For 2015 I am making a few adjustments to my studio. It is quite small as you can see in the photos, so space is at a premium. Because of that, I designed a workshop table that I will use for storage and for staging of upcoming projects. Right now I am using my camera tripod with a portable table top on which I have placed a piece of Gator board. It will have a 22"x 30" work surface and a shelf below. It will be on lockable casters so I can move it wherever I need it. My friend Yung is making it for me.
I also hung a series of sketches on the wall behind the door: sketches of the palette box, paints and brushes I use. These were done on Canson paper, and mounted to cradled hardboard panels which I had previously gessoed. I sprayed Krylon Crystal Clear on them for protection.
Here are some of my set ups from the last few months: my inside studio, my outside studio, teaching at the Creative Arts Group in Sierra Madre, and teaching a watercolor workshop at Swain's Art Store in Glendale.
Top: outside studio using the patio table and my portable paint set.
Bottom: inside studio/work table with John Pike Palette and all of my tools.
Here is my new studio in the den of our 1959 mid-century modern home. The shelves on the left contain my art books, notebooks, bookshelf stereo and art supplies. I designed the worktable and had a friend make it for me. IKEA wooden critique rails line the walls and display both finished and in-progress paintings. The easel is for working on large abstract acrylic paintings. My Joe Columbo taboret sits in the center of the space and can roll around as needed. A skylight illuminates the room by day, and a collection of Artemide work lights does the job by night. I open the sliding glass door as I work, so there is always a nice fresh breeze.
This is a lot different from my original garage studio. There is less room, and I can't smoke a cigar here, but it is now in the house, close to the action, well lit, and very organized.
Here are some archive photos of my original studio that I set up in a one bedroom Southern California apartment back in the mid 1970's. The top two are when I first moved in. Later, my art took over the entire living room as shown in the bottom image.
I had a similar studio in my one room apartment in Denver while I went to art school in the early 1970's. That place was tiny, only one room, and I slept on a fold out couch. When I started art school, I did art in the bedroom. When I was through with art school, I was sleeping in the studio.
Well, I'm back in the garage again. A year and a half ago I moved my primary studio from the garage into the living room. That was somewhat of a success and I enjoyed the time there, but it wasn't ideal. It wasn't cozy enough. I realized this when I would take my painting gear out there and paint on Saturday mornings. I loved the vibe: the glow from the warm wood of the pegboard, the open garage door, the relaxed hang out feeling. I finally made the switch. Everything is now back where it belongs.
And the living room studio? It now contains my collection of art and architecture books, and my model of Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House.
