I think most people believe that an artist studio should be romantic, should be gorgeous, should be overlooking a farm or a pond and these days should even be feng shui correct. I must confess, although I dream of this type of studio, it is not my studio. I have a little studio envy. I look around at the blogs and everywhere I turn is a magazine-style studio. They say in life we must enjoy what we have, be in the moment, not live our lives in the hopes of one day having what we don't have. I have decided to break free of studio envy and bring purrrfect love into my studio. This is my new studio-cat-in-training, she has been exploring the studio, and trying to mark her territory, oh no she has hijacked my drafting chair. Meet the Queen of Sheba. You can call her Sheba or you can even call her the future queen of Sue's studio.
My studio is a place I escape from the world around me and put myself into what I'm creating. I might not have a picturesque surrounding, but my pictures are in my head and they come out onto the paper. It's a good thing my studio doesn't look too good or I would not want to do much work.
I would just want to hang around, probably just enjoy the glamorous studio. Having a simple functional studio can be a good thing!!
This pencil holder is my new favorite studio decor. This was a home made gift from my sweet son. What more could a mom want for her studio?..........
Paint & lots of refrence books !
Update: My kitten has grown quite a bit since I took the studio cat pictures. She seems to have found a new throne in the living room (the pretty room).
Thanks for visiting my studio .
Hop over and visit my talented friends as they welcome in the New Year with a Studio Tour-
wonderful!
love the shot of the watercolors ...
and the books... i'm always a sucker for the BOOKS!
thank you for sharing!
Posted by: shelly kennedy | January 05, 2012 at 07:55 AM
Sue, I think you have just exactly what you NEED in there! Your new furry friend! SHE'S PRECIOUS!!!!
Hugs, Diane
Posted by: Diane Knott | January 05, 2012 at 09:43 AM
your space IS purrrfect Sue. And I LOVE Max's pencil holder, that's awesome!
Posted by: Beth L | January 05, 2012 at 11:58 AM
What a precious studio partner! Adorable post Sue!! :) Great pictures with great stuff.. especially your pencil holder!!
Posted by: Shelly Comiskey | January 05, 2012 at 01:02 PM
Found you through Aaron Christensen's blog hop. Just had to comment on the clay pot for pencils. I store my graphite and charcoal in a pot made by my son as well. I love having it in my studio! I have beads in a little pot made by my daughter. Children's art is always inspiration to have around :)
Posted by: Shelley | January 05, 2012 at 01:35 PM
Hi Sue! Love your photos and your description of the space. I agree that everywhere we look are these awesome photos of "perfect" studios and I think - are they real? I vascillate between loving a lot of stuff around me, to wanting it clean and sparse and not distracting. My own space has a slanted ceiling so is difficult to hang artwork on. I don't have enough flat space to spread out on, and often there are just piles and piles of stuff I move around, LOL. Maybe I should take pics and post on my blog of what a real studio is usually like! :-)
Posted by: Holly Knott | January 05, 2012 at 02:04 PM
Sue,
didn't see any pictures of the studio, just the cat...did you forget to post?
Posted by: carol eldridge | January 05, 2012 at 02:12 PM
... I loved what I see of your studio. Your embroidered upholstery on the chair is great, and the glass container of paints. What a great brush holder! You will probably keep it until you are an old, old lady.
What I like best is that your studio looks just so "Sue" and I like YOU!!!
Posted by: Sharyn | January 05, 2012 at 04:04 PM
I love that your studio cat has made herself at home - she looks very regal settled amongst those exotic fabrics!
Posted by: Natalie | January 05, 2012 at 06:57 PM
see Sue, it wasn't so bad was it? (Don't answer honestly) You're on Facebook and now you're a bloggin force, what's next? Thanks for sharing with all of us!
Posted by: Aaron Christensen | January 05, 2012 at 08:35 PM
Really enjoyed it Sue . Love that pencil holder, what a treasure.
Thanks for the tour.
P
Posted by: Paula Joerling | January 05, 2012 at 09:26 PM
Hi Sue - I'm making a late evening visit to most of the blogs in our hop. What a way to end the day though, eh? Seeing all of the creative work spaces and looking into the artist's influences and favorite things has been a treat. Yours is no different, very much a treat. From your furry 'Queen of Sheba' to your special pencil holder, the books, the tubes of paint and the Mac. Looks like you have everything you need, oh yes, and the love of what you do. Thank you Sue.
Posted by: Janet Wecker Frisch | January 05, 2012 at 10:08 PM
Sue, you have a way with your words that makes me feel like I really know you. Your personality just shines through. Your son must think the world of you for keeping his homemade pencil holder gift in a prominent place in your studio. Your cat looks like she has character.
Posted by: Samantha Walker | January 05, 2012 at 11:12 PM
As long as the studio is you, it's a good studio, I think! Oh, and if your studio were 'perfect', you wouldn't want the Queen to be there, afraid she might break something.
A pencil holder from your son is 1000 times better then a idealistic studio, because that would probably not fit into it.
Thanks for showing us around and for letting us meet Queeny!
Posted by: simone | January 06, 2012 at 02:38 AM
A wonderful post with beautiful words! I love the pencil holder that Max made and I know you will cherish it always. The embroidery is gorgeous! Queen is Sheba is just toooooo adorable and she looks like she is ready to rule your studio so watch out!
Posted by: Phyllis Dobbs | January 06, 2012 at 09:11 AM
Thanks everyone for the kind comments! It was really fun to take part in this and share my studio with everyone. I am sure you got to enjoy all my friends wonderful studios also. Thanks studio friends!
Posted by: sue | January 06, 2012 at 07:07 PM
Your studio is great! Don't worry that it's not magazine perfect...many of us don't have that. I once did, but when I moved in with my new hubby, I had to put it in a section of our master bedroom! NOT conducive to sleep when you have work staring at you when you go to bed! LOL! It's not ideal by any means now. What's more important is that you have beautiful PRODUCTS coming from the studio...not the beauty of the studio itself. And you've got that part down perfectly, Sue! And it's obvious your son has your artistic flair...adorable pencil cup! Thanks for sharing.
Posted by: Sherri Blum | January 07, 2012 at 09:34 AM
Love your post! And your cat!
(My studio is probably similar to yours! I don't take too many photos of it, either! Just my dog! LOL)
:D
Posted by: kathy weller | January 09, 2012 at 05:24 PM
How supercute Sue! I love your tour, so refreshing and fun! And thanks for sharing with us :)
Posted by: alex colombo | January 25, 2012 at 05:35 PM