Is a studio all its cracked up to be?

[Harmonygirl]

Studios? What is everyone working out of? I am working out of a rubbermaid bucket. Anywhere I can. I have been contemplating a studio, but costs are the issue. I would love a place I could get dirty, leave my stuff out, not worry it will get
oken, dirty or be in the way....

What does everyone else do???

A little disheartened about prices for studios and lack there of here in Durham region...... blah

[arlynnhr]

I would love a studio or at least a spare room...I work in a corner of the living/dining room area...

[xxbreezy]

We have a spare bedroom that started out to be a studio but has since went to storage room and where my husband plays his PSP2....lol. But there is still room for me and my "stuff". I work alot from the computer too so I basically do alot of my pastel work here in my living room but all my art supplies and what have you are in the spare room. It hasn't always been this way as the spare room was used for visitors and as my supplies have grown, along with 2 easels, etc.....the extra room is great. Nice not to have to pay for a studio thats for sure!!!! Best of luck Harmony!! Oh....is that Durham, NC? I live in NC and just wondered!!
Linda

[Harmonygirl]

Ontario Canada.

[revad]

I am lucky and have a spare room. This is divided down the middle with my computers and digital print facilities on one side and a bare wall on the other. I say bare, but usually this wall is covered in paper so I can get ideas out of my head and onto paper without the fuss of setting up.

I couldn't do without this space. Indeed I am sure it will be far too small once I have finished my BA. My concepts for projects are already becoming too large for the space and at some point I will have to find a much bigger place to work. Also storage of completed work will soon be a big issue, although a buyer or three would help in that area

[weirdpuckett]

I have "upgraded" to a little corner in dining room . . .I refer to it as an upgrade because I started out drawing on a metalic clipboard that I held up to my face as I drew . . . I did this until my wife got tired of all my supplies taking up space in the t.v area . . . .She and my Father-in-law purchased a fold out drawing board and stuck me in the corner now. . . They were tired of watching t.v with the "big light" on!

[juliafinucane]

I also work out of my living / dining room. It's small, but I make it work. I would love to eventually someday have a studio.

[rrsum]

We booted all of our kids out of the house! [img]http://www.teams
.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_rock.gif[/img]

Just kidding. They all moved out cause mom & dad were crampin' their style. Couldn't understand why they couldn't stay out until 3am since they were all over 18. Thought since they were "adults" they didn't have to abide by any rules the 2 adults paying the bills were laying down.

ANYWAY...wife got a sewing room and I got a studio! No empty nest syndrome in our house! Funny thing is, they all still come over on Sunday for mom's home cookin'! [img]http://www.teams
.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/icon_tongue.gif[/img]

I sympathize though, because prior to that, it was a corner in the family room and I had to keep setting up and taking down. Kinda kills the inspiration and spontaneity.

I admire those of you that keep putting out work like I see here coming from corners and dining room tables. Awesome stuff!

[Jeanette]

My Art area is a part of my living room w/also houses my Hubs drums...so we have 2 Artists in the same room in the same same family!

[CelticHeart]

I had a studio/apartment for about 3 years but was till living between the two places..it was great when I was there and could work and make a mess...now becasue I don't work I couldn't afford to keep my place and lost it..now I am back at the house and my stuff is all over the place. A studio is the best place to have but being able to use whatever space you can is an art in itself.

[CelticHeart]

My main objective now is to get another job or two and get out of here and into a new studio. It's unfortunate that my paintings are not generating the income for independence.

[Zenart]

We moved to this house 2 years ago be because it was getting cramped in my one car garage making fireplace mantels (www.keystonecast.com). Was a bit scared of leasing a comercial unit ... so we got this place 1/2 hour out of town with detached 3 car garage that serves as a new shop. Winters are a pain. When I work I heat the space with wood stove but there are too many leaks in the structure. Maybe this year I will lift the roof and create a studio/guest room upstairs, insulate and put in old furnice. So work, work, work ... and all for arts.

Slav

[demac]

Same here using a corner of the sitting room or a small corner of my bedroom I set my easal up and get going and yes it does kill the spontenaity of it. Waiting for my teenager to leave home then I can move into his room - no
oodyness here either.

I have also looked into a local photographer who has a spare room so trying to persude him to let it out to me at a meger price hes not using it anyway ...lol definately pays to be cheeky.

Get cheeky ask around and someone may share a space with you at a minimum rate.

Deanne

[arlenemurals]

I love my laundry room studio its big and has a slop sink, plenty of room to work three or four paintings at a time, it just gets a bit cold in winter its in the basement

[Menolly]

My art space is a small corner table and the keyboard tray on my desk. And this adjustable laptop desk/table/thing I got for my birthday does double-duty as an easel! Before that, I taped drawings to the wall or my bedroom door, and taped an adjustable book lamp above it. Guess that means I'm making progress!

[pehiatt]

A studio by any other name is still a studio

This photo is from an article that just came out in Elegant Living Magazine of Frederick Maryland. " A man's castle is a room of his own" by Ron Cassie. Spring issue 2009.


Photo by Bill Green

Had a lot of fun doing this. My wife wants me to paint the deck.

[Erika Takacs]

Very cool studio. I agree with your wife, it deserves a fresh paint job and some flowers in those pots.

[pehiatt]

Paint comes each spring. As do plants.

This was shot on one of those few clear days in January. Those pots along with others will overflow with tomatoes, herbs and flowers later in the year.

[arlenemurals]

now that is an enviable studio!

[FinePencilArt]

Spending 20 years in the Marine Corps I moved every 3 years and every time my studio set up also moved and evolved into something different. At times my studio was in my foot locker and when I went to the field it got real small to fit in my seabag (pad of paper and pencils don't take up much room). Some of my most memorable studios were closets that I took over, even in the hallway. I had to have someplace that I could close off to keep my children from helping me with my work. The kids use to say that Dad was coming out of the closet. Organizing and working out of a closet is a challenge but still a little better then having to pick everything up and put it away all the time. One of the biggest challenges I always face is proper lighting. I now have a nice sized finished room in my basement that serves as my little art world and I keep adding more and better lights down there. However, I think if I didn't have a designated room I would get something like an armoire to customize with a pull out drawing table and storage for everything. That way it could be in any room with the doors closed and still be functional. I think some type of designated space is essential; however, what you have is also driven by income and if your artwork or real world job support your art addiction.
Bottom line is find some space that is yours and yours alone to keep everything at hand so your creativity isn't interupted by hunting around for something you need.
Jay