Studio Space
Have you ever stopped to ask: How does the SPACE you’re creating in effect your energy, productivity, focus, and wellbeing? How might your mental and emotional state in that space be effecting you generally, and more specifically, the work produced therein?
How is the space you’re in effecting you?
I got to thinking about the space I create in over the past year in new ways (thanks, pandemic & therapy & coaching) after five years of working in crowded, dimly lit, cluttered spaces that I’d piece together as simply as possible just to have a place in my home to work. Lately it’s been a goal to create larger work, and to feel the same sense of comfort and warmth in my studio space as I do in the rest of my home. I realized that I’d been withholding the same attention to beauty and flow from my creative space, reasoning that it’s a “workspace,” and just needs to be “functional.”
Changing this perspective and making some intentional improvements to my workspace feels… pretty revolutionary. My studio space now reflects the joy and beauty that inspire my work, and I feel cozy and excited to be in the space. I have the shelves and table space to keep tools and materials organized and maintain multiple projects in the works. This increases my productivity, encouraging me to spend lots and lots of time playing and dancing about while creating big, fabulous art. Here’s a preview of my new custom designed work tables, which I couldn’t help beginning to set up before the shelving was even attached underneath. They’re a big step up from the folding tables I’ve been working at for years, adding loads of stability and style to the surface supporting my work. It’s been a very gradual development (seven years in the making!) and will continue to evolve in the years to come.
How does this space compare to your very favorite room to be in?
Even small changes can make a big difference as a space evolves. If you’re looking to mix things up, I suggest taking some time to sit in your space first, and noticing how you feel; how that space and its contents are serving or not serving your wellbeing. If it’s not already a space you love, how does this space compare to your very favorite room to be in? Are there qualities of your favorite space that you could bring in to your workspace? And then start somewhere, even if it’s a small improvement. Rearranging existing furniture, reorganizing shelves, adding small decorative touches, or bringing in additional lighting can all make huge shifts in a creative space.