A Clean Studio

After an entire week, my summer studio is now open for the rest of the year. And, it is CLEAN.

You know how things happen sometimes. You think of doing something ambitious and before you realize it, there you go tearing apart the entire space. That is what I did last week. I started a major cleaning of this space about a week ago. I decided that it needed a good cleaning out, a purging. I had stuff accumulated there from as far back as grad school, which was completed in 1991.

Day after day I tore things apart. I started at one end of the studio and methodically went through every cabinet and drawer taking out the things that I no longer use or will ever use again. I think that over the week I carried out about 10 large bags of unwanted things. Some were taken to the Salvation Army, some to the dumpster, and some art supplies donated to my art room at the college to be used by students next year. A few things were put on Ebay. I had two wonderful French Sketch Box Easels - one never used. And, I had some killer Wood Carving Tools that I used for making my large Wood Cut prints. I don't paint outdoors any longer, and I don't make woodcut prints. I have changed over the years. Now, I prefer to work in fibers and do bead work. I have returned to my first love - quietly working with my hands on things that are small and precious. My work has matured and so have I.

My first project, in my cleaned up studio, will be to make many crystal bracelets. The proceeds from the sale of the bracelets will be donated to the Race for the Cure. I am a breast cancer survivor. This is my small way of giving back. I call it "Crystals for the Cure." I plan to be selling them at all my art festivals this year.
When I left the studio this evening it felt so good to look back and see it all organized and clean. I am anxious to begin my work now.