Some of the studios I’ve worked in before. I don’t take anything for granted!
As a young teenager: In a closet--took the doors off and built me some shelves!
Early college years: In a basement with potted plants and roaming cats.
1st studio apartment: One room for sleeping and eating, the other for painting. Early 20s.
Mid-late 20s: Studio in the mountains. Stifling hot during summer...
...unbearably cold during the winter (view outside my cracked studio window).
In between, showed my work at fantasy conventions before settling down...
...into the comforts of middle age and a dream space. I don't take anything for granted!
It has been a wonderful journey through cold storms and sunny days; and it has made me the artist I am today.
Hi Carisa! Great to see you here. Your comment cracks me up. Do you really think being hungry, sweaty and controlled by a cat is sexy? hahah. Gilly was definitely a human trapped in a feline body, but she had it infinitely better than I did during those “starving artist” years. She always got first dibs on the occasional goodies.
I LOVE the mid-20’s pic…very sexy, and the wordless conversation going on there between you and kitty is priceless!
I thought I had already commented here…I wonder what I happened to it…
Seeing these pictures made me think of how an atmosphere can nurture and encourage creativity. I think as you grow in creative experience (and probably age also) your need for a certain type of environment also change. It’s nice for you to look back and think about those times and what was important to you then.
I am quite young but as another creative/artistically focused person (writer by trade) I feel this is true for me, when there have been changes in life or priorities I feel I have to change my area to better suit my needs.
It is great that you finally have your “dream” space, do you think maybe it was all those other studio spaces that refined your idea of what you needed to help you the best creatively?
Hi Indigene:
I love hearing about other artists’ studio experiences and it is particularly poignant when kindred spirits have followed similar paths. From what I can tell from looking at your big, gorgeous bold paintings, you probably need a much bigger work space than I do. My paintings tend to be under 16 x 20, though that may change with time. So I suppose the type of art and the medium we use helps to determine the workspace! Thanks so much for your comment.
Wow, you have a wonderful studio! What’s strange is we’ve had a similar studio experience! I’ve had a studio in the basement, one in an attic, a tiny alcove and now, it’s half of my living room, which is divided for my work! Now, all I need to do is keep working so that I can become as wonderful at creating as you! Thanks for sharing your experiences with me.
By the way, I still have the same drawing table I bought during my early college years. It is now nearly 25 years old. The ol’ chipped and scratched faithful has been witness to a lifetime of creating and will probably be with me for the rest of my days.
These are such great comments! Thank you, everyone. Barbara, I love hearing about people’s journeys and the challenges and triumphs that make life interesting. Kort and Arwen, I was eating a bowl of ice cream while the late great “Gilly” perched on my knee and demanded a taste. I pretty much always gave into her, even though at the time, a bowl of ice cream was a huge treat for the starving artist.
I enjoyed this. A lot of smiles from the various felines but the one hovering over your bowl mirrored my own cat who was doing the same thing to my bowl of cheerios as I read this post!
Love that mid-late 20s kitty photo. :’)
What great spaces you’ve had over the years!:) Looks like you have a lovely airy, light room now:)
So far I’ve had 2 previous art spaces… one was a fantastic double bedroom with a stained glass window (I’d give anything for that one again! LOL) And a shared table with my Husband in the other spare room here..until I took over the tiny single bedroom where I now reside!! haha….which reminds me, I must re-photograph for the blog because I moved the table around for more space.
What a wonderful (and interesting!) journey. Thanks for sharing. I love that you have such a cool, visual record.
Tara: Please note this is a photo of my studio when it’s clean and organized (in between painting rounds). Most of the time there are books and drawings scattered everywhere…not to mention the ubiquitous coffee cups! Equipment space is definitely a problem for artists. One has to make a concerted effort to keep things simple. I’m glad I started in a closet–it made me disciplined about maximizing space efficiency, though after all these years, I haven’t quite mastered organizational techniques. Thank you so much for your comment. You rock!
What an amazing looking space you now have! I am totally drowning in mine. It is a converted bedroom, but I keep adding electronic equipment (large format scanner, large printer, oversized laptop, good sized wacom tablet, etc…) in addition to all the art supplies and many many shelves of books… We are getting a bid on how much it would cost to expand the studio, but I’m not sure I’m ready to justify that kind of expense.
Will have to vicariously enjoy yours for the time being….