Garage Art Studio - My Lovely Mess!

The studio is a complete mess right now. It was fairly clean for about three days but then I started pulling out things from boxes and trying to decide where things should go within the cabinets. After some minor organizing, I know I have the most in mixed media and found object supplies. Next is stained glass and then dishes. Everything needs to be sorted through, placed within the cabinets. Sorting of glass and dish pieces has to be done again but that's last. Right now. I'm going through boxes, placing like with like as best as I can and deciding where it goes. Here, in photos, shows the process of cleaning off the counter space and then filling them up again.

This photo above is where I started. There was no organization, naturally, everything was just placed wherever it could go in order to find the important things for my room within the house. Keep this photo in mind as you see the changes.

My sturdy stool arrived and then I knew I could climb up to the cabinet area without much hassle. Almost reaching the top shelves. That's not a usual thing for me. I do have to go up on tiptoe in order to reach them well so I don't do that often.

I should mention that when the garage door is open on a sunny day, there is enough light to go without the task lighting for a bit. That's nice because I love natural light. And it's also nice because there's a breeze that comes from the open door through to the window on the side of the house.

As I moved and emptied boxes, I found the glass grinder, that has been in it's original box for over 10 years, still works. The under cabinet lights didn't stick on the dark cabinets; this garage was well loved by a man who built and fixed things. There's a lot of grease under those cabinets and the lights just wouldn't stay. So my solution was to put them on the bottom as you see them here on the dark set and under the cabinets on the newer lighter set using the funky spot lighting for close work when needed. It had a tripod but that fell apart as soon as I put it on so I cut some slits in a coffee can and plopped it into the can. It works great.

Nothing at this point is in the cabinets but the counter space is starting to show signs of eventual use. I'll work mostly where the lights and grinder are.

I started filling in the cabinets and putting things on top as well. I think I'll change my mind a few times but more or less the mixed media/found objects will be on the left along with the glue, moving over to where the substrates are in the center and through to the end mostly glass (bottles, vases, odds and ends) substrates.

Then I started figuring out exactly how I wanted things. I even drew a diagram but ended up with the general ideas on it and changing it slightly.

Now there is a huge mess again where all the mixed media/found objects are and will take at least a week to get that inside the cabinets in a way that is useful for me.

Wow ... lots of jewelry, half circles in glass, polymer clay pieces, shells, rocks, a big box of this and that. Corks, bottle caps, etc.

This photo above is holding the stained glass, dishes and the lower counter top will be my grouting station. The cabinets hold grouting supplies. Under the cabinets, I'm going to get shelving at some point to hold the cookie jars, Etsy mosaics (seen in the grey bin) and other things I've yet to figure out.

There you have it ... the tour of the crazy mess of a studio space so far that I already love! And I haven't even used it yet!!

 

 

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

The Tower of Now waits for my return

 I mentioned in my last post that I'd share photos of The Tower of Now because I've been looking at it every day since we've moved. It's sitting on my blanket chest wrapped in star lights.

Far from completed and yet complete enough to give me what I need these days: words of wisdom. 

I really can't wait to get back into working on this but right now because the new studio aka garage isn't yet set up for working, I'm enjoying it as it is. Here's a photo of the studio's work-in-progress.

And a short video of my heavenly mess can be found on Instagram.

Here are the rest of the photos I've taken recently. Enjoy the journey.

 

 

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics

I'm back and in a new home!

This may sound a little narcissistic ... or maybe a lot ... but I was studying the mosaic shrines I've got around my brand new room (yes, we've moved!) that I've made and think they may be some of the best art I've ever made in the last few years. One, "The Tower of Now" is still in the early stages and not yet finished but I love it very much, especially the way I did the words on it. That will be shared in the next post I do. Hopefully within the next few days.

I have made three shrines in total. I've shared all of them in the past, but the other day as I was looking at these pieces, I saw things I'd change, things that amazed me, things that amused me. I thought maybe sharing them was a good way to start blogging once more.

 Here we go! It's time to share "Be Peaceful" once more. :)

The wording on this was really difficult for me to do. If I had a do-over, I'd have taken bigger pieces of glass and tried to make it work on the small sections I used. Also, I'd put the ones that are on the sides vertical instead of horizontal. They are very difficult to read without the WIP photos.

This one is the hardest to read. "Mind - Matter - Spirit". Great inspiring words too hard to see may just be counter productive. Sigh.

It says "Meditate".

This one says "Breathe"

Easy to read before grout but I think it was one of the first times I tried doing lettering by cutting up small pieces of glass, so I guess it's not too bad. Being self-taught is all about the lessons learned.

The orange center focal piece on the back is a plastic flower that looks great when the sun shines through it. It goes through to the front making this interesting no matter which way it's turned.

Small brass angel candle holders are glued to the sides. The dot painted legs are a fun addition.

I hope you enjoyed revisiting this piece with me.

 

 

Support Independent Artisans, Designers and Crafters for your gift-giving needs all throughout the year. Thank you!~Cindy, EarthMotherMosaics