Winter quarter always seems to suffer a long, slow death. Students are in a daze, everyone has a hard time getting out of bed, and motivation seems to melt under the onslaught of perpetual pacific northwest rain. This quarter has been no different. We’re officially in evaluations week, which for me means I have to wrap up winter while preparing for spring quarter. It’s the most difficult quarterly transition because it happens in the span of about a week – during Spring Break. After hearing all about students’ marvelous getaway plans, I have to remain on campus,  cleaning studios, moving furniture, throwing out abandoned student work, going through lockers, scheduling models, ordering supplies and completing all sorts of bland paperwork that make me want to scoop out my eyes with a spoon. Needless to say, I despise Spring Break.

However, today I officially turned in my letter of resignation for the Visual Arts Technician position AKA The Art Janitor Job. After July 1, I go back to part time teaching adjunct and running the school’s printmaking studio. The thought of working part time is the singular most exciting event that has happened to me since I returned to the west coast. Funny thing is, when I took this job in the first place, I thought I’d be able to live on a half time salary. It only took me 4 years to make that delusion a reality.

We had the monthly Olympia All Ages meeting last night. I worked a bit in the space this weekend, but mostly we were on damage control, literally emptying hundreds of gallons of water captured in buckets and shop vacs back into the streets. The drainage system on the rooftop failed, resulting in water physically cascading down walls and, later, through holes that we were forced to punch in the ceiling to concentrate the leakage. We were finally given city approved work permits to begin altering the back area of the building, busting up concrete to form stairs in a hugely sloped back entrance we’ll use for loading in and out. Now we need several sets of 2o minute rated fire doors to section off bathrooms and back hallways in order to meet building codes for an assembly license.

I also presented the outline for the Northern Gallery space. I even outlined six month and twelve month goals. I spoke with Vaughn Garland in Richmond, VA to help answer some non-profit art space organizational questions which was incredibly helpful. I’m really excited to get everything running! We’re hoping for our first show to open in May.