Like Walking Into My Womb

Athena’s Wall in her studio.  That’s her speaker in front of it.

I went into my studio this morning and thought, that walking into my studio is like walking into my womb.

It’s a safe and creative place, and it’s all mine.

Last night, after dinner I went to my friend Athena’s house.  She recently moved and asked me to help her hang her pictures on her studio wall.

Athena is a musician.   She took the front room in her new house and transformed it into her space for making and playing her music.  It glows with warmth and has the quiet vibrancy and hum of a place where creativity is happening.   She’s working on a new record.

When I got there, Athena had everything she was thinking of hanging on the walls of her studio piled up against the Victorian fainting couch.   We spread them out on the floor in a way that seemed like it would work and Athena liked.   She took a picture with her iPhone then we began transferring the pictures from the floor to the wall.

I recently learned a great trick for hanging pictures on a plaster wall.  You put a piece of tape over the spot you’re going to put the nail in and it keeps the plaster from crumbling around the nail.  It works great with picture hooks too.

After we had the pictures hung, Athena pulled out another box of thing to hang.  These were small pieces, in all kinds of shapes and materials.  We easily figured out how they fit perfectly between what we had already hung.

The process of hanging pictures on a wall, especially with all the interesting shapes and materials Athena had is pretty close to the way I make a quilt.   And from what Athena has told me about the way she writes a song, I’d say it had similarities to that process too.

I’ve found that having a room of my own is so important to me.

I can’t imagine not having a studio at this point in my life.  It doesn’t have to be a space separate from the house,  like I’m lucky enough to have.  I think it’s possible to  transform almost any space into a creative one.

I loved being able to help Athena make her studio even more of “her own” last night.  When we were done,  I could feel the mojo coming off the walls, with everything on them placed just right.

 

4 thoughts on “Like Walking Into My Womb

  1. I relate so well to this room of ones own. I feel fortunate to have a writing cottage that sits off the corner of our deck. Every time I walk through the Victorian screen door and enter I feel like I’m being hugged. This space has helped me grow in so many ways!!

  2. I think it is very important to have one’s own space for creativity. We transformed a family room in our house that we rarely used to become my sewing room. That was about 15 yrs ago. We just remodeled it, put in windows with southern exposure, and new shelving where the wood stove used to be. Such a glorious transformation. I spend lots of time in this space. I get so excited to create new quilts. The ideas are plenty and wish I could direct someone to do part of the sewing with me! I do some house cleaning and cooking but prefer to spend time in MY space. When I feel disgruntled I send myself to my room. Such a happy place. I can “feel” the fabrics and bring life into them. I donate most of my quilts to the homeless and feel blessed to be able to do this for others.

    1. How beautiful Mary. In every way. I love that you “send yourself to your room” It changes the whole meaning of those words. This is what can happen when we are able to do what we are “meant” to do. Your work, giving it to people in need, it’s all light and good.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Full Moon Fiber Art