What do you need in a studio space? I’ve had my studio space on a floor next to a woodstove, on a table in a dining room, in a second bedroom, and in a basement garage (at least for a week or so). While all these are great solutions to the question of, “where do I make my art?” they are not ideal. For eventually, one must clean up the floor, have food on the dining room table, and have a person sleeping in that second bedroom. When I moved from my home with the garage-turned-studio-space, I rented a studio at Ballardworks, an artist-owned, shared studio building in Ballard. It’s fantastic, I’ve enjoyed having a space where I can keep my art supplies; along with leaving wet paintings out and sketches on the wall. It’s not always been near my home but it is only blocks away now. It was worth the commute when lived on the other side of town. Plus, shared space is great! Interacting with other working artists, asking their opinions on work you are creating, getting ideas about shows and marketing is priceless! We often get together on Thursdays for a shared lunch and chat.
