My (Art) Space

Looking toward the north-west corner of my art studio

I am participating in a new collaborative blog, Studio Shots – Tuesday. Anyone with an art studio is invited to participate by creating a blog featuring their studio, as I am doing here, and then adding the link to it in a comment at Studio Shots. More details may be found by following the Studio Shots link above. Other topics, such as tools and materials, will be added, and it should prove to be a valuable resource  of information, knowledge and sharing among artists, photographers and craft people. Nothing like having company to inspire a thorough cleaning, so rattle those cleaning supplies and join in the fun!

My work table, in this view looking toward the north-west corner, holds some molas that I am making into pillows to sell in a local shop. I’m too used to assembly-line production to ever make just one at a time. I laid all the molas out and chose fabrics and trims from my stash to use to finish the pillows. It’s so hard to wait for the project to be finished so I can see what they will look like. This desire to see how things will look when they are finished is a form of illness, more, actually, like a syndrome. The cause is mysterious, and it seems to be part of you no matter what you do. In my case, I self-medicate by making more and more things in order to see what they look like when they’re finished. It’s an issue of circular proportions.

Four years ago this space was filled with a nine foot by five foot table, rolls of lining and interlining, sewing machines, a serger, a grommet machine, bins of threads, an iron and ironing board, and all the various notions needed to make draperies. Nothing that was not drapery related was allowed, because I was completely involved in keeping up with drapery orders, and had no time for anything else. The art that I wished I had time to do had to wait for another day.

Then I retired, although it took me about three years to completely accomplish it. I shortened the drapery table and added shelving for art supplies. Chain saw sculpture is not on my list, but nearly every other medium is: oils, watercolor, printmaking, pastel, colored pencil, collage, photography.  It seems the list is endless, and I just cannot eliminate anything! Then I had to take up framing because I had all this finished art that I had to do something with! The sewing machine is needed from time to time, so that still occupies a shelf. I use it in my art projects. Don’t try to get me to make a drapery, however, for that is out of my system.

Looking toward the south-east corner

Looking toward the south-east corner is my table with the molas laid out on it, a drafting table holding a mat cutter, some mat and frame samples, and an unfinished oil that I started of my grandson. I don’t ever want to finish it, but I can’t gesso over it because when my grandson sees it he always points out with pride that it is of him.  So, I’m stuck! I could do another one of him that he might like, then maybe he wouldn’t miss this one if it disappeared.

Looking toward the south-west corner

The view of the south-west corner shows more shelves, and a photograph on the drafting table waiting to be framed.

All in all, the photos in this post are not examples of an art studio, as much as a feat of organization.  Every square inch of wall and floor holds a box, shelf, or bin full of art supplies or fabric samples. If I hadn’t needed the space for my drapery business, I’m sure this room would have become a bedroom, or something more useful to other members of the family. Possession however, is nine tenths of the law, and so, it’s mine, all mine!  Besides, no one would want to take it over, because they could never figure out what to do with all the stuff!