Builders in, builders out. Still the ventilation hums above the threshold. Time is running out for the Grand Opening now, and we really need to get the work signed off and the studio to be studio-fied. As it is, I’ve got some tenacious and diligent people on my side that just won’t take “It’ll do” for an answer. I like it when that happens.
Tonight I’m off to attend an opening of some local artists, and am looking forward to meeting more of my new community. Maybe even have a glass of wine, who knows?
Then it’s nose back to the grind stone as I prepare my presentation for tomorrows Café Culture event, where I’m one of the two speakers. This is my first spotlight occasion in the new role, and I hope to give a good account of myself. There’s a lot of extra observations starting to filter their way into my understanding of this role. One of them being a sense of responsibility towards the Andover community. It’s caught me by surprise, really. I mean there I was thinking that I’d just be the Responsible Artist, wheeled out to make Art and Perform to high standards, fulfilling requirements in the role. I guess what I mean, in other words, is that I expected to find a fairly objective approach in my work. But here I am, having been welcomed with open arms, thrust right into the core of a creative and bustling community, and I’m feeling a sense of responsibility towards the town. “Oh, I hope I don’t let them down” “Oh, will this be what they need?”, “Must try harder, must try harder!”
Reading back over this blurt, it feels like I’m not expressing myself very well. That maybe I wasn’t prepared to commit in some mor engaged way with the project. That’s clearly not the case, as evidenced by my move to Andover to make the whole thing work to its best.
Not sure what to make to make of this, or even what I’m trying to say. Maybe it’s just that I’m enjoying myself an ways that I wasn’t expecting, and that’s bringing about a new set of attachments to my life in Andover.
Whatever it is, it’s a good thing, and it’s spurring me on more each day. Just got to get the ventilation fixed so I can stop being Office Boy, and start being Artist Man!
