This is my basement studio! It has been well over a year in the making. It started off with bright yellow and green walls, a leak in a corner, and not a lot of light. This Spring it got nice fresh white walls and peg board across two of them so I can paint vertically and work on several pieces at a time. The leak has been fixed. I also put together some sturdy cardboard flooring for the pegboard wall area. It is intact in at least one of these photos but just this week in need of replacement, thanks to my behaviorally challenged cat. I still have to tweak the flow of the space, but I suspect that will change a little bit with each series I work on. It is my favorite place to be out of just about anywhere and what I consider my sacred space.
“Before” picture – ugh that yellow! And you can glimpse the green in the mirror
Another Before, just this one with my studio assistant in the window.
A recessed wall that makes a good tucked away place for books, class stuff, framing supplies, and boards
Mess! And a few pieces in progress. The table against the wall was handmade by a friend back in 1995.
My favorite freebie things I ever got ahold of – my flat files and shelves with wheels
Works I had just started with my nice new cardboard floors.
Incidentally, I worked on those pieces this afternoon and decided it was a perfect day for some fingerpainting therapy. A sampling.
I also have a bunch of things in my studio to facilitate good luck. I’m pretty superstitious and even though I don’t think I believe in these things actually bringing me luck, I might just a little bit. Most of them have been with me a long time, for the most part, keeping me company day in and day out, through great and awful and everything in between. They include my Princess Leia action figure from 1978-ish, a little Buddha given to me by a dear friend back in 1994, a painting given to me from a beautiful artist and person, Kathy Beynette, in 2004, a hand milagro from Todos Santos in 2001, a piece of rose quartz I found in Shetland in 2016, and a dried dandelion my dad picked for me in 2015.
I also have a few quotes around to remind me of important things every day:
“If it isn’t a hell yes then it is a no.” Danielle LaPorte (don’t we have to make enough compromises in life? There is no reason to do it with making art.)
“I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free.” Georgia O’Keefe (still in the aspirational phase of this one)
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” The framed print was hand made by my friend Kimberly Adami-Hasegawa. I don’t know who said this. I should probably look it up. (edit: Theodore Roosevelt!)
“Show your work.” Also unknown to me at this moment. I don’t need this to remind me to book shows or put artwork out into the world. I need it so that I remember to not be a perfectionist. (Though now that I’m thinking of it I should interpret it the other way, as I am terrible at marketing.)
Oh, and the rug. I love my studio rug. I shared it on facebook last year when I first put it down, and several people were concerned that I’d put such a nice rug in a space where I’m painting. Two things – One, I live down there so I like it to be cozy and pretty and lived in. The rug is part of that. And two, it’s positioned in the middle of the room so I don’t travel over it with paint too often. So far no spills, but I’ll be okay if it should happen. It’s just a rug.
And that’s it! I love seeing where people work, so thought I’d share my space with you.
