Studio time

Last week Julie asked me some questions in a comment on one of my posts.

Do you miss working in your house? I notice the snow photos are either on the way or from the studio? Does taking that walk settle your mind or are you inspired? How has your work changed now that you have the studio? Do you have a different mindset?

 I love working outside my house—even though it is just across the front yard. I am beginning to develop a pattern of working and surprising to me, it is different from when I was working in the back bedroom. Working in the house I was constantly popping up to check email, or get a snack (this was not a good habit) or throw in some laundry. Now I find I try to get all the house stuff done first, then head out to the studio for some uninterrupted time. I don't have the computer out there, nor do I have a TV. I think it will stay that way.

It is getting more personal and lived in day by day. The loft is a mess. I need to get my storage plan pulled together, get rid of a ton of stuff and get organized up there. But the main floor, where I work, is good, pretty organized and warm and cozy. I play music—my iPod full of all my favorites, and sometimes I sing along, or I listen to NPR on the radio.

It is good to have art supplies organized and within reach.

All the postcards I have gathered from friends' and my own shows, from galleries and museums, from travels and just because, are going on the bathroom walls. I just found another bunch today.

Taking the walk, Julie, is usually, in this cold weather, more a dash, but I generally pause to inspect the creek as I pass over it and am lately enjoying the wonderful smell of a big pile of wood chips Ray had delivered out near the studio, for landscaping. I don't know what kind of wood, but it is wonderfully spicy and astringent. And now that I think about it, yes, it is a different mindset. Somehow I am able to leave a lot of mental baggage back in the house when I head out to the studio. I am often amazed how hours go by and I haven't even thought about what to fix for dinner, or whether I got a reply to an email sent earlier, or if we have enough milk for breakfast tomorrow.

I don't know if it has changed my work, but it allows me to work more efficiently. I can pin things to the design wall and step back far enough to get perspective. I don't feel quite so confined to small pieces.

Today I worked on my Twelve by Twelve piece that will be revealed on February 12. Here's a sneak peek.