Category: studio space

Back to Work

Well, I started working on this new piece.  I thought I would use the watercolor paint in a heavy fashion, but I decided not to.  I’m trying to go slow.  Keep the highlights clean, work the shadows down.  Although I wanted to abstract it I think I will just go with what I see and don’t try for anything in particular.  Just paint.
Instead of working in the basement studio, dark and away from everything, I brought the work upstairs near a bright window.  What good is a studio if I’m going to be painting in my dining room?  Forget it…I know, I have a space, but it’s not ideal.  Someday, a loft with north facing windows.  I can daydream.  In the meantime, it’s back to work.

Just Going with the Flow

The painting dry spell seems to be lifting.  I think we need to just do nothing for a time while the brain resets and inspiration can return.  You know that thing called Life gets in the way and what can you do but sit it out for a bit. 

Some things must be done and other things can be left alone.  Go with the flow and forget it.  I wasn’t painting and I wasn’t in my usual fist fight with resistance either.  Just chilling, looking at my studio space, organizing stuff, checking out yarn and knitting, drooling over beads and just daydreaming in general.  No commitment to anything.  Maybe that’s the trick?

Here’s the new studio set up.  I never went to IKEA, although I will eventually get there, but I confiscated a bookshelf from my son’s music room for my use in the studio.  I won’t tell him if you won’t, okay?

 At least I can store some things out in the open now. I’m not done.  That door on the left is a closet I keep older work and other stuff.  I’m planning to paint it inside and add flat files or shelving on one side with horizontal slots for canvases on the other.  It’s a thought.  By the way, the light still doesn’t work.  I guess it’s time to call in the pros.

I started a sketch from this month’s photo suggestion at the Virtual pARTy blog.  It’s not a great photo composition, but a good starting point for painting ideas.  I missed the deadline to enter on the blog, but I don’t care because this has my “thing” working again, and I don’t even like horses.  My focus is going to be on the nearest figure and I’m blocking out the rest as shapes and grounding lines. 

Another artist already finished her work with the same  idea, which isn’t all that unusual.  Each artist has their own vision and techniques making each work different anyway.  I’m interested in the process right now, not the outcome.  Oh, and in case you’re wondering, I’m not using the new watercolor paper yet.  I want to, but I’m frugal that way.  I’ll finish the old paper before I use the Arches that cost big dollar bills.

 And these are the beads I bought.  Aren’t they just amazing?  Well, I fell for the colors and then the shapes, and all kinds of ideas came to my brain.  I’m compelled to arrange them with silver beads, maybe wire wrapping them, I don’t know what to do first.  I set up my jewelry stuff on the opposite side of my studio desk on an old kitchen table we had when I was a kid.  Yes, it’s still alive and works! 

Keeping my stuff out seems to inspire me.  I could be in that room for a pencil and end up seeing an idea glinting out of the corner of my eye.  Before I know it I’m working on the sketch or the beads. 

The week is new yet, and I have errands to run.  After that my time is my own and  I’ll be in my little foggy dreamland.

Finish Something…Tomorrow

Since I went on hiatus for the Easter holiday I haven’t been able to start a new project.  Here and there I found some time to knit at least.  And even that has been hit and miss.  I was excited when I bought Arches watercolor paper to try, but I’m looking for the next thing to paint so I can work with it.  Nah!  Resistance is peeking at me from around the corner, again.  A tough cookie, that resistance.

Yesterday I went to my studio just to look at it.  I decided to rearrange my desk and worktable, again.  Flopping the areas to be a little more Feng Shui this time.  I don’t like working with my back to the door, but then I like being able to see out the window too.  Having my back to the door felt worse than not seeing outside so I moved my desk.  Now if someone is coming toward my space I’m aware.  My table is under the window and that felt comfortable.  That darn light has been out now for a couple of weeks.  Watch when I get someone in to fix it, it will light up!  The light and I have a love/hate relationship. 

Before, light on
After, light off (darn light)

Something about rearranging the space made me feel good.  I know I’ve said it before, but it’s true that cleaning and straightening gets the creativity going.  I don’t know why, but it does.  So I’m feelilng kind of good about doing some painting again.

I read Week 7 in Walking in This World this week and it made me feel like I was on the right track.  The last section in Discovering a Sense of Momentum was entitled Finish Something.  Don’t we all have half done things hanging around?  At least I do. 

Whether it’s photos that need to be in a book, or artwork left undone, there’s always something that needs finishing.  The author, Julia Cameron, writes that to keep the creativity flowing we need to finish things we’ve left off. 

It can be as mundane as cleaning the medicine cabinet or straightening up a room.  She calls it a small pat on the back and a shove forward to moving our creative energy along.  Mend the socks.  Hang the curtains you bought.  Sort your CD collection.  Those things half done help us to drag our feet.  Finish things and the universe increases our efforts behind our back. 

I have been trying to get that studio in order since I carved out that space for myself.  Reading this chapter gave me the incentive to keep going.  I planned to visit IKEA for some much needed storage for the studio.  With the push from rearranging the room the day has come and it’s…tomorrow!  Today is just too busy with some other things I need to do.  But tomorrow is D-Day and I’m really excited about it.

The chapter ends with this: “Finish something-anything!..It’s an inner order: ‘Now, start something’ finishing something says.”  Here I go!

The Studio Spot

While waiting for the new year to come and running around trying to get things done, I’ve had to avoid the studio.  Last night I did some knitting on one pair of socks, so at least I’m still slightly in the game.  But painting is going to have to wait. I thought I’d give you a little glimpse at my studio space while I’m waiting to get back in it.
For a long time I didn’t have any space except the kitchen table.  My father had a nice studio in his basement in our house and I used that space when I was young and living at home.  When I got married it was the kitchen table or even the floor of our living room.  In my house part of our basement was finished, but it wasn’t really friendly for art so I used the kitchen table for quick things.  I would do pastels and clean up before the kids came home from school.  When they were babies I didn’t want them around the oils and just left it.  Pastels are easier to do with kids around.
Now that I’ve finished the other side of our basement I took over a little corner.  One of my sons is a musician on the side and we carved out the bigger area for all his instruments and other stuff.  He’s married now, but some stuff is still here.  Don’t tell him I said this, but I may creep myself in that space little by little.
I have my drawing table in the corner and I’ve been hanging posters and things that make me feel good around it.  I kept the old kitchen table from our apartment, which came from our house when I was little.  It’s on the opposite wall from the desk and I love to sit at it.  I’ve moved my jewelry stuff there and plan to set up still life arrangements.  It’s really cozy to me. 
The closet needs to be organized for flat storage and I need a small bookcase for odd tools, books, and other things.  IKEA may be the destination for that.  Once these holidays are over I’ll be back in that space that’s all mine.