desks, studios, hope

     Despite my pain, fatigue, and headache, I was able to pull out my art supplies and make some art today. I'm beyond happy that I was able to have an art-making session! I must say, I'm proud of myself. 

     My current studio space is problematic. I simply use a desk to make art. This desk is in my bedroom. In addition to being an art studio space, it is a craft studio, a writing space, and an office. I have to do a whole lot of preparation to be able to make art. I also have terrible lighting in my bedroom and my chair is uncomfortable. 

     I consider it a chore to have to pull out all of my art supplies, clear off my desk, and set up my supplies on said desk. In fact, I consider it such a chore that it has become prohibitive to my artistic practice. Often, I will settle on just taking out a few collage supplies and go from there. That is, I will settle on working with a glue stick, some ephemera, and some supports (which are usually postcards and canvas boards). This is not necessarily a bad thing, per say. However, as an artist, I feel it's unfortunate to be limited like this. 

      This, of course, leads me to explore what I can do to prevent myself from being burdened with these preparatory tasks. I know that I need to have a better studio set up for myself. I have, in fact, known this from early on in my art career. My dad has suggested in the past that I put a desk in the basement of our home. 

      In the past, I deemed myself unworthy of having a better studio set up. I thought that it was unnecessary and perhaps selfish to take up more space for this little hobby of mine. Now, I believe that I have finally reached a place in my life where I am no longer ashamed to ask for a better studio space.

     I will talk to my dad about setting up a studio in the basement tomorrow. If all goes well, he can help me get a desk, a chair, and some good lighting there. I'm hopeful that having a dedicated, functional studio will help me expand my art practice.

     I would love to hear all about your art studios, past and present, in the comments below.