MICRO HOME STUDIO
Today let’s talk about the challenges of working from home. Its a reality many of us have faced over the last year/two years, and as a society we have become really resilient to the new work from home changes.
Firstly, let’s acknowledge how different pottery is from a desk computer job. You need a bit more space when you’re making pottery at home. My studio is in one corner of my bedroom. It consists of a large desk, four shelves, my potters wheel (that I store under my desk) and a small wooden stand for drying pots on. It’s not easy working in such a limited space, but it gets easier over time. I don’t have my own kiln, so I fire all of my work at the communal guild in town. Most cities have a potters guild where you can rent out kiln space if you’re a member. Right now this is the best option for me because I don’t have room in my apartment for a kiln (But hopefully one day I’ll have my own).
The moral of this story is that anyone can set up a pottery studio from home. As long as you have your basic tools, maybe a banding wheel and a bag of clay, you can start your pottery adventures right in your own home.
My little home studio while it’s in use.
I wanted to share a few tips on how to create the perfect functional home studio.
Tip 1. Natural light
It’s so important to be able to have great lighting in your studio and my personal fav is natural light. Its great for seeing the true colours that you’re using and also for documenting your process. Fresh air and looking out the windows while you’re working is also a plus of having natural lighting.
Tip 2. Find multiple purposes for everything.
I use a piano bench as a seat and as storage (not pictured in photo) I also have extra storage under my desk where I slide my wheel when I’m not using it. Multi purpose is your best friend when trying to make a studio in a small space.
Tip 3. Start with your basics and only get what you realllyyyy need.
You don’t need every tool, every book and every glaze right off the batt. Remember to start simple with your basics and slowly add to your studio when you know you really need it.
Heres a list of the basics I had when I first started.
-Canvas for rolling slabs, rolling pin, rubber rib, pin tool, banding wheel, cutting wire, 4 batts for working on, a jug for my water, two slip containers and some sponges. You really don’t need much to begin.
Over time the first thing I added to my studio was a canvas covered wooden board for wedging my clay and a scale for weighing clay before throwing.
I hope my little tip list was helpful and I’d love to see your home studio! Send me a picture on instagram and feel free to ask me any questions you have:)
@galleryk.ca
Thanks for reading!
-K
