"Ey Vaunt To Be Alone"

Ah, those famous words......or 'infamous' as the case may be. Would you want to be remembered for telling everyone to just 'fleep' off?
Anyway, why I titled my post with those words has to do with wanting to be left alone. Now, mostly I am alone, being that art does get created in an insular environment, except I love my friends; I do I do I do; but I live in a place everyone wants to come to. It's pretty spectacular out here - 15 miles of unreal beach, rugged, wave crashing, eagle in sky, bear/cougar/wolf walking around kind of way, so lots of folks want to come up and being that I do love them and do want to see them, I generally say "Stay here!"
And then I regret those words.
Because I need to have my space as my space to create in....and right now I'm into a big creative wave with this new direction. And I KNOW if my friends come up, we are going to carouse and eat and generally carry on like friends do and all the time I will be aching to get back to the easel.
So, what do I say to the good people I've just said "Yes!" to? Without crushed or misunderstood feelings happening? Pony up and say the truth? Always a good move, in my book.
But the thing that all this does make me realize is that if I don't set real boundaries for myself and my friends, no one will accept just how seriously I take being an Artist. And, unfortunately, in most people's books, there is nothing serious about being an artist.
Louche louts that we are.
And it is our fault that we are perceived as such, with most creative folk buying into the mythology of acting idiotically.
So, I shall endeavor to act with respect to myself and my life's profession.
And tell my friend that our mutual acquaintance says "Stay here!"
All good.
PS...the friend just emailed saying they couldn't come....