Today I spent a full day - 9 until 4:30 - with Pat and Janet at the YK Guild of Arts and Crafts. The Guild has its own building, a cute little industrial number in Kam Lake Industrial Park. I learned from Melanie (Willem's partner) that in order to thrive people need a "third space" - one in addition to work and family where they feel truly at home. The Guild building might well turn out to be that space for me.
The upstairs is for "mixed media" - there were some bird carvings in progress on one of the counters, stained glass equipment and supplies on shelves, looms under wraps at the moment, spinning wheels. We were there to work on our respective fibre arts projects. Pat felted, Janet dyed, I advanced the turtle project and under Pat's guidance reminded myself about what I had once learned about felting. We argued about colours, consulted on ideas, brainstormed about projects. Pat took her two dogs - Ben and Lex if I recall correctly - two beautiful brown labs. Janet fetched a latte in the afternoon. A wonderful day.
What a wonderful space! Definitely a terrific "third place". Ray Oldenburg coined the term and concept in his 1989 book, The Great Good Place. Libraries are in this category too...a safe, non-judgmental, free, proximate space that is not-home, not-work. Of course, in 1989, Oldenburg was writing about physical spaces, but now, people extend the concept to virtual ones--and am sure you know all this by now!
ReplyDeleteYou do seem to be enjoying yourself!