Got Space?

Whose room is it anyway?

In the survey for my book that never got written, I discovered that SPACE, or rather the lack of it, was the second most common problem artists and women who like to create but don’t consider themselves to be an artist, face. Space to work, space to store supplies, and, especially in my budding artist days, space to think. Some of you are blessed with lovely, large studios, a place for everything, and everything in its place, but after talking to the lucky ones, I know they, too, desire more space. Apparently, an artist (or woman) never has enough space.

A studio is like a closet; the more space you have, the more you fill. I’ve heard more often than once that no matter how much studio space you may have, your actual working area can be as small as 2’x2′ due to the piles and piles of materials and works-in-progress camped out on your work table and every other existing surface, floor included. So, whether you work on the corner of the kitchen table or have a 2400 sq.ft. loft with a view, this post’s for you.

First off, I want to make one thing very clear. The amount of space you have to create in has nothing to do with the quality or quantity of the art you can produce. Granted, it does place a limit on the size of your work, like humongous canvases or Michelangelo-sized sculpture, but let me repeat, it does not affect the quality or quantity of your art.

I know this, because for the first 20 years, I created art for countless magazine articles, class samples, books, and exhibits, working in my bedroom, on a makeshift table – a board placed on my bed. My kids thought nothing of it, nor did my husband. I learned early on that waiting until I had a dedicated space to create was really just an excuse. The drive to create was so strong, it overpowered any considerations I had over a lack of space. So I made do with what I had and never looked back.

Original working on the bed “studio”

Getting a new king-size but lower bed, which made working on the bed a big pain in the back, didn’t stop me. I took a good hard look at how I was using the space in my bedroom and decided that I had a lot of wasted space on the top of my dresser. It was only accumulating knick-knacks and dust. A 30”x80” hollowcore closet door became my new worktable when placed upon the dresser top. The serendipity of the doorknob hole was the perfect place for electric cords to gather on their way to the outlet below.

My dresser-top workspace in a different house

You see, it’s not about the space or lack of it, it’s about how you use the space you have. Finding and using space is as creative an act as the mixed media collage you just completed. It involves thinking outside the box, looking at the world with new eyes and that quintessential question, “What if?”

We tend to view our homes through a traditional frame of mind. The living room should be kept clean and neat in case guests stop by. The dining room must be ever-ready for dinner, even though you always eat in the kitchen. A family room is for family, and the bedroom is for sleeping. I say, whose house (apartment, room) is this anyway? It’s as much your space to use as it is anyone else’s who may live under the same roof. If art is important to you, then make, take, space for it.

Here are a few creative solutions to get you started thinking outside the box:

▪ Do you have space in the closet between the shoes and hanging clothes? Hang a shoebag on the door and replace the space with clear plastic storage drawers on wheels.

▪ On second thought, use shoebags for fabric, paint, mediums, or found object storage on the back of every door.

▪ Speaking of found objects – why store them? Create an artful, ever-changing arrangement out in the open. Still life at its best.

▪ I know an artist who creates on her kitchen counter and stores her paints and supplies in her dishwasher! Makes sense if you do more art than dishes.

▪ I used a large piece of wood for a solid worktable on my bed. At night, I just picked it up and slid it under the bed. A piece of foam core is a lighter alternative.

▪ Who’s living in your living room? Guests would be so entertained to see an actual working artist’s studio space set up in the corner, or better yet, the whole room.

Now here’s your assignment: Grab pen and paper and take a walk through your home. Find at least three new creative solutions to creating more working or storage space for your art. I’m sure you’ll find a solution I didn’t think of. Happy hunting!

Adam David Taylor painted his way to success in this little shed he built in his backyard in a rural village in Wales.

Quotes of the Week

Your sacred [art] space is where you can find yourself again and again.
Joseph Campbell

For artists who collect, the cluttered workspace is a library of inspiration.
Paul Makovsky

I am making space for the unknown future to fill up my life
with yet-to-come surprises.
Elizabeth Gilbert

It is not important how much space you have to create in. Inside your head, you have all the space you can possibly imagine!
Unknown