I’m finally back from two weeks in New York, followed by two fabulous weeks with my daughter here in Setúbal!
Meanwhile at Crespaço, the contractor and crew have been working hard on the renovations- almost there!!! It seems like its taking forever, but in quantified time, the reno only started August 10.
So, last week there were three friends, an enormous pile of IKEA boxes, and not quite enough tools, in the vast open space of what is becoming The Studios. A daunting task indeed. I figured we would make a small dent in the pile that afternoon, and it would take a week to finish. My mind desperately flipped through the names of people who have graciously offered help as I eyed the mass of cardboard.
The original design was to divide the space into studios with partial walls to take advantage of the light from the three large french doors at the front of the space. But I didn’t like the floor-to-ceiling columns it would have required, and was worried it would create an office cubical feel- definitely not the vibe I wanted. In the end, I decided on an IKEA bookshelf hack to create finished walls with wood countertops, topped with drawable curtains to provide artists with more privacy when desired. This design allows the light to flow freely across the space, provides each artist with built-in storage, and can be rearranged in the future as needed. Most importantly, the space is designed to foster community.
Lucky for us, my friend Mat has the world’s longest Spotify playlist of fabulous 80’s tunes! By the way, Mat and I met in the art studios at Florida Atlantic University, let’s just say a very long time ago. Our group of friends was an incredible cohort of young artists. We would spend all night creating, talking, and listening to music in the studios and darkroom. Being an artist can be lonely work, and there is something magical about being part of an artist community like that. It generated inspiration, experimentation, collaborating on ideas, and pushing us each to do our best work. Our close-knit bunch worked hard and played hard.
While I alternately meandered and sped along a loopy, eclectic path to now, Mat is one of those rare people blessed with a singular purpose and passion. Always an immensely talented photographer, he’s now an exceptional master of the medium across a wide range of genres.
Here’s one of his shots from when we were cavorting around Castelo de Palmela- to see more, check out his beautiful website here!
The third in our trio was the fun and talented Portuguese artist Ana Martinez, custom woodworker extraordinaire. If you need anything made from wood, dreamcatchers, or other home decor definitely give her a shout!
Anyhoo, we grabbed our tools and went to work. What could have been a miserable chore was actually a blast. We sang, danced, joked, and made countless runs to the cafe next door for drinks. We shared stories about the times and places in our lives this or that song took us to. We laughed. We ate Indian take-out on plates borrowed from Carlos, the owner of the cafe, and had our faces washed by Luna.
On and on we went, working until almost midnight before finally stopping. We had assembled all but a few of the original bazillion! The studios were taking shape!
After cleaning up the party remains, and a failed attempt to get an Uber Pet, we limped to our homes across the cobbled sidewalks in the dark, feeling happy and accomplished.
Guy Raz has a chapter called “Find Your Co-Founder” in his book How I Built This (which I highly recommend, even if you don’t plan on starting a business!). He includes a quote by the entrepreneur (among other things) Paul Grahm:
Starting a startup is too hard for one person. Even if you could do all the work yourself, you need colleagues to brainstorm with, to talk you out of stupid decisions, and to cheer you up when things go wrong…The low points in a startup are so low that few could bear them alone.
Guy Raz finishes the chapter with:
Partners don’t just help your idea survive the fickleness of consumers, the ruthlessness of competitors, the scrutiny of investors, or the uncertainty of world events. They help you survive as well.
I’ve had many people tell me how inspiring it is that I’m creating this business, especially by myself. The truth is, I’m not in it alone. Crespaço wouldn’t be possible without all the people who have, and continue, to contribute to its creation. Community is created by community, people coming together.
I started this post with a photo of the plates we borrowed from Carlos, owner of the cafe next door. To me, they represent kindness and what people can accomplish together. While I don’t have an official business partner (yet!), I do have community filling my proverbial plate and adding their own to the table. I’m fed by all the people offering help, encouragement, ideas, well-wishes, and feedback. Seeing people excited to be involved with Crespaço and its opening inspires me, and I am grateful.
Obrigada (thank you) and have a fabulous week!
Looking forward to seeing your space when we get there 😘