My Studio...

Painting in Progress

"I have no philosophy, my favourite thing is sitting in the studio"

Arne Jacobsen

My wife, Merice, has been helping me 're-vamp' my studio. This involved a lot of work  entailing moving things (some very heavy things!) around to create more space and make the maximum use of the ambient light. I am very pleased with the result and have already started a painting. 

Earlier that same day we had bumped into a friend of ours while out walking the dog. His wife is a very accomplished artist. She attended several of my courses and workshops but really didn't need to apart from the fact that she needed somewhere to paint. Each week she could come to a class and paint. She needed this routine, not because she didn't enjoy painting- but because she found it difficult to be motivated when she had to set up and then clean up after every session at home...not enough space there for a studio.

This made me realise how fortunate I am to have the luxury of all this space to claim as my studio. There are so many benefits to having your personal studio. It's such a wonderful thing to have a dedicated area to your art - a place where you don't have to set up or clean up after every session. So if you only have a bit of spare time you can just retreat to the studio and pick up where you left off! This is so important to your development as a painter because there is no substitute for picking up that brush as often as you can. Studios don't have to be anything special. You just need enough room to be able to leave your painting kit set up and a good source of daylight is preferable. But even if you haven't got a window you can always invest in a 'daylight' bulb! Now I'm lucky - I've got a full room to myself but remember the more space you have, the more 'clutter' you will collect...this is part of 'Murphy's Law'.

I suppose we are all different when it comes to how we work in the studio. For instance I never change the water once I begin a painting. I certainly don't wash my brushes  either until the painting is finished....that's why I have a different brush for every colour I use.

When were you last washed?

But my studio is not just for painting. It's the place where I let my imagination run riot, the place where I take time out from the world in general, the place to sit and think, to plan and prepare for my next painting, to experiment and have fun with different styles and techniques,the place where I am at liberty to make mistakes, the place where I develop as a painter and a person - so you can see how vital it is for me and why I will never take it for granted.

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