I have thought about this topic. When moving from our giant house to our patio vacation home and again to our current house. I even made a YouTube video about it. Any space can work with a little planning.
Yes, Yes, Yes! I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve had studio space in every kind of room. The smallest was a three month stint in a small bedroom with my workspace being the top of a cooler. The largest being a 1500 sf artist loft. I am currently working in an old hardware store built in 1900. Great article!
Way to go, cooler girl. (Can I call you that?) I love that you didn't let space stop you. What a lovely space you have been rewarded with now. Congratulations!
I have out of the house space; a room; basically 10x10....maybe a bit smaller. After covid, after cancer, after retirement, I needed a space to call my own. I don't clean up after myself, I only invite people to visit who I know will bring positive energy and once or twice a year I rearrange. I love it!! Actually, it's the first space I've ever had to call my own. I moved from my parents house to a house with my first husband; then shared a house with my two daughters; then met my current husband. I went to college as an adult...so no dorm room or apartment. I treasure this space!!
When I was younger and without space, Virginia Wolff’s “a room of one’s own” was my dream. I can relate to how you feel about your 10x10 after waiting so long.
I, too, never have had much space to create. Either a car was there or a kid or the kid's friend...but I have a knack for maximizing space. Every room in our house was filled until a few years back. Mother-in-law, a son, his girlfriend (now wife) and son of friend. And my wife does not like "stuff" where she can see it. I am very good at using plywood and building shelving. Finally, it is just us two, so I have a little room where I have my little space for my creations. And I can leave them there. I looked around and enlarged the closet plus I needed a place for my frames so I built a shelf above the door. Awesome! Funny you mention the "hollow door." That's the first thing we all got as art students in college. Go buy yourself an old door, put a seal healing top on it and BAMM! instant desk. I have dreams of building an "art shed" in my yard for painting, but it's really expensive now, so I go with the little spaces I find around. We have a large oak dining table I use for assembling things, framing things, and other stuff. But, I do have a dedicated space in my old mother-in-law's room with a slider to a patio space for all of my "whatever I imagine things" I find I have to create. I am a super good organizer so I have space for my paints, brushes, cups, glues, fabric and such without it all being an eye sore. Keep your blog post "hits" coming. I sure do enjoy them and it makes me happy.
Thanks, Rick! I have a 6' square dining room table that expands to 12' long. Guess what's on it. I call it the way station. Once or 2x (maybe 4x) a year it's a family dinner table.
You are waaaaaaay more dedicated artist than I am. Like I said, I finally got a little room that is not a catch and MY space. My wife won't go in there, but it really isn't that bad. I have all my fun stuff, e.g. my Muppets, Spiderman, Grogu -- all that keep my mind young and fun. Many of my artistic talents are outside in the yard grooming plants, but when I need to, like you, I do have space to do stuff in the garage because I have large folding Lifetime tables (the school threw out!) that can remain folded until I need them for collage papers and what not. And, I can leave things up because I am really not bugging anybody! Thanks for sparking my creativity. I thought it dried up. So many things still to create. Keeping the Arts Alive!
This may not be a popular opinion but I always hear from people about not having the space, time, or money to create. To me, there are always ways around the three it's just realizing that if we truly want to make art, we will despite our limitations.
I’ve already decided that when I sell my condominium down the road that the smaller space that I will rent will be entirely transformed into a studio. I know my priorities!
Years ago I moved my studio out of a spare bedroom into our 'formal' living room. We had a small living room space that flowed into our remodeled kitchen & that worked for small entertaining along with our dining room. I agree with you that artists never have enough. I have cut way back on acquiring more supplies, but with an upcoming change in the direction I want my jewelry designs to move to I have been reorganizing my beading supplies. This has been an on and off again process as I acquire new beading trays & bead mats to reorganize bead colors. All this while making jewelry, photo and listing new pieces! Lots of Joy in doing all of this as it's like being a 5 yo and playing with a box of crayons!!!
