What we love, shapely and pure,
is not to be held, but to be believed in - Mary Oliver
Before I take you on a tour of the new improved studio, I should tell you a little about it. A few years ago, when we were looking for a home to rent, we chose this one because of the loft-like living area and because of this swell extra room off the foyer. I immediately claimed it as studio space
(sacred space). The space served me well, but after I launched
Mighty Girl Art empowerment camp 2 summers ago, I realized that my studio served only me. It suddenly dawned on me that I should re-create the space in such a way that it could be shared for small creative gatherings during the wintry months whilst the Tipi awaits warmer weather.
In the stillness of those pre-dawn hours that I have grown to love, I received a very clear vision of the studio space. It was all there - all of it - and so vivid. I would give away my trusty old drafting table and the outgrown storage. I would giveaway a/o sell materials that I no longer work with. I would invest in new storage, a table that could expand, and stackable stools to seat a cozy 6.
I approached The Great Robinsky and he agreed, it was time. My left brained husband not only understood his right brained wife, but was actually willing to co-manifest this project. I felt seen and heard in a way that I can't describe. He knew that this is something that I needed to do. We would wait until the new year - he would invest in my vision - he would wield a screw driver like nobody's business, carpal tunnel notwithstanding. And now... I'm sitting here, in this space, enveloped in awe and gratitude. So, lets take a look around, shall we?
The storage cabinets are a godsend! They are affordable and hold an enormous amount of supplies. I think finding the right storage was the biggest challenge for the studio. You can see my reflection in the glass wearing my old circa 90's Oilily faux fur vest. My aunt Bobbi named it
"The Wooby" and it stuck. It feels like wearing a muppet.
(got art apron can be found here)
Atop the cabinets are baskets of yarn and
wool roving (Wassup Brooklyn!)
This corner of the studio houses the mac-daddy where I do my photo editing and write my diary/blog.
On the desk is: a basket of my
favorite ink pens (The Great Robinsky is forbidden to touch them as he mashes the points); and several books that I refer to frequently like
this one and
this one and
this one . There's also little steel bin that holds a stack of vintage photographs; Rescue Remedy; headache balm and a tin full of found wings.
In a
recycled magazine vase (a gift from Pixie during our trip to Woodstock) is a branch of Forsythia...it's actually tissue paper blooms that I made with Satchel, but it looks like the real thing - even up close. Truth be told, I prefer blooming branches to flowers, but Satchel & The Great Robinsky are allergic to tree pollen.
And this is my ever changing Inspiration Wall...cards and images by a/o from friends...like
Ninabeana, for instance.
These shelves hold misc. supplies for making art journals, altered books and assemblages etc. That strip of red is actually my old Spirograph and Etch-a-Sketch.
The bookcase holds all my art related books. This area still need a bit of tidying. The baskets below contains fabric & sewing supplies. Atop the bookcase is the fancy new sewing machine that I got for Christmas. I want to marry it.
To the right is my old HP which I use to make those dreamy transfer prints seen in my work. In front of the sewing machine is a vintage
mannequin hand that I once used to display my bracelets. The hand is up for grabs
(no pun intended) as are the
vintage buttons you see in those big jars in my etsy shop.
On the wall,
a print by my friend, Pixie Campbell. Below it, a wishing wall that I made from honeycomb cardboard. Right now there are 2 wishes inside it - one wish holds the name of the town where I wish to formally plant roots. To the right, a statue of Ganesha that my friend Maninder brought back from India. I
love elephants, you see. On another wall, a
Bread & Puppet print given to me by my friend Steph.
There is also an offering bowl made by
Chelsea Dobert-Kehn. At the moment it holds some sage and other offerings given to me by friends.
And this is the table where all the magic and makings will happen.
The antique garden gate on the wall has always been used for hanging tools: snippers, pliers, punches, soldering irons, heat guns, wood burning pens, and brayers etc.
Below the gate is my trusty old printing press. I use it for xerox transfer prints. When not in use, it's stowed on the floor where it can't fall and crush feet. The gorgeous ginormous stones are from the North Shore of Long Island...holla!
I used to keep all my stuff in jars in a wooden fruit crate, but this nifty caddy spins, making it easier to work with a group. It holds a variety of ink pens, pencils, hand drills etc.
And the caddy has these tiny little drawers for small stuff. Tucked into one of the little drawers is one of my favorite treasures...my grandpa's screw driver from Tiffany -
Represent!
On the windowsill is a tribute to honor my kitty who slept there. When he died, my husband had his paw print pressed into clay for me. It sits in the very spot where my kitty Elvis slept, along with one of the
sun jars that I made a few years ago.
Lastly, a tall cabinet was added to the studio loo to contain paint rags, cleaning supplies and a place for brushes to dry. On the wall are sunprints made by my son. The giant Warholian soup cans were a gift from my cousin Phil, also an artist. It runs in the family...a long lineage of artists, craftsman, photographers, musicians and merry-makers.
So that's the tour of my the new studio...a sacred space...a soul space. There's magic in the offing. Care to join me?
Labels: art and craft, corners of our home: fairgreen
