Life is Funny Sometimes...

Life is funny sometimes. The best laid plans and all that! I had planned something entirely different for this year of my life and lo and behold I seem to be on another path once more! Not the path I had thought out and planned, so well, but one that may well be better than I thought when I made those plans.

Not so long ago, just this past November, in fact, I opened a new studio in my home town of Torrington, CT. I was scared to death in so many ways: what if I could not make rent? What if no one came by-ever? What if I failed? The thing about "What if" is that it can make you crazy if you keep thinking on it. It can become an obsession that leaves you doing nothing at all if fear is allowed to take hold. That lesson I learned long ago and because of that, and probably a few other reasons only the most expensive of therapists might be able to find, I tend to jump in with both feet once I make a decision on which way I am going to go.


Well, happily, none of my worries came to fruition after my big leap into the unknown. I have learned a lot during the few months I have been in my little space away from home. One of them is that, surprise of surprises, I actually do work better when I am not at home. Another is that this leap has opened me up for new relationships, friendships and has even gotten me to realize I was a little stagnant creatively for quite some time.I have probably produced more new items in the past 6 months than I have in the past 2-3 years. I am also finally using some of the new tools and supplies I have been hanging onto for far too long. Again, all very good things!

With all these pluses there have still been minuses. The space is not terribly friendly to the public in that the old stairway is lopsided, dark and the ceiling tries to reach down and bop anyone over five and a half feet tall over the head as they are coming and going. The fire marshal is very unhappy that anyone from the public would use the stairwell and has advised the entire thing should be torn out and replace, which the building owner refuses to do. The fact that the landlord is the absentee type and I have no direct line of communication with him is another issue. I have to go through several channels to know what is happening from day to day. While this may seem like a small matter, it has in fact, been the greatest issue I have had with the building and its management because often times questions go unanswered for 2 months or more. I currently don't know if I have use of the building as of June 1, and here it is, barely a month to that date! It has also become apparent that the little space I am in was most assuredly outgrown before I even moved in. I should probably have been more aware of that issue but for some odd reason I did not realize how much was spread around my tiny little house until I gathered it all up in that one space.

Street view of 40 Main Street, Torrington-home to my new studio in Suite 3!

That being said, I am happy to announce that I have found a new location and it is on Main Street in downtown Torrington. This is only about a block away from my current studio but I think it will make a huge difference. The landlord is right down the hall from me and truly cares about Torrington, the tenants and the downtown. I will be neighbors with the Northwest Hills Art Council and, probably best of all, the building itself is from the Art Deco/Noveau period. I adore that period and find the beauty of the building to be a wonderful addition to the downtown area over all. I understand that artist Karen Rossi will also be moving into the same building, although she will be on the street level and I will be, once again, on the second floor. Happily the stairwell, which is made of beautiful marble, is very open, so no one need worry about a bump on the head when coming or going!

The beautiful entry to the second floor of 40 Main Street

I am looking forward to this new opportunity with a little trepidation since it is something new but with much more joy and hope in my heart for more amazing opportunities. The photo below shows the studio in its current condition. I will be sure to update as the renovations get underway in time for my big move-in which is scheduled around June 1. I am truly excited by this new chapter, one that I did not know was even there!

New studio space-before!