Playing with Light at the Get Hot Bug Shop
As a Westfalia owner I’m naturally drawn to other VW enthusiasts. There’s an unspoken connection, particularly between those who appreciate older models even if there’s some truth to owners “having more cents than sense.” Thankfully, my handy father works on mine but it’s always fun to stumble upon wizards like Jim who has been meeting a local need for air-cooled sorcery since he was a kid. He owns an understated gem here in PG called the Get Hot Bug Shop which I stumbled upon last year while walking my son to the aquarium. It’s hard to say which has more charm, the space itself with nearly 100 years of machinist history within its patinated dome, or the congenial personality keeping it alive. It doesn’t take much for the allure of an old building to draw me in but one with such unexpectedly gorgeous ambient light and a friendly host makes for quite the portal. Needless to say I started popping in regularly, continuously struck by Jim’s generosity, even allowing me to use a backroom occasionally for floral design. I eventually brought my camera along when a fellow photographer’s model friend was in town. While I’d love to eventually share an essay that features Jim and the shop itself, here are a few images showcasing the natural light I was drawn to and Sienna’s timeless beauty.
