Sunday, April 26, 2009

This was how the studio looked yesterday, after Marty and I carried the foam stuff upstairs to the studio. I had brought in the two sawhorses (height adjustable) on Friday but we decided yesterday that we needed a third for the middle to give it more stability. After all, we are not dealing with plywood, here. What you can't see is the complete disaster area in the back area of the space, where there are overflowing bins, piles of stuff on the other table -and to your left in the front of the picture, the table that this is replacing. I was going to fold it up and shove it someplace against a back wall but it took too much energy and anyway, one of the other artists might need to borrow it for a project that is too big for her drafting table. Around noon today (Sunday) I left for Home Depot to pick up another sawhorse and then spent the rest of the afternoon moving stuff around, filling a trash bag, and vacuuming. I covered the foam stuff (which is encased in foil) with silver ironing cloth, then a canvas drop cloth, and finally, a sheet. It is really easy to pin into and I should finally be able to print large pieces here if I want to. The spare table went in front of the big print table, at least for the nonce. Right now it has some of my works on paper and collages lying on it, till I can bring them home. And books. I might just use this as a bookshelf - I have to dig up some bookends to take with me tomorrow. By 4:00 I was toast, so I shoved all the overflowing bins under the table and collapsed into the car. Tomorrow, I will iron and sort and I plan to do it sitting down.Right now, this beautiful leather barstool (counter height) is sitting near my front door. I bought it last year at the Design Within Reach warehouse for the ridiculous price of $49, intending to take it to the studio. Well, now it is finally going. And I am going to sit on it to iron, an activity which I love but which makes my feet very tired. (no smart remarks about ironing with my feet, please). I think my mother used to sit on the red metal Cosco kitchen stool to iron, but I think it has vanished...so this lovely leather one will have to do. Hmmm...maybe I will use it at home tonight to iron the fabric that is here.

7 comments:

Norma Schlager said...

it looks like a wonderful space in which to work. I have to do messy stuff in the garage, as I did today, but that's not too often.
Your ironing stool sounds like a good idea. Tomorrow I have to iron the fabric I dyed today, but alas, no stool.

Eva said...

I tried to paint standing in front of my easle and found out how tiring this is. I have a barstool, too, and I think it is a good idea to use it. Nothing should distract us while working, and strain does. Especially when we are in a creative concentration (which ironing usually is not).

Minka said...

Are you saying the table top is made of foam?

Minka said...

Please ignore my prior question/comment which I just answered by reading your previous post. This is a clever solution to the need for a lightweight 4x8 tabletop for printing,etc. As time goes by, do report on how it "performs." Do you mind sharing how expensive the horses and foam are? What keeps the table top on the sawhorse? Gravity?
I love all the sunlight in your work space!

kathy said...

...I see your sawhorses each have a little shelf area on them...you could lay a board across that whole area between them and make a shelf to hold dyeing things on...I put tubs and buckets on mine. It's handy.

Jeanette Davis said...

Great workspace;its sense of order,spacing and functionality looks inviting. I thought about you after yesterday's blog when I happened upon an article in the NY Times Magazine about Bruce Nauman. The heading was "I'm very uncomfortable with a clean, empty studio" accompanied by a photograph of his chaotic workspace. Although I get pretty messy, I prefer starting with order BEFORE I make my messes.

Eva said...

I love the red and yellow carpet. Is it Turkish?

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