My Creative Space

I don't remember if I've mentioned it before, but several months ago, I signed up to participate in the Art Business Academy that was created and is run by Jason Horejs of Xanadu Gallery.  I knew of this opportunity because I've been following Jason and Xanadu Gallery for nearly 2 years.  When I really got serious about my sculpting, I started checking out various galleries for where my work *might* be a good fit.  Xanadu Gallery was one of those that I put on my radar.  So when Jason said he was starting this online art academy, I jumped at the opportunity.  Which leads me to today's blog post, my creative space.  During one of the question and answer discussions, the topic of our studio and/or creative spaces came up.  Which of course inspired me to share my space with y'all.
So first, I figured I'd show ya what my studio space looked like at the very beginning...Before it became my studio.

And this is my view...

 

 This is the crazyness that was my studio about a year ago...

This was before the snow flew last year when the hubby took my studio apart so we could insulate it.  Tell ya what...made a HUGE difference in how much I had to use the pellet stove!

 And this was my studio before I cleaned it up...it does tend to get kinda crazy chaotic when I'm in the middle of a making session.  :)  Then I inevitably take a day...or two or three...to get it all cleaned up and organized before my next big project/sculpture. 

And this is how it looks today.  Still seems a tad cluttered..but it's organized chaos... (is there really such a thing?!?  haha)

So there ya have it.  My creative space.  It's long and narrow..and not ideal.  But it's mine.  And I have an amazing hubby that is supportive enough to allow me to carve out my own personal creative space within our home.  

How about you?  Are you an artist or crafter?  What does YOUR studio look like??  I'd love to see it!  You can post it to my Facebook page, or email me the picture to jsbmaine.arts@gmail.com.  I will post a follow up blog and would love to be able to include pictures of other artist's spaces. :)

TTFN!

Studio Fruit Basket Upset

Yes, you read that right...a fruit basket upset.  It's a term I grew up hearing from my mother.  Anytime the furniture in a room got rearranged, it was a "fruit basket upset".  I've been making due with my old studio set up because I thought we would be moving this summer and didn't want to do the extra work.  The way life has it, we will be staying in our current location for another year, so I decided to better my studio.  It was functional before...but as my sales increased and the business grew...and my health deteriorated, I can no longer throw. 99% of my work is now handbuilt from slabs of clay.  So the wheel (sadly) has just been collecting dust, and the studio was getting cluttered.  It took me 4 days..but I finally have it done...and I love it!  SO much more user friendly!  Here is what it used to look like:

   

The Dangers of Manganese...

Good evening to all!  I was talking to a potter friend of mine a few days ago about manganese.  I have a manganese wash I was considering using on a few pieces.  She warned me to be very cognizant of the safety precautions I needed to take while handling it...At first I thought she might be over reacting slightly...but then I got my edition of the Clay Times magazine..and guess what it had in it?!?  A 2 page article on the danger and new OSHA standards regarding manganese!

Gathering of information...

Starting back in January, I began posting that I was working on writing a book.  And not just any book, but one on how to best set up your own creative haven.  I've had lots of interest from folks who think it's a great idea and want to help, and then I send them the questionnaire.  Some people aren't able to open it up, some get it filled out but then can't get it back to me...SO...I thought to my self.."self...why not create an online form for folks to fill out..."

Cleaning Mr. Peter Pugger - Part II

Good evening (It's Tuesday evening, as I sit here typing this up.. :) )! Hope ya'll are doing well!  So guess what....I DID IT!!!  I am soo proud of myself!  I completely disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled my pugmill!  Those that have been following me for a bit know what an AWESOME accomplishment this is, especially considering all the health hurdles I traverse daily.  :)  But *pat on the back* for me!  :-D  I didn't get it spotless, like Scott and Angie did when they cleaned their Shimpo Pugmill.  BUT, I got it clean enough for my purposes.  I want to make my own batch of paper clay (which, do you have any idea how hard it is to find a tutorial on how to make your own paperclay, that actually provides accurate ratios of paper pulp to clay?!?)!  Good thing I plan on writing about THAT too..hehe

