STUDIO ART
Artist Sarah Bianco and her husband, Pasquale Bianco, live in a creative Santa Cruz, California, building that includes an art studio directly across from their living space. Bianco shares the space with a jewelry designer; each has an individual workstation. The creative community the space is a part of (the building is full of artists and craftspeople) encourages collaboration and the creative spirit.
Converted Mill Gallery in Ontario Artist Jean Shafer and her husband, George, live in this converted 1870 woolen mill building in Ontario. The space includes an art gallery in the entry, separated from the rest of the space by a custom-made glass barn door. Other artists and creative people share space in the mill building, and the gallery is sited near the entrance to allow for easier access when the mill hosts open studios.
Collected treasures and Decatur’s artwork are displayed on her bookshelves. “The art that I live with tells my life’s story. I have the first oil painting I ever owned, an owl given to me by a friend of my mother’s in the early ’60s. The first portrait I ever did, a crayon drawing of my mother, sits framed on my desk,” says Decatur. “I’m fortunate to know so many talented artists, and their gifts of art are especially cherished. I also hang my own current work. The walls change as paintings catch the eye of a client or visitor.”
Be open to creativity in all areas of your life. Creativity permeates everything we do, from our conversations with friends to preparing dinner for our families. Approaching everyday tasks with a creative outlook makes our daily life richer and more satisfying. Tell us: How do you find time to work on creative projects? What would your dream crafting or creating space look like?
Lindsay von Hagel SaveEmail Entice yourself with inspiring quotes. I am a big believer in the power of words, and an apt quote has helped me out of a creative rut many times. Keep a rotating selection of favorite quotes, sayings, song lyrics and lines of poetry on a chalkboard or pin board, or simply taped to your wall for a quick boost whenever you need it.
Mood matters: Your creative space should inspire you. While it is true you should minimize distractions during creative time, that doesn't necessarily mean you ought to work in a completely unadorned room, either. Tap into what fuels your creativity and bring more of that into your space. Consider a small stereo if you enjoy music while you work, textiles or vintage objects that spark your imagination, an inspiration board where you can collect your ideas, and books you love; even fun wallpaper or a vibrant wash of paint can enhance your mood and help juice your creative spirit.
Know when you need privacy. This tip is especially pertinent for those living with kids or roommates. Even if you have a large space, if others are constantly interrupting to ask you questions or chat, you need to find somewhere more private. Taking over part of your own bedroom with a worktable and an inspiration board could be the ideal solution. If you want to be really tricky, you can even pretend you are still sleeping — and squeeze in a little creative time first thing in the morning before anyone knows you are up.
Let your entire space reflect your creative passions. There is something to be said for having an entire studio devoted to your art (of course), but for most of us, finding creative space within the rest of our home is just how it goes. But that doesn't mean you must confine your creativity to one zone — in fact, the more you can integrate mini creativity spots throughout your space, the more likely it is you'll be tempted to make something. Try displaying your guitar on a stand in the living room, keeping pretty fabrics or luscious yarns in open cubbies, and stashing a stack of fresh notebooks and nice pens near your favorite chair.
Make sure you have easy access to your materials. If you need to hunt and dig every time you want to work on your craft project, chances are that it's not going to happen as often as you would like. It's not necessary to keep every last item on display, but putting frequently used tools in an easy-to-grab spot is key. Fill an open-top bin or basket with your materials and store it in the room where you like to work.
Find a corner to call your own. Whether it is a small table pulled up to a sunny window, a closet that can be curtained off from the rest of the space, a tiny unused nook or a cabinet with a work surface hidden inside, it is important to find somewhere that lets you fully commit to your creative practice. There will be times when you must leave your work in the middle of a project, and it is so helpful if you can leave some of your materials out rather than needing to clean up completely every time. Don't fret if the only space you can find is a bit out of the way — sometimes a desk with a spectacular view is not as conducive to good work as a tiny nook, where you can focus your energy on the task at hand.
