I have been getting settled in here at the North Street Collective, which will be my home and studio for the next three weeks. Located in Mendocino County, California in the small town of Willits, the North Street Collective provides opportunites for artists, writers, etc. to work and interact with the local community. So far, the experience has been positively pleasant. My fellow residents, Jessica Mehta and Christine Carr, are incredible artists that have already inspired me with their impressive interdisciplinary practices (more on them later). The people associated with North Street have been a great resource so far as well. I’m excited to see how all of our work develops over this short period of time.
Pictured below: my workspace with artwork by Noel Woodhouse in the background; backyard, barn at North Street.
There was so much to see and do in and around Willits. This town does 4th of July BIG with a parade, bbq, live music, and their famous rodeo. One of my favorite spots so far is The Book Juggler, with Zeus the dog acting as greeter. Not pictured, but equally fun, were two trips to the Shanachie Pub, the Roots of Motive Power Museum, Willits Center for the Arts, oh-and I’m now a regular at the Brickhouse Cafe. Needless to say, a trip to the coast and the town of Mendocino was a must. I gathered tons of source photos for future paintings on the beach as well as back in Willits. All and all, an incredibly productive, fascinating, and exhasting first week!