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We’re as nosy as the next person about the insides of people’s homes. That’s why we bring you a great property pick each issue. This month we visit the home of author Chris Gall, whose Dinotrux books will be turned into a Netflix series this year. Story and photos by Rachel Miller.
A one-of-a-kind ‘flaming rocket’ light sculpture hangs above the bar in Chris Gall’s Joesler home.
I admit to a little apprehension in approaching the home of Chris and Ann Courtney Gall. After all, this is the house where Dinotrux came in to being, or rather DIIINNNNNOOOOTRUX (it must be said in your deepest, most resonating voice), a favorite children’s book in our home. Indeed, our copies are so well-thumbed I was embarrassed to bring them and request signatures.
Working vintage phones and radios add to the nostalgia
What kind of home environment nurtures the creation of such well-loved children’s books? Books that promise to explode onto the screen this year when an animated series based on the books comes to Netflix? Whimsy? A mess of dinosaurs and trucks? Art that reflects the bold, exaggerated images of the artist and author?
There are no dinosaurs or old ’50s trucks littering the Tucson home of Chris and Ann Courtney Gall, but there is whimsy. Toy Story‘s Buzz Lightyear soars through the studio and office alongside meticulously assembled model airplanes – both indicators of Chris’s interest in restoration and mechanical tinkering. There are working vintage radios and a World War II submarine phone, along with the ham radio. And there is plenty of stunning art, including Chris’s own work.
The artwork is reminiscent of ’40s and ’50s graphics: rich and striking in color and line, particularly appropriate for a house of this era. This is Americana, but not kitsch and not frilly. This is bold and beautiful. Think vintage Park Service posters, but with a Norman Rockwell twist.
About the home: Built in 1951, the original Josias Joesler home is in Tucson’s Catalina Foothills Estates within 15 minutes of downtown. Atop a small hill with stunning mountain views, Chris and Ann have gracefully doubled the square footage over the past 24 years to 3,800 square feet. While the size of the house has doubled, the characteristic Joesler design features have been painstakingly maintained: the high ceilings, large picture windows, and use of porches.
Chris at work in his studio
The master bedroom addition.
Describe your style:“There is a word…it’s not craftsman like, but…it’s Frank Lloyd Wright in home décor palate in places. We used to say everything was harvest colors…there’s a nostalgic quality to our home.”
Your fave thing about your home: “The mountain and city views, and the acreage (4 acres) around the house, as well as the building materials. We like the red brick.”
Biggest splurge: “The stained glass front door by local artist Jon Goldbaum. I took a classic Frank Lloyd Wright design and changed it up, switching the colors, and Jon Goldbaum created it for us.”
Best bargain: “The casement windows that we found at Gerson’s for my studio.”
My DIY Moment: “Building all the window frames in the new master addition.”
Favorite resources: “Restoration Hardware, local art fairs and [southern Arizona village] Tubac.”
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- Antler and Mesquite coffee table from a local artist.
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- The stained glass door is based on a Frank Lloyd Wright and design, brought into reality by Jon Goldbaum.
Tucson treasures: “The one of a kind flaming rocket light sculpture over the bar we bought here in town, and the mesquite and antler coffee table at a local art show. We also have a few paintings by Phoenix artist Ed Mell.”
Take-away lesson: Take time to do it right. Sometimes doing it right means doing it yourself. Unable to find used casement windows the right size, Chris used his welding skills to make the windows for the master addition. Added bonus: these casement windows are double-glazed.
Are you digging these digs?
Get the look locally:
Take to local art fairs and search for locally sourced furniture for a feel that reflects the environment. Hang your own Chris Gall Giclee print from ArtsEye Gallery on Grant Road, or frame art in the form of books, bought from Kid’s Center or Yikes Toy Store. Check out Etsy store Hot Cool Vintage for sweet kitchen artifacts that fit the era of your home.
Or try these we found online (contains Amazon Affiliates):
From left to right: Steppe Bed , $1,399 from Crate & Barrel; America the Beautiful $6.91 on Amazon; Safavieh Lamps $175.69 on Amazon
* Look out for an animated series of Dinotrux, about the time when hybrid dinosaur-construction characters rules the earth, this Spring from Netflix. More here.
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