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Did I miss something? Are you moving to NM, Iriegirl?
Now that I'm gone it seems you and DancingEarth are going to be there.
Yes, petrol can be very expensive in the more rural areas. The cost/price difference between Taos and Santa Fe was always about 25/45cents (last March).
Did I miss something? Are you moving to NM, Iriegirl?
Now that I'm gone it seems you and DancingEarth are going to be there.
Yes, petrol can be very expensive in the more rural areas. The cost/price difference between Taos and Santa Fe was always about 25/45cents (last March).
There you are Ontheroad!
I'm here at least for the moment...... this job although it pays well...s..ks. After I left five years ago they didn't hire someone who knew what they were doing and it is totally disorganized and difficult to get it organized because I'm constantly putting out fires. I'm giving it a year and if the stress level doesn't decrease I'm going to start writing for scholarships and look for a grad school program. In the meantime get new glasses, catch up on bills from college, get better at making pots, and keep involved in history and community activities.
I'm still not sure I want to stay in Santa Fe because of family in PA and I definitely can't afford to retire here. How do you like where you're living?
I don't have regrets about leaving NM, but I am somewhat at odds with leaving VT.
This area is abundantly artistic--both visually, spiritually and in terms of a strong support group, but it lacks the amenities of New England. I have to get into the car for everything, and not just go to a town, but to multiple towns to buy some of the simplest commodities--food, clothes, books, restaurants. Hence, I've put more miles on the car here than in either NM or VT.
I do think so much is relative, and then it is a question of balancing the scale. I got to write some articles for a local newspaper, and that was rewarding, and I am working on a caravan of gypsies project with a national group, so I am engaged.
And of course the weather is difficult to take at times. We had a very hard winter, and I was snow-bound, literally, for several days and had to get a neighbour to come over and shovel me out the door.
Byt all in all, I am finding my way and will know more about the potential for making this "home" after Spring and Summer has come and then gone--which will bring me here nearly to the year-mark. It does always take that long to know, doesn't it?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dancingearth
There you are Ontheroad!
I'm here at least for the moment...... this job although it pays well...s..ks. After I left five years ago they didn't hire someone who knew what they were doing and it is totally disorganized and difficult to get it organized because I'm constantly putting out fires. I'm giving it a year and if the stress level doesn't decrease I'm going to start writing for scholarships and look for a grad school program. In the meantime get new glasses, catch up on bills from college, get better at making pots, and keep involved in history and community activities.
I'm still not sure I want to stay in Santa Fe because of family in PA and I definitely can't afford to retire here. How do you like where you're living?
I have to get into the car for everything, and not just go to a town, but to multiple towns to buy some of the simplest commodities--food, clothes, books, restaurants. Hence, I've put more miles on the car here than in either NM or VT.
I do think so much is relative, and then it is a question of balancing the scale. I got to write some articles for a local newspaper, and that was rewarding, and I am working on a caravan of gypsies project with a national group, so I am engaged.
And of course the weather is difficult to take at times. We had a very hard winter, and I was snow-bound, literally, for several days and had to get a neighbour to come over and shovel me out the door.
Byt all in all, I am finding my way and will know more about the potential for making this "home" after Spring and Summer has come and then gone--which will bring me here nearly to the year-mark. It does always take that long to know, doesn't it?
In my mind I envision living in a town with a university of around 60,000 people by water where I could get out and walk to stores or a coffeeshop. If it snowed (and I prefer snow over constant 90 days of rain), I could still walk to stores. I love living rural because I love being surrounded by nature but there is that downside--makes it much harder to get out in bad weather. I'd brave a couple blocks walking to a coffee shop but not miles of icy roads. But somewhere more remote would make it easier to have a place that I could experiment with pit firing my pots and I need a place to sit outside with the earth (I should have been a potter a long time ago.) Back and forth. I think a smallish town with a private backyard would do it and then find friends with a remote location to pit fire.
I'm also giving it a year here and in the meantime finding what works for me--making friends along with pots at the studio and getting involved in organizing the Spanish Renaissance Faire for Open Hands and Golondrinas. Who knows--after I make friends I might not want to move again. I just finished the last of the moving stuff--registered to vote. What is the gypsy project? Sounds interesting.
Hi Ontheroad,
Great to hear from you! Are you near the Pa,NJ, or NY border?
