The place of creative incubation

To have a sacred place is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a room or a certain hour of the day or so, where you do not know who your friends are, you don't know what you owe anybody or what they owe you. This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be. - Joseph Campbell

This is it. My studio. Well one wall at least. I'll save the rest of the room for another day, once I've tidied it up. ;) From the time I was little I dreamed of what my art studio would be like. I'd have vaulted ceilings, north light pouring in from 6 foot tall windows that took up one entire wall. And couches. Plump, and cushy couches with shelves and shelves of art books. You know. . . for when you're feeling uninspired. Or feel like taking a nap.

In reality, I spent most of my art career working in a cramped corner of my bedroom. Or at the kitchen or dining room table. I can't tell you how many times I had to sterilize the kitchen counter of oil paints to get ready to make dinner. The truth is, a glamorous studio is an amazing thing to have, but it isn't essential. All you really need is a quiet place to work, where you can focus on the creativity that's waiting to flow through your fingers.

In my studio above I have my drafting table, where I'm sitting right at this moment writing this blog post to you, my pink hoodie which I almost always wear (you may notice that some Tumble Creatures have a faint pink glow to them in their photos. . . that's because I usually wear this pink hoodie on those chilly mornings when I take photos), my shelves full of paint (in alllll kinds of mediums) books, magazines, shipping supplies, palettes, glitter, still life props, DVDs, and lots of other essential things one needs to be an artist and make cute things like this:

And on the very top shelf you will see a portrait I painted of my youngest son when he was just a  baby, and my own personal collection of Tumble Creatures (at this typing it numbers 2) and other sculpts and figurines I've collected from artist friends.

I like to listen to music when I sculpt or draw, or watch movies (favorites ranging from Sabrina with Audrey Hepburn, to past seasons of the Walking Dead and Vampire Diaries). or listen to podcasts or audio books. I like to have something playing in the background that helps me feel less alone in this quiet space, but also gives me freedom to just create and not talk.

But two rather large, black. . . things are not present in this photo. And that's these two lovelies:

My girl Heart.

And. . .

My boy Chauncy.

They are what really makes this room of creation a most pleasant place to be. :) And make lovely foot warmers too.

Thanks for taking a peek behind the scenes with me. Let me know what other blog posts you'd like to see from me!

<3, Crystal and the Tumble Creatures