Friday, August 7, 2015

A FIRST FOR ME!

War Paint
This is the first painting I have completed in MY NEW STUDIO!  A few more tweaks and I think I will submit it for the next California Watercolor Association National competition.  Deadline at the end of the month, so if you haven't entered yet, get busy!  This is always a great show and will be exhibited in San Francisco this coming year.

This is a painting of my husband whose face is shaded by a hat standing in strong sunlight.  The reflections from his glasses create an interesting pattern.  I liked the torn tyvek surface so much I decided to do it again.  I think I will continue to paint more images on this type of surface.  It is accepting paint in a great way and I am able to paint in a vertical manner.

I was not able to transfer the photos from Dropbox for some reason, so I gave up wasting my time. I have been keeping busy!  I drove down to Paso Robles to jury the awards for the International Society of Acrylic Painters (ISAP)  The show is up and looks great.  If you find  yourself anywhere near Paso Robles, stop by Studios on the Park and check it out.

 I have also been spending my time setting up my very first studio outside of my home!  I was fortunate to fined a space in the Peninsula Art Museum building in Burlingame, Ca, which is about 15 minutes from my home.  It is filled with wonderful artists, several fabulous gallery spaces, a gift shop, library and art school!   The room is 17ft by 12ft and I had fun planning storage and work space.  It also is for some display of my work.  This is a view taken from the open door to the studio.  I am right across from the kitchen space, so easy access to water.  Lots of good light coming through the 3 windows and good overhead lighting as well.
Studio 21 from doorway





Work and storage tables
I found these basket carts at IKEA.  I was also able to buy just table tops which are inexpensive and fairly light weight.  I just placed them on top of two rolling carts.  I can reconfigure the two tables to be back to back for a different work space.  I can also easily move them into the middle of the room if I want to be able to work from both sides of the table.  I love the flexibility of this set up.  Also the storage capacity is amazing and for a visual person, I can see where everything is.  Doing mixed media means I have tons of "stuff" so I needed lots of storage.  I am using the wall behind the table as a pin up board but just using blue painters tape that doesn't damage the paint on the wall.  I can't believe I bought another easel but this one is perfect for the space and not very expensive.  I need to be able to work both vertically and flat plus have work in progress viewed upright from a distance.  


Rolling Cart and paper storage

I also found at IKEA a rolling cart that was perfect to have by my side as I worked with those materials that I needed for whatever current project I was creating.  Boy, did I get good at putting these things together!  Notice the rolled paper bin.  It is a pop up laundry thing from my new favorite shopping place!   In the corner is a very inexpensive plastic shelving unit from Costco and you just stick together without any tools!  So lightweight that I could manage it myself very easily.  

Flat paper storage

My biggest challenge was to figure out how to store large sheets of watercolor in a flat manner.  I realized that if I put two shoe racks together it would be just the right size for the 22 x 30 paper.  I used velcro strips that stick to themselves to tie the two units together and place the whole thing on some bricks to raise units higher.  A flat plastic storage container fits underneath now.

Cozy Corner

A desk made from two cast off file cabinets and a desk top were given to me by the facility as they were going to be thrown out!  Timing is everything!  A small folding bookshelf, folding table and a cozy chair complete the ensemble!!! You can see some of my display wall.  I will be participating in two Open Studio events during the year and people come through and visit the artists' studios all the time.  All the doors have large windows in them so visitors can peek in.  An open door means stop and chat, a closed door means privacy please.  I hope some of you in the area will come by and stop and chat!

Next week I am off to Reno, Nevada to teach and will be doing a demo on Saturday, August 15th for the Sierra Watercolor Society in Reno.  It is going to be a fabulous week.  



15 comments:

Yevgenia Watts said...

Beautiful space, love the windows. Congratulations!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Thank you, Yevgenia, I am really enjoying this space a lot!

Hastypearl said...

Every part of this story is like every artists dream coming true. My guess is,mthere will be many happier window "peepers":) congrats on your space...oh, and I understand thenDropbox/technology frustration. We love it and hate it...all of the time:)! Laura

Jennifer Stone said...

I'm so happy for you to have found such a wonderful facility and made your studio so perfect in all ways!
I love your new painting! Wishing you all the best in the competition!
Hugs,
Jennifer Stone

Anonymous said...

congratulations on having an open studio of your own! I will come and visit.

Sadami said...

ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ·.•*•♫°•♫·.•ʚ(ˆ◡ˆ)ɞ!!!!

Rita Sklar said...

Wonderful studio set up! I"m jealous! It'll be great to have someplace people can see your work.

Myrna Wacknov said...

Hi Laura, I was not happy at a first having to pay for studio space, but I think it is going to be one of those things that turns out to be a blessing in disguise!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Hi Jennifer, Thanks for the lovely comment. I was so jealous of your gorgeous studio and now I have a private space of my own. I hope you come and visit me sometime and see it for yourself.

Myrna Wacknov said...

Hi Anonymouse. Do come and visit, but first reveal yourself!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Hi Rita, Yes, I was surprised the room became so spacious after I furnished it. It is a wonderful bonus to have public viewing as that was a problem for me before. Hope you stop by sometime.

Kathie George said...

A wonderful space....and beautiful work! We haven't met but I hope to do that sometime in the future. Good luck at the show.

Autumn Leaves said...

Torn Tyvek? I am intrigued on how you created that substrate, Myrna! This painting is just gorgeous! Love your studio space too!

Myrna Wacknov said...

Hi Sherry, Thanks for the interest. You can get envelopes at the post office made of tyvek. They will tear easily but a sheet of tyvek needs a little start by making a cut into the side with a scissors. Tyvek is a sandwich of at least 3 layers with fiberglass strands in the middle. Glue it down with YES glue diluted or diluted matte medium. If you want some color showing either have a colored painting you are covering over or paint on the tyvek before tearing it up. glue it painted side down so some color shows through but not the actual image. Give it a try and let me know how you like working on this surface.

Gary L. Everest said...

Hi Myrna,
I couldn't be happier for you with the new studio! I can hardly believe you haven't always had one with all your experiments, workshops and prodigious painting production.
Your excitement about this new space was palpable and took me back to my first out-of-the-home studio. The obvious fun you're having is great fun to see and read about.
Enjoy!!
Sincerely,
Gary.

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