Making Time for Art

 

This sign just went on the studio door. I've never had a sign like this.

 

Let's back up a little, and explain some things. I recently signed up for ArtBiz Bootcamp. This programme for artists is offered by Alyson B Stanfield, of ArtBiz Coach fame. In the past, I've learned lots from her book and a couple of other classes I've taken with her. This 'assignment' was week one, fundamental stuff. It's taken me almost four weeks to actually do it!  You wouldn't believe some of the stuff I told myself about how and why this wouldn't - couldn't - work for me. I won't make you want to poke yourself in the eye with a pencil by telling you all about those excuses in detail - just know, they were lame... really lame. What was exciting though, was how great it felt to finally choose to commit to some not negotiable time frames to call studio time. I think I may have even heard an hallelujah chorus off in the heavens somewhere - though I can't be sure about that. (It may have just been Garfield objecting to a lack of appropriate cat food in his bowl).

 

What I wanted to share with you though, is that this action - choosing some times, printing them on a bit of card, and hanging it up - created a big shift in the way I think and feel about my work as an artist. Like I'm taking myself seriously.

 

Sometimes small actions can have big consequences....

 

What little thing have you done that has led to big things? I'd love to hear. Tell us all about it in the comments.

 

Something I really enjoy is to pore over photographs of the spaces where others live and work...especially artist's studios.

I've recently been enjoying the latest edition of Studio's, published by the Cloth Paper Scissors magazine team. It inspired me to have a bit of a clean up and sort out a few problem areas in my own studio, and I thought that if I enjoy checking these things out...then maybe you would too.

So, welcome to a quick guided tour of my creating space...now with all the drawers labelled so I can lay my hand on everything at warp speed!

On my painting/collage desk pens, scissors and satay sticks occupy a funky mug all the way from West Yellowstone, Montana. I love the moose and the colours... Brushes live in a rectangular glass vase, with smaller ones in another bottle, adorned with some glass beads put together by my Mum. There's a gorgeous little deck of cards given to me by my special friend, Ralda...the one on top just now says: "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished"

I just realised that this corner has a Ralda gift in it too! The mug holding my pliers has a bit of a girlfriend theme - I was broken hearted when it developed a crack and no longer held my morning tea...but eased my angst by realising it could be put to use here. The green page with the eyes is my most recent art journal page...I think there may be something revealing about my current state of mind here - if only I could work out just what it is!

This room is something of a haven from the clatter and confusion of daily life around here...filled with treasured books, journals, art work of my own, and - of more pleasure to me - many others. My Dad built the trolley you can see by the big window, a pew style seat and blanket box which serve as a spot to sit and contemplate, and the white shelf/hanging rack beside the sewing machine. My Mum decoupaged the old music case on top of the bookshelf - I'm just realising that it deserves a photo of it's own...you really can't see here how beautiful it is! There are photo frames from good friends, tiny ceramic drawers given to be by my husband's sister before she died...the more I look, the more special and wonderful things I find.

I'd love for this space to have a name...but haven't yet come up with one...have you got any suggestions?

A New Studio and A New Etsy Store!

It's all been happening here! My 'middle' prince decided it was time he flew the coop...OK so, a house 100 metres from mine isn't such a migration, but, it still left me with an abandoned bedroom to walk past a dozen times a day and a little sad feeling (this nest is emptying...sort of!). So, I decided instead of feeling melancholy, I could reclaim the space as a studio of my very own! So here it is - all tidy and neat and ordered - won't take me long to fix that!

All that remains is for me to make our office look like an office again - my art stuff was really taking over this room...and it was getting challenging paying bills and other serious office type jobs with spools of thread, and painted papers out to dry littering the desk!

On top of all that activity - I have finally opened my Etsy Store! This is something I have been intending to do all year, and I am feeling very chuffed with myself to have finally done it! I listed a whole 4 items for sale yesterday! There is much more to come, but it feels so good to have made the start. You can click on the thumbnails to the right to go directly to the item listings (nifty hey?!- actually, it' not so unusual...but what is unusual is that I worked out how to do it all by myself!) Etsy, for the uninitiated, is an online marketplace of handmade items...a little like ebay, without the auctions, and all handcrafted, unique, unusual stuff. There are thousands of 'stores' just like mine - a treasure trove of wonders! You can shop by location, colour, category and loads more - check it out - it's fun!