Being an artist is a tough job. We work very long hours, have a lot of deadlines and need a well organized space to be creative. So when deciding on a how to create the “perfect studio” there are a lot of things to consider. It doesn’t matter if you are starting fresh out with your first studio or looking to improve what you have. Just do it. Because you really can create the “perfect studio”.

This week I am going to share a lot of tips for you to consider to make your studio perfect! So follow along with me and I think you will be happy with the end result.

Some artists have studios that are open to the public. Other artists have private workspaces in their homes. Some artists studios are located in a barn or in a boat storage space. Other studios are in warehouses, sheds, tree houses, and even out of doors. It’s important to realize that you just need a space that suits you, your art needs and your budget.

Whether your art pays the bills or is simply a hobby, you want your art space to allow you to experience creativity and inspiration. Your studio belongs to you, which means that you should decorate it however you see fit. Maybe you prefer blank walls, or perhaps you would rather plaster your area with pictures, photos and quotes that really inspire you. 

The first thing you need to do is choose the right spot. As much as we would all love to have a very large and cool space with floor to ceiling north-facing windows, for many that just isn't possible. And that is fine! It's more important to have an area that is easily accessible and comfortable. 

While you might not have a lot of options when it comes to choosing your studio space, consider everything. Don't discount a room, just because it's your dining room. If you consider how often you actually use your dining room, it just might be the perfect spot!

I do think you need to try to have a separate space for your studio. Eating in the same room could be problematic as some of your art supplies may contain toxic chemicals. So if the dining room looks like the right spot, don't plan on eating in there too!
 
Although many of us think that the size of your studio is the most important thing, don't let it play that big of a factor in choosing the location. Remember you need space to paint. You need an area to store your basic materials. Often a huge area can collect clutter and can be distracting. It's more important to find a well lit and bright room that inspires you to create!

Check back tomorrow as I discuss if your studio should be inside or outside of your house.

Whenever I go out of town it takes me a while to get "back in the saddle" upon my return. I travel a lot but it's unusual when I am gone for longer than a week. After spending two weeks in New Zealand I had a lot to do to get back on track. Not to mention pretty awful jet lag.

What are some of the things you should do to get your art business organized when you return from a trip?

The first thing is pretty obvious and that is to go through the mail, check messages and check email. Things have changed in that now when we travel we can easily stay on top of of email and messages. I barely remember the days when a return from vacation meant dealing with hundreds of emails. (Thank heavens for cell phones!)

After I caught up on mail and a few phone messages, I cleaned out my studio. Things were pretty crazy in the Carriage House before I left and by crazy, I mean that my studio was a mess! So I spent a few hours and fortunately, my studio looks great again.

The last thing I do when I get back from a trip is to schedule out my calendar. I have an editorial calendar for my blog and I am now scheduled out for five weeks. (What that means is that I have scheduled all of my blog topics for the next five weeks. I love being organized and ahead of schedule!) I also go through my calendar and schedule out projects and appointments for the next month.

Having a regular routine when you return from a trip can really take the hassle out of traveling. My only issue is that I need more time at home. I leave again this weekend. I am heading to Atlanta as I have a boot camp scheduled next week! So it looks like I get to go through this routine all over again next weekend! OMG.

Ok. So I have been on vacation. I spent two weeks in New Zealand with my family. And it was fabulous. For the first week I pre-wrote all of my blog posts so I didn't miss a day. For the second week I was just on vacation. Sorry but sometimes a girl has got to take some time off. (And thanks for all of your emails wondering "where "in the heck" were my blog posts?")

So I am back. And trying to get caught up. As you all know, it's hard to take vacation when you own your own business. There is nobody back in the office to take over while you are gone. There is also no one that can finish your paintings. So stuff piles up. In a really big way!

I did hit a big milestone while I was in New Zealand. My Instagram account @my100yearoldhome surpassed 10,000 followers. That was a really big goal for me and I am thrilled I reached it! But please understand, I worked really hard to reach this goal. 

Speaking of Instagram, this week's AHA show is going to be about some new things happening with Instagram. There's a lot of talk about Shadow Banning and if you don't know what it is then you had better listen to the show. Because I can bet that many of you have accounts that have been "shadow banned" by Instagram and you don't even know it. There is also a really cool app you can use called linktr.ee. It's a great solution for a common Instagram problem that you are going to want to know about.

It's good to be back. I am not home for long as next week I am teaching a Marketing Boot Camp in Atlanta, GA! I cannot wait!!!

Nine weeks ago I started a new Instagram account called @my100yearoldhome. The account is all about our 102 year old home, my love for farmhouse style decor, my Rae Dunn collection (and quest for the COOKIES canister!) as well as tips, recipes and much, much more.

