For more than 25 years my home has been my studio... painting in the living room, rubbing linocuts on the drafting table in the bedroom. Somewhere along the line I moved in to a two-bedroom apartment and got in the habit of dedicating a room to graphic design work and art-making.
When I moved to Salida (almost ten years ago), working at home became a full-time operation, and the "spare room" became studio AND office. It's a situation that has served me reasonably well, and I'm thankful that I've been able to make it all work.
But that's part of the problem. It's ALLLLLLL work. And it's all jumbled together. If I want to make prints I have to put all my paints away. If I'm in the middle of painting a big contract illustration I can't print. And the darn computer is there either way... insistent and tyrannical.
I started daydreaming about studio space OUT of the house more than a year ago. There have been all sorts of practical reasons not to get a separate studio (cost being chief among them), but I've found myself less and less productive in the home studio. I've been too distracted by my "to do" list, by the myriad house tasks and business tasks and, yes, by the musician in this household for whom this place is also studio and office.
So this week I took a deep breath and rented a space that I intend to dedicate to printmaking... Sherrie's fine art space is now separate from her commercial art space and her office!
The new space isn't perfect yet. I need taller work surfaces and more storage, and a carpet on the very noisy wooden floor. I'm upstairs in an old Victorian-era building in downtown Salida, just two blocks from home, so an easy walk back and forth. I've had two days there now, and I feel like a klutz with creative amnesia. The automatic work routines of the old space don't apply to the new and I keep discovering little things I need that haven't made it down the street yet. But I'm getting there.
I consider it all an experiment. Thankfully I'm in a situation that doesn't require a long term commitment, so if I crash and burn here I can haul everything back home and try again later.
More news from Studio V (for that's what it says on the door) as I get going!
Congratulations Sherrie, on taking the leap. I too combine home and studio and have learned it's often easier to do a load of laundry than lock myself away in my spare room studio. Good luck on this new experiment/adventure! hooray for you!
ReplyDeleteYou go! I'm excited for you, and I know once you get settled in to the new studio digs, you'll be unstoppable ;).
ReplyDelete(I live in a condo, so my studio is just part of our living room...I know the frustrations of having to put things away to do something different)
I hear you, both on the pros and cons. Good luck with the new space!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Sherrie! I hope your new studio works fabulously for you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I'm so excited for you, I've done the happy dance ;o). It looks like Elvis is settling in nicely.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Sherrie! New studio space is always exciting. Sounds like it will be a good move for you!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the risk-taking, and good luck at your new location.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, just maybe(?), the other artist sharing neighboring studios, as well as the lingering presence of those who've previously been in your studio-space, will infiltrate and infuse you with full-lunged inspiration.
At least, you're separating craft from "job."
good luck...good move and you'll soon be on auto-pilot, Keep us all posted.
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