My Big Inspiration Wall

March 9, 2015 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, Home, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Organizing Projects, Systems & Techniques

I am blessed with a spectacular studio that overlooks the marsh with windows on 3 sides…lots of natural light, palm trees, Spanish moss and resurrection ferns dripping and hanging from live oak branches.

I’m not short on inspiration but what I am short on is wall space (because of said windows). This has been a challenge for me since we moved in and the one wall I do have is brick which is difficult to attach anything to. After researching several options, I finally made a request of my handy husband to help me solve this challenge.

Design wall’s that quilters use involve a lot of fleece and I’m not a quilter (although I dabble in quilting techniques) so I felt the expense and effort of all that were un-necessary. I also considered cork, again, a resource I didn’t want to waste especially since I planned to paint the wall to blend in…Finally I settled on inexpensive Fiberboard after realizing this is what is used in many schools (my studio at SCAD included) and it would be just the thing to help me go vertical…Here my handyman Mr. B puts the finishing touches on the painted fiberboard before handing it over for me to “play” with.

This piece of fiber board is 4′ x 6′ (cut down from 4′ x 8′) and was only $9. It sucks up paint like crazy so you might want to use a primer-sealer (like Kilz) so you don’t have to apply a million coats). We attached it to the wall with Washers (painted) and screws (into the morter-this brick was so hard it destroyed 2 of my husbands masonry bits).

What a delight it is to have a space to hang both design pieces I’m working on and inspiration for future work! Above and below are details of what’s now currently hanging on my wall. I’ve got quilt blocks I’m kind of stuck on (not knowing what to use them for or if I need to make more), indigo shibori, yarns, mixed media, photography and other bits of inspiration and work in various stages of finished/unfinished.

I’m by no means a minimalist but I don’t love it when my space is too visually cluttered. With this new wall hung I can corrall all sorts of things that have been floating around my studio into one space to feed my inspiration and allow me to step back and see the pieces that I’m stuck on from a different perspective. Do you have the luxury of a inspiration or design wall in your art or office space?

Wednesday Wellness::The Great Purge Urge

December 17, 2014 by Heather Filed Under: Organize, Photography, Systems & Techniques, Wellness & Mindset

For the past month, maybe 6 weeks even, I’ve had this very strong desire to purge things. I’ve come to recognize this “Great Purge Urge” and I seize the opportunity when it strikes!

When I’m in this Mindset, I know I will act with certainty in decision making and get a lot more accomplished in a short amount of time then if I just pick away at the process little by little.

Sometimes this urge just comes out of the blue, maybe it’s an astrological event or some other outside influence I’m unaware of but I don’t generally care why it’s happening.

What I know from experience is that getting started, making quick choices and continuing eagerly creates momentum.

This type of action and the momentum generated can be LIFE CHANGING! It’s for this exact reason that I work the way I do, in 3 hr (or longer) time slots and with appointments scheduled frequently (multiple days in a week or month).

Things get DONE, progress happens quickly, SPACE EMERGES where there was none.

I know I’ve got the bug, do you? If it strikes and you would like some help, get in touch and let’s schedule some time so I can help you to get started!

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A Wellness Practice of Creating Space Within

October 22, 2014 by Heather Filed Under: Home, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Wellness & Mindset

To be driven by our appetites alone is slavery, while to obey a law that we have imposed on ourselves is freedom.– Jean-Jacques Rosseau

Last week I began a simple practice of fasting for one day of the week inspired by a conversation I had with a girlfriend I was visiting in Maine-who is an amazing cook and we had the best time cooking together! I’ve read several opinions on this subject and decided I’m simply doing this because it feels right and good for my body.

We are often a slave to our appetites so fasting one day a week is about creating a Practice to allow space for me to fill my life with other meaningful things.

Since I was away on vacation in Maine for the early part of October I did as many of you might, I over-indulged in wonderful foods, a bit too much alcohol and although I loved every nourishing, delicious bite and sip on my return flight last Tuesday night I felt full. I don’t just mean the normal fullness of a meal but so full of all the experiences, interactions, stimulus and indulgences that I wanted a day of emptiness to process everything. So I began my one day fast last week and this week it continues. I may cheat and have an apple, or some tea or coffee and it’s not about a strict detox for health purposes (that’s another subject and you can read about it here).

