American Artist Studios: Inspiration & Products for Your Creative Workspace

OK, I have to admit that the last time I read American Artist was when they reviewed my last book. I know, I know:  that’s pathetic. It’s about artists = I should be reading it, right? But, eh. It’s kind of (shhhhhh) stuffy, you know? Now, I’ve known some fabulous painters who did amazing work and were just really wonderful people. But when you read art magazines—as opposed to mixed media magazines, or craft magazines—you just get this sense that everybody (mostly painters) takes everything reallyreallyreally seriously. You know? Just stuffy.

But when I saw “STUDIOS” on the cover in great big letters--

--well. I couldn’t resist. And you shouldn’t, either. Sure, most of these studios are way, way beyond our budgets. Hell, some of them are beyond the entire National Budget for Art ($2.95 annually, since Reagan). But, man, they’re fun to look at! And some have some do-able things, ideas that you can take and make work for you. The most important idea you should take away from it, in my opinion, is that any space, anywhere in your house or yard or garage, can be made into space for art. Think “wheels”—lots of the things in here have wheels on them, and the artists just roll them away somewhere when they need the space for something else. I’m guessing they roll them away into a parallel universe, where these Wheeled Things wait patiently out of sight while the artist uses her solarium for a cocktail party.

Go find a copy and check it out—I’ll bet you come away with at least one tiny little idea that you can make work for you. And then tell me about it!

(And no, I have no affiliation with this magazine. Not that I know of, anyway (who knows who owns what any more though, huh?) Whatever—I’m not getting paid to promote it. And why is it that I always feel compelled to disclose this stuff to y’all? Like I need a disclaimer tattooed on my forehead. Whoa:  there’s an idea! Hide wrinkles, save myself the constant explanation: “No Affiliation With Anything At All.”)