excerpt

Part of the deal when he rented the cottage in the corner of the Harris
property was the use of a small studio area in the upper level of the old Red
Barn. Unable to concentrate on anything when he first arrived, he’d done
little more than store his materials in a corner of the space where they were
dry and safe.
While the men were sorting out the ground floor workshop, Ken found
he was mentally planning the layout of his space in the loft. A steep stair
in the corner of the workshop led to a rudimentary space with a window
overlooking the beach and, in the distance, the Chrome Island Lighthouse to
the south of Denman Island. There was enough room along the side wall to
stack canvases and still erect an 8’ x 8’ easel. It was the smallest studio he’d
ever had. He joked that this might restrict any dreams of massive works of
art in the style of Isumataq.
There was a trapdoor entry to the studio at the top of the stairs, no heat
and no running water. On the plus side, it was far enough from the cottage
that the ringing phone wouldn’t interrupt his concentration. Best of all, the
window gave him a clear view of the water, and when he saw the coho
jumping, he could quickly down tools and chase fish.
Kirkby proclaimed it nearly perfect. There was one major problem,
requiring immediate attention. The river otters had discovered the
convenience of the keel pit in the former boat shed, and moved their families
into the building. They had also accessed the loft, which was now permeated
with the remains of their fish dinners and the incredibly rank smell that
accompanies wild critters in confined spaces.
The two men worked through a number of solutions but in the end they
had to pry up the heavy timbers that formed the industrial strength floor,
clean out the space beneath it and fill the pit with gravel—loads and more
loads to be shoveled, transported, wheel barrowed and dumped.
Another Fall was approaching before the workshop was put to rights.
Ken’s fingers were itching for the feel of a paintbrush by the time he
stretched his first batch of canvases.

https://draft2digital.com/book/3562902

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CB8W4CG