For me this one day a week fast is more about not being a slave to my appetite. Allowing space within so that I can process everything and digest it in a slower, more mindful manner.

One of our Feasts in Maine-Softshell Lobster, Raw oysters, fresh green beans, delicious garlic bread and a bit of southern indulgence-Squash Casserole

Do you fast or have a practice of internal-physical clearing? If so what space have you discovered or created both internally and externally?

Maybe you have noticed that I recently changed my tag line to “Cultivating Creative Space”, this is because I believe we all need to practice the art of cultivating space in our lives. This can be done in so many ways and over the course of the next year or so I plan to explore this more in depth, in my own life, with my clients and in the content I share with you here (and newsletters soon to come!).

In the Studio with Dee Clements Of Herron Clothier

July 24, 2014 by Heather Filed Under: Art, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques

Welcome back to another sneak peek into a Fab Fiber Artist studio, Dee Clements of Herron Clothier. I’m so thrilled to be sharing her work with ya’ll because I’m very proud of Dee! She and I met (as roomies) back at Penland in 2011 when she was there for a weaving workshop and I was there for a textile exploration class with Jason Pollen. Dee and I have stayed in touch via the interwebs…mainly facebook and now instagram. Why am I so proud of Dee? Well, she’s a super sweet, hard working and talented weaver and since we met she has mastered the art of moving (to Maine, back to Chicago and a bit of a pit stop elsewhere if I recall) and more important her own art of weaving! Dee’s textiles have been picked up by several national brands and you can learn more about that over on her blog and her work has outgrown her small studio space. I am truly grateful she’s invited us in to see and learn more about her organizing triumphs and challenges, especially as she’s about to move studio again! If we are lucky maybe we will get invited back into her new space but for now I’m happy to share her un-staged, real working weaving studio!

HKPS::What age did you suspect or know you were an artist?

DC::When I was a kid, I was always drawing or making up some craft project for myself. I was a bit of a latchkey kid so I learned how to keep myself entertained and I could sit for hours with an art project or just drawing pictures with crayons and be perfectly content. I am still like that and I still love crayons! I have some things in a box from my elementary school days and there is this packet from my first grade class that we had to fill in answers to. One of the questions was what do you want to be when you grow up? And I wrote in my first grader check scrawl, an artist or a veterinarian.

HKPS::What mediums do you work with?
DC::I’m a weaver. I like to use natural fibers, nothing that is chemically processed. All of the fibers I use in my woven work are from small US farms.

HKPS:: Where do you make your art, how big is your studio and how long have you been in this space?
DC::I have a space behind my home that I use for my studio. I have three large floor looms an industrial sewing machine, an overlock machine and a cutting table along with shelves of yarn. I am beginning to outgrow my space, as my business grows, I am at the point that I am looking to move to a commercial studio space. This is both very exciting and a little scary.

HKPS::When you began working in this space did you plan any systems for the overall set up or did you let things evolve organically? How did past studio spaces or systems influence this space?

DC::I have a general idea usually of how I like to set up my studio. I need to have all things set up so I can just move from sewing machine to loom to table easily and organically.

HKPS:: Do you consider yourself to be an organized person?
DC::Yes and no. Organization is a thing I am constantly working on and trying to improve. I am not organized by nature but I strive hard to be. I have systems in place that work for me. I have learned how to use spread sheets and folders, that is helping me a lot. I organize my yarns by fiber and color and size so that I am not searching for something when I need it quick. It’s still a work in progress though, my organizational skills.
HKPS::Have you ever worked with another artist or gallery? If so did you learn any systems for organizing?
DC::Yes, I have worked with lots of artists and galleries. Organization is not really the first thing that comes to mind when working with them though.
HKPS::How or where else have you learn your organizing habits and systems ?
DC::It’s nice to visit other people’s studios and see their systems, especially ones that work well. I have also learned really good tools for organization from past employment.
HKPS::What types of schedules, systems, tools or processes do you use to help maintain organization in your studio? Would you like to share any tips?
DC::Hmmm, systems. Well I use a lot of file folders and shelves. Shelves for finished products, shelves for yarn and file folders for invoices, paid invoices and my reciepts and expenses. I keep good records in a n excel spreadsheet for my business stuff and I like to use old coffee cans to hold my tools. Organization is something I am constantly working on and teaching myself. I am messy by nature. As my studio grows and expands, it will be important to keep things labeled and make sure everything has a place that it lives. My studio is an organization work-in-progress.

