I’m looking for a storefront space or accessible first floor of a residential building with enough room to create and teach in. I have until March to find the place I want to be next, but I’d like to potentially move or expand my situation sooner than that. I like the Providence area, though I’m not married to it. I’d love to be in a space that’s live-work, though work-only is doable. My budget is on the small side, but my need for open space is important. As with all performance artists, I’m asking what seems to be the impossible from the universe. But I’m still asking.

Super Grandpa in his workshop (which was really just me moving parts of my workshop to the Oberon Stage for performance)…

Ideally I would have the ability to have a lot of plants in this space (sunlight!) and an herb garden outside. A first floor space is ideal, or a private entrance if it’s a building with multiple units on one floor. I’d want to build out a small reception area in the front, a changing room off the reception area, and to build out sufficient storage space in the back. The main space (what’s remaining) would be large and open, taking up about 70% of the floor plan. There will need to be a restroom, and hopefully a sink and stove of some sort. I would like room to teach about 20 people in the space while displaying my art, and have room to create. If I was producing a larger event a 100 person capacity would be divine.

A favorite needlepoint piece of mine (2019)

Does anyone know how to help me find such a thing? Does anyone have such a thing they’d like to work with me on? Does anyone know where, in this economy, I can find a landlord who will not gouge me and who will allow this space to be mine for as long as the projects I have in mind are served by the space and our agreements? I’m an extremely clean and responsible tenant, a hard worker, and respectful of my environment and communities. Let me know if you have ideas. I am calling this space to me.

“Medusa” played by Creature at Pulqueria Los Insurgentes en Cuidad de México as a part of The Scarlet Tongue Project. Photo by Juan Carlos Ruiz Vargas

The hardest part of being an artist without means is having so little control of my environments. Renting is all I can afford. I wish that were not my situation. It’s hard for me to stay in a space I can’t plant a garden at, paint and design to my desires, superficially restructure as needed for various projects, teach in (due to space size, neighbors, and noise)… and so forth. I want a space I can make my own, which is sustainable for all of the varied types of work I do.

Meet “General”, my first puppet made completely from scratch

I want a space I can share with other creators and with audience, patrons, clients, and students. I want a wonder shop, a place people are inspired to visit, and who value a living, unfolding, representation of my voice and my work here on Earth. A space that can inspire and invite others to join in and play.

Hunkering down and making a place my own is important for moving forward. The vision of who I want to be and what I want to be able to provide within community is contingent on being able to find the space to do these things. Having space to teach in would be ideal on its own, and I’d like my space to be a resource for more people than myself.

It’s intimidating to advocate for myself and my work this way. I don’t know how I will get to the place I want to be, but I do know that I must keep on placing one foot in front of the other, dreaming of the day I’m able to share my space with all who are curious enough to show up and spend time with me.

Play On My Friends,
~ Creature

My writing takes time, research, and consideration: it is my art.
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