Do you have a studio, outside of your house? Tell me about it!

[GuavaGirl]

Just wondering who has their own -out of the house- art studio.

It's a dream I've had for a while. I've always said that I just can't afford it, but I'm thinking about taking the plunge and trying to make it work.

Tell me about your experience with your studio!

[frontierpsych]

nope

right now my "studio" is my back patio (I live in a small apartment on the second floor). It's about 40 square feet, lol!

[Bell]

nope.... but it would be amazing f I had!! What a good dream!!

[mama kk]

For two months I have this 500 sq foot cabin to use that is in walking distance to my house. It is free with just a small barter. I have had the unique experience of time to work in it too as my husband is out of work and can watch my daughter. It has been AMAZING. Before I was working in the middle of my living room, and I can testify that having your own space, and a space you don't have to tidy up immediately after is such a luxury. That said, if you are able to be disciplined and use the space, and can also afford it~ I say go for it. Otherwise I would suggest trying to beg or borrow another space to claim as your studio. Even if it is only 40 sq feet!
Good luck!

[blissthreetimes]

We have converted a barn which isn't actually attached to the house; it's wonderful.
Like mamakk- the luxury of being able to spread out and leave work, writing etc is incalculable.
Friends use it too.
Someone asked if they could rent it as a space for an exhibition recently.

I do have a phone in there, and a laptop, which in some ways I wish weren't there, because they interrupt the flow...but then... modern world and all that. If I have a big job on, I turn them off.
It has uses as a rainy day play space, table tennis, sofa bed etc.
I would definitely recommend it; the ammount of work I've been able to do since I had it had shot up.
Although I've never stopped working commercially since children, my personal work has changed and evolved.
It's a confirmation, a statement about one's work.
Take the plunge if you can!

[AllisonR]

Not a separate facility. Instead I took over half the basement when DSS moved out last summer.

On the plus: It's large enough for holding supplies, painting big and storing finished canvases. I can paint at night when the kids are sleeping. Because it is sectioned off, I can paint for a few hours on the weekends if DH takes the kids, either out of the house, or in and out when I have not mentioned where I am. Because it is downstairs, it does feel like a totally separate space, which is both psychologically inspiring, and I can leave it messy in the middle of a project. Because it isn't a totally separate space, it costs no extra money to have.

On the minus, if the kids are home, as soon as they figure out I am painting, it is constant interruptions and I have to stop. Since my main chunk of painting time is at night, the light is terrible. Even during daytime, the windows are not huge, so light can still be problematic.