HKPS::What kinds of materials/tools do you find challenging to keep organized or locate when you need to use them?
DC::When I start working I use things and put them down where ever I am, I am a messy worker in my studio. I usually get into a flow so I lose things all the time when I am working. Mainly small tools like bobbins or my snips or my pen. I keep detailed notes while I weave and I am always losing my pen!
HKPS::How many projects are you usually working on at once? Is this due to space constraints, creative process, organizing systems or other influences?
DC::Anywhere between 3-9 projects. I have projects booked through next Spring and it is a matter of prioritizing by deadline. I am moving into a new commercial studio at the end of the summer that is 700sq ft as opposed to my tiny 200 sq ft right now. I am really looking forward to spreading out a little and feeling the delight of having actual space to move around in. right now, I have a lot of shelving and things in jars and folders to try and keep organized. But I am definitely busting at the seams.

HKPS::How often do you purge, clean or de-clutter your supply stash and space due to space or other constraints?
DC::After every project I complete I usually do a big clean up. I like to freshen the space for the next project. I try to use everything because I hate waste. That said, it has to be necessary to be in my studio and it has to be utterly useless for me to get rid of it.

HKPS::Please describe how creative cycles of organization or dis-organization affect your creative process? Are there certain phases of projects that are more or less organized?
DC::Large scale commissions are usually messier for me than my production weaving projects. For my wholesale accounts, I keep very organized. I have to for my clients. I work in a very systematic organized way when I am production weaving and making products. For my tapestry pieces, those are more art based and my process is more free. I let myself deviate from my weave plans and I like to get messy. Because those are essentially my “art” and one of a kind, the chaos of messiness with them helps me creatively.

HKPS::How much thought do you give to your artistic body of work in terms of historic value and the overall legacy you will leave behind? How do you store/archive your work or records?
DC::I give a lot of thought to this. I keep a very detailed archive of all my work and I keep detailed notes and sketchbooks of all my pieces and the processes of making them. I use high quality fibers, I work with small us fiber farms, I never use synthetic fibers. My work is heirloom quality and I am a perfectionist about that. I want my work to live on after I am gone.

My greatest wish is that through seeing how other artist work we can learn from one another. There is no ONE correct system or way of organizing. There are as many creative systems as their creative makers! My aim is to highlight these unique makers in each interview. A HUGE thank you Dee for inviting us into her studio (despite being in the preparations for moving) and sharing her small working space through her photo’s, her personal systems and how organizing affects her creative process. Please check out her work over at her website and learn more about where her work is available now and in the near future (CB2 etc…)!

* Inside the Studio was my brainchild in 2011. There are a lot of popular studio features on the web and in magazines but I’m specifically interested in showing how organizational process influences the artists studio work. These photo’s are not styled and are typical of how the artists working studio looks. I request that each artist leave their space as it would be on a daily basis (just like I ask my clients). This series is meant to highlight how artist REALLY work rather than showing STYLED shots (popular in home and organizing magazines and blogs). I’m sure just like me, you are fascinated by the “behind the scenes” sneak peek into these artists working lives!

In the Studio with Cara DiJulio

June 26, 2014 by Heather Filed Under: Art & Design, In the Studio, Inspiration & Education, Organize, Systems & Techniques, Tips & Resources

Thanks for joining me today for another artist studio Sneak Peek. This week I’m sharing the small studio space of SCAD MFA Fibers candidate, Cara DiJulio who’s space and work I saw back a few months ago at their Open Studio night. I left Cara a note and she responded and we made arrangements to meet up on my last visit to Savannah. I love sharing this sneak peek because as most students know, even if you are lucky enough to be assigned a studio space while you are in school, it’s likely very small. So this small space studio highlights efficient use of space and storage including vertical, horizontal and “layering” (storing below other pieces etc).

HKPS::What age did you suspect or know you were an artist?

