When we moved to Santa Cruz in June much of our belongings had been stored in the garage.
In the back yard however, was a small children's play shed that the previous owners said they'd found on the property. It was now full of boxes and toys but the first thing I did was claim it as my little studio. It's far enough from the house that I can pretend I'm in my own world and as our yard butts against a small creek (on the other side of the fence) I can hear if not see the babbling of running water.
It's a small space barely 5'X 10' and the overall volume is very small so printing can be problematic when the humidity is too low but its fine for carving and thinking and most of my woodblock prints have been created in it.
Today, now that the class project is over, I spent the day cleaning out the studio. That meant clearing off the table, throwing away lots of trash. Putting aside newsprint than can probably be reused for dampening paper and hanging lots of 2" to 4" wide strips of Washi, Japanese handmade papers that I cut off my paper sheets when I cut them to size. I'll use some for hinges and the others to decorate the edges of boxes or folders for my prints.
Tomorrow, I go back to work on a new print. I'm carving the end piece of a plank of cherry and I'm happy to be getting back to work. I'll take some photos of the inside of the shed too.
Charming little red studio, I think I'm a bit green with envy :~)
ReplyDeleteThanks. The whole yard is actually pretty charming even if it was before we moved in.
ReplyDeleteThe little studio is wedged between the back of the garage and the lot line in the back.
The bamboo behind is beautiful and makes a wonderful rustling noise against the metal roof. I added a new roof over the summer. The shed has termites but it now stays dry and as I carve blocks from inside the little insects are slowly consuming the building!
I'll take some pictures today of the inside to illustrate the work space.
(The best idea is nailing an old leather belt to the doorjamb that I use as a strop.)