If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you’ll have read my posts here and here about building a lampwork studio. It’s been a long, slow process, but I’m finally done. Well, sort of. It’s done, but I haven’t hooked up the torch to the propane — I’m saving that for after all my holiday shows are over and I can devote all my attention to my new little nest.
So without further ado, here is my new studio!
There are a few things that need tweaking — outlet covers need to be put on in a few places, the ventilation hood will find it’s final position once I am sure I like where I’m sitting — but for the most part, it’s done.
I love the iron table for the kiln. Good air flow underneath, I can move it around, and it’s pretty. The curtains hide storage shelves, which are actually all going bye-bye sometime after Christmas when I move in the most perfect glass storage I’ve ever seen. That’s an entire post in and of itself — but you’ll have to wait until December or January for that one.
To the right of the work desk is the oxygen concentrator and the air conditioner/heater. Very unsexy. But it is home to the first bit of adornment I added to the studio after the paint job — a floral mural. Let me tell you … that mural just about bested me. I had to go inside the house twice and search on YouTube to find decent instructions so as not to lose my mind. That thing is huge — four feet wide — so it was like trying to hang wallpaper by myself.
And finally, coming all the way back around to the door, you come to my Learning Corner. The flowered boxes are full of lampwork how-to books and tutorials (that’s the A/C) peeking into the picture on the far left), a chair to kick back in, and a tree. Doesn’t everyone have a tree in their studio?
Of course, making beads is about the glass. I have a small collection of Moretti and BullsEye, to practice with. Pottery Barn makes some great, heavy-bottomed vases that won’t tip over easily that I thought would be great for bench-top rods.
So there you have it! Yes, it does exist! No, I haven’t played yet! I just know that if I dare fire up the torch, I’ll get way behind in jewelry-making and at this time of year, that’s about all I live and breathe. Once Christmas is here, though, I can take the time to choose some glass, grab a mandrel, and hope the Burn Unit is ready.
Lori Anderson works and blogs from her studio in Easton, MD. You can see her work at www.lorianderson.net and read her blog at www.prettythingsblog.com.
Deedee says:
what a beautiful space…the colors you chose are so cheery and it looks so inviting…and the window has such a great view
October 13th, 2009 at 7:53 am
Erin Prais-Hintz says:
What a happy, pretty space. You are sure to cook up some great ideas in this studio. Congratulations! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy the day! Erin
October 13th, 2009 at 9:12 am
karen says:
I love Lori’s work. Her lovely studio certainly reflects her special work!
Karen
October 13th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
Christine B says:
Lori, I LOVE IT!! Congratulations on getting it all put together. It looks fantastic and you are going to really enjoy working in there. Hooray!
October 13th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Studio Marcy - Marcy Lamberson says:
It’s gorgeous and I’m envious! Hooray for you.
October 13th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
lisa oram says:
I’m inspired. I had not the patience or the money or the attention to detail. I threw a hothead onto a piece of drywall onto a card table in my garage and fired up. A few months later, I bought the same kiln you have and put it on another piece of drywall on some metal filing cabinets. (You can see a rough photo on my rarely updated blog: (www.lisaoram.com). For ventilation, I keep the garage door open, which means that bead season is almost done for me here in MA. Your beautiful, complete shed/studio is my dream. . . I will have it one day and one way, by my 50th b-day for sure. That gives me about 3.5 more years. . . best of luck and enjoy! You have a lot of willpower to wait until after x-mas. What a great reward that will be for you after some long months of hard work. Thanks for the inspiration.
lisa
October 13th, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Laurel Steven says:
Lori, that is just beautiful! and it looks like it was an awful lot of work – but look what you have for it! I can’t wait to see what you will make in your wonderful new space…laurel
October 13th, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Dee says:
yeaahhhh, that’s great Lori, you mean we now have to wait til after Christmas for beads?? aah man!! I’m so happy its finished and it looks great. The colors definitely reflect you
Dee
October 13th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
Holly Dare says:
Fill those jars with sand and then then will never tip over….unless you are a klutz like me!
October 13th, 2009 at 9:53 pm
loribeads says:
I want to live in there! Those are my very favorite colors.
October 15th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Heather says:
Lori
What a christmas present for you! Goodluck at all your shows!
I have total studio ENVY! You know I am always here for you if you need any tips or tricks…or color ideas
xoxoxo
October 16th, 2009 at 5:34 am
Laura Brito says:
Your space is lovely and I just love your Mural! I have been seeing those and wondering what they are like and if my type of walls can handle it, your space is lovely! Thanks for sharing it! I love that little table too!
October 18th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
Laurie says:
Oh Lori, it’s amazing! I love the colors and the mural was, I think, worth the trouble!
October 22nd, 2009 at 7:47 am
Stephanie says:
WOW. Your studio makes mine look like a garage. Oh wait, mine IS a garage.
Congrats, Lori! It is lovely!
November 10th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Virginie says:
That was a few months back so you must have switched a few things around, but it feels very homely. Pastels are calming and looking straight out of the window, you don’t feel clostrophobic. Fantastic!
July 20th, 2010 at 8:33 am
jenn says:
thanks for stoping by my blog! Love your space! I have such an appreciation for glass artists…it must be a lot of fun to work with glass
July 24th, 2010 at 5:49 pm