An open letter posted at Union Market
RedIron Studios is the home business of a husband and wife who have been a part of the Strathcona Community for almost 12 years now. Behind the gallery is a painting studio where Erin has been painting for 10 years and a ceramics studio where Rod has been throwing pots for almost 12 years.
Over the past 10 years we have put all of our money (from crappy jobs & our art) into this old building to follow a dream – that dream being able to make a living from our art one day. All people need to eat, and to punish someone for trying to make their living by doing something they love is exceedingly shortsighted and inhumane.
You attack our studio with oil-based paintballs in the middle of the night because you “think” we are part of the gentrification process that has happened in Strathcona. We are not. We are not buying houses, remodeling, reselling them and thereby contributing to the ever increasing artificially high housing prices in this neighborhood. We have been making art here probably for longer than you have been here yourself.
We are as sad as many others in this community over the loss of affordable housing, studio spaces, and the loss of the community in general. You attack people who have the very same feelings and empathy for all those affected.
The thinking behind your action doesn’t make a lot of sense. You don’t even have the presence of mind to attack, for example, a chain coffee shop, but instead you attack an art studio? Where is the sense and critical thinking in that?
But more to the point, violence and vandalism, be it against people who assuredly don’t deserve it, or those who you may believe your attacks should be directed, will always be in vain. What constructive change, exactly, do you think this will bring about?
Do you not see that you lower yourself to the same level as those you think you are attacking? This kind of obtuse thinking only gives politicians, land developers, and speculators even broader scope to continue their ambitions. These kinds of attacks are the precursors to gated communities, increased police presence, and the further erosion of any local community that remains – and worst of all they reflect badly on activists who are trying to build real change.
Your very personal attack has cost two artists a lot of money and precious time, as we have to repair our window, which will be hundreds of dollars. For Rod you have cost him days of making pots in the studio as he has severe allergies and cleaning all of your paint up with nasty chemicals such as paint thinners, turpentine, TSP, etc. has made him ill and caused a trip to the hospital. You never intended on someone going to the hospital did you? Or maybe you were thinking like an army general and rationalized by using the euphemism ‘collateral damage.’
Before you initiate more attacks against members of your own community we suggest you read the very famous left leaning Noam Chomsky. Perhaps he will give you ideas on how to change this perverse system we live in, in a way that will help make needed changes occur. What you did here was just useless, petty and spiteful vandalism.
If you are part of the group that contends that artists are to blame for gentrification then you really need to read more and understand history. The only blame that artists can have for inner city gentrification is that we often can’t afford to live in higher income neighborhoods. Yet artists often create a thriving community where they live, take care of the few things they do own, care for their neighbors, and respect their neighborhoods. Many times in the course of history have those very same artists been pushed out of neighborhoods that they once took an active part in. They are in the end punished for being caring respectful members of an alternative community and way of living.
We have had to get new extra jobs, and work an average of 50-60 hours a week to be able to remain in the neighborhood. Our property taxes have risen over 50% in the past few years among all the other expenses we “all” face trying to make it through this world.
Believe us; we understand your frustration with the mentality of the “me before thee” crowd. We are not them! Get it?
Quit attacking the very foundation of people who have empathy for the loss of this community.
Don’t blame artists – blame speculators that move to the neighborhood only to make a greasy buck and not become part of the community.
Most importantly read and learn before you attack. Life is far too short to waste your energy on activities that only hurt your personal beliefs – not further them.
Respectfully yours,
Rod and Erin
LiveInStrathcona.com writer, Lee Down, sniffs out a scent to air his own voice on the issue. Visit the LiveInStrathcona.com Blog to read that titillating piece.