A space of my own
Bought a $40 drop leaf table from Barber St Habitat ReStore. Tomorrow is 3 weeks since I started my art desk project and it's working great!
Using the crates has really helped organize things into groups. I found another crate to put my crafting books in one spot. My collage supplies are in the left crate.
The wooden drawers hold lino tools, watercolor sets, & pencil sets. The open box holds ink supplies and the small 2 drawer set holds calligraphy nibs and ink cartridges. My lamp was another thrift store find.
My small pottery is everywhere holding things or just on display. I made another wreath which I've hung on the desk wall. Art adorns the wall: 3 of my shadowbox projects, 1 of my botanical prints, my failed wooden spoon project, one of my abstract photographs, and an inspirational North African print of nomadic people.
I cut down foam boards to fit into the gold frame creating an inspiration board of random objets de beauté: post cards, book marks, and some of my own: a print, a watercolor, and a self portrait.
My carpenter has taken ill, so it'll be a long time before the custom shelves I'd planned are made. This is letting me take time out to discover how I use the space, what I'll need storage for, where my new foci lay. Having my own space is a real game changer! I'd grown accustomed to having such a limited (multi purpose, multi person) space for my personal projects that I'm rediscovering some of my other artistic interests! Having a drop leaf is so constructive. I set the leaf up and work. When it's time to stop, I move everything onto the center section and drop the leaf. The chair is tucked under the side. No one comes along and messes with it or needs it to eat on or work on. Just a place of my own!
The whole project has cost $40 because I used things around my house. Every decor and organization item here came from thrift stores, yard sales, hand-me-downs, library book sales, seconds shops, the dollar store, or was made by me. The only things new were the paint brushes and some of the other art supplies. Even some of those were hand-me-downs or gifts!
FEB 2022 UPDATE:
The rolling cart sits to the right of the closet door (at right) when not in use. I had this at my work desk in the library. I sorted through the supplies, donated a lot, and moved its work desk contents. I now use it for paint supplies. Since I began using this art desk, my focus has changed because I finally had the space to try new things and keep ongoing, unfinished projects out on the center of the table top. I have switched my focus from watercolors to acrylic paints and really needed more storage space. The rolling cart is working well for that storage.
Hanging under the left side are cutting supplies for my collage projects. A couple of hooks and the cutting board and oversized ruler hangs until needed.
The CHAIR!! I bought two thrifted chairs for $40 and spray painted it black from the original hideous pale green. It is so much softer than the Windsor Chair I had to borrow from the dining set. It tucks under the right side when the table leaf is lowered.
My $3 bulletin board / inspiration board. A nice black gloss ornate frame and thick cork with hanging hardware for $3 from my favorite thrift "boutique". The chairs were also from that thrift store.
A $10 leaded glass floral frog sits in front of the ceramic jars of paint brushes. I use it to hold my wet brushes as I work switching back and forth.
