door to his home and studio. He and his family worked to transform one of the building from divided storage units to a single large space where he could house the production of the tile business. He moved the molds, the clay and the kilns into the new building,

However, he realized that he now had a space to host his own annual exhibition, which he invited other artists to participate in. The family had a party there for one of his nieces who graduated high school. He learned to transform the space from pressing and glazing the tiles to a showroom for art to a space for people to gather and celebrate.

Thus was born the idea of Elgin Studio 621, as a space to allow artists and community to meet and mingle. Workshops have been held here; other artists have used the facility as studio space and plans are being made to expand into the other set of storage units, where regular classes can be held in painting, ceramics and metalwork.