Hey, where's a good place to find an intellectual, artistic subculture?

[Ladyhawk]

I'm dead serious.

I really love the scenic beauty of my county, but the people here are driving me nuts. I need to find some people I can relate to, people I can befriend. I would love to move to a town that has small, artistic enclaves. I've even heard that Mexico has enclaves of English-speaking artists.

If I can find my center, I can go back to being artistic. I have a feeling my musical abilities will take off, too.

But the most important thing is I need to get rid of this loneliness. God, I'm lonely. My home town is a wasteland when it comes to finding people with whom I can relate. First of all, it's full of fundies. Secondly, it's full of Republicans. Thirdly, there are hardly any people in my age group. Most folks are either school-age or elderly.

The big obstacle is that I'm disabled and living on disability. Still, I want to hear from you. I may even want to look into the Mexico thing, if it's true.

[evlbstrd]

1. Minneapolis.

But it's cold.

[Deja Q]

9. But the people aren't!

:D

[evlbstrd]

20. Definitely not.

[Atlas Mugged]

2. Oregon is full of them

However, I lucked out when I moved to Western New York. I'm about 20 minutes away from East Aurora, which is a well kept secret among the art community. It's the birthplace of the American Arts & Crafts Movement, as in The Roycroft (http://www.roycrofter.com/). Not Farts & Crap, like you find at flea markets, but the sort of stuff that you would furnish a Frank Lloyd Wright home with. Very important associations with Richard Morris, Wiener Werkstatt (Josef Hoffmann, Gustav Klimt, etc.) and the Bauhaus (toasters extroidinaire).


The Roycroft was founded by Elbert Hubbard (no relation to Clam Boy)who is famous for such droll observations as, "Conformists die, but heretics live on forever" (as well as dying on the Lusitania). I have that on three different, beautiful t-shirts, all purchased from the Roycroft Museum. It gives you an idea of the basic philosophy. Near here, also, is Lily Dale, the birthplace of the spiritualism movement in America (http://www.lilydaleassembly.com/). Then there's LeRoy, birthplace of Jello, right up the road.

Oh, and then there's Linwood Gardens, home of an utterly amazing Peony Festival, happening right now. I mention this place for many reasons, actually. If Tennessee Williams had been a Yankee, this would have been his home. Fabulous old home with heart stopping views that was the Summer retreat to some of the most important artists and writers of the 20th Century. Tales of wild parties, debauchery and total decadence in the 20's and 30's in this decaying mansion are told by elder locals. One of the surviving artists of the era, the fascinating Nassos Daphnis (http://www.artincontext.org/artist/d/nassos_daphnis/) is also a world renowned Tree Peony hybridizer, and usually visits during the festival; I hope to see him tomorrow. Nassos was a colleague of A.P. Saunders, THE most important Peony hybridizer of EVER. Period. These people were world travelers and enjoyed a degree of sophistication that we can only dream of.

Okay, so it's cold nearly half the year. But I'm talking about hidden treasures, here, not P.Town or Williamsburg and their authentic colonial toilet paper dispensers. If I'm to move again, it will be to some place on the edge, and tropical or Southern places are already overrun and bloated with fartsy craftsy wannabes. Also, the people are utterly amazing. The surrounding counties may be red to purple, but East Aurora is sky blue - the color of the heavens.

Also, there are some amazing places in the Harz Mountains of Germany which are reviving ancient crafts of stone working, metal crafts,art glass, painting.....you name it. Mind bending communities if you're serious about art. And...then there's Prague....... Or some wonderful places in Romania. Damn, nearly all of Eastern Europe is in an artistic renaissance.

If you want nice and warm, and I think of it frequently, too, there's some fantastic coastal villages in Turkey, also. Of course, I've also given serious thought to Mexico, but, since it's even been on 60 Minutes as desirable place to move....well, I ain't no lemming ifyouknowhatimean. I moved to the French Quarter in New Orleans back in the 70's, when it was a bohemian artist community; look at it now.

[renter]

4. Thank you...

for posting this Atlas Mugged. Not an Ann Ryan fan "eye" take it. Heard of her, never read her. I think of gardening as an art form and enjoy it. Tree peonies...uhmmm, have to think about that, again.
Heading on out to a local garden show. Tree peonies...uhmmmm.

[Mizmoon]

5. Cold "half the year"?

I've lived in Western NY. Fess up - it's nice for THREE MONTHS per year. :)

[Atlas Mugged]

10. *snort*!

Okay, okay....mayber 4 months???

Seriously, I've been thinking of moving because of the election "results", but since I'm stuck with major surgery in the near future, I've not been able to do any planning, whatsoever. And, if I do move, it will be at the expense of some fabulous friendships I've acquired over the last so many years. But, I'm Winter weary, to the max (I was SUMMER weary in New Orleans, for crying' out loud). It would be different if I wasn't so injury-disabled since I do enjoy some Winter sports. Also, I normally travel a lot, so when I get tired of the white crap, I'm outta' here. But, as things are at the moment, I couldn't tolerate a flight for over an hour. And where the hell would that get me? Pittsburgh? No offense to any of our Pittsburgh members, but, when it's Winter here, it's Winter there, too. Oh, yeah, go.....uh.....Steelers?

