Studio Purge and Color Wheels

On Purging and Creating: I decided to take the month of June off from creating, etc., with the exception of the Art Walk here in Ames on June 6th, to focus on paring down my studio.  I've already started lining up local artists that are interested in my excess fabric, wool and silk fibers, oh and the yarn!  I have to say it's exciting, very exciting.

I had hit the wall and that wall was I cannot create anymore until I get rid of the excess in my studio it is weighing me down.  So out it goes so that I can move forward with my new Canyonland Series, and my collections for licensing.

Watercolor on Bristol board with Sumi Brush

On Color Wheels:  I love certain colors, and I tend to work ONLY with those colors in my work.  After twenty years of producing work I've decided that this is ok and these are my signature colors.  So I've been busy making color wheels in watercolor, acrylic paint, and with natural dyes, and how I achieved those colors so that they are repeatable.

On Planning:  Something I got from Lisa Call a couple of weeks ago that has lit a fire under my can is this:  "Planning is Defining the Dream!"  I started working on my business plan again, laying out the road map to where I want to go and have began planning how I want/hope to get there, and doing so has lit a new fire within me.

Experimental Birds and Studio Clean Up

I have a bunch of altered papers so I decided to use my Three Crows Stencil to make some cut outs for some upcoming projects, so far it's a LOT of fun!

Shiva paintstik in iridescent copper and raspberry pink folk art paint on blue scrapbook paper.

Cleared off my drawing table, let the fun begin, well for me it's cleared off!

Am gearing down for my solo show next month, and another project that will be revealed about mid-month so decided it was time to do a little cleaning and organizing so I can focus!

I found this raised panel frame earlier, while organizing my paper storage rack, it's been hiding there since about 2009.

Studio Redux 092413 Contiues Onward!

The shelf has been moved over to it's new spot in the main studio, and soon there will be a newly rehabbed table in this spot for my new work station.

The shelf in it's new space behind the loom.  Now to get space cleared out of my office for the looms!

A mess, but also an obstacle for Oliver, this keeps him out of my sewing area and away from all of my threads.

The cheering committee, Oliver and Angel.  Notice the big yellow blob in the photos?  That's so you don't see the pile of laundry sitting on the floor that's slowly migrating it's way to the laundry room n the basement!

Desk Surface Found!

In the spirit of accomplishing one of this months goals, get the bookwork done, clear off my desk, and deep clean my office, I am a third of the way there.   Found:  One desk surface!!!  I'll have to do is dust it and vacuum the walls and I'm ready to finish off the bookwork.

Yestday I worked on these three Corn pieces, they are still in progress.

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The last of the piles that need sorting and organizing!

My fabric stash and finished pieces need to be sorted and put in their proper places.

Angel keeping me company while I work, she doesn't like having her picture taken for some reason.

Organizing

Still working on getting my desktop organized, but with the help of my neighbor, I was able to get some of the computer issues resolved, one of them was replacing the network card and adding more RAM to the machine, the best part was  the addition of the second workstation moniter.  The new addition is already making video editing much nicer, ditto on writing in InDesign.

Studio Cleaned!

I took some photos, for the sake of I now have evidence that my studio can be not only clean BUT clutter free! 

Thomas finally came downstairs to join us, I'm not sure but I think he was in shock to see the big open spaces.

And then he discovered that the front door was open.  I'll take more photos later, looks like I have a big ole thumb print on the lense again.



Studio Update 021412

Drying rack now organized, the rest of the studio space through the arch.

Hutch put back together and my work area finally organized.

The second tray finally has paint!

The first tray with it's rather "organic" paint job.

Studio Update 010512

Emptied and ready for the shelves to be removed so that I can paint the bead board back a very lovely shade of fern green.  John has some repair work to do to the shelves, I'm hoping  to be able to load it up come Monday or Tuesday.  Until then...

I have a ton of stuff on both my work table and my drafting/drawing tables!  Working on some storage solutions, for all of the ink I seem to own, for the hutch.

Wet Studio Clean Up

Moved some of the paints to the corner shelves, these are fabric paints, so that I could have better access to my mixed media supplies.

I moved my mixed media bins to the shelves, who knew that having them more accessible would mean I'd actually use them!  The crates hold various types of papers and constructed cloth for using in mixed media projects.

