No, this is not a usual site. Me, beating the sun light, all glamorous and natural looking. Actually its a rarity to see me beating anything in the morning. We have saying that I’m not a morning person, or a night owl, more of just an exhausted pigeon. But the morning light in my studio is magical, so when I told Mark I needed the studio shot for the inter-webz then he was excited to capture that morning glow.
I love my studio. The progression of space has transformed through the years. I first used my bedroom, then my parents were kind enough to let me take over a portion of their dining room, then I moved to studio basement at a dear friends house and spent 4 years their. I cried more about moving from that space then I imagined. I have had a LOT change in that 4 years, but my studio was a constant. Once I got married and moved towns my creative space was put on hold for a while…. but I felt that need deeply.
I moved all my stuff in our 3 bedroom house here in Brewton, Alabama. (5 or 6 car loads later.) The back bedroom was piled high (so was every corner of my house was over flowing with wedding blessings) and the evidence of 2 lives and one small business merging into one house. I feel like for 3 months all I did was play musical boxes unpacking and moving from room to room. Painting and situating the studio was the last on my list, but till I could convert one of the bed rooms I used my dinning room that was filled with good light and most importantly a big table.
After organizing the house, I got into the mess and painted the space. I made sure I had easy access to items I use all the time and then put away items I use maybe once a year.
If you are pining for a creative space I totally understand you, but I can tell you this truth, you can have that space regardless if it’s outside your home or if its just the end of your dining room table.
The key is separating that space not just physically, but mentally. Think of setting apart that space by sound, sight, and smell. Triggering your senses creates a habit of focus!
SMELL: Have a special candle you only light when working in your space.
MUSIC AND SOUND: Play music and sounds that you enjoy, but don’t listen to in other parts of life. My husband loves the sound of an airplane while he needs to do deep reading. Lately I listen to Scottish highland vibes for deep focus, or if I need the sound of people I put on Netflix. I choose a show I don’t need to look at. Example I love a good Escape to the Country episode, but it is not story driven it is visual driven, so I have to watch. I also put on coffee shop sounds when writing.
INSPIRATION BOARD: Make an inspiration board that you can keep in your gaze so you can influence your visual thought life. I collect everything from left over pallets, postcards from travel, magazine clippings, inspirational master works, brand tags, fabric pieces, and paint swatches. Anything that will help me spark inspiration and I put it in one place for six months - year then I redo the board to stay fresh.
CLEAN: Try your best to clean up after a days end… Or the very least, after the completion of a major project. You will gravitate to a space that feels open to new ideas, but a cluttered worktop will clutter your creativity.
LIGHT: I worked from a basement with no windows, but I found I was less affected by weather. I love good window, but it is more necessary to make sure you control your light and not have too yellow casts especially if you are constantly working with color. Test different bulbs till white looks true white in the room.
SEATING: Even if you don’t have a desk of your own consider optimizing your seat. You’ll linger longer if you have something supportive, but also makes sense with it’s space. Don’t buy the biggest rolling chair that is comfortable, but looks more at home in a space rocket. Find a chair that fits with your space and makes a low impact on it.
STORAGE: Storage can be as simple as stacked apple crates or book case with baskets and photo boxes. You also can dedicate space in a kitchen cabinet, or closest and use a laundry basket to easily store and move items if you can’t store items in your space. Make some of your supplies decorative. Like a pretty vase filled with brushes, a nice tray with your favorite tubes of paint or a tall basket with rolls of paper. Command strips also work really well to hang works to dry and make a fun always changing gallery wall. Don’t over buy your supplies unless you have the space to store.
I hope these tips help you find that creative workspace you crave!
