Thursday Doors – James Hubbell’s Doors and More, Part 2

Last week, I shared some photos from a recent tour my husband and I took of the property owned by internationally renowned artist, James Hubbell.

When I booked the tour, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I was confident there would be a lot to see and tons of photo opportunities. At the end of our 1 ½ hour tour, we were happily tired, and I had taken over 100 images.

Since I wrote a bit about the compound’s history in last week’s Thursday Doors post, I’ll skip right to sharing more of the marvelous doors, windows, and art that we saw.

I wish I could have gotten a better shot of these three doors together… they were incredible.
I love how the stained glass window on the side of the door flows into the glass art embedded in the door.
Whimsical door – with hand-forged metal art and hardware – and a stained glass window above.
One of the several art studios on the property.
Another art studio with a large stained glass window framing the view.
This fabulous door leads into…
… this mosaic-tiled shower.
And another whimsical art studio.
The Chapel.
This just-completed door was commissioned by a very lucky homeowner (sadly, not us).
James Hubbell and his wife Anne.

I hope you enjoyed the tour. If you’d like to learn more about the artist and his amazing property, visit ilanlaelfoundation.org.

Dan Antion hosts door lovers every Thursday on his blog, No Facilities. Check out this week’s Thursday Doors submissions from around the world.  

Author: Janis @ RetirementallyChallenged.com

My blog is about travel, relationships, photography, and whatever else pops into my head (even, sometimes, issues surrounding retirement and aging).

96 thoughts on “Thursday Doors – James Hubbell’s Doors and More, Part 2”

  4. Thank you for taking us along on this amazing tour. The doors and stained glass truly are pieces of art. Whoever is the recipient of that gorgeous door is one lucky customer. They’ll have some jealous neighbors but ones who will enjoy walking by and checking it out.

  6. Wow, Janis. This tour must have been an amazing experience. Those three doors at the top must have been wonderful to see together from different angles.

    I love the art studio, with all its curves and that delightfully curved door. The other studios are so cool. I’d love to work, or write, or pay bills in any of them.

    The carved curve on the door to the shower s way more art than woodworking, There’s so much going on in that piece. Even the joined pieces are curved. The one at the top of the window is an amazing joint.

    The in-progress door is equally amazing. Thanks so much for sharing your tour with us.

    1. I love that you looked at the doors with an experienced woodworker’s eye and found details that I missed. And, you are right about those fantastical studios… even paying bills in them would be a pleasure (but I’d prefer to write in them 🙂 ). Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share these doors (and more) with your Thursday Doors fans.

  9. I love all these doors. What a wonderful collection of creativity and color and quirkiness. I really like that whimsical door. It looks like a kindergartener and her grandpa got together to design it. 😊

      1. I have never heard of this gentleman until your two posts. His work is extraordinary! Thank you so much for sharing these outstanding photos! I can’t decide which is my favorite, but I am partial to the ones in your first photo on this post. Just love these!

  11. I feel like it could be a movie set for a really interesting non violent movie (of which there is never enough of those). Just love the stained glass everywhere and that commissioned door is so incredible! Thanks for sharing.

  12. I read this twice on the WP Reader and wondered where the pictures were. Then my brain cells kicked in and I instead merely CLICKED on your post to have it open properly. Poof! The pictures appeared. 🙂 I love that shower! – Marty

  14. Just stunning, Janis. Now I want to go there and see these amazing doors in person.

  19. Just spectacular, Janis! How cool it would be to live there – or visit for an extended writer’s retreat.

    I’m sure that “lucky” new owner of the fabulous, artistic door must have deep and lucky pockets as well. 🙂

  21. Absolutely fabulous. I would very much like to have that fantastical brick art studio! I’m so glad you included a photo of the artist and his wife. 🙂

  25. I definitely enjoyed that tour. Thank you! The newly finished door someone commissioned is beautiful indeed. You can feel the love and joy put into all that artwork. It’s everywhere. What fun that must have been to create.

