The Pattern Shop Studio, at 3349 Blake Street, is located in the heart of Denver's oldest industrial neighborhood. Once home to iron and steel manufacturing and sprawling railroad yards, in the RiNo Art District now growing fast, honeycombed with craft shops, artist's studios, galleries, graphic design firms and upscale lofts. Among the old factory sites that have been converted to new uses is the
hundred-year-old Box Ironworks, which manufactured equipment and electric hoists for the Colorado gold mining industry. From the 1920,s to the 1970's, Silver Engineering Works used the site to manufacture harvesting and processing equipment for the sugar beet industry. The Pattern Shop at Silver Engineering Works was the building in which woodworkers made life-sized wooden patterns of machine parts that were then converted to iron and steel products in the foundry next door. After Silver Engineering moved, Sharon and Rex Brown bought the Pattern Shop in 1991. Working with architect David Owen Tryba, they turned it into an AIA Award-winning studio, gallery and home. Sharon is literally the “artist in residence.” Her paintings have been exhibited regularly for more than 15 years. In addition, other artists, such as photographers Michael Ensminger and Nick Del Calzo, and painter Eric Zimmer, have exhibited their work. The Pattern Shop Studio is a founding member of the River North Arts District (RiNo), and regularly participates in RiNo events and openings.
