Updated Studio

Now that I have more time to focus on my studio practice and environment, I've spent the last couple of weeks taming the chaos of the studio. I usually do a quick clean of the studio each time I return from a break, but this fall a major overhaul was in order.

This year I began using my drawing/sewing/framing upstairs studio for my new acrylic paintings. At the time, I just jumped in despite not having a practical painting set up. Over the summer, it became more cramped as I added a second easel and worked on bigger paintings.

Here the sewing table is turned into the paint & palette surface, also sporting small paintings in progress. The drafting table was a kind of catch all. Behind the easels are the matte cutter and flat files.

Now, after some table wrangling, three spaces have been updated and made more user friendly; the office now has a better work flow using a table from the downstairs studio, the downstairs studio now has booth sewing machines and all the stuff that goes with that and the upstairs studio now looks like this:

I know as I work this fall, it will have a more "worked in" feel, but it's great to have a clean and welcoming space.

For me, a clean studio let's me focus on the work with fresh, uncluttered mind and I feel more responsive to the work when there is an openness to my space.

How about you, how do you like your studio space?

Nice reminder

I found this video from the Doug Aitken exhibition The Source at the Tate Liverpool, which looks like an amazing exhibition! The interviews in the online videos in this exhibition are all about what sparks creativity.

Architect Liz Diller talks about creativity and experimentation this way
"...what it takes to do creative work is naivete....if you're curious and you're naive, you step off the cliff often without a parachute or anything; and you find yourself in trouble and then you work your way out of it."

Exactly.


find out more about the exhibition here

sewing machine and more

Last month I purchased a used industrial sewing machine from Craig's list.

It needed some minor repair and a slower motor so it would work with paper. I just got it back from Missouri Sewing Machine last week and then re-assembled it today!!

new motor with customizable
speed control

It came with that great blue lamp attached and the manual (with instructions on how thread it and all).


After a quick test run with some larger paper, I can say it works great and I'll be using it again tomorrow!

Plus, earlier this year I had a jig made (by Jonathan who makes my panels) for the older Kenmore machine - so now smaller paper sews without getting caught on something.

More sewn drawings to come!

good bye to Seaside

cypress on Western Lake -an inlet lake

This residency inspired me in so many ways and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to be among a wonderful group of people.

My fellow escapees Molly Murphy, Karla Morton, David Wayne Reed, Vanessa Olivarez, Elizabeth Elkins, & Charrissa Terranova plus the dedicated E2C board Marsha Dowler, Karen Holland, Jane Crews and Cathy Toole made this an incredible and memorable month. Plus, George the cat was always around to keep me company...

I heart George

moss

beached man-o-war

More shapes and forms to think about in the studio...

"Escaping" allowed me to relax, immerse myself in the creative space and achieve the goals I had set for myself. I spent time experimenting in new ways and with new materials - it will be interesting to see what all this will mean for my studio practice.

 

For me, there is something in the rhythm of the waves, the cycles of tides, the smell of the sea air that reaches deep inside allowing me to let go and create.  

E2C has been such a gift....

subtle suggestions

Many times when I am working, subtle changes take place. Much of the work I have been doing throughout this residency has this quality - still, there are the days when I throw it all out and try something really different.

 

Some of the things I have been looking at involve the varied uses of media, materials and tools while working with shapes, pattering and negative space in different ways. 

Inspiration is all around in Seaside - colors here are just amazing (the sky, water and sunsets), this winter  beach is different each moment every day and so is the weather... I'm noticing that the subtlety found here is finding it's way into my studio work.


