Tale of Two Studios

So, imagine that you have your studio pretty much set up the way you like it and then you decide to enter the lifestyle known as snowbirding and you'll actually be living in two different places quite far away from each other, splitting the year. You'd find yourself pretty much having to double up on all of your supplies and equipment wouldn't you?

I can't feature spending half the year away from my "stuff" that I need to create. When we bought our house in Arizona I made sure that I had a space that I could set up another lampworking studio. Transporting a kiln back and forth wasn't an option and I didn't really want to trouble myself with shipping it either. That was one of the items I needed to double up on.

Because we were driving down the first year I was able to split most of my supplies in half and stock my studio up to at least have a good stash to begin with. My digital controller is a bit to spendy to double upon but luckily it's light enough to transport back and forth in my luggage. I sometimes wonder if the TSA folks are scratching their heads when they see a box with a digital readout going through. No problems yet! My presses are quite heavy and also not something I want to reinvest in so I'm finding that a flat rate box to ship them is most worthwhile. Some tools aren't so bulky so I'm bringing them back and forth as well.

A few things I'm going to have to live without such as my sewing machine which I'll dedicate to my northern projects. maybe I'll find a good deal on one this winter now that I'm back in sewing mode after many years of letting the machine gather dust.

I'm looking forward to revisiting some of my collections, supplies and ephemera that I left behind last April. It will be all new inspiration...again. My piles of rusty things are calling me as is the sunshine and warmth of my patio.

Pure Torcher Studio

Since my retirement and move, I've had to set up two new studios. One in Alaska and one at our winter home in Arizona.

This Alaskan studio is quite a step up from my old dank corner in my old garage. I have high ceilings and window light with lots of room for storing a plethora of random collections. The vent hood is working better than my old one too since it goes straight up through the roof. I had been concerned about my old vent hood as I was experiencing a metallic taste in my mouth after lampworking sessions. I know that can't have been a good thing.

This studio is housed on the upper floor of the Garaj Mahal, our two story structure that is filled with all manner of hunting, camping and necessary items for living in the great northland. ( I wish that I'd made up that most fitting name Garaj Mahal but the credit goes elsewhere, Thanks Foote's) It's has three bedrooms upstairs that have housed seasonal archaeologists and are now guest rooms. Two of them I've taken over for a lampworking- hot glass studio and studio annex/sewing room. See I told you I've been blessed with lots of room!

The propane tank is housed outside on the deck and I'm using an oxygen concentrator as my oxygen source.

My Office Surroundings

My new rug really ties the room together.

I am indeed lucky these days to have a lots of different spaces to do different aspects of my creating. Kind of like having three different studios.

My first studio is my office space in the upstairs that looks out onto some snowy spruce trees today and fresh tire tracks on the newly fallen snow. This is the room where my Mac resides along with a printer and scanner and office supplies. I am scanner crazy and would feel awfully bereft without one.

Here I have various collections of dolls, antique wooden pieces, Hmong fabric swatches, vintage books along with cool trinkets I've collected over the years.

I have a table for assembling , gluing or packaging in the middle and it's a real challenge to not let it turn into just a catch-all for my messes.