It was a cold winter here in NJ too. Just makes you wanna stay in and be a hermit.
We are selling the house, but not sure where we're going. We may actually stay in NJ for a while, and rent closer to where my husband works, which would be better for me too, nearer to the city. I could handle a commute from there, but not from here.
I love the idea of NM, just not sure if I can be that far away from my kids. I only see them about once a month, but i like knowing I can get to them easily. I'd love to travel around for a while, after we sell, if possible...checking out places to live.
You sound like you like PA. It is hard to have to get in the car to go everywhere. and expensive. How is your grandchild? Being closer must be a plus.
I'm from PA originally and love going there. I grew up in the Phila area, but I really like the Lancaster area...wouldn't mind living there, i think.
Hi Dancingearth,
The description of the town you're looking for sounds ideal, I just wonder if it exists.
I keep going back and forth too (in my mind,) searching for the perfect place. Where I live is a town like that, I can walk to everything, but there's no art here. Just some very conservative groups painting sea scapes. Also, its Very Expensive to live here. Our RE taxes are over $6500 this year, and they go up every year. CA is perfect too, but $$$ and mucho traffic.
How do you feel about Florida? It has lots of college towns, water, art fairs, and I love to go to the State Parks there. Just the frakin' heat and humidity are a drag.
(omg. see how I'm all over the place? i need some ritalin! )
How do you feel about Florida? It has lots of college towns, water, art fairs, and I love to go to the State Parks there. Just the frakin' heat and humidity are a drag.(omg. see how I'm all over the place? i need some ritalin! )
The heat and humditiy are more than enough to kill that idea for me (not that you asked me). Add in the hurricanes, flatness, and hordes of people, and it's the antithesis of what I would like.
DancingEarth, The gypsy carvavan project is still a concept to me although it is a group project and is slated for publication. It will be 3-D, and I was in the studio this afternoon touching stuff--and trying to see if I had any paper product sturdy enough to make a wagon. I think I do. If I can get it all together, I may post it on my web for private viewings.
Iriegirl, always good to hear from you. I am about 7m from the NYS border, and in the Catskill/Pocono area.
And since we talked about personal stuff, I got a new grand-child...two now. And I will driving down to see them in 10 days or less w/ a visiting friend. Getting excited about that, but not about the cost to go so few miles.
Anyway, I've re-sub'd to the thread so I can keep up with you both. I am wondering where stormweary is these days.
I really enjoyed the thoughts about fine art/folk art. The sentiment that fine art is something that you create for yourself just blew me away. I think artists have taken the blow of the separation that modern life and technology has afforded us the hardest. We really can feed each other's muse and the mix of mediums to me is like cross training. It introduces new angles and keeps things interesting. I think it's why we feel drawn to art 'centers'. Our art is inside of us and its creation is generally done as a single soul; but it's the connection to others that know those spaces and feelings that we seek.
My wife and I used to host a local dinner club. Among the guests that made the regular rounds was a guy who made swords. Not Japanese fine blades, but swords that were wrought from scratch and quite good. After so many conversations about the 'Californian tide' and 'Albuquerque Public Schools' and the local mundane politics, I found his words about his craft and method completely engaging and (this is the selfish part) as an artist, the next day I felt full of whatever it is we need to create. Just dinner chat with another artist in a completely different medium was like a wellspring to me. It got to the point where I was telling my wife:"Hey, make sure your friend brings her husband.".
I will say this about New Mexico specifically: it's eclectic. There's a diversity in the art out here that I don't see in many other places. I'm not talking about the big shows. I'm talking about the little ones. The one's in places on the back side of mountains with cheap little flyers printed at Kinko's on obscenely bright paper. I always run into wonderful artists at shows and my house is full of art that I traded for with mutual appreciation. I've never found that anywhere else. My wife has asked me if I'd be willing to move back to PA (her home) if she got the big offer. I've lived and have family in VA myself, so the husband/father in me says:"Of course. You were willing to come out here, why shouldn't I be willing to reciprocate?", but the artist in me shifts uneasily and wonders about what will be...