CD::In the sixth grade my art teacher told me that she thought my project was at an ‘advanced level’ for a sixth grader. It was a perspective drawing of the word “STAR” with a drop shadow… (so, it was pretty cool). I thought I was on top of the world. I think that’s when it occurred to me that I should keep taking art classes.

In undergrad I originally intended to major in Apparel Merchandising, but I kept avoiding my apparel classes and was taking art classes instead. Even though I didn’t want to be an art major, by the end of my sophomore year I was accidentally on track for an MS in Studio Art. I eventually changed my major.

HKPS::What mediums do you work with?

CD::My primary focus is geometric repeat pattern, so I weave with the digital jacquard loom, I screen print, I free motion embroider, and I draw with pencil and gouache.

HKPS::Where do you make your art, how big is your studio and how long have you been in this space?

CD::I share a great studio space with four other (amazingly talented!) graduate students in Pepe Hall at Savannah College of Art and Design.

I prefer to work in the studio, working at home can be hard!

HKPS::When you began working in this space did you plan any systems for the overall set up or did you let things evolve organically? How did past studio spaces or systems influence this space?

CD::I tend to keep my organizational systems pretty much the same from place to place. I use a large ikea cabinet with pull out wire baskets for most of my supplies. Its great because I can see what is in the drawers before opening them.

I also like to keep my screen printing ink organized by color, visible on a wire baker’s rack.

HKPS::Do you consider yourself to be an organized person?

CD::I TRY, it’s hard! Every part of me prefers to work in an organized space, and I’m so much more focused in an organized space, but I’m a messy worker.

The organizational structure exists in my studio, whether things get to their homes on a regular basis is a different story!

HKPS::Have you ever worked with another artist or gallery? If so did you learn any systems for organizing?

CD::Nope!

HKPS::How or where else have you learn your organizing habits and systems ?

CD::Mostly, my mom. She is the most organized person I think I’ve ever met. Everything has a place, and is in its place, at her house.

HKPS::What types of schedules, systems, tools or processes do you use to help maintain organization in your studio? Would you like to share any tips?

CD::I love organizing things by color, it makes life a lot easier. I also have my thread organized in an old silverware organizer! It works so well, I’ve tried other systems but this seems to work the best.

I think I’m best at staying organized when I’m conscious of my space, and conscious of my studio mates (no one likes looking at a messy desk)

HKPS::What kinds of materials/tools do you find challenging to keep organized or locate when you need to use them?

CD::Refolding fabric nicely is always a challenge for me. I also misplace needles constantly.

HKPS::How many projects are you usually working on at once? Is this due to space constraints, creative process, organizing systems or other influences?

CD::Oh, this is a tough question. It really depends. I would say, 1 to 5 projects. I can get easily frustrated, so I like to jump around with projects when I’m drawing or designing on the computer.

HKPS::How often do you purge, clean or de-clutter your supply stash and space due to space or other constraints? (ex. yes monthly/few times a year or when I feel like it, because I have visitors etc)

CD::Not as often as I should! I probably purge about twice a year. Fabric is always a really tough thing to purge, it’s also a real pain to cart around.

CD::I like to have a clean space before I work. Frequently I’ll be exhausted when I leave the studio at night, and opt to clean up my space in the morning instead. I need to get in the habit of cleaning when I leave though.

HKPS::How much thought do you give to your artistic body of work in terms of historic value and the overall legacy you will leave behind? How do you store/archive your work or records?

CD::I don’t really think much about my legacy, I don’t typically concern myself too much with archival quality. The work I’m doing right now is still very exploratory, so its life cycle isn’t a major concern. I keep my old work in some plastic containers in my studio and in my home. (Maybe we will check back with you in a few years to see if you still feel this way?)

My greatest wish is that through seeing how other artist work we can learn from one another. There is no ONE correct system or way of organizing. There are as many creative systems as their creative makers! My aim is to highlight these unique makers in each interview. I was so grateful to Cara for responding and inviting me back to see her studio and ahow organizing affects her creative process. Please check out her work over at her website (which is still under construction) or on Instagram (@caradijulio) and keep your eye on her since she is an emerging artist and designer! As for this series, please check back here or better yet, sign up for my emails on the top left of any page so you don’t’ miss any of the amazing artists in the near future ‘Inside the Studio’!