 

shadows from Karla & I walking on the beach

2010 Texas Poet Laureate, Karla Morton

more sand patterns, no dark cirlces this day

lines produced by the surf

pattern play

The sunset on Monday evening was just this amazing

and along the beach were these wonderful sand patterns left from the receding waves

the force of the water pulling and shifting
the stained sand, leaving it's mark

inspiring colors and lines all along the beach - looking forward to more to come

the beauty of the process

another beautiful day in Seaside

Since arriving two weeks ago, I've been working on several projects at once - testing out new techniques & mediums on small panels, playing with new forms and patterning for drawings and processing ideas for new projects. I am so grateful for this time to experiment and try out ideas that have been simmering. Subtle shifts are already starting to materialize, more to come.....  

paper sculpture in studio at night

This hanging paper sculpture is from my tracing paper exercises. 

playing with materials in a new way

test pieces: gouache, ink, graphite, colored pencil on small panels and prepped to test out some pourable mediums

new drawing in progress

pen & ink, silk organza on pierced paper

Thank YOU!!!

To mark the halfway point of my residency, I'd like to thank all the people who helped make this a reality.  It has been so rewarding to have this time to experiment!

I am lucky to have the support of the following people:

Laurel & Craig Anderson
Tom Barket
Josh Best & Jeana Van Sickle
Maura Cluthe & Jake Fowler
Kyle Danner
Jose Faus
Mike Flemming
Karie Gibson
Nathan Granner
Caitlin Horsmon
Kelly Jander
Misha & Amy Kligman
Melanie Mikel
Barb & Pat Mizak
Rich Moyers
Regina Nouhan
Laura Nugent
Lisa O’Dell-Sackett
Jessica Robinette
Catherine Schwoerer
Diane Scott
Paul Tyler
Tara Varney

THANK YOU!!!!!!!

a bit of sunshine

For most that know me, know that I'm not generally a morning person...studio tends to take me into late night. Still one day last week I just couldn't sleep and was up before dawn. I'm not sure if it was the excitement of being away on residency, the beauty of the beach or both - yet, there I was wide awake. I went up to the studio and began some warm up exercises - big pieces of tracing paper stretched across the table, making big sketches with pen & ink.

As the day began to brighten with morning light, I climbed up to the rooftop lookout to see the sunrise. Such a beautiful yet quick transition from dark to light - I'm so glad I had a chance to see this during my residency!

a string of rooftop lookouts in Seaside, where no structure is over four
stories high

clouds dancing across
the sky











good morning!!

Fort Collins show review

Here is a short review of the Specific Environments show where I have a piece in Fort Collins CO. I'm not mentioned directly, but it is a nice review overall.

The collection of works aims to remind viewers not to take their environments, whatever or wherever they are, for granted, Shoaff said.
"Artists are a tool in helping people to stop and look at a different interpretation," she said.


Innovative Landscape Work Come to Lincoln Center Gallery

settling in to the Seaside studio

beach walk

my kitchenette, perfect for snacking

 this should work!

Finally feeling settled into this sweet space. I have this mini-kitchen to keep my snacking needs in check - I use a kitchen in the main house to prepare my meals with the help of George the rescue cat. 






 This is the current arrangement for my studio here in Seaside. So far it's working just fine. This is the view towards the main door.

Below is my make-shift drawing table - using pvc risers to extend the back legs.

make your own drafting table!

This space has such great light - this day was mostly overcast but still bright enough to flood the room with light.

pencils, ink, glass pens, markers, and more pencils

Supplies at the ready and in within easy reach. I need to pick up some needles and bobbins this weekend for the sewing machine so I can get to using it.

 

my lounging space

The reconfigured sitting area with the kitchenette just off to left. A small loft area is above that center wall, I hear it's a great reading nook!

Escaping 1

sunrise in airplane to E2C

I arrived in Seaside, FL for my  

Escape to Create residency in afternoon on the 3rd!
Initially it was cold, cold! I had to use the heat to stay warm... yesterday it warmed up and today it is a balmy 65*. 

Here are some pics from the first two days.

With an early morning flight out of KC I got to catch the sunrise from the air. The light kept shifting and the glow in the cabin was amazing! A great way to start this adventure.

The sunset from the first night, yes, I'm really at the beach...I feel like I should pinch myself just to be sure...

Setting up the studio took a couple of days, here are the before pics