How My Studio Has Changed

Recently I came across a photo of my studio as we were just moving in. It was quite unfinished — my husband hadn’t painted the walls, the new lighting wasn’t installed, and I didn’t yet have all the tables and bins I would later add. Unfinished or not… it was usable. It took me a while to get accustomed to having an art studio and coming here each day specifically to do art, but once I’d made the adjustment, the studio became a busy place. And, it also began to change.

The first changes came about when my husband and a grandson went to work here. They painted the walls. My husband added lights to the ceiling, I put down a nice rug by the easel. It was functional — but not quite right. It wasn’t long before the studio was changing again. I had to make those “attitude adjustments” as well as a few physical changes — getting the lights positioned better, moving art supplies to different locations, doing what I could to make the studio not only functional, but efficient.

That was almost two years ago, and since then the studio has undergone a few additional changes. Rainstorms caused flooding — more than once — so my husband had to resolve that problem. We adopted a cat from a nearby shelter, and that, too, meant making a lot of changes to ensure that my studio was a safe place for our kitty.

Racks have been added — thanks again to my husband — so I have a place to set paintings. A rolling table now stands beside my easel — thanks, once more, to my helpful, handy husband. And, of course, the biggest change from “then” to “now” is the mess I’ve made here!

An art studio should be messy, my husband tells me, and I can agree to a point. Creativity is messy; that is to be expected. There is, however, for me, a point at which “creative clutter” becomes overwhelming. As I’ve mentioned in various posts, I’ve been losing things. I’m having trouble keeping my art supplies and canvases organized. I’ve accumulated a lot of junk, too. I’m always saving things, saying, “Oh, maybe I can use that in the art studio” and piling whatever it is in a corner or on a table.

At present, I’m once again preparing for a major bout of cleaning and reorganization, and in doing so, I’ve come to see other changes in my studio, changes in what I’m doing, how I’m approaching art, and what being an artist is really all about.

Abstract Art

Perhaps the biggest change I see around me is the amount of abstract and/or experimental art I see as I look around. As I come downstairs to the studio each day, I’m greeted by a “transformed” acrylic pouring that was turned into a mixed media vase of flowers.

Maybe this isn’t exactly abstract but it’s a far cry from the sort of art I used to do. I followed a few guidelines in creating this, but no rules. I just used a bit of imagination and created a vase of flowers. Seeing it each morning reminds me that I’m about to enter into an “Imagination Zone” where creativity — like these flowers — can bloom.

Sitting here now, I can look toward one wall and see a really weird — and very ugly — abstract I did one morning. I keep it there to remind me that the process of art isn’t always pretty. There are lots of other abstract works scattered about. They’re bright. They’re colorful. They’re different!

In the past, on those rare occasions when I attempted to create something abstract, I didn’t know where to begin. Obviously I’ve found a few starting points, and I’ve created some very interesting pieces.

Landscape Art

Of course, there is a lot of landscape art in my studio. There are small 4 x 6 paintings, and large 16 x 20 canvas panels. There are paintings of rivers, trees, mountains, skies, and clouds… the subject hasn’t changed. What has changed is the palette I’ve used, the techniques I’ve learned, and the new-found sense of confidence I’ve developed in the last two years. So often I put a painting there on the rack thinking it’s nothing I’m too happy with only to find that it’s really not so bad. In fact, I often glance around, catch sight of a painting, and think “That’s really pretty. And I painted it!”

The paintings on my racks are quite jumbled up, but it’s a fun sort of jumble, really. When I look at it, I don’t see the same tiresome landscapes I once painted. Instead, I see a variety of colors, an array of visual moods and emotions staring back at me. I realize then that I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished — even if it is all a jumble!

Different Genres

If you look closely at my rack, you’ll see a still life there. You’ll also see a sgraffito painting. That’s been another change. I’m trying new genres, exploring new techniques, and taking different approaches to what I paint and how I paint it. In another part of the studio, you’ll see the large still life I painted from a Craftsy class. Remember this? It’s not a great painting, I know, but all in all, it was a great painting experience. I felt like “the worst art student in the world” as I struggled with this, but now, it stands as a testament to determination. I stuck with it. I didn’t give up. I learned a lot, and all of that learning is reflected in the many, many drawings and paintings you’ll find in my studio.

New Art Supplies

Of course, you’ll find a lot of new art supplies in my studio. Dot markers, acrylic inks, gelatos! Stencils, masking pens, cold wax medium, and so much more. Day after day, I learn about new artist materials, and I’m eager to try them. The more playful my art becomes, the more fun I have trying different media. My attempts don’t always turn out the way I’d like, but I learn from everything I try.

Watercolor and Gansai

I think the most surprising change in my studio is the sheer number of watercolor paintings I have done in the last two years. After a lot of bad watercolor paintings, I once swore that I’d never do watercolor again! It was too frustrating, too tricky, too unpredictable for me. But doing fun little watercolor projects — like bookmarks and book covers — is what helped me adjust to having a studio. Then, when I discovered gansai, I fell in love with watercolor. I don’t think of myself as a watercolor artist, but truly I have a lot of watercolors around the studio that aren’t all that bad, really.

In looking back to April and May 2020 when we first moved in and set up the studio, I see a mostly empty space, but one that held a lot of promise. When I look at it today, I see that promise fulfilled. My studio is no longer a place that’s ready and waiting for something to happen. It’s a place where creative things do happen every day.

Yes, it’s a mess, and yes, I’m cleaning it up again, but even as I try to put it all in order, the creative spirit here shines through. Everywhere you look, you see evidence of that creative spirit. You see good paintings and bad ones. You see abstract art, colorful neurographic art, and brilliant alcohol-ink creations. You see bold marks and gentle scenes. You see a studio filled with drawings, paintings, glazed tiles, and journals.

It’s become a real art studio. Imagine that! I have a real art studio. I guess maybe that makes me a real artist, after all!