Feeling stuck? Take a time-out for exercise. The next time a creative block hits, try taking a brisk walk, settling into a few yoga poses or lifting weights — anything to get your blood pumping. Exercise gives your mind a rest from actively thinking about your creative problem while improving circulation (and likely your mood). The best ideas can bubble up spontaneously during these time-outs, pulling you out of your rut in a much shorter time than if you had been trying to force an idea to come.
If you need a big, open space, make it happen. If what you really need is an expansive surface to spread out on and you don't have a dedicated place with one, don't let that stop you. It's perfectly all right to call dibs on the dining room or kitchen table between meals, provided you can clear your work to the side relatively easily. Keeping a cabinet or drawers nearby will make it easy to sweep things off the table in a hurry.
No more excuses! Avoid distraction and make the most of limited time. Even if you can set aside only 10 or 15 minutes, if you make them count — and repeat daily — you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. While it's true that some projects require a few longer dedicated work times, if we are being honest, mostly "I have no time" is just another way to procrastinate. If creating is important to you, you probably can find the time. Set yourself up for success by avoiding easy access to the Internet and turning off all of your devices during dedicated creative work times — and let those you live with know how important this time is to you
Bosworth Hoedemaker SaveEmail Going further: Stay organized in a way that inspires you. Whether you prefer hunting for inspiration online, on paper or both, what you do with the material you collect after the fact really matters. For some, a vintage trunk crammed with all sorts of assorted treasures is the ultimate thrill, while others may see beauty in a row of slim presentation binders, neatly labeled and categorized. Online, take the time to curate and organize your bookmarks and Houzz ideabooks in a way that makes sense to you. Tell us: How do you get inspired? What is your favorite tip for getting out of a creative rut?
Rikki Snyder SaveEmail 10. Use a market bouquet to play with color. Instead of plunking the whole thing in a single vase, use the next market bouquet you buy as an opportunity to experiment with color combinations. Group the flowers in different ways, snip some short, try out unusual containers and see what appeals to you. If you hit on an arrangement you really like, take a few photos to commemorate the moment — and possibly inspire a future paint color or throw pillow.
8. Visit an art gallery, a museum or a craft exhibition. A skillfully curated art exhibition always leaves me feeling creatively full and inspired. Explore something that sounds intriguing or perhaps something you haven't paid much attention to before. Sculpture, painting, photography, ceramics, woodworking, art glass ... the possibilities are endless.
7. Get outside. Time spent in nature is not just restorative; it can also provide inspiration for color palettes and garden design. Country road, dense forest, botanical garden — try different venues to see what appeals to you most.
6. Drink up inspiration at a local café. Designers work hard to make cafés and restaurants deliciously appealing, and the best are filled to the brim with great ideas to bring home. If it's a small thing you like, making a mental note is fine; but if you really love a space, take a picture or two.
Exteriorscapes llc SaveEmail 5. Take a photography walk. Go to a neighborhood you don't usually visit, camera in tow, and snap photos of anything that visually inspires you, whether it's a beautiful landscape, striking architecture or even creative graffiti.
ZeroEnergy Design SaveEmail 4. Be inspired by music. It may not translate directly into a room scheme, but great music can call to mind a mood, style, feeling or even the colors of a space. Your favorite music (whatever the genre) can also give you an incredible boost when your spirits are flagging — all the more reason to cue up the tunes.
9. Keep artistically inspiring props at hand. Be on the lookout every day for objects and materials that inspire you, and give these items pride of place in your home studio. When your well of inspiration is running dry, just looking at your special collections could spark a new idea or project. 10 Rut Busters to Bring Back Creativity
8. Stay mobile with a rolling cart. Whether you have a spacious studio or are working in the corner of your living room, a rolling cart would mean your work can come with you anywhere. Wheel it out onto the deck to work outdoors or just use it to stow your messy supplies out of sight between sessions.
7. Consider using a garage, shed or outbuilding. Especially for those working with CAUSTIC materials or POWER tools, outside the main house can be the best place for your work. Be sure the room you are working in has adequate ventilation and keep any potentially dangerous materials in a LOCKED cabinet
6. Consider any technology that might help your work. Would starting a blog in which you share your artwork help you keep a commitment to making art on a regular basis? If so, perhaps you would benefit from having a computer and scanner right in your studio.
