A Moving Journal

Monday.  Today is the day I will gain occupancy to my new studio.  I stop by the space, stop in to talk to George, the original tenant, proprietor of Appliance Junkies.    He gives me the key.  I open the door.  Such an empty space, so pregnant with possibility.  I shut the door quickly to be sure all those creative sparks stay within the space.  

Tuesday.  I drive down to my new space on 6th Street.  Darlene is waiting.  We have arranged  for her to bless the space, work her sacred magic.  She goes into the space by herself.  She emerges with a clean report and we move on.  We smudge the entire space with sage.  We put garlic, Alabaster chips and seeds in the corners.  We walk through the space with a glowing candle, then extinguish it  with prayers for peace, creativity and prosperity.  We end the morning with Violette’s muffins and coffee, and a friendly chat.

Wednesday.   I notice a post from a fellow artist in Jerome, Robert Jackson.  I know he is active with the Jerome Humane Society.  He has statistics on euthanasia for unwanted cats.  The figures are appalling.  I remember George has a rescue kitten living in his space, and therefore must be cool about keeping kittens there.  I call the Humane Society.  They invite me up to meet the kittens ready to adopt.  Although they have a litter of nursing kittens with unopened eyes, they direct me to two absolutely darling kittens cavorting in the other room.   I immediately christen them Junipurr and Manzanita.  I cannot bring them down the hill until they get a clean bill of health.

Thursday  Moving Day.  I arrive at U-Haul at 8:00.  Chris a local veteran, is there.  We sign paperwork for the 12 foot truck.  Tom joins us.  We drive up to the Jerome studio where Don is already dismantling his worktable.  We need two trips to get all the wood and furniture down the hill.  Don and Tom depart at noon.  Chris and I continue to carry stuff down the steep stairs most of the afternoon.  We dump the stuff into the studio.  By the time Chris and I finish at 4:00 we are filthy, and thoroughly exhausted.  I go to bed at 5:00 and do not wake up until the following morning.

Friday.  Forty years ago I took an adult education class and discovered sculpture.  I loved it.  We moved from place to place after that and all I could do was affirm that someday I would find the right place to work with clay.  I drive out Sycamore canyon to investigate the ceramic studio of Don Reitz.  The potential for expanding my art here overwhelms me!  I arrange to join the community and return Tuesday for my first lesson in using a pottery wheel.