THE STUDIO

"LAINY," my first try at this tangle (by Adele Bruno, CZT)

"This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be...

"This is the place of creative incubation. At first, you may find nothing happens there. But, if you have a sacred place and use it, take advantage of it, something will happen."           (Joseph Campbell)

More and more I am appreciating the opportunity to have a studio.  There's nothing else to do when I am there but work, and that has made such a difference in my progress on the current rug project.

I spent part of the day today in the studio moving things around, trying to envision how to set up a large table, where to put it, what I need for a base.  I will be sad when the summer heat makes the studio unworkable (as I know will happen shortly).  Now that I'm finally feeling well again, I am just reveling in this great, unusually cool June weather.  It gives me so much energy.  What a luxury and a gift to be able to have this space!

I did get a fair amount of rug work done, but a nasty computer glitch I was attempting to fix, and moving furniture, distracted me (Um...didn't I just say there's nothing else to do but work there? That's generally true, but I still have to make the effort to keep the environment work-enhancing).  Planning how to set up the space so that I can draw and do punchneedle is also going to take me away from the rug project, but I need to look at the setting up process itself as legitimately creative.

"I always prefer to work in the studio. It isolates people from their environment. They become in a sense...symbolic of themselves." (Richard Avedon)

Once the studio is fully set up, I am hoping to get back to more non-Zentangle® drawing and color work, as well as punchneedle embroidery, and of course dyeing wool and punching rugs with the hand-dyed yarn.  I cannot do the dyeing there as there is no access to water or a sink; there's also no access to food, not even a vending machine.  If you want to imbibe it, you have to bring it.  The bathroom is in another building altogether (fortunately one can make the l-o-n-g walk to the bathroom and still remain indoors, but you better get started long before you need to go).  These are all good reasons why it's a highly distraction-free environment.  There aren't even stores or restaurants nearby.

At the moment, it's quite messy in there as K and I are just starting to sort things out (we share the space--thank you, K, for inviting me).  Things are higgledy-piggledy, walls are largely bare...all a lovely bit of chaos that we will eventually work through, and I look forward to doing that.

More inspiring studio quotes:

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"Never apologize for your studio."
(Denise Bezanson)

"Every time you go into the studio it's like 'chasing a greased pig.' "
(John Erickson)

"The only thing I know is that if I get to my studio, that means I'm alive today."
(Robert Farber)

Honestly, I never understood the use or value of a studio.  I certainly do now.