The STUDIO

“A little hut, curtains drawn so I don't see the squirrels up in the apple trees in the orchard. The light on, right away from the house, no vacuum cleaners, nothing.”
-Roald Dahl

There's something undeniably captivating about an artist’s studio - almost as much as the work created there. I haven’t talked about studios much on the blog so I thought it’d be fun to dive in since I’m in the middle of setting my own new space up! Today, we’re digging in to inspiring workspaces (including an interview with one of my favorite artists about her space!!) and the before and after(ish) of my new workspace.

photo from Fremantle Arts Center

While living in Japan, I noticed a new appreciation for studios. Many of the larger exhibitions had recreations of the artist's workspaces as part of the show. In Tokyo, I saw Shaun Tan's exhibition, The World of Shaun Tan: Welcome to Nowhere.
There, they had his workspace brought to life! (I couldn't take photos but here's a video of him working in his real studio!)

The museum hosting his show was the Chihiro Iwasaki Museum - dedicated to the life and work of Chihiro Iwasaki - and they had her lovely atelier recreated as well.

Chihiro Iwasaki in her studio

Where an exhibition did not have studios recreated, there were always cases filled with the artist's tools, toys, and objects from their life. One example was from Tove Jansson's exhibition I saw in Osaka, The Art and The Story. Here, you can see the photo of the artist in her studio and in the cases, some of her tools. (Read the whole article about the exhibition here by Benjamin Clark.) OMG this show was inspiring and so is her workspace. (Her space had a little attic passage where her and her love Tuulikki could connect for dinner. I die.)

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My working environment has always been important to me. While I could technically work anywhere, I also really value having my own dedicated space. I suppose the same is true for many of the artists I found while doing research. Here’s some other gems you might love…

Cutest little work desk from Helen Stephens

Felecia Forte's dreamy shared studio building in San Francisco

The Pottery Studio of Bernard Leach

Renovated Barn/Artist Studio from Cafiero Select

A peek into an art place from Jillian Tamaki

LOVE seeing peeks of Vanessa Brantley Newton’s studio. Bonus - this one is a book reading!

All of these preserved art studios you can visit!

Obviously Oliver Jeffers's dream world of a studio...*sigh*
OR we could visit his studio in Belfast and cry our eyes out it looks so gorgeous

Beatrice Alemagna's Magical Space

and Yoshitomo Nara’s work based on his studio, if that’s not an indicator of the magic of it all…

While we’re on the subject of inspiring spaces, I thought it’d be super fun to dive deep into another artist’s studio and immediately, Sarah Walsh came to mind. I’ve been a huge fan of her work for years - not only is she consistent in making work for her clients and herself, she has a wildly enticing use of patterns and shapes. Lines and mark making show up, but in a specific way - purposefully there. She is so bold in her color choices too, which I love, and it just seems like every piece has heart in it, whether she’s creating work about social issues, her own personal story, or commercial illustrations. AND her studio is DREAMY. She has a shared space in Kansas City and I love every peek of the place I see on IG so I asked her to share…

- Can you tell us about your workspace?

 It is in the Historic River market area in Kansas City. Basically if you kept going past our studio building you’d end up in the Missouri River. It’s cold, windy and very industrial but we love it. I share the sunny space with Tammy Smith, a ceramic artist, Rachel Allen, a designer and watercolor painter, and Tina Niedlein, a writer. Between us there are 5 dogs coming in and out of the studio at all times! For the most part they’re never there at the same time aside from my dog Lucy and Tammy’s dog Bubba. They’re bff’s. Then there’s Tina’s dogs, Jimmy and Junie and Rachel’s dog Jasper. And that’s just in our studio. There a ton of other talented folks in the building as well. A print maker, a photographer, another illustrator, a stage prop designer and an interior designer. An incredible furniture designer named Matt Castilleja leases the whole building and runs his business on the first floor. He’s our “landlord” but has become our good friend. He’s a gem and makes the most stunning heirloom furniture for people all over the country.

Right down the street there’s a variety of foods to eat and drink, great people watching, different languages to be heard, an amazing antique mall and even a great gift shop that sells some of the products I make with Blue Q. They also have plants, crystals and incense!

