May Davies on tue 14 oct 03
I recently moved to Colorado (yeah- almost a year ago ... not so recent
anymore) and have finally come into enough space to have a very small studio.
(Before, I had no equipment and no room, then the equipment but no room, now I am
a-grinnin'). Thank God.
This thread appealed to me for some reason (thinking back to those sweet
nights of bitter Northeastern winter, nestled with a sandwich and a Snapple in
front of the "Midnight Soda Fire" on a castaway orange couch), and while reading
some of your posts, it occurred to me that although the studio is in the only
room in the house with linoleum, it _is_ the smallest room in the apartment.
So, now, I am so incredibly insired by all you Clayarters to forge ahead
(pardon pun) and keep going! I have this FIRE under my hindquarters to get this
dream of mine off the ground!
Clay was my all-consuming passion until a bad neck injury back in 1997 and
the subsequent struggles thereafter put a huge dent in my plans. I am closer
than ever now to this dream!
Now I ask myself, maybe this huge living room should be the studio space,
since I was only really ever alive and timeless while making my work and jamming
to the music. There is carpet in this living room, but it must be at least 30
years old, however, it is nonetheless a rental. On the other hand, I do have
an upright steam cleaner...
My bedroom is home to 2 umbrella cockatoos and 2 green iguanas. The rest of
the house is run by 3 cats who, upon consideration of safety, might be a threat
to greenware. And otherwise, claydust is not something that is good
(understatement of the millennia if any of you know the tale of the studio dog who's
lung were found calcined after cremation)!
The living room pens directly into the kitchen, where my little office is
(another clay dust matter with the computer). Eating the dust myself, I have no
problem with hehehe.
Well, my friends, I am hell-bent on making this work (there's that fire/ kiln
reference again), and I thought maybe by flipping the spaces and having all
the clay stuff in the main room, it would help keep the goal at hand in the
forefront of my attention, you know? Especially since that used to be where most
of my day was spent before. If it turns out to be a viable plan, moving that
slabroller again and all the stuff in this place would be a project, though
well worth it.
The other limitation is that the only 220 is where the stove is, but just the
same, we don't fire a kiln in the apartment with no ventilation and the birds
in the next room, so for the time being, there is the test kiln and
micro-sculpture and dollhouse pots, but sculpture and pots, nonetheless!
Oh yeah- there is a futon here in the living room, which would be a great
thing to keep there even if it was a studio. Comfy book-reading and tea drinking
perch, and practical for those visitors.
I would really appreciate any input or suggestions you might have. Again, I
thank you for all your splendid, encouraging, and inspiring posts- I always
look forward to reading the list!
Bowing down and kissing your toes,
May Davies
Rising Road Studio
240 Glenda Dr., Suite D
Loveland, CO
970.663.2502
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