BEFORE & AFTER: STUDIO

BEFORE:
February 2011
First view of 3rd floor, future studio space

    The 3rd floor of this Hawthorne house was logically the best space for our bonus rooms (studio spaces and guest room).  Personally I was eager to have my art studio under the same roof as my living space but it was going to require some creative effort to turn this rather dark space into a functional and cheerful spot.  When we purchased the house in March 2011 I knew I would be giving up 50% of the studio space I enjoyed on Warren Road.  Ouch!  I designed and had constructed the studio on Warren Road....windows on the east and west and 4 skylights for northern and southern light. How could I make this space my new home?  (See progress Here and also Here)

    It took a while to accomodate all that I moved from my original location (thank goodness for small closets in the eaves on 2 sides for storage).  The studio here on Hawthorne Avenue, while not as large, is equally functional and comfortable.

This little sink we found in the backyard and had resurfaced.

                                                                                   

An old CD cupboard ......

                                                                       

gets dismantled and....

                                                                             

...becomes 2 storage units for this....

.....and that.

 

A fabric and sewing area

Painting and reference area

A little bit of collaging taking place

One never knows when she might need popsicle sticks, corks, dominoes, dowels or seashells!

My childhood refrigerator is now a stereo center.

Miss Magnolia has already christened the studio with a painting project for her birthday back in February.

A cluttered but creative space

An old science lab table becomes a mobile work table, backed by my 'wall of screams'.

AFTER:
April 2014 -
A comfortable, user friendly, creative space on the third floor here on Hawthorne Ave.

MY STUDIO TAKES SHAPE

I'm moving a few things into my new studio.

I'm eager to use my brushes again.  Learning to paint with oils has been on the back burner long enough.

Beneath the 1/2 round might be a nice nap spot on a sunny day.

The move is not complete but soon.....

ACCLIMATING

    I have a  goal to move at least 1 small piece of furniture into the house each time I go to Hawthorne Ave., be it for a few minutes or several hours.  Since it has to be a piece I can lift and carry alone, the items have been limited to petite shelves and chairs.  Yesterday it was my easel and stool.
 

My easel is acclimating

 I believe the new surroundings suit it!

*Veteran Art Campers and Craft Campers please note the presence of a SINK.  No more running up and down stairs to get bottles of fresh water for projects and no more stinky dirty water jugs.  Small pleasures!

FLOOR FINISHING BEGINS

     The floor finishers have begun sanding on the 3rd floor where the floors have been painted.

Art studio  in 2011

Art studio 7/26/12

Guest bedroom in 2011

Guest bedroom 7/26/12

And this is just the first day of sanding.  Much more beauty to be revealed in the near future.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH !

    Up to my elbows once again in turpentine and linseed oil, prepping interior doors to return to their rightful places, I received a text from my cabinet maker.  It was this photo ...

AAAAHHHHHH !  I love it.

Roy made this window to fill the longstanding void on the front of the house.   I have to say again how thrilled I am to be working with Hoffert Furniture and Cabinetry.

March 2011,  Closing day on Hawthorne Avenue

July 2012,  New window is fitted into place in my studio

SERENITY

    The intent when creating and outfitting my studio, be it here on Warren Road or over on Hawthorne Avenue, has been to establish a space which evokes both creativity and serenity for me.

Warren Road studio

Organized chaos at Warren Road .... Aunt Carlie's Craft Camp in session

   My studio is an ever changing space as new projects begin and end and, on occasion, go on and on as has my infamous unfinished painting "Road Trip".

Recycled porch ceiling as bench front

  As my studio here on Hawthorne takes shape,  my thoughts have been 'bring in the light', 'retain the character and charm of this old house', 'maximize work space and storage', and 'keep it comfortable and creative'.
                                                                   

A glimpse through a skylite 

Two weeks ago I took a trip to a local gallery with my studio's side-lights.  I worked to clean them up back in January and decided I wanted to replace the broken and missing glass with colored glass.

Three original panes of hammered glass remain

What Beth and Jeanie at Laurel Gallery helped me come up with is perfect.....for me.

Once this is all painted and installed,  a sunny afternoon in my studio will surely put a smile on my face as light moves through the colored glass.

A BENCH IN PROGRESS

The framing for the bench seat covering the duct work in my studio

Seat as seen from the doorway

The front of the bench has 3 compartments for storage

Essential tools

A crude jig to create uniform lengths of bead board

Each board  is cut into 17 1/4 inch lengths  to face the bench

Painted bead board, salvaged from the side porch ceiling

Leveling the first board 

Two wires come out the front for electrical sockets

I'm lovin' the look of the authentically aged boards

SATURDAY

     Tomorrow is Saturday.  One of my favorite days of the week.  Of course 10 out of 10 people would probably say the same thing but not for the same reason.

    Tomorrow I GET to work on my old house.  Now mind you...this is not tongue-in-cheek or the kind of GET to Tom Sawyer would use when he was white washing the fence or that my mother used to use when I was a little girl and she would say, "Carlie I'm going to LET YOU dust today."  I am really excited about tomorrow because I GET to use my new tools and the new skills and tool tricks I have picked up these last 2 days.

    As a sneak preview...here is a beadboard trimmed out skylite in my new studio space.  It is quite good, if I do say so myself!

A ROOM FILLED WITH MEMORIES AND LOVE

One of my favorite features of my house on Warren Road where I live now is my studio.

     

 I designed it, had it built, 

painted it, decorated it,

 furnished it,

 and stocked it with art tools and supplies. 

 It is a place that is 100% me.

   I've sewn, soldered, and sung there.  I have decoupaged, danced and drilled there.  I have painted and printed, felted and carved, and even knitted and napped there.

   Over the past 7 years, I have enjoyed this space both alone and with numerous very special artists.

    For me, my studio is a place which causes a noticeable drop in my stress level simply by crossing its threshold.  Perhaps it is the lingering scent of fresh paint.  Maybe it is the peaceful feeling of being surrounded by calming colors and sentimental objects.   Perhaps it is the mere anticipation of allowing my creativity to flow.  Whatever my Warren Road studio has, I am attempting to transform this 3rd floor attic space on Hawthorne Avenue into my future haven of inspiration and imagination.

    Stay posted for more recent studio transformations, and, when the transformation is finished, all my favorite artists are invited to join me there to create fabulous works and to fill it with unforgettable memories!