Reclaiming my studio space

Posted on | September 20, 2006 | No Comments

It’s been a strange week. I got up on Monday and decided my studio needed quite a bit of work. It’s only Tuesday, but I feel like it’s a Thursday!

What inspired me to do this? I had taken some time this weekend to really think about my goals for my art and my studio, to figure out what it is that I really want to do, rather than what I felt I had to do for business. I decided to really look at what I’m doing and refocus. I really do a lot of painting, mixed media work, and collage more than anything else. I also do some cardmaking and art journaling, so that’s important to me. I’m not a traditional 12″ x 12″ scrapbooker, and I was designating a significant portion of my studio to the 12″ x 12″ papers and related embellishments. I love patterned paper, but with so much, it was dificult to know what was there – even after I broke it down into categories.

And, since scrapbooking is not one of my major goals for the studio, I had to make some changes. On Sunday, I made 14 cards from a kit by Self Addressed in about two hours. The kit is 6″ x 6″ plus the card addition. I used only things from that kit, some adhesive and a personal cutter. Clearly having the paper cut already is a good thing for me. So, I went through all my patterned paper and cardstock and cut it all to 6″ x 6″. I prefer to scrap smaller anyway, so it’s a great opportunity for me to find new connections in the colors. I spent all day Monday cutting up the pages that aren’t prepared quick 12″ x 12″ scrapping layouts. I put it all in two boxes, saving a ton of space and reclaiming my studio as “my space”!

I took all that space and put up some paper trays to use as drying racks for in-process projects and pieces. I’m tired of having my paper all over the floor when it’s drying! I always seem to step in it and end up with a ton of pain ton my white (then never white again!) socks. I decided I needed “stations” where I can do the things that I need to do. (Yes, I am well aware that this is not a new concept for most people, but I’m admittedly organizationally challenged, ok?) So, I’m setting up a journaling corner with my pencils, some pens and watercolors in a comfortable chair in the corner. I also decided that since I’m now doing more with fabric I need to have my sewing machine out (instead of somewhere in the closet where it’s always too difficult to dig it out!). It now has a place on my studio table in the corner that used to have my journaling supplies. Because of the size of the table, I couldn’t easily reach them, so that didn’t ever work anyway.

I also cleaned up the area near the tv and CD player. I organized the DVDs and CDs and under the TV I put these mini Iris drawers that hold my dimensional embellishments. It really cleaned up that area and, honestly, I’m much more centered because when I look up at the TV to see what is on the news or other program that is on in the background, I see an organized and clear area. It’s quite soothing. In fact, there is now room for me to put a picture up in that area near the TV. I never thought that would be possible!
I also put my easel up and I put a canvas on it. I hope that in the morning it will inspire me. I have created a few boxes of things I want to get rid of. I have tossed a ton of things, as well, recycled quite a bit, too. I am more than halfway through the studio, but I’m really starting to feel as if I know where I’m going and where I want to go. I know there are things I’m not going to be sure of, and those things I will put in a storage spot that I can get to and re-evaluate every few months.

I’ll take some photos over the next few days and post them here. I am determined to finally put some pictures up on the walls – some of my art. The walls are white and the shelves are a neutral brown. They need to say, “Fran is here and she is creating.” And they will!

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