What it’s like to be a Nomadic Artist…Part II

Sep 11

When Travel Goes Sideways

Spoiler Alert: it all turned out ok, lol.

With that said, let me start by saying that I totally jinxed myself when I said that travel day is usually the least stressful day because this time around, it definitely wasn’t.

My husband dropped me to the airport with the sun was shining, and the birds were singing. I always give myself plenty of extra padding time because TSA usually flags my jewelry bag for inspection. There was no line at TSA, and like usual, they pulled me off for screening, but it went pretty quickly. I picked up a snack and a bottle of water and got to my gate only to see that not only was it no longer sunny, but the weather had drastically changed to be a dark, stormy monsoon. Lightning crashed down, thunder boomed, and PHL was ordered to a total ground stop. We were assured that the weather would clear and it would be no big deal. But then, as it drew closer and closer to boarding time, we realized that the weather wasn't clearing, and my flight kept getting more and more delayed. The gate agent told us not to worry. It'll pass. I kept doing mental calculations to see whether I could still make my connection (unfortunately there are no direct flights from PHL to RDM which is a tiny regional airport). The longer we were delayed, the less likely it seemed. The mental gymnastics went on for hours. Then, I officially passed the point of ever making my connection. Cue the sad trombones. Now what?

My seat-mate had an ap on her phone to track the air traffic.

I was told not to rebook anything until the ground stop was lifted, so I sat and listened to my audiobook (Barbara Kingsolver’s Demon Copperhead) some more and tried to remain as calm as I could. Then, we were finally cleared to board the flight to Phoenix. Yay! I knew my connection was long gone, but at least I would get further west, so it would be easier to make it to the show the next day. But there were literally dozens of planes in the queue to take off and land, we sat on the runway for two hours before someone decided she wanted to get off. Ummm, really? One single person decided she'd had enough. And while I know that the airline can't hold anyone hostage, there were many audible grumbles of disapproval. I actually thought we might be one of those flights with a video that goes viral, lol. We had to go back to the terminal, wait for the ground crew to let her off, and then get back in the queue for takeoff. At which time we were told that we were at risk for the crew to time out. It was a little tense. We sat and sat, but finally took off.

I am forever thankful for the onboard wifi because I was able to rebook myself for a flight the next day, change my rental car pickup time, and book a hotel for that night in Phoenix. Art in the High Desert wouldn’t start until 5 p.m., and I was able to rebook a flight to Redmond, so theoretically I could get there, run to the show site, and set up in time-ish. I just kept telling myself to breathe. It'll all work out one way or another.

Art in the High Desert in River Bend Park, Bend, OR —happens to be an idyllic setting for a top-tier art show! The weather was cool and comfortable all weekend!

I hadn't planned on a stop in Phoenix, so the jeans, long-sleeved shirt, jacket, and scarf were a bit much to step out of the airport into 104 degrees at 10 p.m. To anyone who reads this who lives in Phoenix, I tip my very hot hat to you. I could not live there.

And luckily, from there, things went smoothly, and the show went really well. Attendance was up, and I made some really meaningful connections with some amazing people, including one of the most meaningful client encounters that I might have ever made. But I actually think that this is its own blog, so stay tuned for that in a future journal entry!

I look forward to heading west for shows. Partly for the shows, but mostly for the few days between the shows when I head to the Oregon coast for some R&R with fellow artists. The Oregon coast is absolutely magical, and it's nearly impossible to take a bad snapshot even if you do it blind. This year it rained a lot, but we still found time to hunt for rocks on the beach, pick wild marionberries, and eat delicious meals. I took in the sights, sounds, and textures to process for future art, laughed, ate, and relaxed, and shipped home a box of rocks. ;)