    1. It would be difficult to see the art and not feel joy. Although I never met the artist or his family (he and his wife had four sons, that they raised on the property), I felt that I “knew” him to be a very kind and generous man. I love that other artists are continuing his work.

  26. Just WOW! I adore stained glass and wood and mosaic. It’s one of the regrets of moving from our last house in Ohio. I finally got the house with stained glass windows – five of them (original to house, 100 years old)! And lots of wood – even wood pocket doors. And a leaded glass front door. Had them for 4 years, so there is that. It’s interesting to see the stained glass in a hot setting…. I might need to be thinking of getting a piece here. Our front door here is etched glass, so I have that. But I do miss my stained glass windows. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Your Ohio home sounds beautiful and full of history. I bet you could find a piece – even to hang in a window – that would bring the beauty of sun shining through colored glass and reflect your new environment. Or, maybe take it on as a project and make one yourself 🙂

      1. I have glass balls hanging in windows for that very reason – sun shine through. And I have started to look at craft shows for something else. Interestingly, less of this kind of stuff in Florida than craft shows up north.

  27. You captured so many fab doors from Hubbels estate, Janis. That curved top door with the stained glass is gorgeous and gives me some good ideas on our eventual front door replacement. Hope all is well and I look forward to a coffee date with you toward the end of June!

  28. Between reading your posts, I hopped over to the internet to see where this place is. Maybe a place to go as part of a Joshua Tree trip. Yes, I wouldn’t mind one of those doors either. 🙂 Thanks for the photos!

    1. That would be a great trip! Joshua Tree is amazing. I would have a few other suggestions of places to see if you decide to go, so let me know. The Hubbell property only offers tours at certain times of the year but I imagine they’d have that info on their website.

  31. Wow! This is such a cool collection. It must have been a real chore to prune your images to the relatively few you highlighted in this post. I love them all.

  32. Hi Janis, I love your phrase “happily tired.” Your post chronicling this tour is definitely a feast for the eyes. The “whimsical door” reminded me of the post you wrote about that door in the middle of nowhere. A wonderful photo at the end of James Hubbell and his wife. Thank you for sharing an inspiring and fascinating post. 💕

    1. Hi Erica! I’m glad you liked the tour. I don’t remember what that “whimsical door” led to… it looks like a teeny shed. I loved that picture of the artist and his wife… they look like such nice people (which I hear they are 🙂 ).

  34. What an amazing talent. Thank you for introducing me to Mr. Hubbell and his extraordinary art. Not giving in to the urge of procrastination is a good reminder for all of us. “Just do it” isn’t just a slogan for Nike shoes. Glad you shared your photos with us!

  35. The kitty’s markings even looked like stained glass! I love that you also captured the photo of the couple, their smiles are adorable and indicative of their creativity. Thank you for sharing more photos!

  36. I have never heard of this gentleman until your two posts. His work is extraordinary! Thank you so much for sharing these outstanding photos! I can’t decide which is my favorite, but I am partial to the ones in your first photo on this post. Just love these!

  37. Janis, this is an amazing place. The work that has gone into each door is tremendous. I wonder if he did all the work himself or if he had help with some of it. It seems like way more than a person could do alone and create art to sell and become famous. Fabulous post!

    1. I think he did most of the work himself but as he got older and better known, he had a lot of people who wanted to work with – and learn from – him. Now that he is in his 90s and no longer living on the property, most of the work is done by other artisans who love his design style and life philosophy.

      1. This was such an interesting post. We were talking about it at lunch yesterday. 🙂 So you were there in spirit. 🙂

  38. Janis, that place and it’s doors are incredible. I do admire those artists who are capable of taking folks’ breath away via their artwork. The loving exchange between husband and wife was adorable. A place worth the effort to visit.

  39. Some more amazing doors. I am drawn to timber like the one that lucky homeowner just purchased. I like the whimsical door as well. But where does it lead?

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