Portrait of an artist as a young farmer

I'm beginning my artist's apprenticeship, working under Wesley Bates, a wood engraver, painter & private press in Clifford--a short drive from my farm and a shorter drive to Caitlin's where I was this past season.

Wesley moved here a number of years ago, enamored by farming and the country and finding this building in town, a shop front downstairs for his workshop and gallery, and with ample living space upstairs. The price was something even a professional artist could afford. In his time here he has been an advocate of culture in the country, and bringing the city gaze up north to find that the city is not the only place where art can thrive. A self-declared armchair farmer, he is *tickled* to see the young city-turned-farmers like Caitlin and Tarrah moving up here and deciding that this is where they want to live and farm. There are also murmurs of more artists buying buildings up here every day... the first early steps before culture, commerce and community can move in and create booming neighbourhoods.

But we still have work to do. The quality of the majority of the artwork could use a boost (Wesley and his daughter and ex-wife exceptionally excepted). We could use some sort of an art school or space for classes and life-drawing sessions. I personally need to re-examine the importance of the arts in community. Not as a justification, but to renew its purpose specifically within this part of the world.

I also need to find a way to bring good art up here. I suppose it will start with bringing good artists up to my farm, and seeing what happens.