Great post ziaAirmac! I actually find that modern technology feeds my art inspiration. From this forum, to the artist friends I have made on LiveJournal, Blogger, and other sites, I have discovered so much new art, young and older artists, just some great original art. There are lots of young artists, educated and not, creating outstanding new artwork. It's encouraging to see art being explored in many mediums and so many people can see it because of the internet.I love it,especially since I have hardly anyone here to talk to about art.
Quote:
We really can feed each other's muse and the mix of mediums to me is like cross training. It introduces new angles and keeps things interesting. I think it's why we feel drawn to art 'centers'. Our art is inside of us and its creation is generally done as a single soul; but it's the connection to others that know those spaces and feelings that we seek.
This gives me that connection.
Quote:
I will say this about New Mexico specifically: it's eclectic. There's a diversity in the art out here that I don't see in many other places. I'm not talking about the big shows. I'm talking about the little ones. The one's in places on the back side of mountains with cheap little flyers printed at Kinko's on obscenely bright paper. I always run into wonderful artists at shows and my house is full of art that I traded for with mutual appreciation. I've never found that anywhere else. My wife has asked me if I'd be willing to move back to PA (her home) if she got the big offer. I've lived and have family in VA myself, so the husband/father in me says:"Of course. You were willing to come out here, why shouldn't I be willing to reciprocate?", but the artist in me shifts uneasily and wonders about what will be...
I also love that you say NM is like that! Great local artists exchanging their work, just a nice idea that makes sense.
I sure don't have that here. You're gonna have to think twice about moving back here. Although, I know that a good relationship depends on that give and take, and sometimes you gotta do it for the other person.
catman,
yeah, the heat, humidity,hurricanes, insurance,....and I have been reading the FL forums and to me, above all that, there are No Jobs there. Thats a big killer too. And, it's not Art who?, but "Fear No Art" is a saying I have on a favorite T-shirt I got from Pearl Paint.
Ontheroad, Congrats! on the second grandchild. Have a wonderful trip seeing them, it will be worth the gas prices, I'm sure.
I like that area in PA, its a bit remote, but very scenic. My kids used to go to camp up there and we would visit in the summers. You'll prob. love the summer up there, its nice.
Lots of lakes and good fishing, and good locally-grown veggie marts.
I really enjoyed the thoughts about fine art/folk art. The sentiment that fine art is something that you create for yourself just blew me away. I think artists have taken the blow of the separation that modern life and technology has afforded us the hardest. We really can feed each other's muse and the mix of mediums to me is like cross training. It introduces new angles and keeps things interesting. I think it's why we feel drawn to art 'centers'. Our art is inside of us and its creation is generally done as a single soul; but it's the connection to others that know those spaces and feelings that we seek.
My wife and I used to host a local dinner club. Among the guests that made the regular rounds was a guy who made swords. Not Japanese fine blades, but swords that were wrought from scratch and quite good. After so many conversations about the 'Californian tide' and 'Albuquerque Public Schools' and the local mundane politics, I found his words about his craft and method completely engaging and (this is the selfish part) as an artist, the next day I felt full of whatever it is we need to create. Just dinner chat with another artist in a completely different medium was like a wellspring to me. It got to the point where I was telling my wife:"Hey, make sure your friend brings her husband.".
I will say this about New Mexico specifically: it's eclectic. There's a diversity in the art out here that I don't see in many other places. I'm not talking about the big shows. I'm talking about the little ones. The one's in places on the back side of mountains with cheap little flyers printed at Kinko's on obscenely bright paper. I always run into wonderful artists at shows and my house is full of art that I traded for with mutual appreciation. I've never found that anywhere else. My wife has asked me if I'd be willing to move back to PA (her home) if she got the big offer. I've lived and have family in VA myself, so the husband/father in me says:"Of course. You were willing to come out here, why shouldn't I be willing to reciprocate?", but the artist in me shifts uneasily and wonders about what will be...
My housemate says the same thing--he is a musician but I get him thinking about visual art. Every so often he'll ask me a question about clay or how to build a kiln. I signed up for beginning drawing this summer because I know it will inspire my claywork. Thanks for the reminder of why I love New Mexico--it is full of artists of all kinds (and mountains and wide open spaces and lots of interesting people.) Today I didn't want to go to work--woke up dreaming about how to glaze my pots.
I agree with you Catman--FL - no way. Visited there once--no mountains and disneyland--fake everything--ugh. Did you decide where you want to live?
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Florida?
