Paris Studio Makeover Part I/The Inside Scoop

A studio in Paris.  The things dreams are made of....

A studio in Kentucky.
Brings to mind the importance of being very specific in your dreams:)))....Kidding!

I love my Paris, KY home:)

My Paris studio is petite, with sloped ceilings and a west facing window.

Over the course of the years I have called many places "studio".  From shared lease spaces to custom built ones and many spots in between, I have had the occasion to visit many an artist's studio---and what I have learned is this.  

The size or impressive nature of the studio has little bearing on what will happen there. 

 I have seen grand studios rarely used and tiny bedrooms become the breeding ground for amazing art.

I have treasured each space I have had, beginning with my first art table many years ago--a first move up from the kitchen table.  (It meant I didn't have to put my stuff away every time so that we could eat:))

I truly believe the greatest purpose our space serves is the signal to our hearts that we are literally making room in our lives for our gifts!

This is my 12th studio space.  When I moved in it, I had lots of non-art things going on in my life.  My studio space just kind of happened without much thought on my part.  Which is what led to.....

  

back in February when I had the insane idea inspiration to makeover my studio,  I needed a dump truck sized scoop in order to even think about digging into it.  Deciding that I wanted to replace the carpet with bamboo flooring meant everything had to come out.....(remember my storage tub debacle? Click here to revisit the story on that;))

Anyway...Ask any artist and they will tell you 

painting requires LOTS of tools.

Translation?? A long held belief that if we artists can just get our hands on the right brush easel paint paper canvas medium book viewfinder color chart camera pochade box panel carrier umbrella camping stool mahl stick wet panel carrier french easel gorilla box scraper palette knife varnish gesso marble dust fan brush paint jar... THEN we will become the best painter in the universe:))

So like I was saying,   I was needing to eliminate a few thing before starting the makeover:)) One of my artist friends emailed and asked me to share how I waded through the clearing out portion of the project:))

The cleaning out already in progress....

Here's how I decided what to keep, what to eliminate and how I made peace with it:))

Some of you may be appalled with my choices.  I have friends who can't stand to cut anything out of their art magazines....let alone (gasp!) get rid of them--  I, on the other hand, have moved so many times that every time I have packed/unpacked an art book or magazine that I hadn't cracked since the last move-- had begun to question just why was I hanging on to all this stuff.  The truth is, as artists, we pass through many phases on our journey to becoming.  Our tastes and interests change.

Just because we loved it once doesn't mean we are forever married to it:))

Solution:  Magazines--I only kept those that were of extreme interest to me.  If it was only one article that I felt I had to keep, I clipped it out and stuck it in an art book of similar topic.
Books--I generally know which ones are now old hat to me and no longer serving me.  I let them go into the hands of those who are seeking exactly that information now---this included a lot of watercolor books:))

What about unfinished paintings?  Or ones that are finished but never quite made the cut?

Solution: If they elicited a shudder, I put them straight in the garbage bag.  If they had some redeeming value .... I scraped my signature off and sent them to Goodwill:))

What about random, once used but now sidelined items....and even sentimental items that once held significance, but there's simply  no room for them due to size?

Solution: On the sentimental stuff, I took photos and let the items go.  I held fast to my sister's mantra....if I don't know what to do with it now, why leave it for my kids to have to sort through when I'm gone:))
Frame styles that reflect a past me, mat cutters from my distant watercolor days, pochade boxes that no longer suited me....all were bid a fond farewell.  I also threw out tons of old photo reference that no longer reflected my interest and were of questionable quality to begin with:))

The more I purged, the lighter I felt.  There are some awesome things about streamlining your artistic life.  One is sharing the "wealth" with others (I had a gazillion stretched canvases that I gave to a friend since I really like to paint only on panels these days)!  The other is the enjoyment of having ready access and really seeing the things you do love and use in your studio---no digging past a bunch of unused, untouched stuff.

It was simply the joy of starting over with an (almost) fresh canvas:))

All of my still life objects found a new home on these DIY shelves from Target.  They are stored in the storage area just off my studio for easy viewing and access:)

My easel, a few frames and my old jewelry chest underwent some shabby chic treatment:))  

The above are prints that I framed without glass--I didn't want the reflection and did want the feeling of an original:)) 

....Eddie doing some on the job inspection.

After packing, purging, painting, polishing and the likes....it was now time for the lipstick portion of the makeover.  Time to surround myself with things that I love, things that inspire:))  In other words...time for Part II of the Paris Studio Makeover

(to be continued)

In Other News:  My Lexington, KY Workshop starts this Wednesday--if contracts can be worked out, we may have a guest appearance from Eddie Pierre;)))!

Dreama's 2013 Workshop Schedule--Click Here
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What's New on the Easel?"

Eddie Pierre.

