Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – Houston Style

By Jeremy On January 22, 2010 · Leave a Comment · In Imago Dei | Artists, What We're Up To

New home in Kemah

Last week in the pouring Texas rain the order was given to “Move That Bus!” Imago Dei owners Jamie & Jeremy Wells were thrilled at the opportunity to participate in the national phenomena of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition to benefit a Kemah family. Lead by Jeremy Wells, Imago Dei artists Eva Ann Shepherd and Rissa Thomas worked with other volunteers on the project. Although the details can’t be described or shown until after the airing of the show sometime in March, their contribution included custom plaster finish on the walls and four unique three-dimensional custom guitar display for one of the older children’s bedrooms. The guitar cases were built from wood, painted, distressed and then mounted to the walls where sound-actived lighting would light up from within when a guitar was lifted off the pressure sensitive switch. Other work included wall finishes in other rooms, assembling furniture and other detail work.

Jeremy Wells

That Wells and the fortunate family attend the same church is a bonus. “I can’t think of a more deserving family for this,” he said. Larry and Melissa Beach, who have been married for 23 years, have 13 children, nine of whom are adopted. They range in age from 23 years to 22 months.

The Houston Chronicle reported that thousands of volunteers “were driven by the charitable nature of the popular ABC show, which custom-builds houses for deserving families across the country. The show’s cast and crew swept into the Bay Area last week to surprise the Beach family, who were living in a travel trailer parked behind their Hurricane Ike-flooded house.” The old house was demolished and a new one erected and furnished in just seven days.

Chris Seay, Pastor of Ecclesia Church in Houston where the Beaches attend, said “So many people are thrilled to see this up close. I think there’s something very basic in all of us that wants to see what’s broken made whole. I think that’s what’s so appealing about this show.”