Another view, that's Deer Slayer on the table. I need to have John create a rack so that I can put the computer up next to the ceiling, won't go under the table too much stuff there already.  Luckily the Gateway was is a rack server style unit and is meant to be flat not verticle!

Brushes, tons of them everywhere!  This weeks adventure includes a trip to the dollar store in hopes of procurring a couple of those cutlery baskets, I will use them for my paint brushes.

Spring Cleaning

Well I'm into day two after having a cortizone shot injected into my injured right knee and WOW what a difference it has made in my mobility.  Today after sleeping in, I must have needed the rest, I decided to empty out some boxes shoved to the side in the upstairs hallway, suprise suprise MOST of the boxes were empty, they've been sitting there forever collecting dust, go figure. 

I put two small bookshelves where the boxes once lived and proceeded to free up floor space in my studio, yes there really IS a floor in my studio.  I'm hoping to vacuum that floor tomorrow!  Photos coming and soon.

Studio Clean Up

Natural Dyed Fabrics, I decided to use this vintage suit case to store my tiny bits and pieces that I've dyed over the years.

Wet Studio Clean Up

The niche grave yard!

Encaustic painting area has become a niche holding station.

WIPS- niches in various stages of completion.

More niches!

I cleaned up a bit for this last push, it'll be a huge mess within hours if not sooner ;-)

State of Affairs

What my wet studio looks like at the moment! The pile on my screenprinting table is some what reduced now, see previous post. My plan is to work late into the night tonight and get this mess cleaned up for tomorrow's big reveal. It'll happen I'll probably be sore but it'll happen! ;-)

Everything that is stacked on the table WAS stacked against the far wall, BON, or I should say stacked up against the old cabinet and chest of drawers. I'll post improvement photos tomorrow.

Wet Studio Clean Up

In the boxes Printing blocks, old printers letters, inks, stencils, and fabric paints. Sinew and rawhide for basketry and other 3D fiber projects on top of the shelf.

Collage items on the wooden shelf.

Basketry materials, fibers for dyeing and pfd fabrics for dyeing and painting! And the obligatory surface design supplies: rollers, stamps, sponges, squeegies, etc.

Wire cages/boxes I'm not really sure what they are called they are really convient for corralling lots of little things. I'm hoping by tomorrow I'll be able to stand on the far side of my studio and see across the room! Right now it's looking pretty bad.

Wet Studio Clean Up

I've been working on my wet studio this afternoon it's in sorry need of organizing but it's also giving me time to ruminate over the questions in The Creative Entrepreneur and some of what I've just started reading in I'd Rather Be in the Studio. I'll post pictures of my studio later tonight.


John and I took the old dresser and cabinet, that I never used because they were always blocked, out of the studio and put my wire cages (you'll see what I mean later in the pictures) on that wall instead. It's about half full and I admit I'm glad that I have yet to run out of space! I now have space to walk around and have a place for my surface design supplies.

Wet Studio

I started cleaning my wet studio last night and by this afternoon had made considerable head way in there! Now I"m organizing supplies, stretching my art papers which were stored rolled tightly for the last two years and finding my dyes.

Goals for this week, aside from continiually working in the gardens, is to start skirting fleeces. Once that's done they will be washed and be sent immediately to the dye kettles - lots of natural dye colors. Photos to come soon.

Studio Mess

Still cleaning! I'm almost done cleaning my sewing table which has stuff on it again. But the floor is all picked up and the carpet ready to be cleaned - see previous post. Now to find a spot for the stuff on my table and I'm ready to start working on a new series.

Studio Clean Up

:Proof that I've been cleaning my studio - I may actually get the carpet cleaned this weekend I've found so much floor. Those are Angel Spots - caused by one incontinent sheltie

Studio Clean Up

The studio clean up continues, today John came home and asked me what I was doing, moving back into my studio I stated. It seems it's going to be awhile before I'll get the studio out of the house again so I have no choice but to unpack So I've been cleaning the storage units out and am reorganizing and am thinking of packaging some things up to go off and live with others. For some reason this seems to be a necessary task every few years or so.

The mess behind Gretchen, the dress form, is cleaned up and she is now living in the Wild Hyacinths room, our very small guest bedroom. Yes I've taken to naming the rooms in my house, doesn't everyone?