I am currently in Southern California, where I am visiting with friends, attending a Kyudo archery program, and scouting for new galleries. On Friday, my artist friend Stephanie Miller showed me her new studio space near her home in a suburb of Los Angeles. The set-up was really inspiring, so I thought I’d share.
Karen Cope, a sculptor, is renting a two-story building (I think an old warehouse or office building). There, she set up her own studio in it, and divided the rest of the big open space into individual artist studios.
Having the studios next to each other reminded me of my first studio in the Arts Annex to Pier21, on the Halifax waterfront. Nothing is as stimulating to the creative juices as being surrounded by other artists. I miss that sometimes! When I notice, I try to take the time to get together with some of my wonderful peers and colleagues.
For Stephanie, this is a wonderful step: to move her art practice out of her dining room, and into this professional studio space at Cope Studios. The space is wonderful, the company of other artists is invigorating, and having the separate space outside the home aids the discipline of being in the studio 9-5 daily. Any artist reading this can relate to the importance of this.
Stephanie has particularly connected with artist Jacqueline Myers-Cho, whose does wonderfully whimsical work that has an edge of something deeper beneath the surface. They have agreed to do a simple collaborative drawing together every day – a wonderful idea!
The staircase displays this wonderful collection of Karen’s sculptures. The building will soon hold several kilns for firing clay, and there is even talk of adding a gallery space!
I am really hoping for more artist studio spaces in the Halifax area, particularly ones where artists can collaborate, and where there is a bit of a mentor situation going on, including in business skills. I was recently invited again to speak to students at NSCAD University about ‘post-graduation’. It is very challenging for new artists to figure out how to ‘make a go of it’! When I dream big, I think Halifax will pull off an incubator space like Harbourfront in Toronto. There is renewed hope now, with the recent change in mandate of NS Film and Creative Industries (unfortunately, their website does not yet reflect the real changes to include the crafts sector…. ). Let’s see what comes of it all!
Next post, I’ll fill you in on more of my Southern California adventures, particularly the gallery explorations!
It was so wonderful to meet you!
And you!!