5. Organize your supplies. Organizing your materials simply and beautifully does not need to cost a lot of money. Glass jars can be washed and recycled as containers for pencils, brushes and more. Wine crates, crocks and produce bins can hold larger items — look around your home and see what you can reclaim and repurpose.
4. No spare room? Carve out a creative corner. Don't let a lack of space stop you from making art a part of your life if it important to you! A desk in your bedroom, a dining table that does double duty as a jewelry making station or an easel on the balcony can all be viable solutions. Get creative and make space where you thought there was none.
3. Consider the light. Most artists agree that good natural light is highly coveted in a workspace. But the fact is, not all of us can control the quality of light in the space we have to work with, or, for that matter, the time of day we have available to make art. If you find yourself with less-than-ideal natural light, focus your efforts on the lighting you can bring in to make the most of your space. A mix of overhead and task lighting will give the best coverage; experiment to see how different bulbs affect your work.
2. List your needs and wants. From a table big enough to spread out on to storage containers and water cups, list everything you want to include in your space. Look over your list and note the things you really need to do your work. Start with the essentials; you can always add more later BASKET TO HOLD RICE PAPER,
Sara Bates SaveEmail 1. Envision an inspiring space. Take a moment to daydream about your ideal art space. Even if that ultimate loft with floor-to-ceiling windows is beyond reach, see if there are a few details you can make a reality. Paint the walls your favorite color, string up wires for hanging inspiration items and make the most of the space that you do have. If light is what you crave, see if you can rearrange furniture or even swap rooms to position your art space by the best window.
Functional Writer’s Retreat A cork-covered wall and an oversize workspace helped transform an ordinary room into an inspiring writer’s retreat. Carlyn And Company Interiors + Design arranged the desk so that the wall is easily accessible. While sitting at the desk, the writer can pin up inspiration or keep track of information, story patterns or other details for a current piece. Sitting at the desk, the writer looks directly out a window to the view beyond. Location: First-floor room What it’s used for: Writer’s studio Studio essentials: Good lighting and a source of inspiration, in this case the ever-changing corkboard wall
Functional Writer’s Retreat A cork-covered wall and an oversize workspace helped transform an ordinary room into an inspiring writer’s retreat. Carlyn And Company Interiors + Design arranged the desk so that the wall is easily accessible. While sitting at the desk, the writer can pin up inspiration or keep track of information, story patterns or other details for a current piece. Sitting at the desk, the writer looks directly out a window to the view beyond. Location: First-floor room What it’s used for: Writer’s studio Studio essentials: Good lighting and a source of inspiration, in this case the ever-changing corkboard wall
A wall of built-in maple shelves, a large workspace and concrete floors give van Adelsberg space to play without requiring her to be tidy. Size: 260 square feet Location: Multiuse studio that’s steps from the main house What it’s used for: Making pottery. It can also be a gallery space or guest suite. Studio essential: Enough room to get messy
Next to the Dining Table This studio might work the hardest, because when Kirsten Dear isn’t painting, it functions as her dining room. She covers the dining table with a plastic tablecloth when painting and stores all of her supplies in the teak sideboard seen here. She stores her paintings in a back room and puts her palette on a shelf in the freezer. Size: Enough space to stand with an easel and a dining table Location: The dining room What it’s used for: Painting Studio essentials: Good lighting, ventilation and music
family room - The Cathedral
SaveEmail Modern Photography Studio
Light-Filled Atti
Studio Space With Room for a Little of Everything
Dreamy Whites SaveEmail Long, narrow farm tables are so appropriate for cottage living. Whether used for dining or doing a project or homework, their skinny dimensions and family-friendly finish make them a key ingredient in flea market style and a multipurpose tool. They are also readily available — either vintage or created from old wood.
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ROCKING BIRD, RED
IMAGINE, INSPIRATION
“Make the most of natural light. This studio is where artist Tjasa Owen makes the magic happen. Wall space, natural light and easels are important elements” “nice art studio...Studio/reclaimed wood..
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