Cleaning My Pugmill - Part I

Have you ever cleaned a pugmill?  I hadn't..until tonight.   I can now see why potters will pick a single type/color of clay to work with.  I have a dark brown clay, a speckled buff clay, and a white clay that I work with.  What can I say, I liked diversity...  But I'm finding out it can be a pain in the ass when it comes to wanting to reclaim my scrap clay using my Peter Pugger Pugmill.  Currently, I have a mixture of clay scraps that I've been reclaiming in my pugmill. It's roughly 50/50 of the white stoneware and the buff speckled clay.  BUT...I want to start working more on my sculptures, and through research, have found that paperclay might work best for me.  So I'm going to make some (another blog post to come, detailing that process...so stay tuned!).  But in order to get ready to make said paperclay...I need to clean out the pugmill so I can get all the colored clay out of the hopper, so I can mix some white paperclay.  :)  

Floorplan Dilema

A very early mornin to ya!  :)  Wide awake at 0300 in the morning, so I've been working on my book.  Debbie Appleby of Appleby Pottery was one of the first potters to respond to my request of information.  So I've used her questionnaire and photos to piece together her home/garage studio.  Tonight, I've spent the time playin' with a new program (that's FREE) called Sweet Home 3D to work on the blueprints and/or floor plans of the example studios that will be included in my book.  But here is my quandary... I'm not sure which version/style to include in the book...

Still Writing...

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned I was writing a book (You can read up on it HERE- Crafting Your Creative Space)  Well, I'm still writing. :-)  I know that's not abnormal by any stretch of the imagination...but I'm learning that it is MUCH more involved than I initially thought.  I want to do it RIGHT.  so I'm doing lots of research and less writing at the moment.  Connecting with other ceramic artists/potters, health care professionals, and colleagues.  

 

Crafting Your Creative Space...Almost

Hey there!  I have been looking high and low for a book to help me better set up my home pottery studio.  I have unique needs, and was hoping someone out there had written about how to alter your space to accommodate for a variety of disabilities...Guess what...they haven't!  Crazy, I know...So guess what that means?  I have taken on the project.  

I'M WRITING A BOOK!!!

Friday Fun - Where Has Time Gone??

It's Friday already?  REALLY?!?  Crazy....I guess having a seizure and being so exhausted afterwards that I sleep basically 2 days away has a way of messing with your week...  But at least the last 21 2days have been VERY productive and I've felt sooo much better!!  

I went to Lowe's with a girlfriend of mine and my punkerhead last weekend, and we found some pretty awesome shelves for a really good price.  I only needed one set....BUT...at that price... I couldn't pass it up... So.... I got 2 !  hehe  My honey put them together for me yesterday, and I spent a majority of yesterday organizing them and putting my "office" together.  My shipping "station", photography area, and an actual desk/table next to my shelves to call  my office.  I cannot believe how much more efficient I am and how much more work I get done now!  Well...yes I can.  But still.  It's AWESOME!  I have shelves set aside for boxes, bubble wrap, greenware projects that need to be out of the way while they slowly dry, bisque ware that needs to be glazed, and there's even a shelf for my honey... "BOXES READY TO SHIP"... HEHEHE  Since I can't drive, I rely on him to take everything to the post office.  And since we live in the middle of no where... our little post office closes at 12:30 (I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?) and we don't have a mailbox, we have to have a damn PO box.  Granted, if push comes to shove, we can go to the post office in the next town over, but that's a 15 minute ride... the post office here close to us is a 2 minute ride.  Still frustrating!  I can't even schedule for the mail man to come pick up the packages... I don't think.. now that I'm "thinking out loud" about it... I'm going to have to call and look into that! :)

Anyway.... Hope you enjoy the photos of my "office" transformed (these are from yesterday... I'll get some new pictures with it all spiffied up soon!)  It's nice...because it leaves the sun porch... aka my studio... to be completely for CLAY.  :-D  Love it!!!  (Thought I'd also throw in a pic of my messy work table... hehe)