Dirty Smelly Noisy

The old mill complex where I have my studio, Western Avenue Studios, is not in a great part of town. It's not scary, but it's a bit neglected, industrial. That's why it was unused, that's why it is inexpensive, that's why artists have flocked there to fill the buildings with vitality and creativity. There is a part of the complex, the G Mill, that was slated (by the generous building owner) for live/work spaces with giant windows and canal side views.


Real estate in Lowell was not immune from the recent housing bubble, while still less expensive than areas closer to Boston, it managed to get pretty pricey anyway. The live/work spaces were to be an affordable way for artists to get a piece of the latest Lowell renaissance while strengthening our presence at Western Avenue.




But the the Zoning Board of Appeals struck down the building permit! One of the condescending reasons they gave was that the "Western Avenue area is too dirty, smelly and noisy to be conducive to creativity." This confuses us. Everywhere we look we see beauty and potential, we are inspired by this space! Those who rejected the plans misunderstand what artists find valuable.


We are trying to move forward with appeals and make this great idea a reality. In the mean time, instead of feeling helpless and frustrated, we are putting on a month-long exhibit in June. It's called Dirty Smelly Noisy and will highlight the multi media work of local artists and submissions received from artists all across the country! We are determined to highlight what we as artists find beautiful in the rugged Western Avenue area. Should be an exciting and interesting show! Hopefully it points out the silliness of objections to developing an area that would benefit greatly from development, especially in this positive way.

Please check out the exhibits if you are in the area during June! Here's my entry, a photograph I took in the basement of the A Mill. It will be on display outside my studio:

Flux

Spring is about change, and it is rippling into our lives. Good friends are moving out and new friends are moving in.

My studio has been the lucky recipient of some new furniture pieces, but now my supplies are piled even higher to accommodate the shift.


The condo has holes in the ceiling due to insulating of sweating pipes and the furniture is all moved around to make room for the workmen. At some point the drywall guy will come and be disruptive, but he'll repair the moldy walls as well.


The husband has a new job, closer to home which saves on both gas and energy (the human kind), but he now has a new mountain of a learning curve to ascend.

It's so hard to be OK with a state of flux, to adapt, to accept change. It goes against the grain. I have heard it is better to relax the muscles rather then stiffen and brace for the blow. I've never been very good at relaxing, but I will try not to resist the tide, the weather, the inevitable. I will just continue to make little felty things and in that way perhaps comfort myself and, hopefully, others.

Sculpting

I studied sculpture (along with printmaking, drawing and painting) in college, and I still love working in 3-D. In Indiana where I went to school, limestone was free for intrepid sculptors willing to haul away surprisingly heavy stones from the fringes of reservoirs. I sculpted a lot of stone with chisels, hammers and files.


I carved plaster, hand-built terra cotta,


I even welded steel! I glued slabs of basswood together to make a block from which I carved a Venus-of-Willendorf-type figure (which someone thought was a naked baby as I carried it cradled in the crook of my elbow walking back to my apartment at the end of the semester.)



I know a lot of artists are creating figures in wool with the needle felting technique, but I have always been drawn more to abstracted images. I have preferred to craft the symbol of a flower rather than a realistic flower with accurate petals and stamen. Around Christmas someone requested a mouse so I made a few stylized mice:


And then recently, I wanted to make a gift for someone and I knew they liked dogs so I tried my hand at this:



I worked entirely from my imagination and enjoyed it. I'm very pleased with the results and am excited to try more (Chet, you're next!)

UPDATE to previous post

I think I knew this at one time, or suspected this many years ago but then forgot it, then yesterday had it confirmed by my best friend...

We went to high school with Louis CK!

The kicker? I think I had a crush on him! There's something about funny guys...my husband is cute AND hilarious so that must be it :)

In the interest of full disclosure, here is my high school photo:

Lowell, MA is the New Hollywood

Ricky Gervais is shooting his movie, This Side of the Truth, in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts! Read his blog about it here Apparently Lowellians are quiet and polite, who knew?

Ricky Gervais:
For the past two days the film crew has been set up on our street and filming in The Dubliner pub (The Dub). I had a chance to hang out across the street and stargaze a bit, catching Ricky and ribald comedian Louis CK with my digital camera. I love seeing famous people! I think it's fun.

Louis CK:
Here's a link to my fairly dull video of the take they were filming while I was watching. unfortunately they were indoors, but toward the end, Ricky and Louis come out the door of the pub.

Fun Lowell Movie Fact: Danas Luncheonette was filmed for a soda fountain scene in the 1992 film, School Ties

A Fine Day

Yesterday came through with perfect weather, blue skies and balmy breezes, it was fantastic. We shed our winter coats and wandered about out-of-doors. Candace came to Lowell and we drove over to the renovated Lawrence Mfg Mills on the Merrimack which are now residential and called Renaissance on the River.


Lots of good photography shots to be had there. Candace brought her macro lens and I brought my Brownie Reflex for some Through The Viewfinder (TTV) pictures. I did not come up with the concept of TTV (search it on Flickr and see, ignore the fakers!). But I absolutely love the effect I get when I literally take a picture with my digital camera of the viewfinder on the Brownie camera.


The Brownie viewfinder has a fisheye effect, an old mirror and dirt for distortion and atmosphere. Because of the mirror, the pictures come out flipped backwards. Sometimes I flip them right so you can read any writing, sometimes I leave them be.



I am so excited about making these into prints and cards!

Abundance

Every once in a while I forget what I know in my heart to be the truth: that I have more than enough in this world, that my life is overflowing with love and support and good will as well as material goods. It's so easy to forget when the paycheck runs out a little too soon some months, when I can't move forward in growing my business as fast as I want to, when a huge opportunity is presented but doesn't actually pan out. It's easy to forget what I do have. I have everything I need and more so.

Abundance. It's always present, surrounding me like air. I just need to remember, open my eyes, see it, reach out and acknowledge it. Last week the switch was flipped in my brain and I remembered. And I was instantly presented with corroborating proof!


A lovely internet friend in Wales started the manifestation of proof of abundance when she sent me a bag of wool from her very own sheep! Vicki washed it for me and sent it as a gift, to see if it would work for me so I can buy more in the future if it felts nicely. Does it ever felt nicely! I can't stop felting this gorgeous oatmeal colored wool. I can't wait to see the other natural colors she might have available.


Around the same time, Amanda, who has given me amazing yarn in the past that I made into nest pins...


...told me she had some more colors of wool thick-and-thin yarn for me and presented me with three stunning, giant skeins! I am overwhelmed and I look forward to seeing the nests that come from these gorgeous colors.


A day later I was presented with an amazing collection of wool from another artist in my studio building, she would like to trade for selections from my decorative paper stash, you bet!

I may not have won the lottery, but wool, three bags full, feels like precious treasure to me. I can make beautiful things with these gifts, enjoying the process, thinking of my kind friends the whole while. I will sell these items, infused as they are with good will, to other people who will then carry around that joy or pass it along as a gift to someone else.

I don't mind having to constantly re-remember these basic truths, because each time is like a revelation and it renews me. Thank you to all my generous friends!