17 February, 2011

Studio Dreams



My studio, pictured in the third frame from the right.



Studio Interior - easel and walls.


 Snow and my studio back door.  Gotta get those skirts on.


Studio Interior - north light and palette, easels.


When I googled artist's studio photos, it instantly struck me what were authentic and well-worked in studios.  Some were beautiful, and others cozy.  I dream of a studio that is big and busy.


Willem de Kooning and his studio in the Springs, Long Island.


The Parrish Art Museum.
Getty Images.
flikr.









Russel Chatham in his Livingston, Montana studio.  I follow his work.
h/t Loriann Signori.




The following link offers my sage advice on how to run your studio.  Spoiler:  don't be like Eric Satie.
Ten Life or Death Studio TipsThe Colorist.


I want to do a post on ten more tips.  Stay tuned.


I found this review of artist's studios at a blog named minutiaArtist's Studios.  My fave was Sigmar Polke's studio in Cologne, Germany.  I noticed he goes months without visitors - shades of Satie!


My studio dream is to build a big box connecting the north end of my current structure with high ceilings, north light and a deck.  I want limited or no windows to the south and west.  The trailer part will be office, framing and storage, which are tasks that are now done there in addition to being my studio.


I'm not complaining, though.  Many artists would be happy to have the space, and locale, of my wonderful studio.

19 comments:

Katherine Kean said...

Your studio does look busy. I love to spread out; in good weather I can open the door and expand out onto a deck. Maybe we all dream of having more room to work.

Thanks for the practical tips - I'm looking forward to more!

Anonymous said...

Nice post Casey. I am and have always been a huge of both Sigmar Polke and De Koonig. I loved seeing the scale of their studios. And shots of De Koonig with his paintings was so inspiring.

I've had a lot of studios. My current one is the best. Great light. I have paneling just like yours but, my husband painted it a lovely green. I am thankful for what I have too!

Sonya Johnson said...

Very cool! Thanks for sharing these photos; I always enjoy seeing pictures of fellow artists' studios.

My dream studio is similar - high ceilings, lots of skylights and huge windows. And, importantly - ergonomic! I hate having to dig around in our garage looking for something I need because there's no room in our condo for it. My studio is currently confined to a 3x5' wooden table (albeit, a beautiful Danish-modern walnut one) in our living room. I make the best of it, but someday, I hope to have my "own" studio.

helen said...

Like the 'pano' photo!

Katherine van Schoonhoven said...

I enjoyed looking at the variety of artist studios out there. In the end, it's more important to be the right artist than it is to have the right studio. Still working on that.

One thing I didn't plan well in my studio was storage. But, lucky for me, the garage is just through a doorway and I can expand into there as my canvases start to stack up! Now I just have to figure out where to put the cars...

Casey Klahn said...

Yeah, Katherine, I love wheeling the easel outside. I think decks are becoming outdated in the design world, but I'll be happy to do what I wish.

Hi, Mary. I hadn't heard of Polke till now. I'd better have a look at his work.

Hey, Sonya. You do quite well given your small space. Perhaps this will help kick-start the timeline to a bigger studio for you.

Glad to meet you, Helen. I'm sorry it's so low-quality. Next time I do one, I'll have to pay attention to that.

Casey Klahn said...

Well said, Kvan. Keep the priorities straight.

I had a mentor who was showing me his beautiful new studio space, and his advice was, "make it big, and you won't have any regrets." He knew about the storage.

loriann signori said...

hi Casey, I think we all dream about a big beautiful studio. I know I do. In the meantime we keep in mind making the art is what it is about. I am sure you know many painters who paint inside a closet of a space and are more productive,and constantly exploring creating amazing work. and then there are some painters with beautiful under-used studios. We just have to paint on. Good weather is on the way...roll that easel out and smile. Can't wait for your practical tips.

Casey Klahn said...

I do remember that same artist mentor who had the nice new studio had previously just used a tunnel-like back room.

And, I sometimes wonder if my old easy chair with the big, flat arms wasn't perhaps the best set up I ever had.

I hope we do get that good weather, Loriann! Soon.

-Don said...

I have what I consider to be the perfect studio. My wife has allowed me to take over most of the downstairs of our home. Now I can work with my family coming and going around me and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

I enjoyed reading all your lists and found that you and I plan alike - we just work with different media, thus slightly different tools and containers.

-Don

Jean Spitzer said...

Thanks for the tips. And the link to the Chatham video: what an interesting guy.

Brian McGurgan said...

Nice to get a panoramic view of your world there, Casey. The landscape around you would certainly be an inspiration to me - what a wonderful place for a studio.

Casey Klahn said...

Hi, Don, Jean and Brian. I got behind this morning, so it'll be a while till I can respond well.

Thanks to everyone who read this post - it was well received, and i wish happy studio times for all.

Kelly M. said...

yes, busy, a bit of an organized chaos but with that wonderful clarity of north light. Some studios look like settings for House Beautiful -- not real. Thanks for the links -- I find I'm watching YouTube a lot this winter -- LOL!

Casey Klahn said...

I'm actually cleaning up a bit, Kelly. Ha ha. Then, I'll go right back to chaos when it comes framing/art fair time.

Unknown said...

I love your studio - it looks like an inviting and intimate place and it's great that you shared it with us! I'm in the midst of completing the interior of a huge studio just built for my new home in Maine and am having a Dickens-of-a-time trying to work out the final details about what goes where. I'm sure it will keep changing over time.

Celeste Bergin said...

oooooo I so like your studio! I wish mine were bigger.but I often open the door and go outside. I'm lucky to have a big yard! thanks for the video too..as always you choose such a good one.

Casey Klahn said...

Kathy - that may be one of my have-to-haves for my studio. The ability to re-arrange and remodel whenever the need arises. Look out - we may be featuring your big studio some day!

Hey, Celeste. Thanks for looking at my studio photos. People do have a romantic opinion of eastern Washington, and some of it is true. Big. Open. Wild.

I love it. Then again, I think of eastern Oregon in romantic terms. Bigger.

Adam Cope said...

create well in yr temple/workplace/dream spot :-)

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