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"Know Your Space, Know Your Place."
This exercise is about knowing your studio better. As artists our studios are extensions of ourselves. What you will need is string, a marker, compass, and journal. With the string find the center of your studio, you can go diagonally from corner to corner. After you find it draw a dot on the floor. This is the "Axis Mundi",the center of the world, and of your studio. Stand in the middle and see how it feels. Using your compass find your four directions (the Lakota Sioux always start in the west). Just stand facing each direction for several minutes and look. Also include above and below.
Now write in your journal everything you notice in each direction... note doors, windows, computers, drawing tables, storage. After you have completed this part look around again and see what doesn't want or need to be in your space or in that direction. You will be able to notice it. For example: I noticed that I had my main drawing table was in the north, near many old unfinished stored paintings. I realized that the north for me is a place for dreaming, sleep. The old paintings were in the right place, but my drawing table didn't need to be around such sleepy quiet energy. I pulled it out and eventually placed it in the west where there was more sunlight and we were all much happier.
If you want, draw or paint the 4 directions on the floor near your center mark. With a pushpin, string, and a small weight you can find the center of your studio ceiling. I have placed a hanging feather there.
Enjoy, we all need to understand who we are better and all we need is already here within us, and in our studios which are beautiful extensions of our creative spirits. We just need to take the time to look and see. Set your studio up as an alter, make an alter in a corner for your muse to live, which corner would be the best? Paint or draw a large circle on the floor and feel how safe it feels then to be in your space. It has got to be safe as you loose yourself when you work. "The highest expression of love is creativity" mk
Beauty above, beauty below, beauty all around!