Resurrecting Trash: Dan Phillips and the Phoenix Commotion (Huntsville History) - Softcover

"I have watched Dan Phillips at work for nearly forty years, and I must say that he constantly surprises me with his ability to create something magnificent out of "trash" others have consigned to the city dump or left at the curb to be hauled off. License plates, shattered tiles, bottle caps, wine corks, gnarled bois d'ark limbs, sawed-off ends of timber--in the hands of this master craftsman all become the finest of building materials. He is a magician in the world of home construction. In this book you will learn all about Dan and be introduced to some of his remarkable projects."--Paul Ruffin, Director, Texas Review Press "Dan Phillips combines the passion of an artist with the wisdom of a philosopher to create inimitable living spaces that are as full of life and personality as the people who inhabit them. Harnessing the power of apprentice labor provided by an army of willing novices, Dan fashions structures from salvaged materials that become affordable yet aesthetically unique homes for artists, single parents, and families with low incomes. This book will open your eyes to the uplifting spirit of Dan Phillips, who chooses to see the possibilities rather than the limitations in both the buildings and the builders as he quietly goes about the business of improving the planet, one project at a time."-Don R. Bates, for the editors

The Phoenix Commotion is a local building initiative created to prove that constructing homes with recycled and salvaged materials has a viable place in the building industry. This process uses only apprentice labor and teaches marketable skills to anyone with a work ethic who is willing to swing a hammer. By keeping labor costs low and using donated or found materials, the homes created are truly affordable. (www.phoenixcommotion.com)This book is an examination of the history of Phoenix Commotion and the philosopy of Dan Phillips, the prime mover of the enterprise. Here readers will be introduced to the major projects of Phillips and Phoenix Commotion: the story behind them and the specifics of these unique structures, complete with black-and-white and color plates.