A Place to Art

Life moves fast and can be gobbled up by daily tasks and wishful thinking. Isn't it about time we changed that? So, fellow scribblers, paint daubers, and mark makers grab your favourite art tools and let us create the space for you to Art right now. If you are anything like me, making Art isn't just a pastime; it's a place where you can be you.

• It is self-care

• It is expression

• It is that deep breath

Ideally, we would have a shed at the bottom of the garden or that loft space where we can leave everything out and just resume our wild creations whenever we step into that space. And yes, that's the target for many of us, and what do we do in the meantime...?

How do we create that studio within our small flat or our busy family home?

1. Get organized!

2. Putting things on the walls

3. Make the time and the Space

4. Be kind to you

5. Buy the Best You Can Without Breaking the Bank

6. Join an Art Group

I have had the big studio space, and I'm not gonna lie, it was amazing!! However, at the moment, we have just bought our own home to renovate and love, and more utilitarian priorities have been more pressing, like heat! So, my studio at the bottom of the garden or in the loft is on hold for the time being. Which means I have had to improvise to stay motivated.

1. Getting organized to me means folders, drawers, and being realistic. I have file folders filled with projects and allocated drawers to organize my work and supplies, and that's it. The realism comes with knowing that in this space, big canvas' and slinging paint is only an option if I'm willing to work outside or in the manky shed that looks as if it is sliding glacially down our sloping garden. All to say that, this means I have to work small.

2. The next thing I do, which I've been using as a motivational tool since art school, is putting something on the wall. Yup, I put half-finished or blank pieces of work on the wall. Seeing it daily, it begins to talk to me or niggles at me to finish or start it.

3. The quality of your art supplies can make an incredible difference to your desire to make Art. They don't have to be the most expensive either. It's what you like to work with. I remember investing in some top-of-the-line watercolour pencils in beautiful padded boxes. Yet, they didn't match the middle-of-the-road watercolour pencils I had used for years. Sometimes, we need a little help. We may need a space away from the hustle and bustle of our home, the camaraderie of others, or perhaps a bit of tuition to get us out of a rut.

Now you've got your space, let yourself play and create. Be kind to yourself. Schedule that art time with you just like any appointment with anyone else. And don't give up on that big studio space; it's within your grasp; keep making. It may appear in the most magical, miraculous, and totally expected way. Be kind to yourself. Schedule that art time with you just like any appointment with anyone else.

In the meantime, Happy Art Making.