I’ve written a lot about what I do. Some of the posts are about techniques and the media I work with. So today I thought I would write about the space where I create my art.

The COVID lockdowns in 2020 created the circumstances where I could consider turning a falling down bungalow into an art studio. More work is needed to finish it off, but it is quiet and calm. There is lots of natural light, and my artwork has flourished since I’ve had a dedicated space to work in.

Studio Layout

The main window overlooks a small garden with the dam in the background. The back window looks into a fernery which is very badly in need of love and replanting. The left hand wall has a door, but most of it is dedicated to gallery hanging space. I hang completed work for viewing when I have studio openings. When I am working by myself, I also hang work in progress, so I absorb it. Sometimes, looking at an unfinished work, day after day, sparks a tiny idea. “Ah! I know what it needs now!” and off I go.

In the centre of the room is a wooden table which can seat 8 people for workshops. It also functions as my art table, where I create all sorts of things. A Victorian style bookcase is on the right-hand wall. This was too tall to fit into our house, so I’m pleased to have it in the studio. The right-hand wall is also home to storage cupboards, a sink, and a beautiful mosaic bench top. My friend, artist Glynis M Bryden, gifted me this work. Everyone who visits the studio adores it too. Most of the tiles used were hand made by Glynis for another project, and she had remnants. I feel very fortunate to be the recipient.

Studio Days with Artists

Since I’ve had the studio, I delight in having artist days, usually with one other artist. These days are relaxed and unstructured. Often, we both want to try a new medium. Sometimes we get together for a chat and do art while we talk. There are occasions when we both have a desire to work out a tricky technique. At the end of such days I feel energised and sparking with new ideas.

Family days in the studio are also good. Most kids love to sit down with paper and colours to draw or paint with.

Going Within

I’ve written about the inner critic on Day 28. In the studio, I’m removed from the house and domestic chores. Usually, I’m in there on my own. It is a space where I can set the tone with music, essential oils, and just be me. There is no-one to impress, there is no-one to interrupt, and I can just get on with the work. Starting small, I can build on an idea and lose myself in the flow of creation. This is the best way to silence the negative voices. On these days I am at peace and my mind expands into exploratory space. It’s amazing what I discover in there. I truly believe art is a way of exploring the self. More on that in a later post.

In the photograph below, my studio is the small white building on the left.