Introducing . . . Cortes Art Space

Okay, you know how last time I said I was blogging when I should have been working on baseboards for the apartment? Well, the baseboards are done and so is the website for our new art space. (Patience, first I must pontificate sufficiently.)
Shanny and I have a home with two apartments in it. Since 2005, when we bought our home, we have endeavoured to provide a home for someone else here on our little island. We have made some wonderful friends this way, but in recent years with our local economy not recovering from the recession as it has elsewhere, we have had more broken leases than honoured ones. There just isn't any work here.
So, we decided that this must be a sign. If the most practical application of the space isn't working out for either party, why be practical?
As you know, I have used house-sitting as my way of getting writing retreats on the cheap. And that works for me, but the chances of landing in a really creative environment are not high.
We live in a very inspiring place, which begs the question; why do I need to leave paradise and find retreats? Short answer: the responsibilities and routines of daily life are the pieces of furniture blockading the door to my metaphoric room of creativity. (Nice, ya? Just thought of it.)
I'll still need to get off the island to find solitude, but the rest of the world should come here! (One at a time please. Line-up in an orderly fashion - you're in Canada, now.)
We live at a lake with a beautiful sandy beach. The ocean is a ten minute walk away. You can walk different beaches every day.
The apartment is now equipped with an easel, worktable, desk, yoga equipment, small but deadly fiction library and of course, a very comfortable living space, recently beautified by the art work of our dear friend, David Ellingsen. (Okay, go check him out, but then come back. I'm not done and you haven't seen the apartment yet.) http://www.davidellingsen.com/
Did you check out "Obsolete Delete"? No? Go back. It's under Environmenal 1.
See? When I grow up, I'm gonna own that whole collection.
Okay, back to the apartment. It's lovely and it looks out over the lake and has its own yard and deck and if anyone is really needing a doggy-snuggle, we'll let you borrow Jedidiah Wiggle-bottom Happy-feet Puddle-jumper Jonassen. You can call him Jed. (Springer/Golden with a very big heart).
Point is, we have a great place and we want to share it with artists. Seriously, if you can't get inspired on Cortes Island, you're just not trying.
Alright, you have been most patient and you may go look at the website now, and consider this your official invitation. Come and write or paint or think about painting or write about thinking or . . .
http://www.cortesartspace.com/

p.s. Jed is really into yoga.