The Closing of one Chapter....The Opening of Another......As Time Marches On!! with Kimberly Conrad

A few weeks ago I shared my new little oil painting studio.....a spare bedroom in my house that I recently took over!!

It is darling and I love having a special space just for oils.

My large poured work is done in my Denver studio that's directly across from my gallery.
It's about 325 square feet and very very messy!! I keep five 6 foot tables up in there to work on.

This studio, below, that I'm sharing today is in my home, where I taught children from surrounding cities for 17 years ! 

( Be patient...the reveal is at the bottom of this post!!:)

I gave up teaching over two years ago and though I have painted periodically in this studio it was left pretty much the way it was as a classroom, because I paint primarily in my Denver studio

My little school was initially a music school…( music is actually my background-art came later).

We sang and played instruments and performed little productions around the city.

We did 50's shows in poodle skirts ( not the boys of course) and many productions in full costume...we did "Annie" our way, and Broadway Hits,  Disney Favorites, Hip Hop, you name it...we did it!!

We had one very special rest-home we visited each Christmas....I ran across this photo recently...from that rest-home and since my little boys are highlighted- I am guessing my mom or hubby took this shot!! Those 3 little blond babies are now 22, 23 and 24, and the blond one  playing the flute is now almost 28!! Wherever does the time go??

This was an especially sweet time in my life. My sons were 3, 4, 5 and 8 when I first began teaching.

Children came after school for an hour each week; at one time I had seven classes a week- Monday through Thursday, back to back classes 3 of those days with 6-10 students per class. 

After a few years, I added art to the program, and we would alternate, doing a 12 week music unit with a production, then I would put away the instruments and bring out the art supplies for a 10 week art unit culminating in an art show, then back to music, and so on.

Memory lane has taken me through albums full of photos the past few days!!

Over time, the art program became more in demand, and as I did not have the space to teach both at once, the music program was eventually phased out and we were studying art exclusively…oh how I missed the angelic sound of little children singing.

So.....I have packed up multiple boxes full of little instruments and costumes....

I may have to keep the bongos in the studio for stress relief!!

Moving on.....so, again,  I got the bug last week to finally pack up kiddy supplies and reclaim it as a grown-up studio.

I have been incredibly motivated lately to get my work spaces more orderly and organizedI!! It must be part of that empty nester thing, though our fourth son left our home over a year ago…..so I guess I'm actually a bit behind!!

I had planned to repaint the walls over the weekend, and the floor next, 

but I just could not bring myself to do it quite yet….

You see the floor, though hard to see is sectioned off into different shapes where along with my 4 sons, 46 students came one summer ( many, many years ago- at least 14) and each painted their own little painting, after which we coated the entire floor with polyurethane.

It held up beautifully for many years, but eventually the little feet wore it down…..and of course, there were plenty of spills and paint splatter!! My furry friends don't seem to mid a bit:)

Such sweet memories this room holds……so many darling kiddos of all ages.

I'm still in touch with many of those students…some have gone off to college and a couple even have children of their own!!

These sweet little girls are all either in college now, or have graduated:(

The walls  must be repainted ever so carefully, as there are little sections painted by my sons when they were little that must be edged around and preserved!

Students' handprints still line the wall going down the stairs.

In the midst of the overhaul this past weekend...

                    

So........as one chapter truly closes...another opens......

This space is around 300 square feet.

Until I repaint the walls and floors, I am making do with my overflow of outdoor and basement furniture in my little "pause, gaze at the work and ponder" corner....the doggies love the rug!
I had to hang a print of a photo I took of the main piazza in Cortona on my recent trip to Italy.
I used the waterlogue app to make it look like a painting!!

Pretty things to inspire....

I took down four 6 foot tables, leaving only 2, so I can work on easels and the wall.

 This little cart on wheels rolls around the room to whatever spot I am working in.

To the left of the cart is a space large enough to work on a 4 foot canvas on a hook on the wall.

The rubber mats to stand on while painting were a must....after the age of 50, concrete is not your friend!

 Need to add one more dog bed!

The old...old...old....T.V. for sappy Hallmark movies on late paint nights during the holidays, or days when the winter weather does not permit me to travel to my Denver studio.

A Table to the right for flat work.

To the right of table 2 is space for a 4 foot wide canvas- I will put a large hook on the wall here , another easel would take up too much room.

And THAT, my friends concludes my little show and tell!!:)

Thank you for sharing this little transition with me!

I feel so very blessed to now have three separate working studios...

Now.....Let's see if I can produce three times the work!!!!! 

Be Inspired!