Tiny, Tidy Studio

Lately I have been frustrated by not having proper studio space to work in. I feel this is a problem that emerges often. When my space is less than ideal I try to think of Henry Darger, who made amazing things in his one-room apartment. His space was tiny and served as his bedroom, living room, dining room, kitchen, and, of course, art studio. If he could make that enormous book of brilliant paintings and collages at his tiny kitchen table, surely I can do the same, right? Can’t I live and work in the same space? I feel like having that skill is important.


What I really need to do is clean. I haven’t really settled into my living quarters this summer. I thought I would have more space and consequently brought more things with me from school than were really necessary. In the past year I have realized that I just feel like I can’t get anything done when my space is in disarray. It doesn’t matter what it is. If I want to make some art, I have to clean and organize my studio first. I’ll be sure that my pottery tools need a good cleaning, that my paint should be organized and that my brushes ought to be conditioned and then placed in an aesthetically-pleasing arrangement. If I need to write a paper I must first clear absolutely everything off my desk and then stack the books and other reference material I’ve gathered in such a way that it looks like I must be very intelligent and studious. Once my desk shows evidence that I’ve been working on the paper for hours I can actually start it.

Do other people have this problem? More importantly, do other artists have this problem? I have become much more of a neat-freak than any other artist I know, than any other person I know. Well, except for maybe my winter-quarter roommate. Jessica is pretty darn tidy. And she’s a poet. I blame her for making me think that super-tidiness is normal.

Image is of Darger's room and is from www.daylife.com/photo/00e9fES63aeQT