Art and aquiring a studio space

Remember when I went to school for art? Remember when I got my BFA in painting? Sometimes I forget too, it's okay.

Fall 2009

Fall 2010

Two of my favorite paintings featuring two of my favorite people. Those were the days y'all.

I haven't painted in a good year and a half, since I graduated college. I was burnt out and needed a break, plus I lost my studio space. I've filled that creative void in my life with cooking, sewing, and just making anything and everything I can. For the post part, as long as I am making something, I'm in my happy place.

However, I do love painting and the need to do so again began itching in the back of my mind a while back. I mean shoot, I have a degree in this nonsense! But I had no place to paint and was broke (still am). BUT, I had hope and was determined to figure out a way to paint, slowly but surely. And it only took about a year, but PROBLEM SOLVED Y'ALL:

Check out my studio/the ugliest corner of our living room. Ready to roll. It started with the bad ass easel my dad and I built together. Then we got a tarp and some all weather carpet to lay down (because painting is messy, especially when you're me), scrounged up some old furniture in my dad's barn (chair and a couple tables), and then this week I got the last and most crucial piece, a miter saw. Because you can't paint without a canvas and I refuse to paint on those things they sell at Hobby Lobby. Building your own is the only way to go in my book.

Pretty much my favorite thing ever. I love it. I've wanted one for years, but always though it was too crazy or I wouldn't have the space. NOPE! We made it work and now I have my very own miter saw. And it has laser sight. It's amazing.

I also reupholstered the chair we got at my dads. It was a little real funky from being in the barn for who knows how long so my dad pressure washed it for me and it was like new again! Almost. It still had a musty smell and I knew I was going to get paint all over it, so I covered it in this green pleathery material. That way when I spill paint on it I can just wipe it off!

It went from this:

To this:

Exciting stuff huh? Seriously though I am EXTRA excited to get to work. All I need is to stretch some canvas over my newly built stretcher and I'm ready to roll. By the way, check this baby out:

2.5 feet x 5 feet, she's a beaut. I've never built a stretcher this way (long story short, I've never used the cross bars for support, but since my wood shop access is limited I had to get creative), but it was fairly easy once I figured the math out. Man, I love building stuff. Just because you don't see this part of the canvas doesn't mean it's not and shouldn't be beautiful!

So be prepared y'all. Hopefully in the very near future I will have in progress painting shots to share!