Some of you know of my good friend and fellow blindie, Artman, a blind artist from New Orleans. 83 days ago, he evacuated from his hometown. Here's his update:
Yes the artman will soon be headed back to Nawlins!
(Editorial note: I am typing this on m new laptop so excuse my poor typing. Also, most of my email addresses were left in New Orleans so feel free to forward this on to our friends)
Greetings to all Eric Hartman here with an update…..
First and foremost, I want to thank all of you for your concern, prayers, generosity and, most importantly, your friendship! Truly, a person’s wealth lies not in material things but in the love of family and friends. As such in these troubled times, I count myself a wealthy man to literally have friends worldwide. Offers of housing and assistance were overwhelmingly kind. My CHMer family left me speechless! There are too many to name each one. However, I need to thanks a few amazing people:
Paul & Donna Averill, my cousin in GA , who gave refuge to 8 emotionally frazzled Family members and 3 dogs in a true time of need!
Cory , a fellow blindie from MA, who became my family’s internet and phone contact in those early weeks when communications with the outside world was all but impossible…After 6 long days of nothing, He literally found out for me that my dad and stepfamily were safe.
The Mertes Family of MN who sent me a ticket to get from GA to my art opening in Chicago
Pauline and Christopher in Chicago, who took their condo off the market and housed me for over 3 weeks…
Left Coast Toons for offering me a one month Sonoma artist in residence sholarship
Lance and Sandy Cutler, who orchestrated the Toon Relief program and agreed to house me for a month only to have it grow into two months as news of the damage to my apartment bldg became apparent. Capt. Jon also has provided me with studio space and transportation.
In each city where I ave been on this evacuation trek, local friends have gone out of there way to see me and to make my stays as nice a possible!
Merci mon Ami!
Now The Update
My family and I are well. Things are ok..well as ok as they can be in these post hurricane times. I evacuated New Orleans with my family on the day before Katrina hit. That was 83 days ago. I am still a refugee but now out in Sonoma CA. I have been here since leaving Chicago Sept 30th. The good news is that I am actually planning to return to New Orleans on Tuesday Nov29th. My flooded apt bldg will be ready to have tenants move in this week.
Family:
My sister Liz and husband Donald are back home from Georgia. Donald is back working for the resteraunant. Their home suffered wind damage but it is relatively minor things. They currently feel like they have had enough and are thinking of moving to northern GA at some point down the road.
My mom returned with Liz but is staying at the rented home of my sisters Mary, Monica and husband Earl. Mom seems in good spirits but also seems frailer that just months ago. Mary is fighting the battle with the insurance companies over her home's total damage. Mom's house simply is not there so the insurance company can not do anything but pay up. Monica and Earl, who were staying with Mary while they gutted and renovated a 1917 era home, also lost much when Mary's home flooded. They are hoping to get enough work done on that house to move in to its small apartment while the rest of the work continues.
My brother Matthew has called it quits in New Orleans and has moved up to Chicago with several other evacuated buddies.
My sister Emily, who was sojourning in Europe w hen the hurricane hit, is still there. Her home sustained wind damge similar to Liz's home. While in Venice and because she was a displaced New Orleanian , poor Emily was somehow awarded a 6 month scholarship to study Italian in a Venetian Laguage school. She always seems to land on her feet.
What are my plans?
The city I return to will not be the one I left.
Many neighborhoods, including mine, were decimated by the flood waters. The descriptions that I have received from returnees are that the place truly looks like a post-war zone. Businesses are gone and homes beyond repair. Though New Orleans less in the news, it is a mess in epic proportions. I try to watch local news broadcasts from there via the internet. The reality is depressing. Many of my friends are scattered across the US with . 40 % of the city sustained significant damage. Many areas are vacant and some 30-50.000 homes will need to be bulldozed. The city is currently less than half its former population. Basic city services are sporatic at best.
I am dreading the pain of seeing it myself but am drawn to and wanting to return home to my friends and family(tose that are there).
Recovery for the city will take years. The economy is a mere percentage of what it was. So a career in art based solely in New Orleans seems unlikely. I will probably spend time next year traveling to paint. Again, I need it play that by ear.
I know we will survive this. It will take time. Life as we new it will never be the same. The fabric that made up our lives is torn burn can be repaired.
We are all healthy. We are safe. The kindness shown by both friends and strangers heartens me at this darken time. Your prayers and concern are cherished.
On a lighter note
I am still painting. The fall colors in the wine country are magnificent and lucky for me are the best in years. My friends here have arranged for an art show of my newest work to be hung at one of Sonoma's best restaurants, The Meritage.The art will be there from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving until New Years. A great opportunity!
I have also been assisting my friend Lance Cutler make wine this year. From picking the grapes... to the crush... to fermenting and twice daily punching down of the cap of skins in each fermentation... to the pressing to barreling to bottling wine. Assisting a great winemaker like Lance reaffirms my belief that winemaking in a true art. Oh, did I mention that everything used needs to have a triple washing to assure that is clean and ready for the next use. I have worked it all and the wine stained hands to prove it, gaining a new respect for those that do this backbreaking work to create this bacchanalian delight.
It has been an interesting ride. Strange how some amazing opportunities can happen in the midst of this post-Katrina world.
My website is a mess but I will hopefully get it straighten out and updated with my new work upon my return to New Orleans in 13 days.
Wow that will make 95 days since I was last there!
Yes Louie, I do know “What it means to miss New Orleans”!
Much love to you all,
Eric
You are not a human being having a spiritual experience, but a spiritual being having a human experience.
