Sunday, October 30, 2011

Working in the studio

It seems I haven't shown any work I've done in a long time. I am not completely moved from the old studio space to the new and for awhile it was impossible to work, with whatever it was I needed in the space where I wasn't. I have spent several days now working in the new studio and it is lovely. There is still a lot left to move and I should be doing that, but there are things I need to finish up.


Tonight I brought this piece back to the house to do some finish work on it after dinner. Now it is waiting on the table, by the door, to go back out to the studio. I discovered I didn't have any sharp scissors in the house and ended up using the kitchen shears to cut my thread. I can see that I will need to figure some logistical matters out.

Friday I spent a large part of the day in the studio working on some things that I can't really show just yet. It was raining steadily outside most of the day, but bright and warm inside. After working in silence the day before, I unearthed my old iPod and a pair of speakers and took them out to keep me company. Ray was banging away next door in the greenhouse and popped into the studio from time to time to see what I was up to. But for most of the day it was just me and Bob Dylan and Simon and Garfunkel and Joni Mitchell and the rest of the crew. We baptized the space with good music.

I know I need to clear out the old studio, but it feels kind of nice to do it in a slow, puttering way. I am organizing and sorting as I go. Perhaps a strategy, at this point, would be to work and move what I need as I need it. That would leave, I am sure, a lot in the old space. At some point it would be clear that it was what I would never need and out it could go! Not so sure I can sell this strategy to Ray, however. He has ideas for that abandoned studio space. I am leaving Thursday morning for Houston. I'll tackle the end of the move when I get home.

6 comments:

  1. I know what you mean....who wants to clutter the new space with old obligations. ;-) I say enjoy the energy as long as you can.

    I am having a very hard time putting everything back into the studio after the Washington County Artists Open Studio, unfortunately it wears me down to keep walking around it as it waits to go back down the stairs.

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  2. Hi Terry,
    You could have a box/container with supplies like scissors, etc which can be carried back and forth. or at least live by the backdoor when you are done with finishing something you have brought in.

    I do that for college - I teach C+G fashion. I have the stuff in the box that I might need or students might need if they have forgotten something. I have also found it useful now for taking to a monthly sewing get together as well.
    (I do have something with my good tools in to use at home rather than chance damage at college)
    Sandy in the UK

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  4. I'm looking forward to doing what you're doing now. :) In about 3-4 weeks I get to paint. Probably in 5 I can start moving. Unline you, I won't miss my current gloomy unfinished, low-ceilinged basement 'studio' at all.

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  5. There's never such a thing as too many scissors. And redundancy saves all kinds of energy. I am totally without shame about buying a second of anything that I need in the studio. It saves all kinds of wear and tear on my brain (where in the world did I leave....?) and prevents inevitable tensions around the house (June, did you take the [blank] out to the studio?) Tools of all sorts, not just sewing equipment, become part of the scene. Just sayin....

    I like your blue jay! Have fun in Houston.

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  6. I love your birds and the background looks fabulous.

    Can not wait to see the studio and what you did with it.

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