Anticipainshun

I have a paper surrogate of July stuck to my fridge. I have been crossing off the days as they pass – sort of a studio countdown advent calendar.

Five more shifts. Ten more commuting hours. Twenty-five more work hours.

Starting August 2nd I will be “on vacation” (meaning unpaid layoff) for six weeks. For me, vacation is more “vocation”. Not so much about relaxing as it is about trying to get my s#%t together in my artist-life: bodies of work to be completed, proposals to be mailed out, new series to be started.

Apprehension is already setting in.

I worry about using the time to its fullest potential. My studio schedule was derailed back in September and I still haven’t arm-wrestled it back into place. Every day away from the studio makes the territory more foreign – makes it harder to step back in and speak the language fluently. It would be so much easier if studios came with studio-travel translation books:

“Ooghh auk o aarrgghh?” = “Where is the inspiration?”

“Goorgg gak o aarrgghh?” = “Where can I buy the inspiration?”

“Bloork biip vorg ai o aarrgghh?” = “What do you mean ‘there is no inspiration’?”

If not guide books with translations then studios should at least provide user manuals – with a special section devoted to trouble-shooting…

If work isn’t being done in the studio:

(a) is there sufficient supplies?

(b) is there sufficient inspiration?

(c) is the artist plugged in?

I may have to get back into the studio the old fashioned way…just close my eyes and jump in off the mezzanine [smirk].