The placement of objects, the abundance of oddball artifacts, fragments and scraps, debris and detritus of all kinds is an important part of the process of art making. Where to put it all is a challenge though. I need everything in sight and at hand without being in the way or feeling too cluttered. The space didn’t lend itself to flow and movement in it’s previous incarnation.
We’ve been working on it all winter. C.P. is responsible for making such a truly tiny space look and feel so spacious and full of light. He’s so good. The room is 12′ x 15′ which is about a quarter of the size of my old studio and our cottage has no storage. We plan to remove the ridiculously low drop ceiling. It won’t make the room much higher, not even enough for C.P. to stand up straight, but it will feel less cramped with cross beams exposed…and I can then hang thingies from them.
{ 61 comments… read them below or add one }
Nice! Packs a lot of punch for a small place.
It does. It’s amazing what you can do with the right juxtaposition of objects. Lots and lots of small shelves and interesting containers are also helpful.
oh wow, it is so beautiful! I love the little shelves and boxes and things all over. just gorgeous, so inspiring! :).
All the little thingies are much less overwhleming with all the little boxes to put them in. In my world it’s such a fine line between an unbelievable mess and a visually interesting space.
It looks amazingly organized and tidy.
I had to look twice to see Nemo in camo. How adorable and confident he looks.
It has to be tidy. Otherwise it gets scary.
Nemo is the same color as almost everything in my house inclusing my artwork. He’s my color scheme. He probably thinks we matched all the furniture to his fur just for him. It’s all about Nemo. Hah!
Poor Freya. We have nothing to match her. She likes that striped pillow on the medieval looking chair. That almost works.
what a great covey of creativity…i’m sure it is a haven of discovery as you keep on with your passions.
grazie e ciao!
That sounds like a blessing. I’ll take it. Discovery is what it is all about for me.
love Nemo!
He’s such a ham. I have a large collection of very silly Nemo pictures. I should post them.
sweet crib
I could tell it had the mojo when the cats moved in.
The new set-up and the wonderful view is the reason you are so happy to be working in the studio lately, and Nemo is the reason you are often reluctantly working on the floor instead of at your desk. ;)
He stole my chair and my view! Little devil. Freya has claimed the other chair. It’s the floor for me. Oh well.
it’s nice to hear from you. it looks lovely.
Thank you.
I’ve been keeping up with your recent posts and resisting the urge to be a busybody as is my true nature. Shh. :)
hehe, sorry.
it’s my true nature as well, but my body doesn’t cooperate. so i think it just builds up and gets worse. :)
so beautiful- what a great space.
Where are you guys exactly?
We went for a trip recently down to northern cali and the south tip of oregon coast and I thought of you.
Thanks. I almost cried when I first saw that room and now I love it.
We’re on the Cape Cod Bay in Plymouth (the county) about 10 miles from Plymouth (the city) where the Pilgrims landed.
I madly loved Oregon and Northern Cali, especially those misty overgrown forests on the southern tip. I camped in the woods there and slept on beds of moss. Amazingly beautiful.
That is one good-looking cat. And I love all the cubbyholes in your studio.
He knows it too. Nemo is a feline dandy and a real character.
What an amazing view out of your window! No wonder you like working in there. :-) It’s great to see pictures of your studio, seems very homey to me (and a lot like my space). I have so much of you in my home anyway. And Nemo is such a goofball. He’s adorable. Are things getting back to normal a bit more after that storm?
That’s Mr. Goodball to you. Hah!
I love that little guy even though he steals my chair and eats my drawings.
Now you know why my jaw dropped when I saw “Interior Alchemy” and yours probably did too.
The storms are not over yet. We’ll see. That last one was a doozy though. We are still cleaning up after it.
Er, goofball I meant. He is most certainly not a Good anything.
Oh gods, I hope you don’t get more storms! Is Erz there yet? And did you read in my journal that I wrote to Rebecca Purcell and she wrote me back? I think you and I should meet her someday. :-)
No more storms please.
Erz isn’t here yet. Soon.
I’d love to meet both Purcells, Rebecca and Rosamond. No relation as far as I know. I think they must be kindred spirits. Rosamond Purcell lives in Boston so it’s possible I’ll run into her eventually.
Re: No more storms please.
Oh yes, Rosamond did that wonderful Bookworm book, didn’t she? I could definitely see the two of them being related.
