Treat your studio like Sacred Space

[Elizabeth Schott]

What I didn't photograph was the floor with my two servers for above. But also the grave yard of non-used Macintosh equipment (I am a MAC addict). And all the stuff everyone wants to store since they are painting the main room outside my office. Another view:

[Michael Georges]

Elizabeth,

Great pics. It's nice to see that you have a little sitting area. I believe that it is also important to keep the computers away from the painting area to minimize distractions like forever checking and posting on forums like this - a problem I fight daily.

Steven: A longer explanation now that I can: my easel is right in front of those doors, and they are pretty shiny, but I don't really get any glare from them if you stand directly in front. Also, the light coming in was normal north daylight, but it looks in the photo like the sun was about 2 feet away from the window - another fact of photo distortion - light sources always appear brighter than they are in reality.

Lisa: I had typed a long message to you about hemispheres and how the sun tracks through the sky based on where you are, but could not post it, sorry. The gist of it has already been discussed, so I won't reiterate it. I might put your easel so that your nice even south light comes down on it at a high raking angle. You may need to block off the lower part of your window to make that work. Here they make blinds that go from the bottom to the top and they work really well.

[Enzie Shahmiri]

Elizabeth, looking at your work space I wonder which one truly reflects you. In which one are you the most comfortable, the utter clutter or the fully organized? I have found that at times my studio will look like a hurricane hit it. It makes me so on edge that I can't concentrate on my work, before I clean up. The same holds true for my kitchen. I have to have everything cleared away, no dirty dishes before I can start making a new mess. I wonder what our little quirks mean and how it affects our ability to be successful artists. Any psychologists online?!

[Lisa Strachan]

What a shame your long post didn't make it to the forum. Thank you anyway for your time in answering my questions. I have re-evaluated where my easel should be, and have moved it already. I think to a better placement. I am still trying to do something about the other problem you mentioned...moving the pc away from the painting area. I did make it out of reach, but noticed I scoot along the floor on my chair when I hear I have a message to reply to. The one benifit of that is at least that MAKES me move back and look at my painting from a distance. And the longer the message, the longer I sit back and focus on the painting. So it isn't all bad!

I have never heard of upside blinds DOWNUNDER!

[Steven Sweeney]

My wonderful music is replaced by Rush on the radio

Beth, surely you're referring to the Band, and not the conservative gentleman.

[Elizabeth Schott]

Enzie, I actually love both of my places, the computer will always facinate me and drawing will always make me hummmmm!

Steven, of course I listen to Rush, then I turn on a little Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Peter Frampton etc..... lol!

[Michael Georges]

Steven, of course I listen to Rush, then I turn on a little Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Peter Frampton etc..... lol!

Phew! That makes me feel better. Listening to Limbaugh while painting would make me frantic! Not that hard rock wouldn't do the same, but Rush L. is so crazy I would be snapping brushes!

[Elizabeth Schott]

Unfortunately it is on the lower level away from windows (done on purpose because of the equipment). It is usually in total disarray unless a client is coming over. My wonderful music is replaced by Rush on the radio.

Michael, rest easy. I was talking about the office space - not the studio. I would go nuts listening to anything that wasn't contemplative there. I find the most irritating thing to be the phone or the kids asking for a ride to volleyball. I tend to lose my balance while in the studio. I want the rest of the world to just go away! Along the lines of music: I like Chant (that Marvin illustrated the CD cover for). I like to play Taize. (sp?)

[Anthony Emmolo]

Hello Michael,

I had a revelation about a year and a half ago. I realized that the degree to which I could use my studio as a sanctuary would be the degree to which I could grow as an artist as well as a human being.

I realized that a ritual of a few pages of classic literature before working, or even during breaks would increase my knowledge of quality literature immensely after a few years. I see that as important to my growth as an artist because the depth of ourselves that we bring to the highest forms of art is what allows our own art to grow to the height of the arts that we saturate ourselves with. It's no coincidence that Michelangelo was schooled by Lorenzo D'Medici in the arts and sciences.

As I grow more as an artist I wonder how I could have ever painted in the past listening to The Beatles or Led Zeppelin. When I can listen to anything now, it must be classical or quality audio-literature. I just finished a week of listening to Plato's Symposium.

Still, as the years pass, I see that I cannot handle the disturbances that I was able to handle before. It feels good. The same way a monk who spends his time in meditation becomes more and more sensitive to his surroundings, an artist does, too.

[Michele Rushworth]

Anthony, what wonderful ideas you have given me! I have a huge copy of the classic "Riverside Shakespeare" (his collected works) that I have been meaning to crack open for years. The book is too big for bedtime reading but might be just right to read in my new cozy studio chair when my eyes and feet need a break.

And maybe I'll put some classical CD's on at the same time, for good measure.

Thanks again for the inspiration!