Walter Baker Artist Lofts

Big changes.. Big, big changes this year!

My last post was about my new digs at the Joy Street Studios... and this post is about my even newer and cooler digs at the Walter Baker Lofts. I just moved

into this fabulous space that was the administration building originally built in 1919 as the headquarters of the Walter Baker Co. The building has been restored and converted into 13 loft apartments, which are designated for artists as live/work space. I'm really digging the area too! Lower Mills is such a beautiful area. There is an event this Thursday called the fourth annual Lower Mills Holiday Stroll will take place on Thursday, November 17th from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. in Lower Mills in Dorchester and Milton Village. Over 40 businesses will be open late offering refreshments, discounts, and work from local artists!

The Walter Baker Artists’ Lofts (1231 Adams Street) will feature resident

artists exhibiting their work in their studios, as well as other local artists. I won't really be participating in this (I really just moved in) but it sounds like an awesome event and you can walk down my grand staircase!

So, if you're reading this and saying, " Wait... What!!!?" then you may not be aware that Glen and I have parted ways. Quite amicably I will add but still sad nonetheless.

I still have my work at Joy Street for Joy Street Open Studios going on this weekend Nov. 19 +20 , so hopefully it will be a beautiful weekend !

My New Studio!!

I've been looking for a new studio for quite some time now. I had been working in the basement of my house on one table with no window. It was a bit cramped and while I loved working from home, I was not producing as much work as I had hoped.

So welcome to my new place! I am one of approx. 52 artists at Joy Street Studios.. wheee!

This is the blank slate... me building tables. Dusty fun :)

Still needs more work but I'm happy with the direction it's going... come and visit me soon!

Milton Livingston Clay - My Dad

I've had a very tough time this past year and have thought about writing for a while but I guess it was harder than I thought. My poppa died. He was a wonderful man and I really wasn't ready for him to go. He had not been well for a while and I suppose people would say he lived a long life but I was still not prepared.

My dad was a Yankees fan. He told me one day when I was 5 or 6 years old that he was going to take me to a baseball game. "OK, April.", he said, "New york has 2 baseball teams, the Yankees and the Mets. You get to decide what game we are going to go to." I was very excited to be making such an important decision. "Keep in mind, once to decide on a team, you have to be their fan for life." Now I was nervous. He put down 2 baseball cards, one from each team. I studied the cards with the stiff looking men in pressed uniforms holding their bats upright and looking off in the distance. It didn't take me long, "This one!" I said confidently. "Really?" my dad looked concerned. "Why them?" I picked up the card of Tom Seaver and happily said, "I like orange and blue, they defiantly have better uniforms." My dad smiled and said ok. We went to a lot of games and I don't remember anything about them except for the snacks. Although he knew I am no real fan of baseball, he never passed a chance to give a dig now and then, "Looks like your team blew it again this year." I would say something about the Yankees playing with gold bats and I'd sit and watch the game on t.v. for a few minutes with him.

I miss my father an awful lot. He had huge hands that were super soft and gentle. He was my #1 fan and I'm glad he knew I was his.