Zero Down on a Dream - Reflections on my 20 year "House-a-versary"

February 19, 2022

Twenty years ago this month, I moved into my house in Portland, Oregon. It came complete with a newly built garage that would become my studio. Lot’s of changes since then, the garage transformed into the studio - moving in from a huge warehouse studio into 400 square feet was cathartic to say the least! The studio is a continual work in progress that now contains so very many memories of making art, teaching, open studios, Airbnb guests, some as students for workshops - celebrations, visiting friends and the lifetimes of my beloved late pets Cleo and cats BoBo and Ozlo. 

I put zero down on a dream of having a creative compound that would encompass gas cooking, a fireplace, studio and workshops all in one and much of it has been achieved. I love it here within the confines of my little Portland parcel. I first had my studio sheet rocked. Soon after, I refinished the wood floors and painted the interior. After that, I planted bamboo for added privacy and painted the exterior my favorite colors. I decided that all the doors needed to be red for abundance and good luck. I designed a steel gate and had the backyard fenced in to prepare for getting a puppy.

Despite all the change in my neighborhood, I am in no rush to leave. Yet, I do think such a time will be revealed at some point given the state of the city where I live in Portland, Oregon. The crime rate and homeless population has soared here which is in great contrast and partly the result of; rapid development, unaffordable rents and ironically, increasing property values. This I know, is a national problem that is nonetheless having direct impact on my own personal psyche. As the buildings continue to go up all around me and the neighborhood transforms, I see a whole new phase of life and a change of scenery approaching. 

Being directly across the street and currently in the thick of the construction zone of a 4 story 16 unit apartment building with no parking can do that and definitely bears some influence. Little did I know the change in scenery I would see as houses were torn down and replaced by apartment buildings. The price you pay by investing in a rapid fire development such as the “North Interstate Commerical Corridor”. The past ten years has seen the building of several multi-unit apartment complexes in this area and throughout the city. The neighborhood itself went from bad, to good, to great, to Portlandia set and back to bad and now worse.

The encroaching development inspired this piece of mine in 2019 as a tribute to my property, the yellow lines signify my house and studio, the red signify the intrusion of new constructs and titled: My Portland Parcel: Lot 10/Block 10.

All that aside, my life within the walls of this place manifested over time in ways far beyond how I had envisioned it and I am so grateful to be here. I’ve welcomed a new puppy, Willomina and kitty Rothko. In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic and on the verge of turning 50, my friend Ren Allen drove from West Virginia to Portland to start a new life chapter. She has been hugely instrumental as a dear friend and team mate using her many talents to help me reach my career goals. Though it is unclear as to where I’d go, I’ve proven to myself that I can create the life I want and it doesn’t matter where that is.

My next dream, likely NOT with zero down, is to have a larger property out of the city that would be an all inclusive studio, gallery and learning center offering retreats, lodging, meals and other hosted events. Why not dream big right?! We shall see what the future brings. I enjoyed hosting Airbnb and would like to continue that but for art makers. For now, I’ll just enjoy every sweet moment in suspension here on the verge of the rest and take it one day at a time with sweet Willo, Rothko and my fab roomie and team mate Ren. 

Here is a slide show of my life, people, pets and times here at what I’ve grown to call Wagnerica.
Enjoy it with some yummy morning coffee. All the art you see on my website was created here with love and the richness of those that surround me.

February, 2002

My sweet Cleo came in 2006. I created a backyard paved bamboo patio that would become my outdoor dining room in the summers. Then I added windows to the studio, refinished the wood floors on the front porch, planted lilacs, roses, peonies, Daphne, Japanese Maple, Dog Wood and Ginkgo trees. Most recently, with coming construction, I added a front picket fence so that my new dog Willo and cat Rothko could have their own little park out front to play in.

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