Creatively Organized Spaces
I began the year up in the clouds at 3100′ elevation and I’ve been watching the birds soar at the beach so I know this is the right word for me for 2012. I’ll share a little more about why later but for today I just wanted to stop in with this image and say Happy 2012!
This year I intend to SOAR! What is your intention for the year? Right Here is a fantastic comprehensive list of word ideas if you haven’t picked a word for the year yet.
Whaaaa, moving is so much work! Okay so we haven’t really begun to pack yet because our focus has been on the purging, organizing, sorting and getting the house in ship shape for showing. Since I took the photo’s the realtor will be using I thought I would share a behind the scenes tour of our home.
Welcome, please come on in!
Half Bath
The Kitchen
Our Back deck with my jungle of plants, sadly some will not be coming with us.
The Dining Room looking towards the back deck and the kitchen.
The living room
The living room from the dining room, as you can see the first floor has a very open floor plan and great windows!
The Master Bedroom
What use to be our guestroom is now our staging area with packing supplies at the ready.
2nd Bath
The Office
This pretty well concludes the tour of our home for the past 6 years. I’ve left out a few areas including the full basement because it’s not much to look at right now. Below is what it use to look like when I had my carpet design office down there, now it’s another staging and storage area but will be a great space for whomever move in here next.
There is still a lot to do, including getting stuff out of here which we are continuing to sell. Rather than a yard sale we will be participating in a Flea Market to sell the remaining items this coming weekend. A few furniture pieces, art and craft items, tires, tools, electronics and other odds and ends will be going. Now that the house is pretty much ready to show we will on alert to vacate for the realtors at a moments notice. I’m sure that’s going to be fun! I’m trying to keep a positive attitude but the limbo part of this process is particularly tough on me. I’m a very home based person so I feel I’m being invaded but it’s what we must do to move on. I’ll be back next week with reports on the flea market and the realtor’s listing info. If you know anyone who you think would love to live in this house in Gaithersburg, MD please get in touch!
It is late so I’m not going to say much BUT this photo was taken with my new Canon 60D! So far I LOVE IT:)
This is my kitchen windowsill which includes a small vase of flowers, a “Joy” message stone and a collection of antique miniature jars containing various specimens of moths, insects, flower and plant seeds, mica pieces and Yogi tea messages (because they are better than fortune cookie messages). I’m taking the time to stop and enjoy the small pieces of our home that I love. I love that my kitchen sink overlooks the back yard and I’m always bringing a bit of the outdoors inside to my windowsill. Today’s image was enhanced by Kim Klassen’s texture “Granny’s Cupboard”. Check out some other photography using her textures here.
Do you decorate your windowsills?
At least not chronic and habitual procrastination. Honestly I haven’t met anyone who procrastination was good for in the long run…but in the short term, sometimes I think it can be a good thing. Right now though I find myself severely procrastinating beginning the work to move. I procrastinate when I am totally overwhelmed and right now, that’s how I feel. I don’t know where to begin in theory but in reality I’m avoiding DOING what I need to.
My list doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter because a lot of what I’ve accomplished so far is invisible stuff! Like making phone calls, sending emails, researching, running errands…today though I’m beginning with the deep cleaning we need to do to get the house ready for showing. Cleaning is usually a good place for me to begin when I’m feeling overwhelmed, it’s physically demanding, task oriented and has visible results! I know for some people cleaning is a reason for procrastination. For me though, I’d rather start whatever big job I have to do with a clean slate, so cleaning helps me get motivated. I’m not saying I love it just that I know what to do to get myself going.
Sure, I’d rather be sitting outside enjoying the remaining days of summer but alas…too much to do and the weather today has turned decidedly fall like today! I did take a little break today from all the moving madness to swing by my garden and pick a few tomatoes, tomatillos, sunflowers and pull a few weeds. The garden isn’t done yet, summer isn’t over yet and we are where we are for the moment. In the midst of the chaos of moving I am making a promise to myself to stop, procrastinate a little (as needed) and enjoy the last of the time we have living where we are. The packing and moving will get done!
What tricks do you have to motivate yourself when you find your in a procrastination zone?
For quite some time now I’ve been contemplating how to merge my love of art and design and my passion for organization. While I was away at Penland I found a little seed that’s germinated and has been pushing it’s way slowly to the surface. In that wonderful nurturing and creative environment I spent a lot of time walking around and observing other artists, their “studio” (albeit temporary for most) spaces and the work being created. One particular evening we were visiting the Resident artists studio’s and the idea really struck me to start a blog interview series with artists about their sense of or lack of organizational skills and how that affects their work.
Above and Below::Studio space of Jewelry Artist Jeong Ju Lee
Above and Below::Studio space of Daniel Marinelli
Below::Studio space of Textile Artist and Weaver Robin Johnston
Today I’m bringing you the introduction to this new series. I can’t promise how frequently I will be doing interviews, much of that depends upon who I’ve come across and their willingness to share their organization or lack of. For many artists and creative types being organized is just not a big priority and often staying organized is a struggle. Revealing this to the world may not be something many artists are willing to share. So many people continue to feel embarassed or asshamed about being disorganized but I am here to say that EVERYONE struggles with organization in some area of their life (or has in the past).
Above and Below::Studio space and workshop of Woodworker Tom Shields
Upon speaking with many artists though I’ve come to realize that for all of us there is a cycle to the way we work. We carve out a space, gather the materials we think we might need to begin and we dig in. For some creators they need to end each work day (or session) with a bit of re-organizing and tidying up. Others will continue to work right along side the ever growing piles of detritus, materials, abandoned projects, dishes, tools and whatever else accumulates. Some artists can go days, weeks or months before they feel the need to stop and tidy up again. What prompts this action? Is it the completion of a big project or a feeling of distraction or getting stuck?
Above and Below:: Iron Forging workshop
Above and Below:: Woodworking workshop and workbenches of student artists
I wonder for each of us, how does the order or chaos of our working environment impact the artwork we create? When you look at someone’s artwork is there any clue as to their working methods? Could you venture to guess if they are organized or dis-organized? How does our environment help or hinder our creations as artists? These are all questions I am interested in exploring further as we meet other artists and discuss their working methods, see behind the scenes into their working spaces and perhaps learn some organizing tips from some of them.
Above and Below:: Metal Casting studio workbenches of student artists and the instructor
Above and Below::Studio workspace of Bookmaking student artists
Above and Below::Studio work spaces of Letterpress student artists
Above and Below:: Studio work spaces of Encaustic student artists and instructor
As I wandered from studio to studio observing and speaking with artists about how they work and taking photographs I found that most of the time people tried to tidy up when I asked if I could photograph them and or their spaces. “No” I said, I want to capture you the way you really work. I really appreciate the willingness of all these artist to allow me to share their working spaces with you here.
Above:: studio workspace of fellow surface design artist Kathleen Bennett Bastis
Call to action::If you are an artist and feel you are particularly organized or dis-organized and want to share your working practices and space I’d love you to comment here or email me.
Above:: studio work space of my instructor Jason Pollen;>)