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avramMan, I missed all the fun.
The heart of the local art scene in this chunk of Jersey City is 111 First Street, an old industrial building (originally a tobacco factory) that was converted to studio and office space. The traditional dance of art and commerce has been taking place, and we’re now at the bit where the artists, having done their job by helping make the area look cool and interesting to new tenants, have outlived their usefulness to the landlords, and are being priced out of their living and work space.
The latest move was particularly ugly. Lloyd Goldman, the landlord who owns the building, put up signs and guards prohibiting non-residents from entering, claiming the building was unsafe (though it had not been officially declared so), and filling the halls with workmen putting plywood over the doors of empty studios. Some of the artists moved their work outside, which worked better in today’s beautiful weather than yesterday’s clouds and rain. (I was in Queens gaming yesterday, so I’m a bit fuzzy on how much of this happened yesterday and how much today. I think the workmen thing was yesterday. There were definitely artists outside today.)
So I wandered around the neighborhood checking out the various other displays local artists had put up, but the energy-to-art ratio was much higher that way, and I wound up not seeing much that was interesting. I feel cheated of a source of inspiration. I’ll have to check out the Hoboken Open Studios in a couple of weeks, or maybe head up the some Boston-area studio tours, if I can find out about some in advance. Oh, and I did a much-needed laundry.
Then it turns out I missed the action. At some point this afternoon there was a protest, and a judge got 111’s doors opened to the public. A small victory for the good guys.
I haven’t been making much art of my own. I did a bit of drawing during![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
drcpunk’s
I’m stubbornly chugging along with the brush pens, even though my fine line work is so much better. The brushed lines charge up some part of my brain that thinks that is what a comic line is supposed to look like.
The heart of the local art scene in this chunk of Jersey City is 111 First Street, an old industrial building (originally a tobacco factory) that was converted to studio and office space. The traditional dance of art and commerce has been taking place, and we’re now at the bit where the artists, having done their job by helping make the area look cool and interesting to new tenants, have outlived their usefulness to the landlords, and are being priced out of their living and work space.
The latest move was particularly ugly. Lloyd Goldman, the landlord who owns the building, put up signs and guards prohibiting non-residents from entering, claiming the building was unsafe (though it had not been officially declared so), and filling the halls with workmen putting plywood over the doors of empty studios. Some of the artists moved their work outside, which worked better in today’s beautiful weather than yesterday’s clouds and rain. (I was in Queens gaming yesterday, so I’m a bit fuzzy on how much of this happened yesterday and how much today. I think the workmen thing was yesterday. There were definitely artists outside today.)
So I wandered around the neighborhood checking out the various other displays local artists had put up, but the energy-to-art ratio was much higher that way, and I wound up not seeing much that was interesting. I feel cheated of a source of inspiration. I’ll have to check out the Hoboken Open Studios in a couple of weeks, or maybe head up the some Boston-area studio tours, if I can find out about some in advance. Oh, and I did a much-needed laundry.
Then it turns out I missed the action. At some point this afternoon there was a protest, and a judge got 111’s doors opened to the public. A small victory for the good guys.
I haven’t been making much art of my own. I did a bit of drawing during
drcpunk’sI’m stubbornly chugging along with the brush pens, even though my fine line work is so much better. The brushed lines charge up some part of my brain that thinks that is what a comic line is supposed to look like.
(no subject)
Date: 2004-10-04 04:27 am (UTC)