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- What is your favorite thing in or about your studio?

That I share it with three really great and talented humans. We all encourage each other and keep each other motivated. I know the set up is rare and I’m extremely grateful for it. I also love how much sun it gets! My plant addiction is on another level!

- If money and space were no object, what would your dream workspace look like?

This is a corny and humble braggy answer but I feel like I have my dream workspace. I really try hard not to take it for granted. But like anything in life, you get used to things after a while and I try to remind myself to stop and look around sometimes. Soak it in…because nothing lasts forever. I want to enjoy this magic while I have it!

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( I LOVE this painting I saw of her’s - that bat!!) " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635772720113-3R1B1K4T6SHW54KTFPJ6/FullSizeRender.jpeg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize [image error]
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(I’m envious of her plant skills!)" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635772836663-OY5NOR0OZCFLWDDXC6SL/PLantlounge.jpeg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize [image error]
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HUGE thank you to Sarah for taking the time to share her space and work with us. Feels like a true gift - we got to see other artist’s spaces too AND all the dogs. I’m so envious of a space with so many paws in it. And, I truly love what she said about her current studio being a dream. I don’t think that’s braggy, I think that’s appreciation. You can find more of Sarah’s work HERE!

I've worked in many different locations: a college cubicle space, an old warehouse with broken windows and no heat above an antique store, a fine art studio called The Lodge, in the half bedroom in our Denver apartment, a shared office in an a converted laundromat, a short stint at the old Fort Houston co-working space in Nashville where I rented a table in the wood shop and my work was covered in dust…and then I opened the Warren with Kayla Stark in the Shoppes on Fatherland. That coworking space held anywhere from 5-10 artists and was a dream. After that, I worked in the corner of my dining room/living room in Osaka where I made a standing desk out of a coffee table. Coming back to MI, I had a temporary studio in the dining room/living room/kitchen in our apartment before finally setting up my dedicated studio in our new home. I feel spoiled setting up a space that is all mine!

My new studio is the back bedroom upstairs in our new (old) house. The house was built in the 1800’s but the room is much newer, feels like it’s from the 70s? When we moved in, the bedroom was yellow and brown. You can click thru the gallery below - each image has captions if you want more info!

This is a little extra bedroom that was built onto the back of the house. I felt like a kid at summer camp walking in here (tho let’s be real, I only went to church and cheerleading camp so what do I know?) " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596457643-PAORXVVG7BRZASZ9U0P4/Snapseed+3.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
There’s a room at the back FULL of cabinet space. The little blue shelf on the wall is actually an opening too - it opens from the other side. The back room is the color of the shelf, an old slate blue.. which is the color I matched to paint the whole room! It’s also the color of……" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596457868-DAI1DK28N9Q9SXY91S70/Snapseed+4.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
There is not actually a lighthouse here (though you might find one in my studio if you look hard enough). My mom coined the term and I love it. They are back stairs leading to my workspace for who knows what reason but aren’t they a dream?" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635598500578-BZJABXEN0QO8QUG8LIYZ/IMG_4849.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
I tested pink bc I thought it’d be warm but it was TOO PINK. The slate color of the stairs, the backroom and the shelving - it just sang to me. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596471822-DCTQ1NZHBECD13LFBFQR/IMG_4899.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
UM I have lighthouse stairs AND Half Sea Fog color…are you sensing a theme? Almost feels like I don’t live into the middle of acres of farmland. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635598428820-EUUPK7MXFYVFYMM92PJZ/IMG_4934.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
I wasn’t sure if I should keep the campy look of the trim…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596459011-UFBW5KPSKF3HDTB616KU/IMG_4900.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize [image error]
Decided to keep the window and doors but paint all the other trim. I primed the walls with two layers of kilz bc I thought for a second I would do limewash but it was too weird on paneling. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635598428753-LEYWXVA9XLL53E9I0ICF/IMG_4933.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
I matched the paint pretty well huh?! Even I was kinda shocked. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635598429559-U4HQPXVOXGU134AS4KR4/IMG_4935.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
Piles of STUFF. Lots of this has been packed away for years while we lived in Japan so it felt extra special to dig it out. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596464619-AORIW2NNT6SZTKJ0HSZP/2021-10-06+11.27.50.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize [image error]
Alas, in her new home. I knew she’d be going by the window. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596464382-CYUX28KJU8CJJVVIHL3O/2021-09-28+19.06.04.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
This is the shelving in the back - just to give you a peek. I’ve filled it with packing stuff for my shop but I do want to paint it on the insides sometime…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635596469907-BNLO8HAH8A8BK5QDQ1GA/2021-10-06+12.32.41.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
This writing desk was left in the house!! It’s nice to have somewhere to sit to write and do computer stuff. Makes me feel like an author…
Here you can see the room is starting to feel like an actual workspace." data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635597093264-V07XF89MXSRNEN2XWMC8/2021-10-11%2B12.46.02.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize

