Opening My Studio For A Virtual Tour--Come On In!!!

WELCOME!!!

Art is my life. It has seen me through very difficult times; through illness, sadness, disappointment and loss. It is what makes me, ME. It brings me peace and joy. I have always been an artist and have never thought of myself as anything else. I love sharing my knowledge and seeing others light up when they see what they are capable of!

I believe in an artist having a functional area that does not require excessive expense, thus, the remodel of a single room into my little piece of heaven. It is never night nor day; it is always *art-time*. It has offered solace through surgery recovery and will again. It is an escape from the outside world and I open it to friends who need the same.

Come take a look through a small and very affordable studio, made from a single room basement. Most of my items are repurposed, saving money for supplies and other art essentials!

This is the main work area, with a piece in process. Yes, it used to be a sewing table, and the brush holder to the left was a flower pot.....I did splurge for an *on sale* shelf to hold my finished box canvas mixed media pieces. I could live with that! A piece of foam insulation is covered with white wrapping paper--tidbits from friends pinned in, notes, reminders, ideas, rulers, etc.

Old candle glasses and an antique celery goblet serve other purposes. I always cover with plastic....I like to sling paint and medium aggressively! I also like supplies very handy......

Storage is close at hand---I don't want to waste time looking for items. Light is essential also, hence a few lamps I found in other household areas......off to the wet studio, never to return!

To my immediate right is more storage; this was a do it yourself shoe holder, which holds all my mediums. A drawing board atop antique quilt frames makes a great table and old salvaged microwave plates are excellent glass palettes! Easily cleaned!

Paints are sorted by type and color, in chromatic order. Another bin of drawers with more supplies, but less often used. Plastic pencil boxes serve to hold odd, loose or fragile items and all are labeled with contents.

My great grandmothers dining table, painted and stamped, with odd chairs; for company or lunch or classes that usually turn into laugh-fests!

Storage close ups---I use washable rags over paper towels most of the time. It helps keep costs down. The high tech cardboard box for fluid acrylics....the old measuring pitcher for texture brushes.... ;-)

A cardboard grocery display is great for sorting and storing small items and extras of paints. The cost? Nothing. Plastic tubs from dollar stores, recycled fruit jars and coffee containers.

An extra seat and my *splurge* sets of drawers, anticipating growth of supplies! Purchased at half price, I couldn't lose. (I also could not say NO...)

Directly behind where I sit, on the opposite wall, metal shelving, probably the largest purchase, covered with inexpensive curtains. Everything is sorted and in reasonable order on the shelves. These are finished items or things not used often but labeled and put in canned good flats from the grocery.

And finally, overflow storage behind the very small bathroom. Neat, in view, easy to access.

Thanks for taking the tour! Don't be afraid to try redoing a small space for your art; your time and talent are well worth it! It does not require a grand studio for you to make art that is grand.

I bid you,

Pax.