As you may have noticed, I changed my blog template to one with a 3 column format. I thought I was being so smart, by leaving my old blog open in a fresh window so that I could copy all my links, widgets etc. into the new template. Needless to say, my internet connection crashed, and I’ve been working by memory this afternoon to restore my links. If I linked to you before and I haven’t added you back in, let me know!
Ack!! My studio is a mess, and art career musings…
It’s a little difficult to be productive in the studio when I can’t find anything which I attribute to the current messy state of affairs in my studio. See below:
Despite cleaning before going on our camping trip in July, I’ve managed to whip the place into a frenzy. I must be the equivalent of a human tornado! Many things have conspired to literally trip me up ie., the up coming home tour (the studio will not be open for viewing) and the purchase of a gazillion jewelry findings. See below:
These items are impeding my already cramped studio space which also doubles as storage for my family’s belongings. Enough is enough already!
I’m pleased to say that our contractor, Jim Wilkinson of American Home Remodeling (he needs a website!), was over last Saturday to give us an estimate for insulating and drywalling the garage/studio. Yay, won’t that be nice? I’ll be able to work in my studio through the winter! Initially, we were going to add solar panels to the studio so that I could power my kilns, add ample lighting and for heat, but after meeting with REC Solar, we’ve decided to postpone. It’s a good investment, if you plan on staying awhile….
We’ve decided that we will be moving cross town in 8 months – 2 years or so, depending on the needs of our tenants. You see, we own a home that we’ve been renting out over the years in a less trendy, more diverse neighborhood in Denver. It’s larger than our current home and has a large 2.5 car garage to boot! Read – Bigger studio space! The good news is that we can cash out on the equity we’ve built in our current house and live much more comfortably in the other one, which we ARE going to solarize – both the house and the garage/studio.
Why add insulation and drywall to the current studio if we’re planning on moving? It could be a couple of years before we move and I need a comfortable working environment. I’ve talked my husband into renting a storage unit to accomodate our stuff that we can’t seem to part with, including 2 vintage 1980′s Motobecane bicycles that my husband can’t seem to part with that hang above one of my work tables and that generally annoy the hell out of me. Though, I’ve made a peace of sorts with them, by hanging my clamp lights from the pedals of the bikes.
Also, we’re going to add an outdoor shed for our gardening equipment to free up even more space. To his credit this was my husband’s idea, and not mine. I’ve weighed renting studio space, but that gets so expensive and with my mommy duties, it sure is nice to be able to walk out the back door and stroll 20 steps to work whenever I have the time and inclination.
As to the jewelry findings and beads, Mary Cay and I are going to begin sorting through our stash tomorrow. Whatever we can’t personally use, will be listed on Etsy for sale. Hopefully, we can start whittling these down fast.
In other news, I was contacted by a wonderful art center here in Colorado to teach a kid’s clay workshop next summer. I’m working on a proposal right now and will announce the venue when I’ve signed the contract. I know I said I wasn’t going to make any more dolls, but guess what? The art center wants me to teach making clay effigy dolls to kids, so I’ll be working out more than a few proto-types in the next few months. I’m thinking of some different ways to make the limbs movable and to perfect my technique.
Buoyed by the opportunity, I contacted the enrichment committee at my daughter’s school about teaching an after school kid’s clay class and they’re interested. I submitted my proposal to them yesterday and fingers crossed, this will come to fruition too.
Making a living at being an artist involves searching out multiple streams of income and making your own opportunities. Back in college, I took a philosophy of art class and our professor told us that only about 20% of student’s graduating with a degree in art actually end up working in their chosen field. My friend, Mary Cay, thinks it might be closer to 5%. It sounds like such a bleak and disheartening statistic, doesn’t it? How do you make it work?
That’s all for today,
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