I’ve written a great deal about the work I made while at VSC. Without a doubt, the month of January was the most artistically productive time of my life. Remember, I was able to complete 43 works in 24 days, and this only counts the work I felt was worthy of hanging on the studio wall. It still amazes me that I was able to finish so much.
But what was my time at VSC like? Well, let me ramble my way through describing it for you. It all starts well before I departed on January 2…
Pre-VSC
Once I received my acceptance letter from VSC, I knew I only had a few months to prepare. I began to formulate an elaborate plan for the work I would make in Vermont (recall the story of how the paintings evolved) and gathering the materials needed. I wasn’t sure what would be readily available in Johnson, VT, so I acquired all of the plywood panels I would need, as well as all the other necessary studio materials. I wanted to be able to get to work right away in the studio so I prepped some 50+ panels (cutting, sanding, finishing, etc) prior to leaving. I felt like I was pretty well-covered from a supply standpoint.
At some point after the acceptance letter came, Tracy Helgeson (an online art buddy) and I figured out we would be going to VSC at the same time. Tracy had been to VSC in the winter before and warned me about how cold and snowy it could be. She encouraged me to purchase UnderArmor ColdGear and so I did. I bought sweatshirts, heavy socks, gloves, hats, etc. I was prepared for the cold! Additionally, I stressed out over what car to drive and finally settled on my Nissan Maxima, front-wheel drive being the deciding factor. It needed new tires so I stressed about which type to get. I finally settled on highly rated all-season tires. I felt somewhat ready for the weather, though I remained worried about driving conditions.
Another concern for me prior to leaving was that I injured my back in mid-December while playing basketball. It was a fairly serious injury that caused a lot of discomfort, but fortunately it began to get better the week before I left. I worried about the long drive and having to unload my car once there. A hurt back would be no good during a residency.
The Drive
Stacey and I loaded the majority of my stuff the night before I left. On Saturday morning we awoke early and finished packing the car. I was sad to leave my wife but excited for the adventures ahead. The forecast looked good and my back felt loose. On the road I go!
The drive was uneventful. I headed north at a good clip and stopped only twice during the 10-hour drive. This was probably a bad decision. Sometime during the second half of the drive I noticed that my back was tightening up. I didn’t worry too much about because I thought it could rest once I arrived. I didn’t see a single flake of snow until I hit Vermont. It was dark at this point and I only had an hour or two to go. The roads became mildly slick and GPS took me on some country roads. I held up traffic on those two-lane roads but hoped my Virginia license plates would buy me some latitude from the more experienced Vermont drivers. With an hour to go my back was hurting so bad that it became difficult to push the clutch. I just wanted to make it to the hotel.
The arrival time at VSC is Sunday afternoon. Due to timing, I opted to stay in the nearby town of Burlington, VT, for Saturday night and drive the remining hour on Sunday. As I pulled into my hotel, the snow was falling hard. Accumulation may have been 3″ or so. I limped into the lobby and talked to the young guy behind the desk. He said that the forecast was for a total of 6-10″ of snow overnight and that by morning the roads would be clear. I went to my room, an awful room at that, and settled in. I ordered a pizza and watched basketball. I called my wife and assured her I was safe. Eventually, I went to sleep.
When I awoke the next morning I wanted to see how the snow looked outside. I opened the straight-from-the-70’s curtains and tried to focus my eyes. All I could see was white. I looked down and noticed a sign, but it confused me. This was a standard sized sign that stood maybe four feet off the ground. However, the snow came up to just a few inches below it. Maybe it’s a strange short sign, I thought. Knowing I would need to brush off my car, I got dressed and went outside. Barely anything moved. Why? Because Burlington had just experience a freak record-breaking snowfall. I eventually heard the final total was 33″. Um… over night! Just what my stiff, aching back needed.
I walked past what I figured were stranded motorists and went to the front desk to borrow a snow shovel. The young lady informed me that they didn’t have one. I wondered just how many people were in on this joke at my expense and asked her if she was certain that in Burlington, VT, they did not have a snow shovel. She left the desk and eventually returned, snow shovel in hand. My sore back and I proceeded to go to the car and begin shoveling it out. Sometime later, the job was done. I returned the elusive snow shovel to the desk and went back to the room. I had to make a decision. Do I brave it and get in the car and hit the road, or do I wait? A rare impulsive urge hit me and I decided to drive. Once in the car I floored it to break through the un-plowed parts of the parking lots. The roads were passable, but barely.
An hour-long drive to Johnson took me two, but my brand new tires performed well. I never went faster than 30mph because my directions were in on the joke too and sent me down curvy country roads. With white knuckles and an angry back, I pulled into the parking lot at VSC. I was safe. I made it. And I was still excited to get to work. Take me to my studio!!
[to be continued]
