Work Spaces

Folks often ask me about my work space. When they step inside, they're usually astonished that it's organized. I'm not sure why. Perhaps they're expecting drifts of paper scraps or floor to ceiling stacks of newspapers. I just can't work with mess all around so I keep it kinda tidy, it's true. My studio is also pretty small. I admire those huge, airy artist's studios with the soaring windows and towering ceilings ~ but honestly, I'd be lost. I'd forget where I left my glue bottle and then work would grind to a halt till I found it. I like to keep things simple, so small is better for me.


Folks also wonder what I listen to while I work. Although I am a great fan of all sorts of music and my selection lists on iTunes are legendary ~ I'm a fan of the podcast. There are several that I listen to while I work ~ Radio Lab, This American Life, Selected Shorts, and (a must) Marketplace. I've been learning a lot more about collateralized debt obligations lately than I'd care to know but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Music makes me want to move around too much so I save it for when I'm framing or cutting a huge stack of mats.


Another question that I hear quite often is about inspiration. What inspires my work and how do I seek it out? My next post will be about my interest in natural history and how that led me to become a volunteer at the Smithsonian's Naturalist Center in Leesburg, VA.