I'm already frustrated with bsky labeling any female nude as "sexually suggestive" instead of just "nudity" and when I've tried to repeal these labels, I get an error. I probably won't post anymore figurative work here, or post at all. I'm so fucking tired of social media.

...If there was an open studio event, it leaves open the idea for a city wide art crawl, and that could help combat the gentrification of a concentrated arts district. I don't know, I just wanted to air out my day dreaming somewhere and trying to turn my frustrations into productive thoughts.

There would be a network of maybe 4 locations throughout the city, instead of the current situation where all studio spaces are concentrated in one part of town, that is honestly really inconvenient to get to...

I started dreaming up of a studio network made up of small collectives of artists, where you take annex spaces and have maybe 5 private, individual 500 sq/ft-ish studio spaces. That way you have a trusted pod of people in your building and it doesn't feel overly public.

...but I also feel comfort knowing I'm not alone in a building and that there are a few other respectful individuals around.

I never cared for open studio events, my studio is a work space that is sacred to me, not a sales floor. And I certainly don't like work spaces with 15+ studio cells where you're not really sure who is in the building. I feel my best when I have privacy...

I get some artists want a social space, but for me, I am strictly there to work. I only keep a folding chair and a folding table as a desk because I don't want to take a nap on a couch, I don't want to idealize unhealthy work and home blended boundaries.

and the thought that struck me the most and has me really thinking is...why are so many studio spaces built around the idea of the artist as an extrovert? This has really become more obvious since the rise of co-working tech spaces and studio spaces mimicking those amenities.

I'll add that I don't think Agnes is going away any time soon and I know it's being run by good people, just really don't want to give the property owner any more of my money.

Same landlord that I've been with, I've been kicked out of two properties owned by them on short notice. Not really wanting to rent with them again.

Commercial real estate is so elusive and weird. It seems like a lot of it is just people holding on to empty buildings for no reason at all until a developer comes along with an offer.

So I'm going to have to comb through commercial listings and just try to find *anything* else because all other spaces in midtown have gone away. There's so many small weird commercial buildings in Waldo though that are empty, but how the fuck do you find out any information on them?

Gosh the most frustrating thing is that all of the large, cheap studio spaces are in the West bottoms, on the very opposite corner of where I live in the city. The drive there is so annoying that I'd never want to go to my studio...

Luckily I'm not waist deep in wet, large scale oil paintings that I'm wrapping up for a solo. So at least there's that advantage.

And yes it's an investment, I'm not saying people need to go out and start spending $1000 a month on art instead of rent. But if you love something, and make a thoughtful, conscious purchase, you'll have something you can love for a very, very long time.

I've made it my 2025 goal to start collecting more. I've always wanted to but I told myself I couldn't for some dumb reason. But I have so many wonderful friends and people I admire that I should be investing in.