We went to see the Eastside Culture Crawl yesterday. Really really cool. We went to 1000 Parker Street, which is a four-storey warehouse that has been converted to artist studios. I loved the painters' studios which tended to be the ones with windows. Gorgeous spaces. I found it interesting my response to different peoples' spaces, there were ones that I was very comfortable in and others I wanted to get out of right away. No so strangely, I liked the art in the spaces that were arranged to my liking.

I was surprised to see a lot of bird imagry, at least five artists using bird forms in their work. I think this has something to do with the grey skies of Vancouver, we are often looking to the sky for signs of life. It was cool to see the different treatments, the emotions that each piece evoked. Some used the crows as ominous, another giving them human attributes. All beautifully done.

It was lovely to be in a studio space again - I found myself missing my artschool days and having a space I could make a mess in, create in, with no distractions. I think I need to make this happen for myself again, though I wonder when that will be? Maybe next year ... The idea of having a work space to retreat to is very attractive.