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Monday, January 28, 2008

Where do I live anyway?

I thought it was the Pacific Northwest. You know - the place where it *rains* all the time, but NOT snow...?? We're having yet more of the suspect, icy, white stuff. Woke up to enough of it to cause school and business cancellations (even our garbage pick-up wimped out on us. Seattle is SO not equipped to deal with traditional winter.)

I had to venture out onto the frosty roads to take my latest finished cover to the FedEx man - and even my close-by-local-drop-off was closed because of weather.

Having survived having to venture even further afield to find an open drop-off, I returned to that other place I seem to live - the studio. It is still January, and in honor of the new year, I really thought it ought to be somewhat cleaned. Since that is a fairly novel experience (a clean studio) of late, I'm photographically commemorating it for posterity, and lucky you can follow along this mini-tour-

Look! A cleaned desk! I can't tell you the last time that's happened (and it will only last until I finish this blog entry and pull out the next set of sketches) -



-newly framed by artsy origami lights, made for me by my son for Christmas. Thanks babe! :-)

As of *this minute* everything is back on its shelf and in its place -



- including the ultra-cool *bones* I received for Christmas! (Nothin' says "I love you" like a human skull reproduction from your dad. :-)



I didn't quite get all the way to my bulletin board - which is overflowing with 'treasures' (astute blog readers may recognize pieces of this crazy collage...)



See the too-cute bunny scissors! Love this kind of design - found on an art supply run...



And this basket is just indicative of the lovely things I am surrounding myself with - from so many of you lovely people out there - handmade books from Chantal, paper cutting from PG, darling felt mushroom from Julia, art cards from Joy and Carol, tin-of-treasures from Ulla - it goes on and on!

I may predominately 'live' here, but I am encompassed about by mementos and inspiration from so many kind, creative, supportive, like-minded people, I don't feel so isolated - even when house-bound by Seattle snow.

20 comments:

Gretel said...

I've said it before, we could swop studios and not notice much difference! :) Books, boxes and treasures, do I spy a fairy from MAya on your notice board?
Goodness you have a lot of art materials! Pots and pots and pots of 'em.

Gail said...

Lovely to see where you work Tara - thanks for sharing - I absolutely LOVE those bunny scissors - they are FAB!! ;)

dinahmow said...

Yep! Friends up the road (in Vancouver) say much the same about the weather.
My den needs a major sort-out...one day, one day!Meanwhile, I need to paint some frames and it's raining again...

Unknown said...

Your house looks like such a joyful place! We're pretty icy here too, on the other side of the continent. The new Fairy Chronicles cover looks beautiful. One of the best compositions I've seen you do.

weirdbunny said...

So good to spy into your studio. Yes I see things from me !!! How come your not out sledging when you've got snow. Are there not any mountains in seatle to sedge down. Where are your igloos and snowmen that you should be building. When it snows here, everything grounds to an immediate halt, and everyones out doing the above. British a re just one great lot of children when it snows. ~ JUlia x

michelle said...

I know what you mean about living in the studio. There's something inspirational about working in a newly cleaned space. Now if I could make that happen in the rest of my house...

Unknown said...

That's funny- I spent last Friday cleaning up my studio too! It *is* a new years thing. Now that I have moved my computer and all my design work over there-- it was really getting cluttered and needed some rearranging. I'm afraid it will never look as tidy as your studio, Tara, but that's OK! We do what we can with what we have! You guys sure got a lot of snow accumulation out there. We had a bit on Sunday but it was pretty much gone by the end of the day.

Soozcat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Soozcat said...

I especially like the origami lights, and the mugs and mugs of pencils and brushes and "shovels and rakes and implements of destruction," as Arlo Guthrie put it. :)

I'm convinced that a certain amount of creativity is inspired by chaos--after all, how can you decide to add a particular bit to your work if you don't have it visible in front of you?--but that it's a constant tug-of-war between creative chaos and creative order.

Erica-Jane said...

Aw, your studio looks lovely! I've not been in my pinkshed for over a MONTH!!!
Isn't a great feeling getting everything sorted...
Can't wait to see what projects you delve into in your fresh new workspace :0)

Erica
xoxo

Anonymous said...

http://on-my-desk.blogspot.com/2006/11/ascender.html

Thanks for sharing your studio. It is just too much fun to see where artists make art.

Elizabeth said...

What a lovely glimpse into where all those wonderful drawings come from.
So many exciting and delightful things to see.It's theraputic toactually see the surface of one's worktable.
I envy you the snow.

Anonymous said...

It's nice to see your room even if it's only clean for a moment. How nice to see your treasures, they're wonderful.

michelle said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog, the drawings are copies of Pru'dhons work. We're supposed to do master copies and works from life for the classical painters group I belong to. I wish I had more time to attend life drawings sessions, unfortunately it will have to wait until my schedule magically gains another four hours a week.

Joanna said...

Lovely to spy in your studio, mine needs another spring clean, I have too many piles of paper. Love the rabbit scissors. I love surounding myself with all my treasure. Sorry i have not been keeping up with blogs this month, but I'm back now.

xxxxx said...

Thank you for the look around your studio! I really enjoyed that.

Keep snug and warm,

Gina said...

Boy what fun! I just love your work area. And how cool that the creative streak runs in the family, those lights your son made are really inventive and pretty. I know what you mean about the snow neighbor!

jamjar said...

I love seeing other artists studios, however i darn't photograph mine, you can barely see the desk! Those lights are brilliant, I've told my son that I want a set too, and it is lovely to see the painted wooden mackerel again, it has got a good home. Joy

natural attrill said...

I left a comment before, hope I'm not the deleted one! most probably I just did somthing wrong.
Anyway, just to say thanks for showing us your place, and I like the leafy thing!
P.x

roz said...

How fun to see your studio, I love it! I want those fabulous bunny scissors. =o)

Guess what? You’ve been awarded the “You Make My Day Award” because you do. I always enjoy visiting to see what you are up to.
Go to my blog for details.

=O)