At least that’s how the saying goes, and for the most part that is definitely true. It is also true that one can find a way to create art no matter what you have or where you live. Like life, art finds a way…

It’s kind of a thing for artists to show off their studios and havens of creation. For those of us who enjoy getting a behind-the-scenes sneak peek into an artist’s space, there’s definitely an expectation for that space to be as beautiful as their art. Surely one needs a beautiful place to inspire beautiful art? And surely an artist’s creativity would leak out into their living space, so that everything about their home and lifestyle becomes something worthy of posting on Instagram, right?

The truth is no, not every aspect of an artist’s life is as beautiful as their masterwork. Just like everyone else, there is disorder and chaos and things that don’t belong…but it sure is romantic to think that everything about an artist’s day and home is beautiful and creative. Just as romantic as the idea that writers speak poetry in everyday conversation, or the idea that a singer naturally has a beautiful and musical speaking voice.

Of course those of us who admire an artist’s work are not the only ones to fall into this way of thinking. Artists and creatives are equally as guilty of putting pressure on ourselves to make everything “worthy” of Instagram or Pinterest. It can be absolutely paralyzing if one is not careful, so every now and then I find it helpful to take a peak behind the curtain and see how messy everything is backstage. To remind myself that everyone is on a different stage of their journey and living a life that is utterly unique to them and beautiful in all its mistakes and chaos.

I find pictures of artist’s work spaces that show this reality inspiring. One does not have to have the ideal studio or most beautiful work space to create something wonderful. So I thought I would share a look at my workspace, both before and after the move, just in case it’s helpful or inspiring for you.

Here is exhibit A: my computer setup at the trailer house we just moved out of. 🙂

There were many things I loved about our old house, small size included. I am the eldest of five children, and growing up we all shared the same tiny room with two beds. Two of my sisters shared a full-size bed that was pressed up against one wall, and I shared a twin-size bed with another sister. The twin bed was a foot longer than the mattress, so we stuffed a bunch of nice big pillows to fill the empty space at the foot of the bed, and my brother slept in that little space until he got tall enough for his legs to flop over the side (by that time my dad finished building a new room or two to the side of the house). Between the beds there was maybe three feet of space down the middle of the room. Just enough room for a tiny desk with one of those dinosaur computers up against one wall.

So I’m used to tiny spaces and working with what you’ve got.

In the trailer house, the only place for the computer/TV was shoved up against the living room wall right in the center of the house. That white column to the left was where the two halves of the double-wide joined up, just beyond that was the kitchen, and just behind the camera view was the dining area. Out of sight on the right of the photo were the bookshelves and fireplace, which was my favorite corner of the house.

The “desk” is a thin table meant for a hallway, and the computer towers, printer, and DVD player were all stuffed under it. The table cloth was more a way to keep all the tangled chords out-of-sight and out-of-mind than any real aesthetic, because clearly it’s not the most beautiful look. I did always try to keep the top organized (though notebooks and papers had a way of collecting there). Aside from this, my workspace was anywhere I could find that was comfy to sit with my iPad, like the couch.

Not pretty, but I made it work. Even with the distraction of literally being surrounded by the entire house and all the joyful chaos in it, I’ve had some good years of wonderful creative work here.

Without a designated place for art, my tools and space needed to be flexible. I carried my sketchbook, journal, or iPad with me wherever I went.

Without time, any moment that wasn’t spent raising children or caring for the house was dedicated to my creative goals. With my tools always on hand, I could sketch or jot down ideas at a moment’s notice.

Without order, I discovered ways to create order out of chaos. Write weekly goals in a notebook and hold onto the next small step, so that the instant I had a moment I knew exactly which creative task I could accomplish. I always kept the list small, with bite-size tasks that could be finished in about five minutes.

Most important of all, I surrounded myself with positive podcasts, Youtube videos, or other learning resources that provided a constant, gentle reminder to be patient with myself in this season of life.

We work with what we have, and sometimes our limitations are what give us opportunities to think outside the box and figure out how to turn a weakness into a strength. To use everything in our space to its fullest potential. I am glad for the lessons I have learned, because I am far more efficient and productive with my time now with five children than I ever was when I only had one or two.

