I am so happy to be able to show you some shots off my new revamped studio. You might remember that I had Leanne Ford do a consultation with me to help me redesign the furniture placement and make some tweaks to get it back to my creative space. She was brilliant! This was all done for the cost of a few lights, tin of paint and lots of elbow grease.
These tables I already had. They are sturdy, heavy and work perfectly well. So, a fresh coat of white paint and a move to a completely different area, and they seem all new and fresh. I also gave this wall (and another wall) a textured finished which I then washed in white. The metal brand sign was made locally for me for the pop up store I had in 2019/20. The linen pendant came from Ecoco. Everything else I already had.
The split system needed to stay. I don’t mind it as it’s a necessary evil here in Tasmania with our cold winters and hot summers. I did look into maybe spray painting it white, but that’s waaaaaaay down the line of things that need doing around the farm 😂 At the back wall there, are two weird little windows that sit really awkwardly with the outside wall, so Leanne just told me to paint them. I’m using them as a place to make a little inspiration board with some favourite quotes and some of my sketches.
This post here is the first thing you see when you walk into the studio. It’s structural, so couldn’t be moved. The opposite side has long been a chalkboard, but I’ve painted the whole thing so now I have a multi sided place to scribble quotes that resonate at any one time. This one I found in the current (2nd issue) of Feel Free Magazine. A new favourite of mine.
My sink was supposed to get a white paint finish too, but I just can’t bring myself to paint it. My dear Mum and Dad made this for me. Mum designed it, Dad built it, then Mum painted it. Now that they are no longer here, I just can’t change it.
I did add my new drawing I finished a few days ago to the left here. I’m pretty happy with how it looks.
You would have seen this hutch many times. Again, Mum designed it, and Dad built it. It’s come with me from our move from NSW to Tasmania in 2003, and to both homes since then. It’s a very loved piece. It’s now a place to hold some of my Marley & Lockyer stock, where I can rearrange it whenever I feel. I’ve also added another of my drawings to the left. One thing that Leanne said to me is that my artwork, in all its forms need to be the only decoration in this space. It’s actually been really lovely to have them out of my art cases.
Another piece that’s been with me for many years, is this old sideboard. I was going to get rid of it, but the storage is great…so, I painted the glass doors to kind of look like an old Art Stores advertising that you’d often see in windows back in the 1800s to the 1900s. I do have to glue the bottom piece back on though.
Next to that is my new painting area. I now never have to pack away whatever I’m working on. This means that whenever the urge to paint, or draw, arises, I can just sit down and continue. I love it!!
My throwing area is now permanently set up too. I did give my wheel a coat of white paint today. Second coat tomorrow. My slab roller also got painted white. It was the same blue all over as you see on the wheel. Much better now it’s white. I had originally meant to not have any window treatments up, but I love the cozy feel it brings. Also, in Summer the sun coming through the windows would cook you. Anyway, Kodah is happy with her spot in front of the windows. I think she feels snuggly under the roller.
The fireplace is mostly the same. Fresh coat of white paint, and now a little gallery of some of my high school drawings and a drawing of my son when he was a toddler that was in a gallery for a woman’s art show. Some fairy lights and always candles in the bottom (until my pot belly stove gets installed) and we are done.
My office area through the door is yet to be tidied as I was wrapping orders today, but it is now where all the order processing happens. It used to be in this main area, and having it all together has been so much better.
Out the back room, where the kilns are, is where all the buckets of glaze, blocks of clay, the kilns and drying racks are all kept. That is a harder space to paint because it’s always in use, so I’ll have to wait for our yearly break to get that done.
It’s so nice to be in here now painting, drawing, writing, sewing, and making ceramics. I’ll be sharing my space with Lady Jo this weekend for her “Real Reels” workshop. It will be such a lovely, creative catch up.
mid love to hear what you think about the makeover.
Ness x
