Harvesting junk from thrift stores has turned me into a pack rat, and not a very good one. In those hoarder shows, the people are sat least practical enough to leave a narrow, winding path between their piles. I am not. I just set up camp wherever I want, sit down, and make stuff. I don't usually put anything away until Patrick tells me that I've melted half a dozen crayons into the carpet by leaving a glue gun plugged in, or he's screaming profanities at me with sewing pins poking out of his foot. With creative freedom comes great responsibility.
To solve this problem, I am making over the Room of Requirement. "What is this very exciting Harry Potter space?" you ask? When we moved in, the apartment brochure called it a 'den'. In the past three years, this room has been a storage space, plant nursery, guest bedroom, spray paint booth, closet, and a recovery room/mini apartment for our friend after surgery. Now, its my studio.
Remember the scene in Beauty and the Beast when Belle discovers the gigantic library? The towering shelves climb several stories and must be filled with a million different books! I've always wanted a room like that. Of course, I can't afford a place lavish enough to include marble stair cases or elaborately carved wooden railings (not yet, anyway), but I do have a den to make into my personal sanctuary.
For ArtPrize in 2010, I built these shelves...by hand. That's right: I designed them, cut the wood, and assembled them. I'm a beast. After the show, a small army of wonderful friends and family helped me stash all six of the eight foot tall wooden shelves in my garage.
One sunny weekend I had the brilliant idea to drag them up to my studio and install them. Did I mention that I live on the third floor? And we don't have an elevator? And I have skinny, weak little t-rex arms? This is one of those great ideas that you quickly discover might be a BAD idea...but only after you've gone to far to turn back. I finally got them all inside, added supports, and got them secured to the walls.
Again: I am a beast.
Lovely photo of a very sweaty, cussing me taken by Patrick------>
I've been collecting boxes, baskets and various containers from Goodwill Outlet Center. After literaly an entire day of sorting, all of my art supplies, books, and postcards have a new home - and its not on the floor.
Isn't it beautiful? I can actually find things now, its amazing!
So organized. Ahhhh.....
I didn't think to take a before picture, but just imagine something like this---->
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