Charlottetown in -7.63°C: My Spray Paint Froze But So Did My Soul
okay so i'm in charlottetown and i'm literally freezing my ass off but also it's kind of beautiful? as a street artist, i'm always looking for walls, and this place has some dope brick and concrete that are just begging for a mural. the problem is, it's *fucking cold. like, -7.63°C cold. feels like -12.77°C. and the humidity is 58% so it's that damp cold that seeps into your bones. pressure's 1027 hpa, whatever that means. all i know is my spray cans are getting clogged.
i set up my little studio in this abandoned warehouse near the waterfront. the view? stunning. the draft? also stunning. i've been here three days and i've only finished one small piece because my hands are numb. but whatever, it's art*.
i've been wandering around. charlottetown is weirdly charming in winter. everything's covered in a thin layer of ice, and the streets are mostly deserted except for the odd plow. the houses are these colorful victorians that look like they're from a storybook, if the storybook was set in an ice age.
i asked a local where the best walls are. he said, "check out the back of the confederation centre library, but be careful, the cops are weird about street art." so i went. it was covered in so much tagging it looked like a jungle. i almost didn't want to add to the mess.
i've also been eating a lot of poutine. someone told me that the best one is at this diner called "the dome" but i think that's a lie. i tried it and it was just okay. however, i did find a killer grilled cheese at a place called "the cheese cottage" that i found on Yelp. they have this cheddar that's so sharp it makes you cry. in a good way.
the light here is insane. in the afternoon, the low sun hits the ice and it's like the whole city is glowing. i took some photos but i'm not a photographer, so they're crap.
the coffee here is strong enough to wake the dead. i've been going to this tiny spot called 'the daily grind' that's hidden behind a flower shop. you have to know the knock code. it's like a secret society of caffeine addicts. i love it.
also, i've been experimenting with different spray paint brands in this cold. montana black 400ml is okay, but molotow seems to flow better in low temps. just a tip if you're planning to paint in a freezer like this.
i heard through the grapevine that there's a hidden speakeasy type bar in the basement of the old theater. i went and it was packed with artsy types. everyone was drinking hot toddies and talking about their latest projects. i met a sculptor who works with ice. literally. he carves sculptures that melt by morning. kind of like my street art, but temporary.
if you get bored, halifax is just a ferry ride away, but that might be closed too. honestly, just stay here and explore. bring hand warmers. and a thermos.
i found a good thread on TripAdvisor about winter activities. most of it is about the christmas parade, but whatever.
also, check out the local board at The Guardian for events. they have a great arts section.
i'm thinking of staying an extra week. i've got a concept for a piece about the isolation of winter on an island. it might be my best work yet. or it might suck. who knows.
anyway, i should get back to it. the light's changing. later.
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