Working in my messy Studio and showing my future studio space

in art •  7 years ago  (edited)

I managed a hobble up to my Summer studio over the past couple days.

Here are some blue eyes I've been working on just to get back into the swing of the space. The smell of oils help to enliven the place.
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My Summer studio is on the second floor of a boat house on our property.

Here is one corner of that attic space I use to paint. It's horribly messy now, but that is in part because I thought my new studio space would be ready down below.

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This space does have a nice view, but it's of the other direction towards the small harbour. You can see the view here that you would see sitting at my table and easel. The sun is very bright so the contrast is a bit odd in the photos.
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This is the view out that window. Lovely, surely, so I am not complaining.
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And if I turn my head to the left, I get this little snippet of view from the skylight window.

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However, as I said, this is a large boat house. Thus, where my current Summer studio can be found in the attic space of this building, right outside the door, by the stairs I take up here, is the old sail loft. It is a long space where sails and other boat things used to be stored. And on the end of that long space was a large set of doors that opened out to the sea and really, to a three story drop. I used to have these open all Summer and the adjacent door to my Summer studio and the cool sea air would rattle through making all sorts of lovely noise and making wonderfully cool.

It wasn't safe, these doors that opened to nothing but a three story drop so we had it closed in this Winter when we were beginning the work that would lead to my new studio space. Then that had to stop, because our dear handyman passed away.

And it wasn't until this Summer that I realized just how much that cross breeze from those doors kept my Summer studio cool. Now, however, we have had to put in this window air conditioner and as the ceilings are quite high, it is working hard.

Where the new studio will eventually go is reached by another set of stiars.

If you were to go back down the stairs of my Summer studio to ground floor there is another set of stairs that descend deeper, as the boat house is built on a slope. And this front slope, facing the sea, is where I want my new Summer studio. It used to hold two large 30+ boats, back in the day, but those have long ago sold back in the day when the family lived a bit better than we could ever manage ourselves today.

Here is the set of doors on the boat house floor that still exist. These were going to be replaced with new windows and doors. You can see how foggy they are and that is not foggy weather, but in fact the ruined old glass doors from years of salt water and windstorms. So this foggy view here:
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Has this on the other side of it. You can see why we need new doors and windows.
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And look at all the lovely daisies. This path would be mown and I'll probably install some wooden stairs down to the beach here. Someday...
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And so this all leaves me back to my old Summer studio, now much warmer with the sound of an air conditioner instead of the sea breezes, but I cannot complain (although I guess I am a bit right now).

Now, besides the increased heat and the need for the window airconditioner, this old Summer studio is a mess. I have shelves disassembled and random things piled about as I thought, last Autumn, that this time this year I'd be moving things down below to my new studio. Yet, it sits a mess as well, undone.

What can you do?

I will work in my little corner here and as the Summer goes on I'll set up some things again, move my big table into the center of the room so I can have some of my printmaking things set up and so on.

I just waned to share this space in it's current state with you and to show I am managing much better with my healing toe. I hope to be doing more fun 'play' up here messing with some printmaking again and really just other fun projects I like to attempt in the Summer when it's warmer and I have space to be messy.

I will share more studio posts as I rearrange and also as I begin making more fun things.

I think I'll close with this odd little vignette that occurred because of random piling of things last Autumn getting ready for the move that did not happen. But, it has a certain creepy charm that just suits me and my studio aesthetic I think.

june20studiovignette.jpg

I hope you have a lovely productive day. Make time for plans, but realize they will always need to change. Just take lemo moments and try your hardest to make some lemonade.



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I would kill even for that second floor @donnadavisart, dreaming of room, place, space, where all my tools will be waiting for me every time I come into studio. Instead now, I have to clean each time I would like to switch from watercolors to another technique :(

And that piece on easel is AMAZING girl! You need to paint more, this so beautiful and alive. I do love your digital art, but this one is something just wow!

I know I am lucky and I make sure to appreciate it everyday. Yesterday when I was pouting to myself that here I was, dealing with having to have the old air conditioner and not being able to move into the space that has yet to be made over, I looked around, even in the mess, and thought "Well, plenty would be happy to just have this space at all, so buck up and get to work".

Even now, with the limp from my toe and the mess from things packed up but now needing to be put back until next year, I will have a pretty cool space to paint. I will share more 'studio' posts now that I can get up there and you can pretend you are there with me :)

When I get the other space also done, it'd be so cool one Summer to have a Steemit artist retreat here, I mean people would have to sleep in sleeping bags or cots around the studio or in the house on sofa's or the floor, but it could be a cool bohemian Steemit artist retreat, don't you think?

Thank you, I love working with oils and the smell always entices me. I often do more 'physical' art in the Summer because I do have the room, though I pretty much approach my painting the same way in digital, but not the lovely smell :)

I always dream to have such window in my room. It seems like through it you see no more, then pure nature, and because of the angle you can listen to the rain when it comes is stereo sound...

