Getting Down to Business

I guess being a working artist is like being in a twelve step program. The first step is admitting your an artist. I've done that.  However, there is no local support group that I've found yet. So I guess it's up to me to figure the rest out.

I would say up to this point I've been a poser. I say I'm an Artist, but what have I done lately? Step two then must be the creation process. Easier said than done. Where do I create? With what? On what? Not to mention, what the hell should I paint?

Let me address the first part : Where. Every good artist needs his space, his lair, his "fortress of solitude". So todays mission is to create a studio space where I can work. I have claimed a room in the basement. Unfortunately, there is no natural light but I'll deal with that for now. I've emptied it and swept it out. Now it is time to make it a working studio. As I carry box upon box of supplies and older artwork into the now empty space I'm realizing just how much I've accumulated over the last 20 or so years. Here is a brief inventory:

Paints:
- 54  2oz. Acrylic paint tubes
- 14  4.64 oz. Acrylic paint tubes
- 36  1/2 oz. Acrylic paint tubes
- 7  1 pint tubs of heavy body acrylic paint
- 5  7.6 oz. tubes of extra heavy body acrylic paints
- 62  bottles of liquid acrylics
- 13 1.25 oz. tubes of oil paint
- 20  oil sticks
- 8  quarts of latex house paints
- 12 gallons of latex house paint
- 12  cans of spray paint
- 3  cans of primer
- 4  cans of polyurethane
- 7  jars of various matte mediums
- 8  spray-cans of sealers
- 37  black sharpies
- 2  purple sharpies
- 1  green sharpie

Tools:
- 108  paint brushes (all shapes and sizes)
- 2  T-squares (one "F"-ing huge)
- 6  mat knives/exacto knives
- 1  mat cutter
- 2 pencil sharpeners (1 20+ years old)
- 1 set of french curves
- 3  pair of scissors
- 4  lights
- 5  easels
- 2 print racks
- 5 pallets
- 11 pencil sets
- 1  tripod
- 1  mono-pod
- 2  digital cameras
- 1  Pentax K-1000 camera
-     crates of Art/ Art History books
- 7  journals
-     Support building materials (clamps, glue, nails, sanders, hammer, pliers, mitre-saw, etc.)
-     Various rolls of masking tapes
Supports:
- 26 pieces of unstretched canvas
- 8  sheets of foam core
- 4  rolls of paper
- 10  pads of paper
- 10  sheets of black Cansen paper
- 25 pieces of panel to paint on
Artwork:
- 30+/-  unfinished paintings
- 50+/-  finished artworks
- 6  sketch books full of ideas

Please tell me that you didn't read all of that!

Today I am organizing all of that and trying to set up a nice workable area where I can start to paint. There is, apparently, no lack of supplies. So, once my space is ready, I should be able to start on my new adventure.

I think that I would like to put a small "thinking area" in there as well, with my desk and computer, and a spot to just sit and get focussed.  I will check back in tomorrow. Hopefully, I'll be able to add some pictures, but currently I'm working with an 8 year old computer and it just doesn't want to "upload".

Thanks for reading!