-By John Jude Palencar

Hi Folks – Just a brief posting this week. Previously on Tips and Tricks (Here). Workstations were the subject. Some folk’s workstations were their studios. In some cases, artists will have a dedicated room to ply their craft. Others will have a simple corner of an existing space. Over the years I’ve worked in living rooms, bedrooms, basements, cubicles and rented spaces. Most recently I have a small studio building on my property devoted to exclusively to art creation. Your studio should be a place of comfort, reflecting an environment that is conducive to your particular creative approach. My studio is my fortress of solitude. I do not have any of my work displayed in my studio. I like to think of the entire space as a blank canvas. I do have a number of interesting objects and selected art books around for inspiration. Additionally my studio includes a separate computer area for researching subjects on the net. Keeping things simple is my priority but I’m always battling clutter and the general and expected artistic mess. Remember – “a creative mind is rarely tidy!” Below are a couple of examples of other studio/ workstations submitted from two visitors to this blog. Both examples show a space that utilizes a multiple disciplined approach (digital and traditional). My concern is having a digital workstation in close proximity to traditional media. I would worry about liquid spills in the area of electronics. Although if you are a neat worker ( I am not ) and work on a smaller scale, then this set-up may be satisfactory for your needs and methods. In the next installment, (if I can find a number of photographs) I will post photos of past and present studios that I have had the pleasure and displeasure to work in. Till then – happy painting! Thanks to Linda and Tom for your submissions.