Forward from A Place to Paint How to Set Up An Art Studio for Painters & Other Artists

I admit art studios are an odd thing to be preoccupied with, but if you knew me, it would make more sense. The thing with art studios is that they are made up of some of my most favorite things – art, creative people, artists tools, color, and reference books. And, setting up or redesigning an art studio makes use of a few of my other passions, namely interior design, organization systems, and a need to fill the world with beauty and spaces that nurture the soul.

For me, art studios are filled with eye candy…palettes filled with juicy colors, jars of well used paint brushes, spray bottles, tubes and bottles of paint, mediums, easels, watercolor paper, canvas, reference photos, loose sketches, detailed value studies, and more. All of the things that make up the minutia of artist’s studio make me quiver with delete.

In this book, you’ll find everything you need to know in order to plan and furnish our own art studio. We’ll cover the necessary details of finding a space for your studio, floor and space planning, lighting, furnishing, and the all-important conundrum of artists – how to get and stay organized, as well as considerations for personalizing your space.

You’ll also meet several featured artists and tour their studios. Their stories are interspersed throughout the book. By seeing how other artists, both beginner and master-level, have set up their studios, I trust you’ll be inspired to create a studio that perfectly supports your artistic endeavors.

Introduction

I love all things creative. I love to make art, read about it, look at it, buy it and talk about it. I shiver with delight at the sight of mason jars filled with well used paintbrushes or a wall neatly lined with brayers, those soft rubber rollers that print makers use. I get itchy fingers just looking at a white drafting table tucked among shelves brimming with painterly supplies or flat files overflowing with unused watercolor paper and blank canvas. I feel an intense yearning to create when I look at a work-in-progress painting clipped to an easel with a tray of paints and brushes waiting patiently nearby. I also feel a sense of awe.

That is because for me, these sights are far more than eye candy. To me the supplies of an artist, the space they create and their works-in-progress are akin to spiritual objects. The artist has touched them, honored them with frequent use, injected them with their own power, and ultimately pulled forth something almost magical while using them – a work of art.

The artist’s studio is a sacred, intimate space. It is the place where the artist opens herself up and pours her heart and soul onto paper, Masonite or canvas. Here, the artist is at once her most vulnerable, and most powerful. The artist’s studio, in whatever shape or form it takes, serves as a sanctuary of sorts. It’s a safe place where the artist can experiment, try new things, fail miserably, and try again, well beyond the potentially critical eyes of family, friends and the public. It’s a place where the artist practices, hones, and strengthens her talent and discovers her personal vision.

Maybe you have never thought of your studio space quite like this. I invite you to. As you think about adding a space for your art or expanding or re-organizing an existing studio, consider creating a place that nurtures your creative soul. Ponder what it would take to make a space that is perfect for just you. What elements will inspire you to be your creative best? Would it be a purely functional space where you are free to be messy, play and experiment? Or, do you need an room where everything is stored behind closed doors so as to eliminate any extra visual stimulus? Or maybe all you need is a view of the outdoors to inspire you? The possibilities are endless. And, the needs of every artist are different.

One thing is for sure, when you have a space that is right for you, it calls to you, lures you into its embrace and make you feeling like singing (and painting) when you walk inside.