Over the last several weeks, I have begun the daunting task of making over my studio. The idea is something that has been brewing in my mind, and occupying my thoughts since the early spring. This desire to clean-up, clear-out, and spruce-up had finally reached a fever pitch after reading some the of posts by my friend, Lesley Riley. She has also been slowly sorting, discarding, and passing along supplies and miscellaneous items she is no longer using.
Throughout her experience, I have found her words to be very enlightening. She writes that letting go was easier than she expected because of a now better understanding of her own artist soul and creative process.
She felt the need to give up those things, whatever they may be, that did not contribute to her artmaking. This can be a difficult task because so many times, we as artists, are venturing out to test new waters, new ideas, new techniques, and they all require stuff.
Tricky... how do you balance between diving into a whole new realm of art or not, or when to let go of a collection of supplies that have been left untouched for years, wondering and worrying that you will regret the decision or feel guilty about being wasteful.
All of this started me thinking as I looked around my own studio. When I first moved into this space over three years ago, I had an adequate amount of room. Honestly, I was just overjoyed to be moving from a small guest bedroom into a dedicated area that was at least twice as big, if not three times.
Sure there were and still are boxes of rubberstamps in the garage and other items that I knew I should keep because I MIGHT use them again someday. But as time has passed, the someday has yet to arrive, so why continue to cling to things when they could be doing someone else better good.
But cleaning up is not the only change I have in store for this space of mine. When I moved into my new home, I had serious plans to decorate my dwelling in an understated simple and tasteful manner. I was determined to use serene colors that created a soothing haven to retreat too after a long day, and I feel, at least so far, that I have accomplished my goal.
However for my studio, I wanted an environment that was truly me to my very core... with colors and decorations that were beautiful, slightly elegant, and somewhat romantic. I dream of having an accent wall draped in a lovely shade of pale pink, bright fresh worktables with a clean coat of white paint, and hiding the stacks of fabric and plastic bins sitting on ugly metal shelves behind lush natural linen curtains to give the whole room a more refined appearance.So, here I am in the middle of a chaotic mess of sorting with multiple paint swatches on the wall trying to decide on the perfect accent color, all while I am still trying to do those very important creative tasks that can not wait.
This mini remodel has also been a good opportunity for me to revisit some original art I have had tucked away. Most of these pieces are quite large, framed, and have been displayed in various gallery shows. I could never quite bring myself to part with them. One reason being is that I have not worked in an oversized format for a long time, so they felt very dear to me. However, another longing that has been tugging at my heart lately is to return to making bigger size artworks, which is a feeling I have not had for more than 8 years.
So with no regrets, I am parting with these pieces. There are three works listed in my little shop, and I plan to add several more as the current listings sell.
Wish me luck with this endeavor. In my mind's eye everything is done and looking FABULOUS...however the speed at which the brain can make something materialize, and the speed at which the body reluctantly wants to accomplish the task are two entirely different matters.