[Mizmoon]

11. I've been dreaming of New Mexico myself

my oldest will be done with high school in 2 years, and hubby and I will be free to pursue some dreams of our own. I've been perusing some real estate listings which have details like "has full coyote fencing" or "water bill between $100 and $200 per month depending on usage" and I wonder what exactly am I getting into here ...

[neohippie]

3. Asheville, NC

It's a bohemian Paradise. I would move there if I could earn a decent living.

[nuxvomica]

16. My suggestion is nearby Black Mountain

It use to be a kind of artists colony but I haven't been there in since the last century.

[supernova]

17. That whole area is pretty hippie-folk arty

:D I enjoy both Asheville and Black Mountain a lot.

[xmas74]

6. You could always join one of the local Burning Man groups.

I checked my area (kansas city) and we have a regional one. It is a magnet for artists and environmentalists. One of the posters put up an article about the event turning 20 last night. You still have the national event but some of the regions also have regional events.
Always worth a shot. You might find some interesting people who can give you some really good ideas.
Here's the link to the main website. Just check under your area for a local chapter.

www.burningman.com

[all.of.me]

7. taos, new mexico is creativity heaven

but the drawback is it's hard to make a living. wages are out of sync with cost of living. everyone works more than one job to make ends meet. but it's beautiful, inspiring, alternative, casual (what's a tie?!), unique (so unique, they say you can't live anywhere else once you've grown accustomed to the lifestyle here), and the climate is perfect.

[Omphaloskepsis]

8. NE Alberta St. in Portland, OR.

A run down part of town that is now thriving with artist. Organic grocers and art galleries are emerging. Alberta is getting very hip but you can find cheap rent 4 blocks away. I used to live and go to school a few blocks away. We have a good social safety net for people that need help too in Oregon.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=6035+N+Greeley+Ave,+Portland,+OR+97217&ll=45.559021,-122.663461&spn=0.003337,0.005515&t=k&hl=en

edit: that is a link to my old house.

This is the part of town you want.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=ne+alberta+and+ne+10th+joe's+place+portland+oregon&spn=0.003337,0.005515&t=k&hl=en
Coolest bar in the world. They sell 40's of Old E at the bar.

[GreenPartyVoter]

12. Maine: Portland, Deer Isle and the surrounding areas

Seriously, we are a mecca for artists and artisans and musicans and writers... :)

[Kellanved]

13. Berlin?

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/0,1518,332629,00.html


;-)

[Atlas Mugged]

19. We "share" an apartment in Berlin

On Fuggerstrasse. It's a rat hole (well, not really), but it's where we unwind after the trip before taking off for new adventures. I'm seriously thinking of buying a place in Falkensee, though. I absolutely love it and we have some fantastic friends there. I believe (I could be wrong - which is not unusual) they were the first gay union in Berlin. I've got to look at the newspaper articles they sent us; their union ceremony was something important enough to make the papers. Okay, I just asked my partner - he thinks they were the first gay union in all of Germany, and most certainly Berlin. The mayor attended their ceremoney.

I'm really, really lucky in the "friends" department.

[Tsiyu]

14. Amsterdam

you'd love it.

US? If I had my druthers I'd go first to New Mexico- Santa Fe.

And kudos to you for getting mentioned on the homepage in the Blog update. :headbang:

[katinmn]

15. Come to Minnesota, Ladyhawk!

Strong arts community here -- I think you'd be surprised. Both Twin Cities have artists' communities where they have taken old warehouses and converted them into really neat apartments and condos.

The best time to come would be right now since you'd have four or five months of wonderful weather. When fall comes, it turns cold fast.

A few websites:
MN Artists Association:
http://www.mnartists.org/
Directory of arts organizations
http://www.metronet.lib.mn.us/mn/mn-arts.html
State Arts Board:
http://www.arts.state.mn.us/abn/spring2005/Capitol.htm
MN Arts Council
http://www.semac.org/
Resources for artists:
http://www.springboardforthearts.org/

[henslee]

18. Todos Santos is the place you may be thinking of.

[khashka]

21. Austin, San Fran, Santa Fe, Santa Cruz.

If you can afford any of 'em.


Khash.

[yellowdogintexas]

22. where do you live?

no museums? any college towns nearby?
I thing university towns, like Bloomington IN for example are naturally going to foster arty areas.

OR find a city that has more than one university, and locate in the college's part of town. Access to college level art and drama departments is great. University districts are just generally funky anyway, even in "red" cities.

[roguevalley]

23. Ashland and Eugene, Oregon

[yellowdogintexas]

24. anyplace that has a good art school is bound to have

an intellectual artistic subculture:

Denton Texas has a nice sized university and another smaller one; a very active local Democratic org and UNT has one of the premier art schools in the country.

Savannah Georgia has the Savannah School of Design and is about as picturesque a town as you will find anywhere.

Key West, Florida is funkytown central, freethinkers, artists, awesome climate ..not cheap to live there, however.

Little tiny town south of Tucson called Tubac has an artist's colony. Nothing on the scale of Taos, but it's there, almost in Mexico

Tucson has a big university and a very funky district around the Univ.