Nontraditional Work Spaces
My friend Katie tweeted about the Archipod Garden Office yesterday:
The Archipod Garden Office
…and I began fantasizing about how much fun it would be to work in such a quirky space. I’ve had similar fantasies about working from an airstream trailer:
Photo of airstream trailer by prawnpie on Flickr
(Having it perched on a cliff by the sea would be nice, too.)
I’d keep mine simple, not fancy…
Another idea: an office in a treehouse:
Photo of treehouse by haglundc on Flickr
Absent a treehouse, I suppose an attic could be fun – I imagine working only at night, by lamplight…
How about you? What’s your fantasy office space? Or are you already using a nontraditional space to do your work? Do tell!
Artist Squats in U.S.?
Image of 59 Rivoli by "Fanch the System" on Flickr
Last weekend, this item in the New York Times Travel section caught my eye:
“On the Rue de Rivoli, one building stands out amid the busy boutiques and department stores. Inside a colorful interior, the place buzzes with shoppers and tourists — and young people covered in paint.
This is 59 Rivoli, the latest of Paris’s legalized art squats.”
-“In Paris, Art Fills the Void” by Alice Pfeiffer (read the full article)
I immediately wondered: Does such a thing exist in the US of A? Based on some quick Google research (good old Google), there are a number of artist squats throughout Europe, from the UK to Berlin (check out this quick video tour of Berlin’s Tachles Arthouse), thanks to support from nonprofits and government. But here in the US? There’s this article from New York Magazine in 2006: “The Last East Village Art Squat,” which hardly paints a pretty picture of squatting life; and this one, from the Baltimore City Paper, way back in 1999 – making me wonder if squatting is as common in that city now as it apparently was a decade ago.
So, does anyone know of active artist squats in the U.S.? I’m sure they exist, and I’m sure it’s no accident that they don’t have websites announcing their presence… I’m just curious to hear what cities they’re in, and if anyone has any personal experience living/working in one. Also, are there actually any groups advocating for legal artist squats?
Enlighten me!
Artists and Their Day Jobs
Brian Lehrer of WNYC interviewed author Summer Pierre about her new book, The Artist in the Office: How to Creatively Survive and Thrive Seven Days a Week. Listen to the segment and read the fascinating comments here.
Related Post:
Art for a Paycheck?
Are You A “Nonstandard” Worker?
“Twenty-six percent of American workers have ‘nonstandard’ jobs, says the Iowa Policy Project, meaning they’re temps, part-timers, freelancers or independent contractors.” – The January 22, 2010 edition of The Week, quoting Business Week
Ah, “nonstandard” – doesn’t that just say it all? Either you work for one company, full-time, or you’re “nonstandard” – outside the norm, not conforming, maybe even deviant. Increasingly, however, the economic crisis is forcing more people to stray from the norm whether they like it or not. I wonder if this (and, eventually, better health care options for us nonstandards) will prompt a paradigm shift, where choosing self-employment is seen less like the risky (perhaps adventurous?) occupation of a minority, and more like a logical alternative to increasingly broken workplaces.
What do you think? And do you think freelancing would be more likely to enhance, or hamper, your creativity? (If you’re already a freelancer, no need to answer this in the hypothetical ;)).
For More About Freelancing:
- Earnings and Yearnings: The Freelance Personality – Article from Psychology Today on the personality traits it takes to thrive as a freelancer
- Getting Started as a Freelancer – Advice from the folks at FreelanceSwitch, a popular website for freelancers
- Freelancers Union – Advocating for the rights of independent workers (the site includes up to date information on efforts to improve health care for freelancers, for example)
- Joyfully Jobless – Author Barbara Winter’s site about how to make a living without a full-time job
