life gives us gifts

I just read that phrase somewhere: life gives us gifts. The trick is being able to recognize them and then being able to open our arms to accept them. Life gave me a gift this week. Not a FREE gift, mind you. But a gift nevertheless.

At some point, there will be walls where the blue tape is on the floor. And this will be 550 sq. ft of studio space I will be sharing with another artist.

The building is in a complex dating from 1880 and this space, being sub-divided by one artist for other artists, fell into my lap as a result of mentioning I was looking for space when I was at last week's artist crit group. The painter was at the same meeting, also looking for space, and we went to see this sunny, airy loft yesterday. Hope to sign the lease next week and move in at some point next month, if it is ready.

I am already wondering what effect this space will have on my work, once I settle in. The painter is also going through a creative transition, so it should be interesting.

Even if I had not been sure the moment I saw the interior, I would surely have known that I belonged here when I saw this wall adjacent to the exterior door. Another gift.

This is uncannily similar in feeling, if not in fact, to some photos I took in London several years ago and to many other pictures of graffiti and old walls that I've taken over the years. Layers of time...

Now I should go take advantage of the gift of time. I don't have to get up early tomorrow, so I can work late tonight if I choose to.