A New Season, A New Studio: Making Room for What’s Next
As we move from summer into fall, I find myself feeling especially excited for the season ahead. There is something about the beginning of a school year that brings a renewed sense of rhythm and possibility. After a summer of adjusting my schedule around the kids and embracing a slower studio routine, I am looking forward to returning to a more familiar work rhythm.
With the start of the school year, my studio time will begin to settle back into a more normal schedule, giving me more consistent time to paint, work on new projects, prepare for workshops, and make progress toward the creative goals I have been working toward.
This fall also brings another exciting change: a new studio space.
My plans on paper
From Making Do to Making Space
For years, I have been making my existing space work for my art practice. It has been a perfectly functional place to paint and create, and I have been grateful to have a space in our home dedicated to my work.
But as my art practice has grown and changed, so have my needs.
This is the space before we got started.
I paint in both watercolor and oil, work on multiple pieces at once, prepare artwork for sale and exhibitions, develop workshops and creative projects, and spend plenty of time organizing materials and supplies. Over time, I have found myself wishing for a space that could accommodate all of those things more comfortably.
At the same time, our family is changing too. With the kids getting older, we have reached the point where we need another bedroom. That gave us an opportunity to rethink how we use the space in our home and create something that would work better for everyone.
The result will be a brighter, custom built studio space designed specifically around the way I work.
My husband and dad framing the new walls.
A Family Project
I am incredibly lucky to have a dad with an amazing skillset and an incredible depth of knowledge. He has a background in construction, but calling him a builder doesn't quite capture what he can do. He is truly a master craftsman.
Sheetrock is messy business.
After retiring, he has transitioned into making furniture and helping friends and family with all kinds of odd jobs. He has a knack for figuring out how things should work, how they should be built, and how to turn an idea into something tangible.
That has been such a gift throughout this project.
I have a vision for how I want my studio to look and function, and I am incredibly fortunate to have someone with the expertise to help me actually execute that vision. Instead of simply working with what was available, we have been able to think through the details and create a space specifically suited to the way I work.
My dad, my husband, our oldest, and I have all had a hand in creating the new space. It has truly become a family project, and I love knowing that.
There is something especially meaningful about having a space for my creative work that was also created through the creativity, skills, and hard work of my family.
Thanks, Dad!
Me and my dad.
Designed for the Way I Work
What excites me most isn't simply having a larger or newer space. It is having a space that is intentionally designed around my needs as an artist.
The new studio will give me more room to spread out and keep my materials organized. I will have better light, dedicated areas for different parts of my work, and enough space to have paintings in progress without everything else needing to be moved around them.
That may sound like a small thing, but it can make a big difference.
Painting often requires stepping away from a piece and coming back to it later. Sometimes I need to live with a painting for a few days before I know what it needs. Having a dedicated space where I can leave things out and return to them will make that process much easier.
More importantly, the space will be able to grow with my practice.
My art business has expanded beyond simply sitting down and painting. There are workshops to develop, supplies to organize, artwork to prepare, ideas to explore, and creative projects that I want to pursue. Having a studio that can accommodate all of those aspects of my work feels like an important next step.
White walls are best for a studio space but I think wall paper may be in my future.
A New Season for My Art Practice
The timing feels especially fitting.
Fall naturally brings a return to routine. The long, less structured days of summer give way to school schedules, cooler evenings, and a little more predictability. For me, that means I can begin settling back into more consistent studio hours just as I am moving into a space that is better equipped to support them.
I don't expect a new studio to magically make me more productive. The work still requires time, attention, experimentation, and plenty of patience.
But I do think our surroundings can influence the way we work.
There is something motivating about walking into a space that feels bright, welcoming, and ready for creativity. I am looking forward to having a place that makes me want to sit down and paint, but also gives me room to explore everything else that has become part of my creative practice.
Laying flooring in my new space.
Looking Ahead
As the new studio comes together, I find myself thinking about all the things that will eventually happen there.
New paintings.
New ideas.
Workshops and creative projects.
Paintings that haven't even been imagined yet.
I am especially excited about the possibilities that come with having a space that truly fits the way I work. My previous studio served me well, and I am grateful for all the work that happened there. This isn't about leaving behind something that wasn't working. It is about recognizing that my needs have changed and making room for where my art practice is going.
The view from the deck off of my new studio. I am inspired and truly blessed!
That feels like a fitting way to enter a new season.
A little more space. A little more light. A space built with intention.
And plenty of room for whatever comes next.
Check back later for an official studio tour once I am all moved in!
