Friday, April 26, 2013

Then and now: the studio one year later

Last April, I published a post about the new, spacious studio I had moved into at Brazee Street Studios in Oakley. At that point, I'd been at Brazee for a year in a smallish studio on the second floor. I loved it and enjoyed the company of the other artists on the floor. But when a bigger studio on the first floor opened, I jumped at the chance to move.

The photos from then show an organized, neat space. Well, as the saying goes: what a difference a year makes. Here's a look at it now ...
Looking toward the back. 
Another view of front "counter" and card racks.   
A chandelier-like ornament hanger appropriated for the "Fit to be Tied" collages tags.
Small gallery of food-themed collages to the left of the doors. The pedestal holds
a guest book for visitors to sign up for my snail mail and/or e-mail lists.
Another view toward the back, showing a card rack waiting to be restocked - which happened
 earlier in the month, before the first Open Studio of the year. In front of it: "Stuff I Can't Bear to Cut Up"
print rack, with 1932-33 Fortune magazine covers that are so beautiful they should be framed and
hung as - not used in collages. I had them matted to fit ready-made frames.

The "lounge" area, one of my favorite spots. It's nice to have a space to sit and talk
 to friends/visitors/clients. A few months after moving, I found narrow, real wood bookcases 
at IKEA that fit the niche perfectly. The view is toward the front of the studio, an open space
 that is the "gallery." 
View from my work tables looking toward the front of the studio. Part of the growing stash
is on the right. I added one more of the large, wire shelving units after the move.


Tools - within a hand's reach on a work table.

A wire, rolling bin - from The Container Store - was added for larger, rolled paper. 
On my wish list: a flat file, which is where larger paper should be stored
so that, yes, it remains flat.

An extra card rack holds larger mats that I use as "framing" devices when making a collage. 
Rolled maps on the wood drawing table. The small cart on the left holds
 prints waiting to be matted for the "Stuff I Can't Bear to Cut Up" bin, 
as well as cleaning supplies (in the black box).  
Framed collages waiting to be delivered to Cincinnati's 1305 Gallery. The show 
ended Sunday, and a number of these are back in the studio. 
Hope to have them hung - not sitting on the floor - within a few days.