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Come behind the scenes at April Nicole Art for a #CraftRoomTour and see April's art studio in Portland, Oregon.
The freedom afforded to me by having my very own space. I own it, I painted it, and I deal with any messes I make.
Tell us about your space
My studio is a 435 square foot space that is the entire upstairs of my house, which is really useful for keeping work/life separation. It has it's own bathroom and closet so it's really self-contained. The only thing that happens up there is my work. It's just me, the music, and the art. No distractions. Except maybe the dog.
What have you done to make your space cosy, beautiful or inspiring?
I washi tape photos and postcards to the wall that make me smile. This space is lined with things that make my heart happy like My Little Ponies, a musical unicorn from my childhood, a little wool dog in a dress ornament, sparkly skirts, a small piñata... There's a hanging planter in there that never looked better with a plant in it than just draped in garlands. Plants wander in and out of here, especially in the winter. The rest of the house is packed with plants, so it feels really bare without any - like right now.
How do you keep organized?
My floor looks kinda chaotic, but I am all about organization. I have lots of shelves, drawers, tubs, jars, and stacks where everything has it's home. There's a large closet in the studio (The previous owner used it as an office) where finished work, shipping boxes, and bubble wrap live. All my paintbrushes are in their own containers based on size. Finished paintings are stored by size. Paint is grouped by color and brand or sitting next to whatever I'm painting with it.
Any tips & tricks for organising supplies?
Containers Containers Containers. Most of my containers are repurposed fruit baskets, peanut butter jars, or yogurt tubs. At the end of the day they hold everything and can look pretty good lined up together.
Which are your favourite possessions and are there any of your own creations on display?
My toy "nokia camera" kaleidoscope prism is just about the closest thing to a magic portal I know of, so it's easily my favorite thing. My paintings are everywhere, but I really like to store them away so my ideas stay clean and unswayed.
How do you organise your inspiration and ideas?
Everything pre-painting happens on my phone, so I use Evernote for everything.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I don't really go looking. Spontaneous nonsense from my subconscious is the only way to go.
If you had three wishes, what would you do to make it the dream space?
Floor to ceiling windows, so many skylights, and more air conditioning vents or something because it gets super hot in the summer.
Whose craft room would you love to explore? Send us a message!
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