Chapter 8 #2
They got stuck in traffic, because even a billionaire wasn’t immune from the clogged streets of New York, but eventually, they passed into Greenwich Village, turning down a leafy side street and stopping outside what must once have been a warehouse.
Like so many parts of New York, Greenwich Village had long since been gentrified.
Kaitlyn knew it was one of the places for artists and designers, and they’d passed numerous trendy galleries, where sculptures and works of modern art were displayed in the windows.
“This isn’t the apartment, is it?” she asked, peering out of the window.
Alex shook his head. “No, this is your new studio,” he replied.
Kaitlyn’s eyes grew wide with astonishment. She looked at him, hardly daring to believe what he was saying.
“Mine?” she exclaimed, and he smiled.
“I’ve rented the space for you. It’s an artists’ collective.
Lots of different people work here, and there’s a gallery where they display their work.
It’s well known, and not easy to get a space here.
You’ll meet all sorts of people to connect with, other artists and designers. Shall we take a look?”
Kaitlyn was in a daze as she got out of the car.
She’d been trying to imagine how she’d manage to work in an apartment, and without all her materials readily at hand.
She’d scrimped and saved for the deposit on the studio she rented in San Francisco.
It was tiny, cramped and hardly big enough to display everything she wanted. But this…
“That’s… I can’t believe it!” Kaitlyn said, looking up at the former warehouse, where large windows appeared to open onto an atrium in which works of art were displayed in the brightly lit space.
Alex held out his hand.
“Hilary found it for me. I wanted you to have a space you could call your own. Somewhere to work on your projects and meet other artists. I’ve only seen photos of it. Shall we take a look?”
Kaitlyn nodded. He led the way inside, and Kaitlyn found herself in the atrium, where several people were working — some sculpting, some painting.
One woman was embroidering an enormous silk banner.
Works of art were displayed for sale, and there was a sense of collective concentration, with everyone working toward a creative purpose.
A shiver ran down Kaitlyn’s spine. It reminded her of college and the feeling of possibility that had so inspired her when seeing others experimenting with art.
“What a wonderful place,” she exclaimed.
“I think this is your workspace,” Alex said, pointing to an empty unit in the corner, where windows looked out at the back of the building, where a pretty courtyard garden had been created.
The space was light and airy, and Kaitlyn could imagine herself creating her ceramics there and being inspired by what others were doing. Several of the other artists looked up from their work and greeted them.
“We were wondering who’d take the last space,” a woman said. She had long, flowing, silvery hair and bright blue eyes, and was chipping away at a block of stone, smiling at Kaitlyn, who introduced herself and told her what they were doing there.
“It’s a wonderful place. I’m so excited!” Kaitlyn said after the woman had introduced herself as Mary-Beth, a sculptor who specialized in using slate to create her works.
“We’ve not had a ceramicist here before. What’s your inspiration?” Mary-Beth asked.
“I work in seascapes mainly. I love using blues and greens to create underwater scenes,” Kaitlyn said.
“I can’t wait to see your work. We’re putting on an exhibition soon.
It makes sense to work in a collective. We can hold regular exhibitions, and each of us contributes a few pieces, instead of having to wait to create a full collection.
It makes selling a lot easier. Some of us are easier to work with than others, but I’m sure you’ll fit in,” Mary-Beth said.
“I can’t believe it. It’s all thanks to Alex, of course.
He found the place for me,” Kaitlyn said, glancing at Alex, who smiled.
It really was a dream come true for Kaitlyn.
Had they not had the apartment to go to, she’d gladly have started at once.
“I’ll come back as soon as I can,” she said after she and Alex had looked around the rest of the collective and met some of the other artists.
“It’s all yours, whenever you want,” he said.
Kaitlyn slipped her hand into his and squeezed it. “You’re so kind. You don’t know what this means,” she said. “I feel so inspired. I can’t wait to get started.”
“I’m glad it makes you happy. We’re not too far from the apartment. Stephen can drive you down here whenever you want.”
Kaitlyn had assumed she’d get the subway or just walk. The idea of being chauffeured here and there would take some getting used to, even as they now climbed back into the car that had brought them from the airport.
“We’ll see. I can get around by myself. I use the public transportation options in San Francisco. It can’t be that different,” she said.
“I’d feel better if you took the car. I don’t want anything to happen to you,” he said.
Kaitlyn wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by this remark, but presumably the wife of a billionaire, or even just the fiancée, could easily become a target for thieves.
“I’ll be careful. Are we going to the apartment now?” she asked as the car drove off down the tree-lined street.
“I can’t wait to show you it,” he replied, smiling at her as he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.