18 Artists Magazine October 2019
e
verybody’s tolerance for clutter
in the studio is different. You
may be someone who embraces
a bit of mess (“It’s not mess; it’s cre-
ativity!”), or you may be the type who
finds comfort in a tidy, orderly space.
Regardless of the mind-set, there are
some challenges—such as storage—
that are common complaints, and
some simple strategies and ways of
working that can be useful.
We asked top art professionals:
“What has worked best for you?” Read
on to hear about space-saving tactics,
as well as helpful habits and other
best practices for making your studio
a motivating space.THERE’S AN APP
FOR THAT
“Forty-five years ago, when I first
began my professional art career,”
says Ken Goldman, “if I needed a
particular photo reference from
which to make sketches, I’d trek to
the public library’s ‘photo-file morgue’
[an extensive collection of all sorts of
photos and magazine clippings]. Now,
although I still carry and use a sketch-
book, the iPad and iPhone have made
conceptualizing and problem-solving
even easier—and certainly tidier.
Specifically, I use an incredible app
called ArtStudio, which has made a
big difference.
“ArtStudio is a portable photo-
editing program—not as refined or
as powerful as Photoshop—but light,
mobile and complete enough for
my conceptual needs. Not only canOrganize Your Way
Howyouorganizeyourstudiooftencomesdown to what works best
foryou,butit’sstillhelpfultohearwhatinteresting solutions
othershavefoundtogetthemostfromtheir painting spaces.
byAnneHevenerKen Goldman and his artist
wife, Stephanie (pictured
here), rely on two large,
custom-built taborets,
aff ectionately referred to as
the “mother ships,” to keep
order in their shared studio.Prime STUDIO STAPLES