Art Studio Reveal

Ten days ago, my husband and I rearranged the configuration of our home so that I could use our converted garage as an art studio and office. The garage is not insulated, which is a challenge in the hot Texas summers and cool winters. The carpet is laid directly onto the sloping cement foundation and the walls are covered in plastic siding. It's a funky space to work with. But this two-car garage has something I need: square footage!

Previously, we were using this space as a TV room and catch-all for my children's toys.  Now, I'm so pleased to have a room where I can work on large scale art pieces, host workshops and classes as well as continue my work with Houzz.com and Harris Publications as a freelance writer and photographer.

Here's what I did with the space:

Just as a reminder, here is what the space looked like ten days ago:

What did I do to change it?  I painted the walls in Black Suede by Behr paints. Then I took all of the furniture in my former office and set it up in the new space.  I did not buy a singe new piece of furniture for the new studio space. Everything you see in the photos was either in my home or stored away in my tool shed.  The total cost of my garage makeover two gallons of paint: $76.24.

 

I love to play piano. This instrument has been languishing in my dining room for the past three years.  The only time I can really play is when my children are asleep.  But then the piano wakes them up.  Now that the piano is tucked away in the very back of the house, I can play whenever I like without waking anyone!

A very dear friend of mine gave me this Mary a few years ago.  She got it at a street fair in Brooklyn, New York.  Now, she is mounted above the door in the studio.  I'm not a religious person, but I like to think I've got her energy watching over me.  Isn't she lovely?

I am over the moon about this new set-up. I am so grateful to have the space to do something like this for myself.  This goes so beyond anything I ever though I'd have as an artist. I'm teaching a workshop on April 7th and I'm so excited to see how the space handles 8 women for a day of art and writing.  Thank you for all your encouragement, dear readers!  Let me know what you think of the new digs in the comments section below!

xo - Sarah

Studio Sneak Peek

Tomorrow, I'll give you the whole enchilada. 

Today? A little peek.

This Green

Why is this green (below) so hard to achieve? This was the color I was thinking about for my studio before I decided to go all black. But I couldn't find the right hue.  Maybe its the wash, the light, the texture... it was just not happening for me. The black turned out beautifully, though. And I'll be revealing the new space on Thursday - so check back!

source

source

Yes, I realize they are different greens, 

but I would have settled for the second color if the first was unattainable. 

But I just couldn't find the right thing. 

Far-Off Looks

Thank God it's Friday, as the proverbial "they" often say. I'm a little run down from the week's events. Happy, but tuckered out. Setting up the studio, moving almost every piece of furniture in my house over the course of the week, attending night time rehearsals for "Picnic" and taking care of two active kiddos has taken it's toll. Today I have that far-off look that suggests either contemplation or maternal exhaustion. (See examples below.) I hope you have a great weekend. Mine will hopefully include some afternoon napping.

source

source

Vita Sackville-West

source

Inspired: Black Walls

I spent four hours last night painting my studio and it's looking great!  I'm putting the finishing touches on the space today and tomorrow.  So until I have some photos to share, I thought I'd whet your appetite with some inspired spaces that showcase black walls.

Paige Morse

The photos were all snagged HERE. 

Painting Day

I have a very large task ahead of me. Tonight, after the kids are in bed, I'm going to paint the walls of an 18x20" converted garage.  I'm in the process of transitioning this space from a rumpus room to a home office and art studio. I'll be sharing photos of the finished product very soon. Until then, here is the color I'm going with: Black Suede by Behr Paints. I'm using a flat finish for that lovely chalky look that will hide the many imperfections on the walls.

Here's a before shot of the space before I filled it with all my office stuff:

Right now the space looks like the loading zone in an alley behind Good Will. Seriously, my shit is everywhere! Here's a photo of the chaos as it stands this morning.  Luckily, I have a plan.

I'm so excited to restore some order to my life, shelve all of these books and set up shop. I need this space to serve as my office, my studio and also a space for future classes and art workshops. There is a lot of space to work with. Wish me luck tonight as I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Clamp Lamp

My grandpa used to have three or four of these utilitarian clamp lamps in his basement paint shop.  To a little knee-high kid, they seemed like weird robots towering over my grandpa's work space.  But now... What I wouldn't give to have just one of them for my studio table.

source

source

source

source

source