John LaFarge painted on Paradise Ave 1800's

  Captured here are some of the changing Paradise Avenue properties

Change came to the artist's studio in 2002 when it was cut off from the main house
 and relocated to a  cement foundation (formerly rested on cedar posts).

rail road like timbers were stacked beneath the studio 

Pneumatic pumps engaged on the four corners to aid in lifting the studio

wooden foundation forms put into place on top of cement footing

Workers move from elevated position 

Sliding it down with tow ropes

Studio as it was changed to serve as a place to create and hang natural wreaths, today

Try it again, another day #2 ... ever changing

Paradise Ave has begun to change.  It's the Southwestern portion of Aquidneck Island near to surfer's end beach.  Some remember Indian Ave was experienced one of the last big changes with construction projects underway on both side of the street.

This past Thanksgiving found change when a 1920's cape taken down to make room for an exciting new home.  Here below is the bull dozer at work.  In the distance, 103 feet above sea level one may see a three story, ~3500 square foot  Rhode Island home already well underway toward its March 2012 completion target.

...house on the Gray Ledge takes shape with interesting high windows a curving, South facing deck.  Ocean views from all three levels,

...another view looking to the East

Traditional home design dating from the 1840's sits to the North up the Paradise. 2012 Winter has not come this year as it was captured here in 2003.

532 Paradise before changing to a  newer cedar roof -  viewed through the old privet hedge.

View from the 550 Paradise new home site of 550 Paradise Avenue it is higher up on The Gray Ledge looking down on back of the older house below from the backyard .

New roof is  lighter.  But with Rhode Island's wet weather, it has now darkened

Some may recall America's Hudson River Painters found Paradise Valley (Avenue) an attractive place to paint in the 1800s.

Changing the location, repositioning, plus weeks  of renovating to this old building we found at 532 Paradise.
This was the a house, possibly rented at one time by John LaFarge - who became a famous painter.  It was his good fortune  to married a Vanderbilt Family member.  His wife
 may have spent her summers in one of Bellevue Avenue  Newport Mansion.

John LaFarge Studio as it is sometimes called was used by the painter for a few years.  He is one of those Hudson River painters .  Some of his colorful stain-glass windows were found in a basement warehouse in Fall River and put back on display inside Salve Regina University's Our Lady of Mercy Chapel.  

NEXT  ... let's take a tour inside this old painter's place to see what changes have taken place.