melissastang

First and foremost, I'd like to say Best Wishes, Stay Safe to anyone that's already been through Charley and might be anticipating Frances.

Because I love to travel to many locations that are prone to hurricanes (places I'd potentially like to move to), I have some mundane practical questions I'd like to ask people that have actually been through hurricanes. Even though you might be in a state of crisis planning right now, perhaps these questions will be an interesting diversion. (Or something to answer later, when you feel like it...)

1) Anybody know an artist or an art collector whose lives in a hurricane path? This is something I think about when I consider relocating my studio. Say you've got a whole warehouse full of your life's work made on water soluable materials like paint, paper, canvas- the kind of stuff that's extremely susceptible to water damage from storm surges, ripped off roofs, ect. How do you deal? I know that Jasper Johns has a studio on Captiva, how does he manage? Rent a squadron of rental trucks to get his stuff out? That's a big project.

2) Since alot of higher income folks live in beautiful seaside locations prone to hurricanes- the kind of people who tend to be art collectors- do you actually buy valuable art for your vacation home in the Keys, Captiva, Outer Banks home, ect.? If so, what do you do about it? Make plans to get it out? Leave it there and just run w/ the cat and the dog? I'm just curious. Do what extent do valuable unique possessions figure into evacuation plans, or are they the kind of possessions that just never come down to a vulnerable vacation home? I mean, do you strap a Jackson Pollack to the top of your car to get it out of there?

3) Horses: Florida and the Carolinas are big horse country where many of the big training barns for hunter/jumpers, Olympic eventers, and race barns are located. What do these people do in the event of a hurricane? Here in the Midwest, in the event of a tornado, most people think it's safer to turn horses out of the barn to run free in pastures (assuming you've have big pastures). Relocating horses is a major undertaking- in the event of a hurricane, I visualize fleets of featherlites stuck in evacuation traffic. And where do you take them? Not to the hotel that won't take your dog or cat. And how about damage to equestrienne facilities- fences gone, roofs ripped off arenas and barns? And water supply?

I realize that given the seriousness of the situation in the Southern US, these questions might seems trivial.
But, as I mentioned, maybe people stocking up on water and batteries and anxiously watching dopler might enjoy a reprieve from worrying. I offer this as a distraction, something else to talk about...

Tandoori_Girl

Robert Rauschenberg is the artist who has extensive land-holdings in Captiva.

You do what you can and take what you can. Many artists have lost their belongings in fires and storms.

I heard a first-hand story about a horse that stood its ground through Hurricane Charley in Punta Gorda, facing into the storm, hooves firmly imbedded. And he/she stayed that way through the entire storm, and was none the worse for wear.

There are many posts about the last storm that have answers to your questions. Thanks for your well wishes.

Birdie

I don't live on the coast but our town suffered a lot of damage from Isabel so I know what a hurricane can do. As you know, a lot of the damage is from water...surges, trees on roofs, etc. Maybe you could invest in some large plastic containers you could throw your artwork and supplies into. Maybe even a vinyl cartop carrier. I didn't think about my art. The only worry I had was my grand piano which is next to a glass Florida room. I covered it with several comfortors. I did hear stories about people who had contracted movers to empty their houses and store the furnishings on the trailer. I couldn't give you advice about the horses except to say that trees falling on fencing can be a very big problem. I do recommend leaving. Isabel turned out to be barely a cat. 1. I wouldn't even sit through that again.

maryann

Well, I have all I need for Frances and can answer my thoughts on your questions-I've lived in S. Fl all my life and cannot help you on #1 or #2 personally but I would have on hand and nearby a storage facility or live in a strong house (cbs construction) not in the evacuation zone.

Not everyone or everything is destroyed-if you are going to play the starving artist in an old house with no renters or owners ins. near the beach - well, take your chances.!

As for the horsies - we do have the South Fl Building Code, which is strict about strong structures - and the horse areas are about 7-10 mi. from the ocean, so a little less impact.

People all over seem to have their own potential problems and somehow it turns out ok. Come on down ! but maybe, wait a few days !!!

Scarlett

Very interesting! I have been wondering about the horses myself, as well as the cows and goats that we passed driving towards Orlando.

As for the artists or collectors..we have some things that are not the sort of thing that one would want to lose, whether insurance covers it or not. They go with me
So along with the Yankee at the wheel, the Pup in the backseat, there will be a few pieces of this and that crammed into the car.

But our fingers are crossed and we are really hoping that it won't come to having to decide what stays behind and what might be saved .

ChristieP

I have several "horsey" friends who live in the Tampa/Ocala area. They all tried to batten down their barns as well as possible, and they also put identification tags on their horses' halters in case they did get out of the pasture during the storms. Fortunately, none of my friends lost their horses to Charley, but one of them did lose her barns.

LilMsFoodie

Rauschenberg stayed in his Captiva house through the storm. Here is a snippet from the Fort Myers News Press. Link below:

Most island property owners were not as lucky. The historic ?Ding? Darling house, owned by artist and Captiva resident Bob Rauschenberg, lost much of its roof. Five of the 10 structures on Rauschenberg?s property suffered some damage, said complex manager Matt Hall.

Rauschenberg, who rode out the storm in his Captiva home, already had helicoptered off the island, but Hall returned Saturday to assess the damage. He was most upset about the lost yellow pine of the Darling house.

?This breaks my heart,? he said. ?I can?t get that wood.?

http://www.news-press.com/news/weath...erislands.html

LMF

melissastang

Hey, thanks for your responses. You're right, I was mistaken, it is Rauschenberg whose studio is on Captiva, not Johns. Thanks for the correction.

I.D. tags on halters is a great idea if your horse gets lose during/after a hurricane. (I mean, people do it for their cats and dogs, it just makes sense.)

And the story about the horse that just planted itself and rode out the storm is great. Nice to hear that some instinctual common sense kicks in during such a crisis.

And the ideas about storing art work in plastic bins in a somewhat hurricane proof storage space is also a viable solution.

Keep the input coming- I find it fascinating- and best wishes riding out the storm....