I've decided to move my studio location. Eighteen months ago I moved into a nice but very tiny studio in downtown Natick, MA (AKA Natick Center). At the time, it suited my studio needs. Good light, situated near a hardware store, post office, my husband's office, places to grab a bite to eat, parking, and easy access during Natick Open Studios. I think I did a good job using the space, given the limitations.
Then, late last summer I was given the opportunity to create a 35' long art installation in Kendall Square in Cambridge, MA that required about 60' of printed fabric. Since my studio space is 16' x 10', smaller than one of the panels of the installation I was going to create, I needed to find a temporary space to work. I ended up using of a part of my husband's office due to convenience/access to my studio.
At the end of 2011, I started to reevaluate my studio needs. Where could I create large work? Was the small studio on Natick Center working out for me in terms of balancing my time writing a how-to craft book and my web design business? Was I making good use of my time waiting for work to dry at my studio when I had web or writing to do at home? Could I really afford to be paying for a studio that didn't really fit my needs?
In January 2012, I spoke to some artist friends about their studio spaces, and about how I was thinking about moving my studio back home. Someone suggested I move a large bookcase/storage unit out of the room for my home studio, into the room with my computer. That's when I started to see how I could make better use of space.
I still had to figure out where and how I could make larger work, but I decided to make the move from my Natick Center studio to home, and I started rearranging, straightening and cleaning up the space.
Then, a totally unexpected thing happened. I was offered the use of part of artist Cherie Clinton's studio at Fountain Street Studios in Framingham, MA. It's just about double the Natick Center space, for the same cost as I've been paying in Natick, and there's enough room for me to have a table that's 16' long! Though not perfect, it's a wonderful opportunity for me, and we have an agreement that I'll try it out for a year and we'll see how it works out for both of us.
Beginning in April, I will start moving most of my studio furniture, supplies and artwork home, and in early May, I'll bring the rest to Fountain Street.
The picture above is the space I’m moving in to, minus everything from Natick Center. The tables were already in the room, but in different positions. The legs will change after the move to take advantage of my storage needs. Below is my Natick Center studio as is before I start to move out.
If you know if someone looking to rent a small studio in Natick Center, please ask them to write to me at jeanne@jeannewilliamson.com to discuss.
