Art to ash, the loss of a life's work | Guest post by Katharine Murta Adams
An artist and L.A. resident on unimaginable loss and unforgettable humanity
At its heart, Amid Life is about resilience. This Moment of Change series invites writers to share personal stories using a simple prompt:
A moment when everything changed.
This timely moment comes from Katherine Murta Adams, a designer, illustrator and artist living in Los Angeles, California.
I used to live on Maiden Lane in Altadena. I was newly sober, halfway through ArtCenter—young and scared.
I felt SO vulnerable. Going to a costly, private art school and accumulating student loans made me very nervous. But I was on a mission to get my degree and was lucky to find this charming garden studio behind a couple (both AC grads themselves) who owned a beautiful home in Altadena.
My classmate and friend Tamara Page got me that studio, and I felt blessed. It was filled with lots of light, and although small, it was wonderful. It was also cheap ($400/month). It was perfect for me and my one cat.
Then, the Altadena fires happened. Similar to what’s happening now, the 1993 fires broke out in Eaton Canyon and Malibu.
I could see the flames up on Altadena Drive, and they looked way too close.
While my landlords were chilling in their home, a classmate told me to get the hell out of there.
I listened.
I packed up my artwork, cat, and anything else I could quickly grab and evacuated, staying with a classmate in South Pasadena.
I was beyond scared. Scared of losing all the artwork I had worked so hard to create. Scared of losing what little possessions I had at the time.
I decided to move further into the flatlands, first to South Pasadena and then, when I bought a home, to Boyle Heights.
My Altadena is gone.
The fires this time are so much worse. Altadena is GONE. Completely gone. I looked on the map last night, and my old home—gone.
Old neighborhoods—gone.
Last spring, I filmed my first TV commercial. One of the locations—gone.
185 Altadena Drive—gone. IYKYK
When art is lost
I recently had to throw away a lot of my old work from ArtCenter because my garage leaked during last year's massive storms. My art was ruined—gone.
I was pretty upset over that.
I can only imagine what my fellow AC folk who lived up in Altadena are going through right now.
There are/were a lot of artists living in Altadena and Pasadena. Many of them I know personally, and many who have lost their homes and studios. Some I haven’t been able to reach.
To lose your life's work, your art. Years and years of blood, sweat, and tears to create something worth keeping. That is beyond devastating.
To me, that is what really hurts.
Find humanity
I lived in San Francisco during the 1989 earthquake, and I was completely struck by the generosity of my fellow San Franciscans.
When I walked out of my workplace to see the ENTIRE CITY without power—people wandering aimlessly—a guy drove up in a big commercial bus and offered free rides to anyone trying to get home.I lived in the Mission District, and it was kind of rough. So when he drove me to my apartment, I was beyond grateful.
Now, I am hearing of people on social media trying to turn this awful event into something political or how 'God is punishing LA' or whatever.
Stop it. Just stop it. I don't care if you believe in my concept of a Higher Power, but do NOT expect me to believe in yours—especially if it's a punishing one.
My Higher Powers don't 'punish'.
They do, however, expect me to step up, which is why I am going through my home right now and collecting things to donate. I know several people who have lost homes, and I am reaching out to one in particular to see if I can help in any way.
Los Angeles is highly flawed, but it's still like any other city—full of good, salt-of-the-earth people just trying to make a living. And many of them are hurting beyond belief right now.
Let's try to be like that bus driver.
Resources to support artists impacted by L.A. wildfires
Financial assistance is the most impactful and immediate.
Artsy has compiled a list of organizations supporting artists globally affected by devasting loss, as well as a list of mutual aid organizations and individual fundraisers.
From Billboard magazine: organizations supporting music industry workers.
The Writers Guild of the American West is providing emergency assistance loans
Heartfelt thanks to Katy for sharing her words with us! 💕🙏
Katharine Murta Adams is a designer, illustrator, and artist. Dog lover. Pagan. Learn more about her work on her website, or you can find her on Threads, where she says, “I have unorthodox beliefs.”
Very well said.
Well written, lil sis.