I have previously shared that this endeavor has been a lot of fun. Most importantly, I have met the most amazing women through my new Instagram account. I have also learned a lot. I also started a blog (called My 100 Year Old Home) and now have linked pages to a new facebook account and a Pinterest page. And the best part? I only need 150 more followers to reach my goal of 10,000.

I have been fortunate to be able to share a lot I have learned about this Instagram journey on the Artists Helping Artists podcast. I thought I knew Instagram really well, but that wasn't the case. I do think you really can't understand Instagram fully until you are in the trenches and using it everyday. Trust me, this is so true!

If you aren't on Instagram then sign up now. If you are on Instagram then add a new account to help find something that you are passionate about. Trust me, it's so much fun.

And don't forget to follow me @my100yearoldhome. I am still trying to reach that 10,000 goal!

It's hard enough keeping track of my schedule when I am home. But now that we have been in New Zealand for a week I am still having trouble with the time change. 

It's just so strange that today is actually tomorrow back home. What I mean by that is it is currently Tuesday at 12:09pm. But in California it is Monday at 5:09pm. That is just so odd to me.

The good news is I feel a bit like I get a "practice" day since today hasn't really happened yet. I know, you are starting to think i am crazy. Crazy is going on a helicopter ride to the Milford Sound and stopping the helicopter on top of a glacier. We did that yesterday which of course is really today for the rest of you. 

We are heading out to try an ATV ride which sounds pretty fabulous. Can't wait until we leave on Saturday because we travel 13 hours and arrive home before we left. Now that is crazy!

This month we celebrated another anniversary of the Artists Helping Artists radio show. The funny thing about that last sentence? The AHA show isn't really a radio show, it's a podcast. But seven years ago no one knew what a podcast was. So that's why I always call it a radio show. 

Let's just say it is both.

On April 15, 2010 the very first AHA show aired on blog talk radio. I cannot believe the show began seven years ago. That's a long time ago! I also cannot believe we are now in our eighth year. I never imagined the show would last so long. And now I cannot imagine my life without the AHA show. I think that's pretty cool.

You just might want to go back through the archives and listen to one of our previous shows. You can find all of the previously recorded shows here. Enjoy.

Artists are always struggling for motivation. We have to be creative ALL of THE TIME and it's not easy. In fact sometimes it is brutal when we just aren't feeling it. But I think I can help.

On this week's Artists Helping Artists show our topic is "How to Energize Your Art World". My co-host Margaret Sheldon and I have put together a great list of some very fun and exciting things you can do to to create excitement and fun in your art world. You don't want to miss this show as I think it's a great list every artist needs!

Listen to the show here.

There is a to-do list that has been sitting on our kitchen island since Thursday night. And it has haunted me for the last three days. Why?

By the time this blog post goes live I will be on a plane to New Zealand. If you listened to the Artists Helping Artists show last week then you might remember I mentioned that we had a trip planned to New Zealand. My husband is competing for the USA in the World Master's Games (in volleyball in the 55+ age bracket) and my oldest son is also competing (in swimming in the 25+ age bracket. We planned this trip a few months ago but we knew there was one catch. If my youngest son's volleyball team made the NCAA Championships then I would be staying home.

I honestly thought I would not be going to New Zealand. In fact, I was in complete denial and hadn't done anything to prepare. Including some of the trip planning. Sadly, on Thursday night, UC Irvine lost in the MPSF Championship semifinals. I was so sad for my son. And then I freaked out that I had to plan for the trip. Uh oh.

Don't get me wrong. The packing part is nothing. It's the "getting everything done because you are going to be gone for two weeks part" that had me completely freaked out. Make that present tense, "that HAS me completely freaked out".

The good news is we don't leave until really late on Monday night. So I have 26 hours to get everything done. 

Of course by the time this blog post goes live I will be on the plane to New Zealand. Which means I will have everything done by the time you read this. Right? Ok. Wishful thinking.

And one more thing. Tuesday pretty much is non-existent this week. We take off at 11:40pm on Monday and arrive 13 hours later on Wednesday morning. Good thing I didn't need Tuesday to get stuff done. I hope you all have a nice and productive Tuesday.

Look at this photo. It was sent to me by a wonderful interior designer who I just love working with! Isn't it amazing?

And it not only shows off this gorgeous master suite but it also shows off my painting. Don't you think this room is just gorgeous?

Half the secret in getting a great photo of your art is to ask. Once a client receives your painting just ask them to send you a photo of the painting in their house. Nine out of ten times I bet they will say yes. And if you are working with a designer there is a very good chance they will have photos taken of their finished design!
//photo credit - Louise Wade