People always ask me what my studio is really like. They expect something serene and pristine, but I have to laugh – my creative space is often anything but. As I navigate my way past our cat - Honey, I have to quickly shut the sliding door into the studio before she streaks through. No cats allowed on painting days.
My day begins with my "morning ritual." I meditate and then I arrange my oil paints by colour family on my relatively new glass palette. For years I used a wooden one. The labels on my paint tubes are almost illegible now, but my hands know each colour by heart. My brushes stand ready in an assortment of recycled jars and cups and the familiar smell of linseed oil and gum turps mingles with my morning coffee..... Hmmmm divine!
My studio isn't just where I work; it's where I fight my creative battles, celebrate my victories, and sometimes stare at blank canvases for hours - like yesterday. It went so badly that I didn't even get out my paints. That happens sometimes. Today's been a better day thankfully.
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Every corner of the studio holds a piece of my journey. My inspiration wall is a chaotic collage of photographs, fabric swatches, and torn magazine pages. Dried flowers perch precariously on top of a book shelf. Each item sparked something in me, and I never know which piece will ignite the next idea.
I move between multiple pieces throughout the day. While oils dry on one canvas, I'm sketching on another or trying to figure out what comes next on my current painting, using my iPad. Many artists resist the digital side of the business, but I've embraced it. My iPad is as essential as my brushes to my art practice.
As evening approaches, the shadows stretch across my workspace again. I clean my brushes (a process I secretly loathe ) and wipe down my palette. Tomorrow or maybe the next day, these unfinished pieces will call me back. That's the thing about having your own studio – it's never just a workspace. It's a living, breathing part of who you are as an artist. Probably three quarters of my life is spent in my studio.
Next week, I'll share the story behind the piece I'm working on now which is the one you see on the iPad to the right.
Here and there are keepsakes from my travels. I love these woven Maori flax baskets. They remind me of home and my cultural heritage.
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