Your Studio is Wherever You Paint (or Write)

The artist Robert Burridge always seems to inspire me in some way. I look forward to his "Bob Blast" each week.

Artists in a Magic Studio (GAMi) ©Mary Montague Sikes

Yesterday I watched his short video and found him urging artists to "own" their studios no matter where they might be located. He pointed out that some might be a small section of a room, others could be on the kitchen table. One woman in assisted living claims a portion of her bed as her studio, he said.

"Wherever you paint is your studio." That's the Burridge message.

"Wherever you write is also your studio." That's my thought.

Burridge says he always writes down his goals before he starts a painting project. Then he chooses the brushes and the paint colors he intends to use, and, because he is right-handed, he puts them to the right of his paper or canvas.

I like the idea of writing down the goals for an art project. It's a little like making a synopsis for a book or  writing down the ideas for your day's project as an author.

Organizing your writing space before you begin the day is a great idea. I don't, but it would solve a lot of problems for me if I did. Although I am right-handed, I have items I use to the right and left of my computer space and also behind me.

Robert Burridge calls his painting space his "Magic Studio". What he creates from nothing is like magic. What writers develop from nothing is magic as well.

He has three important rules he follows in his life as an artist:

1. Paint what you know.
2. Teach what you've learned.
3. Love what you do.

The same rules can apply for a writer. Perhaps that's why memoirs have become so popular. Write what you know. In the end, if you love what you do, you are on the road to happiness.