A place for everything and everything in it's place...

... well, not really but I'm talking storage here!  For the last few months my lack of storage space has really been hampering me but plans were afoot and they've been completed now to the effect that I am now the proud owner of an outdoor storage area converted from what our ex neightbour referred to as "the fruit hovel."  The walls have been lined with hardboard and a variety of holes from previous little visitors have been blocked up, a lick of white paint, some lighting and an assortment of furniture and Bob's your uncle!  ;o) 

View from outside

This cupboard was in the fruit hovel originally. 
All the black bags house my dismantled plinths from Beyond Convention.

You can't beat a groovy old sideboard!

Stuff is beginning to arrive in it's new home!

Adding this one for no reason other than I like the shape of the light on the floor!

All the above photos were from last week, yesterday I spent all day sorting and shifting stuff from the studio and spare room (aka overflow dumping ground! lol) to it's new home and it now looks like this... 

Looking in from the door

Found this racking to add to the top of the sideboard

The big box houses my huge hanging video piece, nicknamed The Vortex ;oD

Space rapidly filling up!

The majority of what I wanted to move is there now, just need to spend some time sorting, organising and a drawing up a loose plan of what's where to aid my memory when I'm hunting for that certain something, darkly muttering "I know it's here somewhere..."

Walnut Tree Studio

Is there any greater compliment for an artist than to inspire someone else?  I recently had this experience and it's a lovely story that I'd like to share here.  ;o) 

At my exhibition, Beyond Convention, back in May I exhibited an installation piece called The Journaler's Retreat.  For those who didn't see it in the flesh, it's a shed turned into a little haven for art journaling.


The Journaler's Retreat
Photo courtesy of Rob Morris

Inside, the shed has a workspace to sit at and is furnished with materials and equipment to be wildy artistic with!  There is also a shelf of inspiring books and journals, fairy lights, a radio...everything you need to shut yourself away for some quality creative time!  ;o)

The Journaler's Retreat, interior
Photo courtesy of Rob Morris

At the launch event for the exhibition the piece was really popular and particularly so for Neil & Rachel Blue and their children, Rane and Eran.  Rane and Eran were so inspired that the family went home and decided to convert their garden shed into a creative zone!  ;o)  Neil and I are members of the same life drawing group at Savage Studios in Chatteris so over the last few months I've been hearing about the progress of their garden shed and then recently they asked if I would come and officially open the shed, by now renamed as the Walnut Tree Studio.  ;o)   So, a couple of weeks ago I went along on a Monday evening and performed in my debut opening ceremony!  ;o) 

It wasn't the sunniest of evenings so the pictures are a little dim but hopefully you can see how much fun it was!

All ready for the off!

Out in the rain fuelled by excellent pre ceremony tea, scones and biscuits!

Neil making his, obviously amusing, opening speech!

Wielding the scissors as I make my little speech.

Off we go!

Rane (back) and Eran in Walnut Tree Studio

A view of some of the decorations in the studio.

Neil and Rachel on the threshold.

Rane and Eran's fab welcome posters.

My thanks to Neil, Rachel, Rane and Eran for a delightful evening, I was so flattered to be asked to go along and perform the official duties and the studio itself has a lovely atmosphere, I'm sure it will get alot of use and I'm now eagerly awaiting the first exhibition at the studio which will hopefully be at the end of November (won't it, family Blue?).  ;o)  It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know that a piece of my work has been so inspirational.  ;o)