Unfortunately, the house where I had my studio in, the Nectar centre on Mc Kay street, was sold. A process that was a long time coming. Also, a process that threatens many, if not all, artists’ spaces in the world. Where artists go, neighbourhoods gradually get more hip, real estate prices rise, and inevitably the speculators come in and the artists get booted out.
Once, in an article in a Dutch newspaper, it was argued that the city of Amsterdam should reimburse artists for the work in city development that artists unwittingly do, work that no other entity in society can do quite as well, as effectively and as naturally. The author argued that without the artists and artisans, the North side of Amsterdam would never have become the hip area it is today. No preconceived government led strategic city planning entity would have pulled that off. Yet, city planners rarely take artists into account. And mind you, Amsterdam city planners take artist into account far more than they do here in Ottawa. Alas.
But. Enter the saving grace. Just in time, a studio became available at the Enriched bread Artist collective. An artists community that rents an old breadfactory in the west of Ottawa on Gladstone. So even though it looks like the house of my old studio will not be renovated for at least a year to come, I jumped at the change. The EBA (“Ee-bee-aa”) is itself slated for redevelopment, but those plans will take at least three more years to implement, so I am sure I will be able to work there for the remainder of my Ottawan years.
In the plans proposed for the whole area of Gladstone and Loretta, where there are now multiple art studios, a glass works studio, a clayworks studio and a microbrewery, the building the EBA is in is spared, slated to remain, dwarfed by the towering condos that will be built behind it. So far, it seems like the city will go along with this option. Wether that will also be the outcome of the project remains to be seen.
For now, I have become part of the Enriched Bread artists - they have been here since 1992- and they have welcomed me with open arms. I have just moved in and unpacked my stuff. Lo and behold: my new studio. In an as of yet still very orderly state. It will not remain so for long.
Onward!