  The summer games have begun....I just didn't realize they would be taking place at my easel:))

Or my studio door....

If video doesn't appear, just click here:))

He arrived just last night, all of 10 weeks old.  Big paws, golden eyes

and half a moustache.

Gonna be an interesting summer:))

Tomorrow's a painting day. 

It's also Day Two of Cat Olympics 

I'll let you know how it goes:)))

In Other News:

The links are complete--those of you interested in my Massachusetts work shop can now sign up:)! To check it out, click here.

My studio makeover --started way back in February during a fit of spring fever--is now ready to share:))  I'll be sharing photos and some of my inspirations in upcoming posts.

The world IS getting smaller!  Riana from South Africa is joining me in my next workshop in Kentucky, while some gals from Honduras and Ireland have signed up for 2013 workshops.  What a delight:))!  Another reason why I love what I do:)))

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"Ding Dong the Tree is Down"

Which old tree?  The Christmas tree:)!

Okay, if you haven't read my latest newsletter, that statement will not make any sense at all, so get your butt over  here and catch up on what's been going on---not that it will make sense after you read it, but at least you will know of whence I speak:))

I actually must read it myself just so I will know I what I am up too....I forget things pretty easily these days.

Could it be because I have single handedly drug out 14 projects upon myself at the same time????

That's what spring fever does to one.  It all sounds so good when the planning(and the only movement) is happening between the ears.

 Many miles of CHAOS later, however....reality begins to set in:))


New wood floor down in studio.

Check

New mirrored table  serving double duty as a palette AND  a place for Eddie to admire himself.

Check

Shelves cleared in anticipation of new goodies, including these handsome containers given to me by Kathleen O'Neil Stevenson at my last workshop (don't you LOVE them!!!)

Check

Easel and old jewelry chest waiting to be painted in shabby chic fashion.

Check

Then reality sets in about now....

392 plastic tubs filled with all the stuff I pulled out of my studio that are now in the overstuffed storage area that must be reclaimed or else I turn up on the next edition of HOARDERS.

Check


Tubes of paint now laying in floor because I needed the table for something else.

Check

Not too mention I decided it was high time to get started combining my blog and website into one wonderful home AND decided (after trying some of Kathleen's Stevens colors while in Carmel) to order up a bunch of Holbein water based oil paints to try out AND AND ....WHAT IN THE HECK WAS I THINKING?????

You owe it to me the next time you hear me slinging around  words like spring and fever----for pity's sake----do an INTERVENTION!!!

Well, for now, I can just close the door on it all.

I start my Lexington Workshop in the morning.
I can hang out with great artists, go to lunch, paint, laugh and totally forget about the potential hoarder's episode looming at home.

All is well.

At least 'til next week;))) Pin It

"Irresistable Invitation" SOLD

 

 "Irresistible Invitation"

12 x 16 oil on museum quality panel

$750, unframed

One artist, a custom studio, nestled in a secret garden = one irresistible offer.   

When my new found friend Dina invited myself and artist buddy Leslie over to have a peek it was pretty much like inviting Eddie out for a catnip cocktail (sometimes Eddie and I are more alike than I  am comfortable to admit...).  Dina's place reminded me of how meaningful it is to create such a personal space.  She recalled plants that were given by friends, others that were collected on travels, some that came close to being rooted out to suddenly explode with these amazing blooms that dropped down from above like mini parachutes.  Into her studio from books that inspired her to  paintings in various stages, handmade artists tiles to a colorful paper streamer from her grandchild's birthday party--Dina has surrounded herself with the things that make her heart sing.  And that is bound to translate into paintings of joy.  

Whatever your work, whatever your passion in life is, it does matter to do these things for yourself.  It is not frivolous or unimportant.  It  creates a well from which to fill your bucket!  Heck--it's a well for others to fill their buckets too!  I felt refreshed for just having had a peek into Dina's nest and it makes me happy to think of her there, painting her heart out.  

Thanks Dina--and Leslie--and California..:))

In Other News:

I am still "on the road" but have heard that Eddie is planning a welcome home party for me.  Phyllis was all atwitter with the purchasing of the food--which was what alerted me that perhaps it wasn't really about me after all (what was I thinking--really, it's Eddie!)  Menu items??  tuna melts, tuna salad, tuna on a stick (?), tuna kabobs, tuna tartar, tuna pie, fried tuna, tuna surprise, tuna tacos, tuna creme pie (yeah, that one got me too), tuna overboard, twice baked tuna (as if once weren't enough), tuna with a twist, tuna cocktail, tunacolada, tuna....well, you get the picture.  It all smells fishy to me.  Trust me, if on a long shot he happens to find my list and send you an invitation, you will not hurt my feelings by not coming.  I have to go.  I live there.  You, on the other hand, can tell him you have allergies...to tuna.  Nuff said.

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