In the pseudo-rural town of Middleburg, Florida, just outside the line of Orange Park-- forever encroaching the town's peace with its noise and crowds and subdivisions-- I found Elsewhere. This little cedar house, almost, but not quite, like a log cabin, stole my heart and my imagination immediately. Though I looked at other places before I committed, I knew in my heart the second I walked onto the property that I was the person who was supposed to care for this place. And so I have.
When my last relationship ended, I found myself with an extra room in my house. "What" I thought, "do I do with it?" At first, I made a little workroom. I went to a thrift store and bought a card table for three dollars. I moved a few things in, put a special collection of books-- most on medieval costuming-- and I started making things. After a while, I realized that I wanted to build more of an art installation. Eventually, an idea began to form in my mind. While it was, at first, dependent on finding an antique card catalog used when the Dewey Decimal System was still en vogue, I gradually realized I could work without it. Since last year, I have been gathering things and changing the look of the room. I started calling it "the museum," which is its informal name.
Now, instead of "the workroom" or "the museum," I have officially changed its name to "Musea Obscura." I still call it the museum, and so do my closest friends. But, it feels more alive now than ever. It's not finished...
I'll still make changes until it's just right. But, I have been working here, and some of my most exciting projects have been undertaken since creating this space.
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