The Studio Story

The Art Studio in all Four Seasons

First of all, I never thought an art studio would be in my future. That was back when art was just a hobby for me. Before I started painting, I kept my works-in-progress in an old plastic folder, and my finished drawings in a binder. They didn’t take up space. When I became interested in painting, my art supplies and finished works took up much more space. I put them in closets, spread them out on tables, and stored them in piles in my bedroom. I always took my art seriously— sometimes a bit too seriously. I thought that selling my art would be a bit like selling my soul. Thankfully, my beliefs around art and what it means to be an artist have shifted. It started with an encouraging partner, who was convinced that my art had a message that people needed to hear.

My husband was convinced that my art was important. He was also convinced that I needed a place where I created art, a place that was mine. One evening in late November, he went out walking around our property. Several hours later, he came back and announced he’d found the perfect place for an art studio. The next few days were spent looking at blueprints and creating our design.

At this same time, we were starting a business that required the use of mini barns. Originally, we were going to build the entire studio ourselves, but when we priced it out, it made more sense to hire someone. We contacted our mini-barn builder with our design and asked if he could make a custom design for us.

Our custom mini barn was constructed over the course of the following winter. We spent a blizzardy evening hauling our windows and doors in a truck and trailer so they could be installed in the studio. We saw it once near completion before delivery. It was perfect.

In April, the studio was delivered and moved to its new location in the woods. It was all bare bones, except for insulation. We had an entire summer of renovations and hard work ahead of us. (At the same time, our home being renovated as well, resulting in us moving out for a month) Luckily, we didn’t know how much we’d taken on until we were in the thick of it, when it was too late to back out.

To begin with, all but two of the beams were taken out of the ceiling. Electric wires were installed, as well as drywall. Both electricity and drywalling were done by people we hired. After that, the rest of the project was left to us to figure out. It was midsummer before the drywall was ready for paint. I chose a soft white color for the walls to enhance the natural light that poured from the windows and doors on all four sides.

In addition to renovating the studio and our home, we had also decided to plant a flower garden and do extensive landscaping that year. I decided that if I was going to have a studio, it was going to be magical. An art studio in the woods was magical, but an art studio in the woods with a flower garden and a gate inspired by Lord of the Rings was even better.

While the drywalling and electricity were being done, I worked on planting flowers and making a gate. My brother is a woodworker, and he helped me design and make the gate. Then, I wood burned my design in it and put it away until it could be installed.

My mom and sisters helped me finish painting the studio one day and left the plastic covering the windows full of smiley faces and ‘I love you.’ After the painting was finished, my husband and I installed the floor. That took weeks, not because it was hard, but because we didn’t know how. Luckily, it turned out fine.

The trips we took to run after supplies became too numerous to count. By July, every surface of our property was a disaster zone. The grounds, the house, the studio, everything. The result? Our place was unrecognizable after the renovations, which, fortunately, was the goal.

After the floor was installed, the only thing left in the studio was the trim and the remaining electrical work. We painted the trim and put it up. Our lovely paint job was ruined by nails, so I touched the trim up and repainted it. After that, the studio had the first major cleaning of its life. I spent an entire day picking up trash and tools, vacuuming, and mopping.

The yard was a rather scary sight all that summer. We expanded the backyard to double its’ original size. Most of it was rather swampy, so we brought in loads of dirt to raise the level of the yard so it wouldn’t become flooded. The dirt would become the first step in creating the backyard garden of my dreams. (Fun fact: I swore I’d never have a garden five years ago) Now my backyard view is drastically different; it is a vegetable garden and cottage garden, with a young orchard and a fountain. But most of that came the following year. Even this year, we are expanding our garden and working on storage solutions and the rest of the furnishings for the studio.

After the studio was finished inside, I started to think about how I wanted to furnish it. Since the studio is small, all the furniture had to be small, too. I wanted to bring the outdoors in with the colors and materials I used. I found the desk on FB Marketplace. The velvet sofa was another lucky find. I brought in old books, candles, and stone bookends. My easel stays in another corner, with the paintings stacked against the walls. Storage still hasn’t been built, but that is coming later on this year. In the winter, we heat the studio with a small space heater, but I’m hoping to find a small electric fireplace that I can install for the next winter. The windows are my favorite part of the studio. All the natural light is brought inside, and it’s like being outdoors, even though I’m not.

The garden gate and path will always be one of my favorite things about the studio garden. It makes the place seem even more magical. The perennials I’ve planted in the garden need some more time to take off, but in the meantime, I’m planting seeds to fill in the gaps. It will be the best it has ever been this summer. I’ve found that nothing helps my creativity more than being close to nature, especially woods and gardens. I’m grateful to have both.

In a way, the art studio was what pushed me to make this place beautiful. It was hard work, and it’s paying off beautifully. I’m really proud of what we’ve accomplished, and I can’t wait to share more photos of the gardens and studio later this summer. It’s going to be a great one.

Cheers!