Sad Artist Diary: Exiled From My Studio

It is a dark time at the Painted Crow Studio—literally. Thanks to power fluctuations in our building, my Wednesday evening students had to REALLY trust in the process by painting in the dark. (Thankfully, here in the Northwest daylight lasts a good long while at this time of year.)

Then things went, for want of a better word, kablooey. Power surges destroyed a designer neighbor’s microwave and countless light bulbs, as well as other equipment. The management locked down the entire building while they and city workers try to figure out what’s happening and put a stop to it.

As a result, I had to reschedule my Saturday class. But what really hurts is that I can’t get into my studio and paint.  Here I am, on fire with inspiration from my trip down to Cannon Beach, OR for my Essentia project, and my art studio and all my supplies are literally locked away for days. Woe!

What’s an artist to do?

Well, some artists would smash a window, climb through, and paint anyway. This is of course a terrible idea, though the headline LOCAL ARTIST ARMED WITH BRUSH IN TENSE STANDOFF WITH POLICE would be interesting.

Instead of breaking and entering, I spent today working on the business side of things. I made plans for a new, self-guided, online creativity course, and started a new Twitter feed for Painted Crow at @PaintedCrowArt. (Please follow me there! I can’t get in my studio, and desperately need validation!)

But it’s just not enough, alas.  It’s frustrating to have a clear vision that needs to be expressed, but my space and my tools are taken away. “Oh, just paint outside with whatever you have!” say my inner critics, who should really shut up already. I wouldn’t suggest that an accountant without her computer just draw a spreadsheet on a paper grocery bag, or a mechanic whose garage is shut down to do the same repairs in a residential driveway using a hammer and screwdriver. Some projects just come to a standstill when you don’t have the right space or tools.

So until this Sad Artist can get back in the studio, maybe you could cheer her up by donating a few dollars so she can travel down the Pacific coast and capture the beauty of its landscapes! Or you can just take her out to coffee and tell her she’s good and worthwhile, and that all the bad electrical problems will go away soon.