Everyone needs a studio of their own to create. Even kids. It doesn’t have to be a big space, or even a permanent space, but if more people had a special spot to keep their paint brushes, sewing supplies, and pen and paper, and then used these spaces to create something, I’m convinced the world would be a happier place.
In Studio A Place For Art to Start by Emily Arrow and illustrated by JW and Melissa Buchanan, the idea of what a studio is and what can happen there is introduced to young readers. A young bunny and his dad arrive at a city art studio where they are shown around by the cat owner. Inside they explore the different rooms, each fulfilling a different artistic need. They see a whole range of creatives, from painters and sculptors to musicians and actors, with all of the necessary equipment needed to make their art. Every page is filled with cheerful and realistic details. There is the expected paint brushes and canvases in the painter’s studio, but you also see staplers, a hair dryer, and a stereo system. Things actual artists have in their work spaces. A great conversation starter for kids.
I love how there is such a broad idea about what a studio is for. The story opens by saying:
We call a place a studio when we’re creating in it, or practicing, or editing, or thinking for a minute.
I love that thinking for a minute line. So true, but rarely conveyed to young children. Creating something, anything, often involves thinking about it for a minute, or many minutes.
The story ends with the bunnies finding an empty studio space that they fill up with their own art tools and promptly start making art. And it gives good advice to it’s young audience:
Finding your own studio shouldn’t be too hard: Round the corner, in a park, or maybe in your yard.
What a great project for kids; making their own studio! Even if it is a portable caddy filled with crayons, scissors and glitter glue that they bring to a picnic table in the yard. It is also a great project during these crazy times when many of us are forced to stay indoors. You can ask your child what kind of studio would they like, and then brainstorm ways of making it happen. The gift of a space of one’s own, and the allowance of unlimited creative time is priceless.
A studio of one’s own also is also for adults. I don’t have the writing studio of my dreams, but I still love working there. And there is nothing wrong with thinking for a minute, or many minutes about what the perfect studio space would look like. That’s where picture books for adults come in. Last winter I purchased Studio, Creative Spaces For Creative People by Sally Coultard to enjoy over the holiday break. It did not disappoint. Sure there are some aspirational spaces here, but there is nothing wrong with that. I love looking at creative spaces that are filled with the tools of creativity, even if I have no experience in that particular field. I could stare at pictures of paint splattered jars filled with brushes, piles of colorful fabric and shelves crammed with books and inspirational bric a brac for hours. To see how they set up their studios to do their work and how each space reflects the individual personality of the maker always inspires me to get back to my own workspace and create something.
Of course right now it is challenging for many of us to focus on any kind of creative practice during a pandemic. I know it is for me. But if you can’t write or paint, you can spiff up your creative space for when you finally can.
The book is filled with photos like the one above of various studios, from meticulous and orderly ones to utter creative chaos. There are writers’ and painters’ studios, and textile artists and sign makers. There are helpful tips for lighting and storage space, and tips for industrial vs. minimalism, but really the best way to enjoy the book is to just savor each of the photos and the stories behind each of the creatives who work there. Let yourself dream and imagine a studio of your own. And then go create something!