She also does installations that are truly amazing. I usually don’t like those but hers are pretty fabulous. I’ll make a post about them.
wow, what a wonderful view! i envy it like crazy!
I am quite a happy camper with that view. The ocean can fix me right up like nothing else and it’s right there.
It changes you though..or maybe it’s just me. I feel transformed by this place and it’s an adjustment. That is why I have been out of view. I’ve had to shift myself, my work, and my own view due to my proximity to the ocean. I guess it’s a kind of magic. It’s disconcerting like most magic that is real.
Oh, what a great and energizing sanctuary! The view is amazing!
The view is also very tempting. It takes a lot more discipline sometimes to stay in the studio, instead of say…going to the beach. Hah! I am certainly not complaining though. No. No. No. :)
I love how inviting and warm it is.. It’s lovely.
Thanks. That is exactly how I like my environments, warm and inviting. Warmth is always good.
omg that view! I would never leave. What a dream it would be to live by the sea :)
You are so tidy and organized :)
I don’t ever leave! How did you know?
I really hardly ever leave my home. I like it here better than anywhere. The food is better too. I make it myself.
Nemo got big!
He weighs 13 pounds but he feels heavier…especially when he sits on my chest. Hah!
I know exactly how that feels}:P
what a beautiful little space! complete with feline, of course. :)
Thanks.
2 felines. The other one is camera shy.
What an amazing work space.
And it comes with a view of the sea.
Outtasight!
I am still amazed that I have that view.
Very nice space and very nice kitty! :)
He’s not really nice but I love him just like that.
lovely
My favorite quote: “I love cats because I love my home, and little by little, they become it’s visible soul.” Jean Cocteau
I can’t imagine my studio without my cats there around me, although I hear someone right at this moment getting into my paintbrushes as I’ve just been in there working (probably Pablo, the bad boy! He also has a pencil fetish, knocks them under my rug in there, then I find them by stepping on them….crunch!)
Ah, to look out at the sea all day and night, cats at your side, your little bits of art all around. Doesn’t get any better. Stay safe in the storms, hope they are over for you now.
Re: lovely
I love that quote.
The studio needed the approval of my cats. It just quite right up until then. I’m such a cat person and I always have to have studio cats.
He also has a pencil fetish, knocks them under my rug in there, then I find them by stepping on them….crunch!)
Hah! Nemo does that. He loves to steal my pencils and to put things under the rug.
What an incredible view, perfect for being inspired and making beautiful things. Look at that cuddly kitty! He looks loved and perhaps a wee chubby. ;)
He’s not really chubby, just fluffy and large. I just love him. Litte ham.
Thanks for posting! I enjoyed your pictures, especially the lovely view and the obnoxiously comfortably kitty. I’ve been trying to rearrange my office space, too, so that I feel more like doing my writing.
Space arrangement is important. It took me forever to place it just right but it really kicked a fire under my ability to work.
Howdy stranger. I haven’t posted on LJ in ages either, though I do read. It’s always good to see one of your updates. I’m glad you have a worksace with good mojo. I hope all is well with you and C.P.
Camo-Kitty is hilarious!
Hi there. All is well with us. How about you?
Nemo is endlessly entertaining.
What a beautiful view, and what a wonderful collection of bits and pieces. It’s amazing what can be done in small spaces. Everything looks so organized and easy to get to.
Nemo looks so happy and peaceful.
I’m all about the bits and pieces. I don’t think I could work without them.
It’s stunning. I’m so envious. I miss water in my environment.
Strangely, when I went to Maui, the coppery color tones entered my life there, and completely changed some things about me. I want more clothing in those tones, and it’s a very difficult color to find. Darn, I guess I’ll just have to go back to dying my clothes, oh geee.
Color and tone can change your energy. I’m just off surrounded by the wrong colors or environment.
I love that (icon) picture of you.
Thank you! There are three full pix of it here. I put the dress together from a vintage rhinestone/chiffon dress, a corset and a humongous embroidered Indian skirt. It IS one of my favorite costumes.
Truly an inspiring space. I love using interesting containers and baskets for storage. And, of course, Nemo is beautiful, too.
Cheese boxes. Those are my favorite containers. They are hard to find. I like everything vintage. Old advertising tins, cola cases, and cigar boxes. I also make boxes out of old book covers.
Ну и берлога. Художники они такие.