I look up from my tablet. I'm mid way through yet another commission and the list of prospects keeps getting longer. Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday is booked. My father and sister are helping me out. However, my bank account is not quick to reflect this career success. I'm teetering on burn out but can't stop because my creditors won't have it any other way.
Like most artists there's a lag between career success and financial abundance. I'm in the middle of this lag. This gives me hope, but my body is screaming for a break that my mind knows it can't afford.
The post covid economy ain't making my life easier either. A series of interest rate hikes and increasing stringent rental requirements are really the biggest source of financial stress in my life. My grandmother passes away and with a wedding on the way, I don't have much time for "me," but I have sometime.
In a weird fluke, I end up with a good 3 hours of me time before my farmers market in Erie, Colorado. At first I go to Briggs Street to do more business. There's a brewery that the locals tell me to check out, but in a second fluke, it's closed for a staff meeting. Then I go to a Mexican place I've been meaning to try, but in a third fluke it is only accepting cash that day and all my wealth is in digital dollars; it's a no go. I get frustrated. It's very warm outside. I'm sweating and don't want to drive back to Longmont just to drive back down to Erie. I check google maps again and the town is almost no grocery store nearby. I'm stuck in Erie, and I'm hungry. Then I see a sign, a literal one for the restaurant Piripi. I look at the menu and see an abundance of dairy free options and decide to stop in for a bite.
I get the gnocchi. After a few bites, I'm very much pleased with the dairy free pesto and the perfectly cooked chicken. After that, I'm willing to take a risk and order a drink despite my incredible tight budget. I figure one drink is worth a few more nights of subsisting on ramen.
I look over the drink menu and make a choice. The waitress congratulates me on choosing her favorite, the Elderflower G&T. The drink presentation does not disappoint. Served in a wine glass, the sun colored drink has a sprig of rosemary and lemon slice. This drink is good enough to still-life outright, and I start taking pictures. Photos uploaded to my iPad, I steal the sprig from the drink so I can cook the rosemary later.
I enjoy the refreshing, herbal summer cocktail and start planning my next art piece. This drink is a perfect excuse to draw a crone for the first time. A couple weeks later, I finish the Piripi Elderflower Gin and Tonic not because I have to please a client, not because I have to chase a trend but because I want to as an independent artist.
Thank you Piripi for re-inspiring this artist through the power of great accessible food.
