17: Future studio space and musings on success as a working artist

Last semester, I was introduced to oil paints. I fell in love with the medium (that is, after I got past the first month of cursing it) and worked with it exclusively for a while. I plan on returning to it once I'm healed.

The biggest problem, however, was that I quickly realized the dangers of working with oile paints and the necessary spirits and chemicals. Painting in a room that is inadequately ventilated led to awful dizziness, nausea, flaring asthma and other harmful side-effects. I'd asked my dad if we could convert the un-used garage into a studio space for me. We hadn't talked about it since 4-5 months ago so I assumed he'd forgotten about it.

I woke up this morning to hear banging and crashing and hammering going on in the backyard. My dad loves to do home-improvement type stuff and he had spent most of the summer laying brick-work and a cement patio, so I thought nothing of it. Later in the afternoon, he had me come and take a look.

Our backyard

The garage

Old exercise equipment, an extra bed, and a table/shelving unit my dad built

Walls painted pink by the previous owners

I'm pretty darned excited! From what I could gather about the previous owners, this garage had been rented out as a bedroom. This means the walls are very well insulated from both heat and cold, there's pretty bright lighting, windows with curtains, multiple electrical outlets and plumbing. There's also some built in shelving and a mini-bookcase. Oh, and the walls aren't the ugly bareness of a garage. I'm not crazy about the pink, but its better than nothing. Haha!

We have a giant round table we'll be moving in so I'll have a surface to draw and sculpt, while having space to set up my easel for paintings. I am seriously so stoked about this.

I've always held to the idea that be what you want to be, you have to believe and act as if you were that person. That is, if I want to be a talented, connected, professional and productive artist....I need to believe I am and act like I am. To that end, I impose on myself a 9 to 5, 6 days a week schedule of painting/drawing/creating. I talk and introduce myself to people as if I already am a successful artist. I carry myself online, set up my shop and website as if I already am a successful artist.

Most importantly, I try to WORK as if I am already a successful artist. Unfortunately, working on my bed isn't the best way to get myself into a productive mindset. When I had my own apartment, I had a designated space meant only for working. I think eventually your mind recognizes this differentiation and snaps into work mode the moment you sit at your work-table or wear your work-hat or put on your work-music...whatever it is that takes you from goofing off to working.

I'm hoping that with this designated studio work-space, I'll be a lot more productive. I think there will be something about actually leaving my room and entering what is essentially my job that will make sticking to my (rather un-glamorous) 9 to 5, 6 day a week, working artist schedule.