Such a beautiful place to call home... I'm honored to have been married high atop this rock... ...to have spent countless hours on (and in) this lake... Thank you, West Virginia!
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I know I haven't been around here much over the last several weeks. I wish I could say that I have begun 2013 with a feeling of renewal and energy, but it has not been the case. Although some painting has been done and our studio is progressing, little else has been accomplished. Right before the holiday, I caught this horrible flu that has been going around. Directly after the new year, I lost someone very dear to me. Now I am taking a rest, so I can move forward and recover much-needed energy. I will be listing new little paintings in my Etsy shop, if you are interested to see what I have been creating.
Can you believe it's 2013?! It's upon us, and I have to admit, I'm not ready yet. Every year by this time, I have completed my Year in Review and have already set my New Year goals. That has simply not happened, but I do intend to get that worked out soon. Better late than never? So much attention has been given to getting our studio up and running. Furniture has been picked out! Things are being organized! But we still have lots of work to be done.
Here is a sneak peek at a Christmas present given to me by my sister. She created these fantastic hanging pots - they look excellent in our studio. Just what it needs! I'm feeling pretty great today - We have been given a concrete date to begin demolition/construction on our studio renovation. It's actually happening! December 6th! I've been working on potential layouts for the new space, and I think I am settling on the one I've included above. Am I missing anything? I have tried to think of as many details as possible. I even have a little plant in the corner on the bookshelf. Lighting is the biggest question mark in my mind. It seems every artist has an opinion about the best studio lighting, and it's hard to pick out what is best for your space/budget. Any suggestions are welcome!
Also, I created this floorplan for free with The Make Room - it's highly recommended! Thought I'd share a few recent photos that I have taken as inspiration for use in the studio. The silting of Prickett's Creek particularly fascinates me.
Sometimes it's nice to dream about a cabin in the woods. That comes with its own fruit trees... And also happens to have views like this... And this... and you meet little guys like this... Maybe one day!
Lately we have been preparing our home for the upcoming studio renovation – and I am excited! We have to eliminate our current guest bedroom, making it our new office, in order to open up extra room for the studio. So, the office is freshly painted and ready for furniture. Today I have been packing up the collection of art books/resources that Derek and I have amassed over time. These are stored currently in our office, but will most likely be relocated into the studio once it’s complete. So, lots of heavy book-moving. I’m going to squeeze in some painting and try to get back to a normal schedule. Expect to see new works on paper soon!
Today, in lieu of 10 Seconds for Sunday, I have for you a two minute extended tour of my current solo exhibit at Annex Gallery!
Many thanks to everyone who came out to the reception last night!
If you follow me on Pinterest, you know that I do a lot of studio-coveting. I spend a ridiculous amount of time daydreaming about a large, light-filled space out in the country. This dream studio is preferably beside a creek or river. I would also *settle* for this location. The dream studio is also well-organized - a gorgeous, streamlined space that is well considered and tidy. Like this... NOT this... This space also comes with an endless amount of storage, of course!
I have been racking my brain on how to improve our small, in-home studio. I am very grateful for the space that I do have, but with both Derek and myself working/storing in there, it is simply not large enough. No amount of organizing and space-saving will do. So. We are considering taking down the wall that currently separates our master bedroom from our office and turning it into one room - our new studio! We will be moving our bedroom into our current studio. It will be cramped, but it's a sacrifice that Derek and I are willing to make. (Who needs a large room to sleep in, anyway??) On the other hand, we absolutely DO need a bigger space to create in, and I am so excited about the possibilities the larger room would provide! Derek and I are heading out on vacation today, so I will have to leave you with this guy, who stood by while we drank coffee this morning. We are both looking forward to a bit of relaxation, out of the office and out of the studio.
You may start to notice that things are looking a bit snazzier around here. With Derek’s help, I have overhauled the look of the sidebar on the old studio blog. (It is so nice to have a graphic designer for a husband! I couldn’t do it without him. Honestly.) So now there is a nice, customized look happening here. Minimal yet hopefully still easy to get around. With a design that doesn’t take away from art + photos. Banished is the ugly, old “Categories” section that included every. single. tag. What a mess that was. Also gone is the teen tiny, itty bitty RSS feed button. Plus! Now you can prominently see how to catch up with me on Facebook, Twitter and (my personal favorite, as you may remember) Pinterest. It’s all right there, easy to find! Not to mention that I have a photo of myself, along with a small introduction area. An embarrassing omission that is finally fixed!
So thank you Derek! You have made my blog upgrade dreams come true! Haven't had enough time outdoors lately, so Derek and I went to a nearby park... It's been very dry frequently. Felt almost like fall... We brought a blanket and shared some particularly good apricots. I recently tried fresh apricots for the first time (not sure why I had never eaten anything but dried before!) I can't forget to take time and refuel. It was great to get out...
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