The Skeeter Daddle Diaries

Hits: 1480

Starving Artist

When I was really poor and competing for public art projects, I would have to go to various states for finalist presentations, usually competing with 3-5 other poor saps hoping for the same lousy commission.  Once, on a project in Portland, Oregon, my arts commissioner recommended a ‘reasonable’ downtown hotel for me to stay at, probably 3 times what I’d ever spent on accommodations.  I told her, gee thanks, but I’ll find something more in my price range and she replied, “I don’t want you sleeping in your truck.”  I assured her I wouldn’t.

What I found, 20 or 30 miles outside Portland, was a $23 a night hellhole in Vancouver, Washington, a motel where, if you wanted a TV was $5 more.  If you wanted a shower, $5 more.  If you wanted a key, yeah, you guessed it.  I chose the basic plan, slid 23 bucks under the bullet proof glass in the stainless steel bowl below and took occupancy of my suite.  My neighbors, judging by the water bowls and dog dishes outside their doors, were long termers, Lifers, I’d have to say, one step away from homeless or sleeping in their cars, running or not.  The residents I met weren’t looking for hellos or companionship or even a drinking buddy.  They were folks who wanted to be left the hell alone.  Misery, by the way, does NOT love company.

I have stayed in plenty of fleabag flophouses in my day, none as cheap as this dive, but unlike the others, my life wasn’t threatened by surly neighbors on the great escalator down at this one the way it has been at some of the others.  When folks reach rock bottom, I guess aggression is one of those virtues they abandon along with hope.

In case you’re interested, I did not win the commission for the Portland Health Clinic even though I offered them a serious amount of glass for the project.  I lost to a person even my art liaison at the Washington Art Commission disdainfully characterized as ‘no artist.’  So I was out 23 smackers plus tax.  Gas, food and a helluva lot of pride.  I swore next finalist presentation, no matter what state, what country, whatever, I would just sleep in my truck at the nearest rest area.  You want to be an artist, forget about the Ritz.  Or even Motel 6 ….

Hits: 31