It rained yesterday and the sound up there is magical. As it is in the attics you hear the rain right overhead. I am lucky to have the space and appreciate each time I go up there.

Your work is wonderful. It is obvious you love what you do and totally enjoying yourself So much. You are living in a beautiful world if you ask me.

keep living your dream my friend. Cheers.

Thank you so much for your kind words. I know, when I have a day where my plans aren't quite what I had hoped, I just sit down have a cuppa and appreciate what I have. I can't ever be upset too long when I have the sea and the quiet.

The views from your space are beautiful - and I bet the light in there is lovely for painting too! E x

It is amazing light, actually. I appreciate it everyday (well in the Summer at least)

Lovely! My studio is in a dark back room, so i work mostly under artificial light. I crave a window 😁

Yeah, windows are pretty important. My studio I had when we lived in the city I was lucky as I lucked into one with two big windows looking onto the street. It was a good way not only for light but people watching on a day you felt the need to sit and stare to get inspiration for the day.

I hope you can find a place with a window soon. Is it in your house or in a separate studio space?

Mine's in my house - in one way, it's great as it's somewhere I can leave my work out and in place and ready to work on at any time. But like I said it's very dark - but beautifully quiet. As most of my commission work has been monochrome pencil work - that hasn't been too bad as it's about comparing values rather than getting colours right... but the couple of experiments I've done with oil and acrylics in there have been a lot harder, as the colours are completely different in natural light and react differently. Ooh I'd love a studio I could people-watch from! Sound amazing! Maybe if my work gets a bit more popular... ;) E x

What a wonderful place for your studio. The views you share are absolutely stunning. I would be on that lake with the boat all the time. Actually, if I lived that close to a lake I would never get anything productive done. I'd be super happy though. lol

Thanks, it's not a lake though, it's the Atlantic ocean. I spend a lot of time in, on, and by it as well :)

WHAT??? I grew up in the ocean. Well, kinda. From Halifax, NS. Where are you?

It's in MA, Cape Cod. I love NS! Do you follow @lyndsaybows she lives in NS and does great #walkwithme posts featuring NS.

oh such a lovely workshop ! <3 and congratulations for your start working there , such a beautiful window scene ,
and your painting is nice , yeah blue skin :)
restemeed

Yeah, messing about and then I saw your post about skin tone after I posted it ;)

Looks like a fantastic space with awesome views Donna! I love the smell of oil paint in the studio.

That scent, of oil paints, is always so intoxicating. Just opening the door and it hitting you of a morning is as good a wake up as the hot coffee I am often carrying with me :)

Yes, coffee also forms a part of my morning in the studio. =)

You know what? When I see photos of your place I just feel such a relaxing calmness. I kind of envy you (in a good way). I like the attic, it looks bright and the view is just perfect!
You are lucky to live in a place like this!

Good to hear your toe is getting better! :D

Thank you and I appreciate this place each day.

There is a calm here, for sure. I am lucky on a Summer's day to have the beauty of nature and the sound of the sea to be my companions whilst working and playing in my studio.

Hello Donna. I am still in Ontario, but making headway. Today I actually signed the papers. Woohoo. That means that hopefully Monday there will be a sign on the lawn and I will go back home starting Tuesday. Boy do I miss my ocean life. I love your studio and I wish I could paint. Or just sit and watch you paint. Or just sit and have a cup of something by your water. I love that painting of those eyes...Wow. nice chatting and keep up the good work on that studio. :)))

Congratulations on getting one step closer to finishing this massive chore you are undertaking. I bet you cannot wait to return to your sea.

I'd love to have a cocktail or a cuppa by the sea with you. And I would love to with you in Nova Scotia as well. I have only been a couple of times and loved that area.

thank you...I will keep you posted...and hurry up with that toe...what did you do to it anyways?

What I cozy place you have! True artist’s house!

Thanks, this is my studio though, a bit messier than my house, but I can leave it messy here and not feel bad ;)

Your studio will be very lovely place to create beautiful art. Love the skylight window.

Thank you. It is nice for letting good light into the space.

really like the great post for everyone
I like the very nice picture, keep up my regards

What a gorgeous space! And a solid effort into this this post too.

Enjoy your creative spark. The world's better for it.

Take care,
Nick.

que bonito lugar muy natural y con tranquilidad

What an inspiring place to work, the space in which your creative genius flows is so important and yours like something from a story book, I’m instantly carried away :)

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WOW I love your works. they are so fresh

Ohhhhhh thank you for sharing your space!!! The daisies are beautiful. The whole thing is stunning and as soon as you said you closed the doors off I was like !!!!

then found out why........here is hoping you find someone to finish your space!!!