Tiny Creative Space (And How To OWN it!)

I recently took a poll in my StrawberrySparrow FB group, asking what holds YOU back as an artist… is it money? Is it Tools? #1 answer was simply FEAR, and a close-second was a lack of a dedicated creative space…

(My daily palette and Oui jars for water)

…One of my members was actually the one who added the option, and boy, it struck me. This is something I too have struggled SO hard with over the last…. well, forever. So much so that I rarely photograph my work area because it seems so insignificant.

…The only time I had a good office space was when I was running my little vintage retail business online and had a great home-office dedicated to it at the time. But art was in the background of my mind then, and when we moved and I sold off my inventory I haven’t had a great space since.

At out last home, my office was literally a closest – converted into a great little artist nook. I loved it. My husband made me a tracing tabled and it was really all the space I needed and I didn’t mind sacrificing space because it was adorable and in our bedroom, in my safe place…

Now that we are building a home, and we are not settled in yet, I went from having an area the size of my end table (that’s what it was) for a little while, to now having this wall. I do feel a little more freedom that before but I understand all too well what it’s like to suffer artist-anxiety when I have to pull everything out, or move it to the kitchen table, or drop my brushes and not being able to have the light on because, family.

Vintage file, tiered cart and mason jars for brushes

Still, I’ve learned a trick or two because the struggle is real, and I wasn’t about to let a lack of a sacred creative space hold me back. If I kept waiting for enough space to make my life easier, I wouldn’t have been painting for the last 6 years…

…When I had my smallest space to work in, I bought a table easel to hold my essential supplies in. It’s small, but holds a lot. I love that I can adjust the easel and store my art inside. I loved this thing and used it as my little portable office… It really did hold pretty much everything I needed.

(I don’t use it as much now but occasionally I will when I am working on multiple paintings)

I bought this table easel from ebay on the cheap!

My biggest advice is to get unconventional with storage. Use jars, cigar boxes, tupperware, letter holders, portfolios, shelves, carts, boxes, totes, picture frames… If you don’t have a lot of space, good storage and using the vertical options of the walls are key.

..Go through all your things and think, how can I make my space sacred to ME, to make ME want to paint… and by getting all of the most important tools out in the open so you are invited to sit down and paint. Your space needs to be open and ready for you 24/7…

Find ways to store supplies that don’t take floor space. I used a letter holder for packing and hung clipboards with current projects.

My mini assistant. She helps with absolutely everything!

It’s ok if your space is small.. And it’s ok if you don’t have everything you need and have to wait on your dream studio. What you need, is a spot where a piece of paper or open journal can lay, with a small water jar, brush, pencil, and a couple of paints beside it. Start there… and add your favorite little touches to make it meaningful and cozy. You’ll be surprised by how much you love your teeny tiny creative space 💖