This year I have completely rearranged my life as an artist. I have invested extra time into marketing and growing my clientel. My production time has increased along with my sales. A year ago, this all would have been overwhelming to manage. Because balancing work and family life is a challenge for us all, right? As my business and career has begun to grow, I have realized that I need clear separation between my work and home life, to better prioritize my time. That is why I was thrilled to learn of a nearby studio space available for rent in April! Now I am rearranging my life in the studio.
As a member of the Hamilton County Artists’ Association, I have become quite familiar and connected with Noblesville Creates, a local nonprofit that supports artists in the community. My husband and I have regularly visited their studio artists on campus during First Fridays. We even had a chance to reconnect with his elementary art teacher, who previously rented one of the spaces! (He says she is his second favorite art teacher, since I am his first. Cute.) During one of our visits earlier this year, we inquired about an empty studio and discussed all the possibilities of the space. Learning of a lengthy waitlist, we began to plan and consider what it would look like if life in the studio did become an opportunity in the future.
Flashback to 2020
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down schools (more than once) in 2020 and beyond, I was incredibly thankful for my home studio. I had a cozy little space to bunker down and teach virtually. Beyond the beautiful sight of snow piling outside my studio window in the winter months, I enjoyed working while surrounded by my personal creativity. Students were able to see my own art in the background, and I could step away (just around the desk) to create between classes. As art educators know well, it is challenging to reserve enough energy and time for personal creativity during the school year. Having ready access to space and time reignited my passion for art-making, not just teaching. During this time, I created my popular mixed media piece Tempation and began developing my skills in watercolor painting. The year 2020 became a new baseline for my creative interests, artistic style, and career path as a whole.
Artist Mom
Life has changed quite a bit since 2020. Most significantly, our family has grown from one child to three. This has a huge impact on not only my time and energy, but also the space in our home. Unfortunately, my home studio was buried alive. It is my own fault, because being a mom is really important to me. It takes precedence over my artistry, especially in these early years that I don’t want to miss! But my creativity is fierce. I become restless without my creative outlets. So, I create alongside my children, during naps and in the middle of the night. I do all of these things at our kitchen table. The setup works, but is definitely NOT ideal. This is why I held onto hope that life in the studio could someday be mine.
Creative Space
As fate would have it, the staff at Noblesville Creates worked through the waitlist and arrived at my name! This was unexpected, but we quickly decided to move forward and take on the opportunity. The timing was tricky. April and May are always hectic as the school year wraps up, so it took some time to settle in to studio life and get the space feeling like home away from home. A little fresh paint and a simple workspace fit the bill perfectly. It felt amazing to hang a few artworks on the walls! This new creative space is setup to meet some of the unique artist needs that many don’t recognize exist.
Meeting the Needs
This new studio space offers several benefits that I expect will have a big impact in the long run.
1. Dedicated space:
Art is a process. Sometimes things need to be left unfinished, for dry time, better lighting, rest. While it is generally possible to pack up projects and move everything out of the way, it sure is wonderful to have workspace away from the kitchen table! Not only that, but I can work with different materials and worry less about mess. I also have space to safely store my completed works–on display!
2. Dedicated time:
I love the flexibility of working in my home, bouncing between the responsibilities of everyday life. However, this way of working negatively affects my focus (primarily on the things of life). Once I begin creating, I hyperfocus. What I really need is scheduled and dedicated time to focus on my art, so that I can meet the needs of home and family while I am at home. This separate space has allowed me to create a studio schedule for myself, so that I can better plan and organize all of my responsibilities and continue investing in my children.
3. Public access:
Many do not recognize the impact of consistent public access. Artists need spaces to present and sell their art, and teach if it suits them. We connect with art and artists differently in person than we do when viewing online. It has been scientifically proven that emotional responses to original works are more intense than those with reproductions. Not only that, but the public must know where to seek out artists when they want to engage and purchase works. Collective groups of studio artists have the potential to draw a bigger crowd, growing the audience. It helps that Noblesville already has a regular schedule of First Friday events!
Looking Ahead
Getting started in the studio and further engaging with Noblesville Creates, through shared space and community projects, has already brought me so much joy! That being said, it all still feels new. For the first time in my life, I have entire days set aside to freely create, without the input or expectations of others in my environment. This is both liberating and terrifying as I continue to find my groove. Right now, I am looking ahead and setting goals to guide my work, while leaving plenty of room for flexibility. Time will tell if this studio is the right space for me, but right now I am enjoying every minute in it.
Come visit during the next First Friday, 6-9 PM, or connect to learn about workshops, events and private art lessons. Thank you for being a part of my studio life!
-Heather Ray
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