Studio Tour
Posted: October 2nd, 2009 | Author: Lori | Filed under: art, jewelry, nature | 35 Comments »Welcome! The fine people over at Cloth•Paper•Scissors Studios magazine put out a call for studio tours, so here we are. I love browsing through all the studios in this magazine for storage and organization ideas, and just to see the artists’ personalities shine through in their work spaces.
My space is not yet quite so evolved. We’ve been in this house for not quite two years now, and I still keep shuffling things around and experimenting with new arrangements.
(See a larger version of this photo with notes over at Flickr.)
My studio space is a “bonus room” in the middle of the rear of the second floor, nestled between the master bedroom on one side and another bedroom (which we use as an exercise room) on the other. There’s a short hallway that leads to the main hallway, too. This is what you see when you first walk in from the master bedroom. My work table is the L-shaped office desk from our old condo. Eventually I will upgrade it, but for now it works. My everyday tools live within arm’s reach, and I move things around as I need to to handle different projects. I have a worktable in the garage for doing messy things, like drilling metals.
The previous owners used this space as a kind of sitting room/office. I absolutely love the light in here, which comes from two skylights and two sliding doors that face west and overlook the woods that make up the back of our property.
This is basically the view from my desk. In a week or two, most of those leaves will turn a brilliant golden yellow. We have several species of woodpeckers that frequent our woods, in addition to a ton of other birds and wildlife. In good weather, it’s wonderful to work with the doors open and the breeze coming in and the sounds of wildlife (when I haven’t opted to crank the stereo).
For now, in addition to the messy, messy shelves you see in the first picture (I didn’t do any cleanup before I took these photos, so you’re seeing the studio in its natural state), I’m using these shallow plastic drawers for storage of beads, wire, and a few tools I don’t use all the time. Eventually the shelves and these drawer units will be replaced with wooden cabinets; it just hasn’t been a high priority this year. Chris at Copper Leaf Studios and I got the same idea right about the same time that the shallow closet organizer drawers from Ikea would make great studio organizers, but she actually acted on the idea, whereas I’m still dreaming about it. (You can see her studio here. See how much nicer that looks than my piled-up shelf mess?) On top of the organizer, you can see the lower part of the mannequin I use for product shots for my Etsy shop.
I keep my bead drawers sorted by type, then by color. I use more Czech and other glass than any other kind of bead, so a number of drawers are dedicated just to them. This is my green drawer. I have a combination of plastic vials (from Fire Mountain Gems) and plastic jars (from a variety of places) in a few different sizes.
Lately I’ve started working more with gemstones and other natural materials. I like to buy this type of material in person so I can see exactly what I’m getting, so I go to a couple of gem shows every year and also shop my local bead stores. The Rings & Things Wholesale Bead Tour is one that I save up for, and they just came through here last week. This is a closeup of a corner of what I got there. I’ve been really busy since then and haven’t had a chance to play with any of it yet, but hope to this weekend.
Here are a few pieces in progress. I do a bunch of etching all at once to create the background pieces. I don’t usually do any sketches or plan out a piece much beforehand, but simply lay out an assortment of things on my work table and see what works well together until I come up with something like my Garnet Rain necklace, shown here. I’ve been really drawn to mother of pearl lately, so I’ll end up using these buttons somehow in at least one of these pieces.
I work in publishing, and I have a great love of books, so I keep a stash of them and subscribe to a number of art magazines to consult for information and inspiration. This little bookcase shows about half of the selection. A larger bookcase is on my wishlist.
Earlier this week I started working through The Wish Kit from Inspired Home Office, which has been really helpful in guiding my thinking about how to reorganize and personalize my studio space, in addition to my office. (My office, where I do my computer work and my editorial work, is in a different room downstairs.) I’m looking forward to putting the things I’m figuring out into place over the next few months.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my creative world, and I hope you’ll stop back again. If you have some time, check out some of the other studios on the tour. (Shannon Okey of Knitgrrl Studios is listed right above me in the list, and she’s got a great space in an old warehouse here in Cleveland.)
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Thanks for sharing your work area. What a great view you’ve got when you need to give your eyes a break! I perused your Etsy shop…. love your etchings!
Having been allowed to peek at the magical studio in person, let me just say that the pictures don’t do it justice! Picture everything you see there, plus lots more beautiful, pristine white space in between. The whole studio looks like a blank canvas stocked with lovely things ready for creating :}
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I am jealous of the balcony! The closest I get to that is the little sunporch off my bedroom, and it’s usually where the cats hang out, so not ideal for having moving yarn out…
i so loved the tour of your creative space…please come see mine when you have a chance…i am having a giveaway…i see you love books too…hugs, rebecca
Thanks for stopping by my blog and your comment! I love your studio… so fantastic to have the light and the open doors… a wonderful space. Love your chairs with the carved wood as well.
