Who is as surprised as I am that I kept this a secret for so long?!? I told only a few people the exciting news late last summer. I was contacted by Cloth Paper Scissors Studios, who asked if they could feature my studio in the Spring 2013 issue of their magazine. I could barely cage my excitement! "Yes! Yes! Yes!" (Is there any other answer?)
I received an advance copy of this issue and shared it with some artsy friends. Some asked whether or not I had scrubbed the studio top to bottom to make it presentable for publication. Some others, knowing me better, assured them that the studio is truly as neat as it appears in the photographs. I'd have to agree. More often than not, the place is tidy. I can't seem to move forward artistically when surrounded by visual clutter. It seems to block my creative flow. However, expecting the full scrutiny of the lens, I looked over my space with a more critical eye and noted how very dusty everything was. And so, the 'ol studio got a good once over.
In addition to documenting my studio, I was asked to explain my process and how it is achieved within my space. I thought a great deal about it and, in the end, described more how the space works for me as opposed to my process. To me, my process just seems so automatic and is entirely an extension of who I am as a person. I don't really think too much about it. Creating is not simply a desire for me but a need, just as I have the need to breathe. So I go about my existence expressing my life creatively at every opportunity. And when such opportunities aren't plentiful, I'm scheming them.
Ask any artist about the space they desire and you will surely get an array of responses. Some would prefer the space they have whether it's big or small, clean, messy, noisy or quiet. They've made it their own and are "at home" the moment they step through the door. Others desire elaborate set-ups filled with the latest technology and more supplies than one could ever utilize in a lifetime. I suppose I can safely place myself in both camps. Given the opportunity, who could resist a bigger, better space? Not I. Dream machinery? Long arm, someday you will be mine! Expansive windows looking out over the vast countryside? Yes! Although I'm not giving up the dream, none of that is my current reality. And since art is as much a reflection of your surroundings as it is about expressing yourself, I have no choice but to work with what is presently at hand. And so, I've created a comfortable, cozy space to work in and to dream in. Won't you take a peek?
No comments:
Post a Comment