I don't know if anything I have to offer would be of help to anyone because I was blessed with the perfect studio years ago. This house was purchased by my parents for them to move in with me and on the lower level is a walkout basement that I have had as my studio ever since. I have NO complaints - which is saying something for sure.
But Lesley has presented the innate creativity she has in abundance about how to make what you do have work for you, bless her.
Totally agree Lesley— frustrated by lack of art/making space, I got rid of the rarely used dining table and chairs and put in a sewing desk with drawers for supplies flanked by 2 narrow IKEA sets of drawers. A small storage chest covered with a wool pressing pad for ironing fabrics and storing extra art supplies and I built a hanging storage for large papers which sits on the front side of the sewing desk. I found a wonderful old lab table at Habitat for Humanity— solid, heavy and very stable for a work table/ storage space and put it on the wall that you would expect to see a china cabinet, added a work light, storage shelves underneath and voila, I have a useable studio ! It doesn’t look like House Beautiful, but it works for me and we don’t do much entertaining anyway.
I love this! My first official “studio” was a card table and small bookshelf that I squished into the space between the HVAC mechanicals and a cinder block wall in an unfinished area of the basement when the house was overflowing with people. Since then, I’ve also had a full 1400+ dedicated studio in an old warehouse full of artists and everything in between. Currently I’m in a renovated storefront apartment that I’ve devoted the front half to being a studio. My favorite phrase is the home is there to serve you, you are not the servant to your home.
Perfect words - "the home is there to serve you, you are not the servant to your home." Your variety of studios has informed your work, making it ever so richer with all the changes in your life. Your determination and persistence are an inspiration.
I have thought about this topic. When moving from our giant house to our patio vacation home and again to our current house. I even made a YouTube video about it. Any space can work with a little planning.
Ps. My channel is called Abramshe_arts
So true. You just have to look at your space differently and assess your priorities.
Yes, Yes, Yes! I couldn’t agree with you more. I’ve had studio space in every kind of room. The smallest was a three month stint in a small bedroom with my workspace being the top of a cooler. The largest being a 1500 sf artist loft. I am currently working in an old hardware store built in 1900. Great article!
Way to go, cooler girl. (Can I call you that?) I love that you didn't let space stop you. What a lovely space you have been rewarded with now. Congratulations!
I have out of the house space; a room; basically 10x10....maybe a bit smaller. After covid, after cancer, after retirement, I needed a space to call my own. I don't clean up after myself, I only invite people to visit who I know will bring positive energy and once or twice a year I rearrange. I love it!! Actually, it's the first space I've ever had to call my own. I moved from my parents house to a house with my first husband; then shared a house with my two daughters; then met my current husband. I went to college as an adult...so no dorm room or apartment. I treasure this space!!
When I was younger and without space, Virginia Wolff’s “a room of one’s own” was my dream. I can relate to how you feel about your 10x10 after waiting so long.
I, too, never have had much space to create. Either a car was there or a kid or the kid's friend...but I have a knack for maximizing space. Every room in our house was filled until a few years back. Mother-in-law, a son, his girlfriend (now wife) and son of friend. And my wife does not like "stuff" where she can see it. I am very good at using plywood and building shelving. Finally, it is just us two, so I have a little room where I have my little space for my creations. And I can leave them there. I looked around and enlarged the closet plus I needed a place for my frames so I built a shelf above the door. Awesome! Funny you mention the "hollow door." That's the first thing we all got as art students in college. Go buy yourself an old door, put a seal healing top on it and BAMM! instant desk. I have dreams of building an "art shed" in my yard for painting, but it's really expensive now, so I go with the little spaces I find around. We have a large oak dining table I use for assembling things, framing things, and other stuff. But, I do have a dedicated space in my old mother-in-law's room with a slider to a patio space for all of my "whatever I imagine things" I find I have to create. I am a super good organizer so I have space for my paints, brushes, cups, glues, fabric and such without it all being an eye sore. Keep your blog post "hits" coming. I sure do enjoy them and it makes me happy.