My solution to book overload (I am a serious book buyer….) is Ikea again. Billy bookcases are big, deep and hold a whole lot! Not as nice as your bookcase but I am trying to make space and less clutter first, then maybe the nice wooden bookcase will come later!
Hi Lori,
It took me quite a while after putting my sewing studio together (the one NOT shown! LOL) before I got it where I was comfortable. The wet studio was pretty easy, although there are things I tweak now and then.
It’s such a personal thing…..
Your work is beautiful; love the etching!
And that balcony view….wow!
Anne
Love the view to outside. Your metal pieces are beautiful and never mind the mess in your studio, sign of a creative artist.
Oh, I’m so jealous of the light and the windows! What a lovely space for creating!!!
What a view – I’m green with envy of your balcony. Thanks for sharing your studio. I love it.
All that gorgeous natural light, and a view to die for! Nature is the best source of inspiration, and what I would give for the light, the windows and the view!! Thanks so much for sharing your space, and for stopping by mine, also!
I’m slowly (very slowly!) replacing some of the plastic drawer units with the wonderfully built thread cabinets from DMC…I got a couple from a fiber store that was closing and a couple at a local rummage sale, but they’re getting harder to find! Really built well for holding pounds of heavy beads!
I love looking at drawers of beads. All the colors! For me and my quilting, those plastic containers and drawers work great. I can kep a project in each and pull them out as needed. They just don’t look very nice.
Thank you, everyone, for stopping by and for the kind compliments. It’s been such a thrill to check out everyone else’s spaces today, too — I have so many ideas for tweaking and improving my space now. I’m saving the half of my earnings I don’t blow at the bead store for a mega trip to Ikea and hope to be done with most of the plastic before this time next year. And I really need to take more advantage of the deck, that’s for sure. :-)
Your chair backs are lovely! And the light- it must feel like you are in a tree house in the summer! And the Autumn colours! Its certainly a great space to work.
Thanks for the tour! Aren’t bonus rooms great?! I had one in Georgia and Texas and miss the space. I didn’t have that wonderful view though. You’ve done an excellent job in setting up your studio and your work is beautiful!
Thanks for sharing. Love you jewellery and your view!
Lori you’re so fortunate to have such gorgeous natural lighting in your studio – and that view is stunning! Thanks for sharing your space with us today and thanks for visiting my studio. Cheers! :-)
The views from your studio are amazing! And it must be wonderful to just have the doors open and enjoy the fresh air and birds singing in the trees!
Oh for that view out side of MY windows! Thank you so much for sharing your Studio. And thank you for stopping by my HeartSong Studio tour. Got my commentary up now, and now I’m off to wander around everyone else’s studios! (~:
Blessings
What an inspiring view and I love your shallow plastic drawer system. Shallow drawers are so much better for finding things easily. Thanks for the tour!
Cheers
Mary Anne
Hi, thanks for visiting my studio and for inviting me over to yours – what a fabulous view! And yes, the raised work bench in my is a real asset – I like to stand a lot of the time when ‘creating’. Mine is a kitchen worktop on kitchen units, with a space between to sit at – and it’s still a comfortable height to use my sewing machine. Thanks agin for the tour x
My friend Deb calls your bead sorting style, “bead prison” but I must admit, I am a bead warden too.
Hey! If it works for you Lori, then it’s a great studio! Looks pretty good to me, and that view and the sounds of nature would certainly make up for any shortfalls in my world. lol. Thanks for taking my tour too. :)
Brilliant use of the space and I bet the deck is awesome for inspiration. I hope to one day have a garden outside my studio…one day. :-)
What a great space!!!
I love your light area and the balcony is particularly wonderful! From your supplies, I think you have a close link to nature in your creativity!
Thanks for coming by my studio this morning!
Love your space, the view from the window and the wonderful bead organization!
Thanks for letting us visit!
Hi! Looks like a wonderful spot to create! Enjoy!
PS: When I create it is usually a big mess as well…so don’t worry about the not cleaned upshelves, ;)
Smiles, Anke ;)
Thanks for the wonderful tour — and the great links you provided. I am really intrigued with “The Wish Kit.” If you have time, stop by my little virtual studio on the tour. Blessings!
What a lovely space you have! It will be even better when you settle on how you want it laid out – but that does take time. Thanks for dropping by my blog to see my studio :- )
i love that you have a dedicated space and that there is so much of it! maybe one day i’ll get a big table and lay everything out….
I think what I like best about your creative space is that you can bring the outdoors inside. How inspirational!
What a lovely space – and a treat to be able to look out at the trees and woodpeckers. Thanks for the tour!
Great way to store all the beads and the view from your deck will be even more beautiful than it is now.