Martin writes: "You must clean and arrange your studio in a way that will forward a quiet state of mind." I think I smirked out loud at this. My studio is a mess of sorts, an organized mess as I rarely know where anything is yet it really can do with a major cleaning. There's a sofa in there too which isn't necessary to have but for now it serves as a junk collector. And sometimes (or often) my dog likes to come in there and plop down on the floor. I'd rather she not, but I'm a sucker for those big beautiful dark eyes she has and I know she just doesn't want to be alone. I don't blame her.
Forgive me, but another version of the ____________ (you fill in the blank) Police. Her dictum, if I paid attention to it, would make me feel just terrible because my "studio" is in a corner of my living room. I have precious little storage space and I am always in the middle of something on my 2'x4' work table - so it is always a mess. I wonder... does this make me not a real artist? Or does this make it that I cannot make real art? Give me a break. Agnes Martin's words are for Agnes Martin and no one else.
I agree with Cecil's response to you. You make your art wherever you can and don't question whether you aren't a "real artist"......that's for you to define. Virginia Wolfe wrote a book titled "A Room of One's Own".....you have a corner of your own and whatever you create there is important and it's it's own universe as is. Blessings to you, Judith!
No need for forgiveness. That is just how she polices herself. That is why I say "I don't want to live in a house with a studio, I want my house to be the studio - the whole thing." You can tell from her writings (linked) that she was always thinking about and grappling with Buddhism and spirituality and meditative states. So I think she tried to think of her studio more like a Zen meditation hall and yes, you need to develop and maintain a certain atmosphere for that kind of subtle lifestyle. But that is mostly internal, like I say; 'quiet mind, clear heart' - that's the spacious studio. If you keep a more dynamic, mess studio like I usually do that doesn't mean you are not a real artist, it just means your not Agnes Martin.
While certainly having a studio that has its own dedicated space where you can chill out and gather yourself is wonderful, that takes a lot of effort and extra money. In the world of many artists that just won't work all the time. So I say think of your mind as you studio and set up shop where ever you can even if on a park bench. But I have to say, I have always bought or rented bigger houses or apartments than I need for myself anticipating most of it being studio space because then you don't have to rent a separate studio like many artists do. For me personally I need a surface to sleep on, a bathroom, a spot to make coffee and something to eat, and somewhere to sit. All the rest is studio. But that's just me. Other more civilized artists like to keep a well ordered, stylish and comfortable living space.
Martin writes: "You must clean and arrange your studio in a way that will forward a quiet state of mind." I think I smirked out loud at this. My studio is a mess of sorts, an organized mess as I rarely know where anything is yet it really can do with a major cleaning. There's a sofa in there too which isn't necessary to have but for now it serves as a junk collector. And sometimes (or often) my dog likes to come in there and plop down on the floor. I'd rather she not, but I'm a sucker for those big beautiful dark eyes she has and I know she just doesn't want to be alone. I don't blame her.
Forgive me, but another version of the ____________ (you fill in the blank) Police. Her dictum, if I paid attention to it, would make me feel just terrible because my "studio" is in a corner of my living room. I have precious little storage space and I am always in the middle of something on my 2'x4' work table - so it is always a mess. I wonder... does this make me not a real artist? Or does this make it that I cannot make real art? Give me a break. Agnes Martin's words are for Agnes Martin and no one else.
I agree with Cecil's response to you. You make your art wherever you can and don't question whether you aren't a "real artist"......that's for you to define. Virginia Wolfe wrote a book titled "A Room of One's Own".....you have a corner of your own and whatever you create there is important and it's it's own universe as is. Blessings to you, Judith!
No need for forgiveness. That is just how she polices herself. That is why I say "I don't want to live in a house with a studio, I want my house to be the studio - the whole thing." You can tell from her writings (linked) that she was always thinking about and grappling with Buddhism and spirituality and meditative states. So I think she tried to think of her studio more like a Zen meditation hall and yes, you need to develop and maintain a certain atmosphere for that kind of subtle lifestyle. But that is mostly internal, like I say; 'quiet mind, clear heart' - that's the spacious studio. If you keep a more dynamic, mess studio like I usually do that doesn't mean you are not a real artist, it just means your not Agnes Martin.
While certainly having a studio that has its own dedicated space where you can chill out and gather yourself is wonderful, that takes a lot of effort and extra money. In the world of many artists that just won't work all the time. So I say think of your mind as you studio and set up shop where ever you can even if on a park bench. But I have to say, I have always bought or rented bigger houses or apartments than I need for myself anticipating most of it being studio space because then you don't have to rent a separate studio like many artists do. For me personally I need a surface to sleep on, a bathroom, a spot to make coffee and something to eat, and somewhere to sit. All the rest is studio. But that's just me. Other more civilized artists like to keep a well ordered, stylish and comfortable living space.