Ask an Artist: Studio Space
Season 6, Episode 10: Studio Space
In this episode, Peter and Tom, discuss the different studio and creative spaces they have worked in during their careers. They talk about the different forms that creative spaces may take, important factors to consider when choosing a space and some practical advice in terms of storage, health & safety and financial considerations.
In the first half, Tom and Peter talk in depth about their own, current studios. They talk about some logistical elements and considerations such as location, size, layout, utilities and facilities. They also discuss the dynamics of working from home vs having a space away from the home and sharing a space vs having your own studio; not just physical and financial factors, but also their personal experiences of the affect on their mindset and mentality.
Both of them stress the importance of taking some time to think about how best you work, and therefore setting your studio up according to your unique needs.
Things to consider:
Do you work best with other people or alone?
Do you need a space to do admin? Will you need wifi? A telephone line?
Is the space big / light / warm / ventilated enough?
Does it matter if the floor or walls get messy? How will you protect walls and floors if needed?
Where and how will you store materials safely? Accessibly?
Where will you store finished work? Archived work?
Do you need a space for framing / packing / preparing / teaching? Is there space to have separate areas or zones? If not, how will you easily transition between uses?
Will you be inviting the public or customers into your space? If so, how will you display work?
In the second part, Peter and Tom discuss some more specific considerations such as budgeting, finance, rent costs and what some of the additional costs might be; business rates, utility bills, installing utilities, insurance, security, tools, equipment and furniture. If you are making the leap to rent a separate space away from home, do you have a plan; how long can you afford to do this? When will you review whether it is “working”? What is your contingency plan?
Following this, they discuss their own, quite different, studio routines and practices, as well as storage solutions and health and safety considerations. And they finish the episode with some blue-sky discussion about their perfect, dream studios.
This week’s takeaway… our studio space is our creative, safe space which we make our own; an extension of our personality and style as an Artist. If we pay attention to that and build it well, a wonderful synergy and relationship can develop between the work and the space, which leads to improvement and growth in both areas.
This Podcast is sponsored by Rosemary & Co Brushes, Jackson’s Art Supplies and Search Press publishers.
For more information please visit Rosemary & Co Brushes: www.rosemaryandco.com
Jackson’s Art supplies: www.jacksonsart.com
Search Press publishers: www.searchpress.com