Thanks, Rick! I have a 6' square dining room table that expands to 12' long. Guess what's on it. I call it the way station. Once or 2x (maybe 4x) a year it's a family dinner table.
You are waaaaaaay more dedicated artist than I am. Like I said, I finally got a little room that is not a catch and MY space. My wife won't go in there, but it really isn't that bad. I have all my fun stuff, e.g. my Muppets, Spiderman, Grogu -- all that keep my mind young and fun. Many of my artistic talents are outside in the yard grooming plants, but when I need to, like you, I do have space to do stuff in the garage because I have large folding Lifetime tables (the school threw out!) that can remain folded until I need them for collage papers and what not. And, I can leave things up because I am really not bugging anybody! Thanks for sparking my creativity. I thought it dried up. So many things still to create. Keeping the Arts Alive!
Thanks again. I'm happy to hear I'm helping keep your art spirit alive.
This may not be a popular opinion but I always hear from people about not having the space, time, or money to create. To me, there are always ways around the three it's just realizing that if we truly want to make art, we will despite our limitations.
Definitely! That's my point here, too. The solutions are right in front of us.
I’ve already decided that when I sell my condominium down the road that the smaller space that I will rent will be entirely transformed into a studio. I know my priorities!
I kinda think of that if I were to live alone at some point. A studio with a bed, lol.
Exactly!
Years ago I moved my studio out of a spare bedroom into our 'formal' living room. We had a small living room space that flowed into our remodeled kitchen & that worked for small entertaining along with our dining room. I agree with you that artists never have enough. I have cut way back on acquiring more supplies, but with an upcoming change in the direction I want my jewelry designs to move to I have been reorganizing my beading supplies. This has been an on and off again process as I acquire new beading trays & bead mats to reorganize bead colors. All this while making jewelry, photo and listing new pieces! Lots of Joy in doing all of this as it's like being a 5 yo and playing with a box of crayons!!!
That's how it should feel. We certainly deserve it. YAY on claiming the living room.
I don't know if anything I have to offer would be of help to anyone because I was blessed with the perfect studio years ago. This house was purchased by my parents for them to move in with me and on the lower level is a walkout basement that I have had as my studio ever since. I have NO complaints - which is saying something for sure.
But Lesley has presented the innate creativity she has in abundance about how to make what you do have work for you, bless her.
It's a beautiful studio, and I am glad I was able to learn and work in it.
Totally agree Lesley— frustrated by lack of art/making space, I got rid of the rarely used dining table and chairs and put in a sewing desk with drawers for supplies flanked by 2 narrow IKEA sets of drawers. A small storage chest covered with a wool pressing pad for ironing fabrics and storing extra art supplies and I built a hanging storage for large papers which sits on the front side of the sewing desk. I found a wonderful old lab table at Habitat for Humanity— solid, heavy and very stable for a work table/ storage space and put it on the wall that you would expect to see a china cabinet, added a work light, storage shelves underneath and voila, I have a useable studio ! It doesn’t look like House Beautiful, but it works for me and we don’t do much entertaining anyway.
Sounds perfect! It's your house to use as desired, right? Kudos to you.
I love this! My first official “studio” was a card table and small bookshelf that I squished into the space between the HVAC mechanicals and a cinder block wall in an unfinished area of the basement when the house was overflowing with people. Since then, I’ve also had a full 1400+ dedicated studio in an old warehouse full of artists and everything in between. Currently I’m in a renovated storefront apartment that I’ve devoted the front half to being a studio. My favorite phrase is the home is there to serve you, you are not the servant to your home.
Perfect words - "the home is there to serve you, you are not the servant to your home." Your variety of studios has informed your work, making it ever so richer with all the changes in your life. Your determination and persistence are an inspiration.