AND…. Here it is…after! I’ve got a lot of work I still want to do but for now, it feels like a cozy place to work. ALSO you can obviously tell I’m not an interior designer - my before pics were garbage - forcing me to take an equally garbage after shot!

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My own sweet little cozy spot in the world. Feeling 1000% lucky. Below, you can see more details…

Overlooking trees and bean fields. SO peaceful!" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776554007-VT2K5Y5K6UT5DFYE3B8L/IMG_5001.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
Paints, Colored Pencils, and a blip of a huge inspiration cork board I’m still filling up…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776554650-2QFSOOQ8480UEFPGBC81/IMG_5006.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
Estate sale finds, gifts, and wood. I love old wooden anythings. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776555957-3V5HSCMGQ1JM83VV400F/IMG_5008.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
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When I sit here, all I can see out the window is the sky and the tops of trees. I’ve been sitting there in the morning working on new books…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776562591-A9YFLXFU8G9IG624Y700/IMG_5016.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
From Isabelle Arsenault, one of my faves. Seems fitting with my sea fog blue and my. lighthouse stairs…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776566572-SBMB13VQ4SBLKC7PR6W5/IMG_5018.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
Two little sculptures from Japan to remember our babies when we were there. We lost our little June two weeks before our return so it’s nice to have her in the studio with me. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776566474-MNI3DDNN7TKAK4P8KC2I/IMG_5019.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
My dream is to spill out into the next landing room for shipping/wrapping/packing so that’s the next adventure. Right now, all this stuff is sort of haphazardly here.." data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776572253-QIZMZGGPL18CRCXCSTXV/IMG_5022.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize [image error]
Or the beginning of one…" data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776572323-TGV43YWFZ4BC8JT5IX8U/IMG_5023.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
Work from Julia Bereciartu and Hisanori Yoshida, and notes for myself. " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635776575846-828WD1EUXR5XAVUCS0JE/IMG_5027.jpg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
From my friend Chihiro Takeuchi! " data-lightbox-theme="light" href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/507477a584ae87aa2d96202b/1635777420218-KB5A23JND4GKC4YEX1N8/JPEG+image-2A2EBEDFED7E-1.jpeg" role="button" class=" image-slide-anchor js-gallery-lightbox-opener content-fill " > View fullsize
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I’ll keep you posted as the space develops. I have plans for building a shop/shipping area, as well as tearing out the ceiling and outdated wall units but as I’m learning with all this house stuff…one project at a time, or at least one day at a time.

AND I’ve got a little bit more for you if you really can’t get enough studio talk. I’m sharing an in depth walk thru of my studio today on The Dessert Club Patreon! I’ll be sharing the three most important things in my studio and we’ll dig a little deeper into the space, we’ll open some drawers and cabinets and who knows what else!

Thank you so much for reading, as always. Means so much to connect with you every month through these bulletins. I’m curious - what is your current studio situation? Let me know in the comments - are you working from the dining room table? From your dream studio? An extra room in your house? An old warehouse? Please share!

Hope your November starts off like magic and that you’re walking into this month feeling cozy, content, and at ease. This is truly my favorite time of year so I’m soaking up every orange leaf and bit of blue sky before the quiet and wondrous winter arrives.

Take care friends!
xo, Becca