Moor to Sea Arts

Siân's Blog

Siân Dudley writes about her life as an artist.

My new studio, week...lots and lots!

What can I say? Having shared the build with you from Day 1 I then went very quiet, leaving you wondering whether it was ever finished. The truth is, it still isn’t!

I had dreams of posting a beautifully decorated studio, exuding opportunity and inspiration. What happened was that as the studio was finished to a point where I could work in it I was up against deadline; no time to post, just work! And then another deadline, and then another. When I did get moments to take some photos I realised that I had washing pegged out, visible from almost every angle, and it seems I am not prepared to air my laundry in public, even if it is clean.

So, still awaiting and now in desperate need of a final lick of paint on the exterior, here are some recent photos. I’ve had a big tidy up, part of an artistic epiphany I shall share in another blog.

My studio is full of things that have meaning for me. For example, my ‘comfy’ chair one belonged to my Dad. It was his beach chair. It had a red fabric, no-one else was allowed to sit in it without permission and it was a real treat to be allowed to do so. He died many years ago, but I couldn’t part with it, popped it in the garage loft space where it remained until the studio conversion began. I tried to buy a replacement cover, but the world has gone metric since Dad vacated it! An old duvet more than suffices, and it still feels like a treat to sit there while I contemplate a work-in-progress.

The sink is also very special to me. It is new, and seemed a huge extravagance, but having a sink large enough to take a half imperial sheet of paper for stretching is pure joy. Those of you sensible enough to stretch your paper, try to contain your jealousy!

An aside

Have you taken a look at a full washing line recently. It’s surprisingly interesting! Light falling on and through fabrics, the shadows cast, the way different garments move in the wind, the homely atmosphere it creates are all a worthwhile challenge to capture in a sketch. It’s a good exercise during lockdown!