Dreams and Struggles

The Dream is to have a Studio space, large and bright and unencumbered by family detritus, pianos, guitars and budgies, outside the home. Separate. Sanctified (meaning "set apart"), Sanctuary.
Ahhh, the Dream will sustain me a while longer I hope.
For now the reality is cracking down on my at-home Studio Space...such as it is.
Once it existed in a spare bedroom. Then, as young people needed space of their own, it was squeezed into the 'front room' of the house; the place our out of tune gift piano resides, where things in this open-concept house continually get dumped because there is no place for them to live....
Then, I think I cluttered myself out of that space. Not to mention, it is a round room. At least, the portion of it I could occupy with drafting table, old kitchen table and easel. Carpet on the floor. Nothing worse in a studio than carpet on the floor one is supposed to preserve, somehow, in its pristine condition for eventual resale... Nothing but nothing stays pristine in a house filled with people, a dog, three cats and (now) 3 budgies, not to mention the four teenagers friends, visiting and stray animals, the general whirlwind of life.
I had ever considered the ineffectiveness of a round room. The toll it takes on one's phsyche to have no 'stop' and 'go' spot. It sure looks cool and creative. I think its best left for conversation space...and cats.

The Studio then moved to the space below that round front room (how artsy - in a turret). It landed in the 'dungeon' of the turret. Windowless, cold - not just chilly - and damp-ish, though I've been in worse! Its also a pass-through space for teenagers with hockey bags and sticks. Not conducive to leaving things in the potential path of destruction! They cut a swath of chaos with every pass. The worst of it is when they decide they just don't have time to put their bags away in their locker area, but dump it in my doorway or on the floor in the middle of the room. Aaargh!

I felt quite muddled by it and thought I was craving natural light (I am solar powered, this I know) and space etc. So I moved one drafting table back up to the front room...and my easel... but alas, no storage units so the clutter decends upon my table and prevents me from working. After wrestling with this all summer I've finally decided its time to move back down into the Dungeon, where I can shut doors, crank music or even turn on an old tv for company (watch out for snaking cords!)

Great, decision made. Unfortunately this space is now occupied by boxes of who knows what all from the adjoining workshop/locker/storage area. Oh for the love...!

Nevertheless, victory is within sight. I have determined to make this space my own, my Sanctuary, where creativity and creative messes can flow. Heaven help the boy or man who leaves their hockey gear in my space! I will paint it pink!!!

And now, I have a plan. A Plan to remove the stuff that doesn't belong. I am enlisting the help of my oldest, my girl, the delight of my eyes and my heart. She of the ordered mind, the helpful, tender spirit.

And now to visit the question of lighting....