A quick side note: I don’t mean to be a machine. That’s not sustainable and leads to burnout, which I discovered the hard way. Life comes in seasons, and sometimes the limitations are a simple reminder to slow down and focus on what is immediately around us. In my situation, my children are young and growing, so my primary creative work is raising them to be responsible and loving human beings. Also, please understand that I am not boasting about all the work I have or how much I accomplish with five children. Others have more children, fewer, or are happily child-free, and there are no winners in a contest of life comparisons. I can speak only from what I know, and these are the lessons I needed in order to figure out the best uses of my time. We are all unique, and so our life journeys and lessons learned are all different, beautiful, and valuable. 🙂

And then the seasons change, and a new place, new space, creates new possibilities.

Which leads me to the move and my new work space.

It’s not pretty yet, but right now the priority is function, and in that it succeeds beautifully! My computer is now set in a private room, and the previous owner left behind this desk that I was super happy to use to my advantage. All chords fit neatly in the grey cubby on the left, and the tower fits very nicely against the wall there. My iPad, primary journals, and other small essentials have a home in the right-hand cubby, and I love how the printer and keyboard all fit nicely on the desktop. I even have a little room to push the monitor and keyboard back so I can set my iPad down.

The shelves on the right are the kids’ school books.

Even though we have only lived here for a couple of weeks, I can already tell a difference in how I work.

• Everything has a designated place, and the increased order means I waist less time searching for things.
• Increased physical order has also lead to mental order and peace, which leads to more energy to create.
• Living on the outskirts of town has made a huge difference in my husband’s schedule, which has rippled down to changes in my day with the kids. With no commute to work, we have dinner earlier, go to bed earlier, and I can actually wake up with Hubby in the morning. This means I start my day as soon as we’ve had our coffee and he’s off to work. I get an entire hour to myself in the morning to get creative things done!
• Greater energy and rising with the sun has made me more active. It feels really good to have so much light in the room!

So though it’s true that we can make our goals work no matter where we live or our life circumstances, it’s also very good to use the full benefits of where we are. I have learned many valuable lessons at the old house, and I am grateful for the years we lived there.

Now it’s a new place, a new season, and I’m excited to discover what the future will bring.

My lessons for this month…

• When chaos threatens to overwhelm you, brainstorm ways to make tasks small and orderly. It’s amazing how much progress can be made in just five minutes!
• Cramped spaces can offer an opportunity to work with fewer, smaller, or more flexible tools. They help us focus on the heart of what matters. What is it that truly matters, and what is extra fluff?
• Physical order and space really help with mental order. When that is not available, then focus on just one small space. What is the one thing that can be accomplished in the space of a few minutes?
• Every season of life and place we call home has a different set of lessons. What are yours? 🙂

And the Critter of the Month is…

Gertrude the Gargoyleosaurus is happy to see you!

There were a few bumps and learning experiences with this painting, but all in all, I really enjoyed visiting her again. I know you can watch the video right here if you wish, but it would really help me if you went to Youtube and left a like or a comment there. I would love to hear any feedback you might have, so I can make my videos better. The videos are partly for my own benefit, but mostly I want to make something that can be inspiring, helpful, or simply a happy dinosaur for the day.

Gertrude is pretty chill, and is hardly ever surprised by anything. All she wants is to find a nice mud wallow or soft sandy spot to snuggle into. She won’t mind if little kids clamber on her back while she’s napping, though you might hear her sniffing for a possible treat or catch her crack an eye open for a better look.

For more facts on Gargoyleosaurus, I want to give a shout out to the Gargoyleosaurus post written by Jason R. Abdale over on his blog, DINOSAURS AND BARBARIANS. His posts are always wonderfully researched and thorough, and I love how he features many prehistoric creatures that are relatively unknown. Not only are they well researched, but he always has a beautifully detailed reconstruction to accompany his research. If you have not seen his blog yet and enjoy learning about prehistoric creatures I highly recommend it!

Thank you for joining me today! If you really like Gertrude’s painting and wish to support me, you can find her on Redbubble. Just click on the picture below or CLICK HERE to go to Redbubble and take a closer look.

See you Oct. 1st for the next Critter of the Month!

This fearsome little critter has a heart of gold that is bigger than he is!

Share your guess in the comments! He’ll be one of the critters over on the critter page. 🙂