HOW TO: Artist’s Studios

You may be as neat as a pin or messy, messy, messy. Many artists have a great a lot of artists tools, a small library of reference books, inspiration, found objects/supplies big and small, unfinished projects and finished art work – where do you create art? Georgia O’Keefe created in her studio and home in the desert, at LVA artists work in our big warehouse, my artist husband and I have an art studio in our basement with two kitties. Check out Louisville Visual Art’s Open Studio this month, the artist’s studios below, the Art Starts Here video, and Build Your Own Art Studio Diorama Project. Send us some photos of the art studio you design and some of your art work to: artstartshere@louisvillevisualart.org.

The ninth annual OPEN STUDIO LOUISVILLE is a landmark event when artists across the Louisville Metro area open their work spaces to the public.

Two Saturdays in October!
October 15 & October 22
12pm to 6pm

4 ways to enjoy the experience

Purchase the Open Studio Directory

Download the Open Studio Directory

Download the LVA Mobile App

Pick up a FREE Open Studio Brochure

A prime opportunity for fans, collectors, fellow artists, the young and the old, or those just curious about Louisville’s bustling art scene to get behind-the-scenes views of creative processes, learn about new artists in the area, and take advantage of studio sales where available. For participating artists, it’s a wonderful way to connect with new audiences, inspire young visitors, and share deeper significance of how and why they make what they make. Louisville Visual Art and the University of Louisville Hite Art Institute partner to develop the roster of artists and create a comprehensive Studio Directory & Artist Guide that maps studio locations and provides information on all participants. The OPEN STUDIO LOUISVILLE Directory is prized in the community as an invaluable guide to Louisville’s art scene.

All ages are welcome! Click here to learn about Open Studio.

Chuck Close

Chuck Close in his studio.

Chuck Close, Self-Portrait, 2012

Chuck Close (1940 to 2021), was an artist who adapted his learning disability to creating his large-scale face paintings. And after becoming disabled he recreated his style and adapted new painting techniques to continue his creativity.

Learn more about Chuck Close and observe his studio at this link.

And if you are a young art student, check out Chuck Close and Big Bird at this link.

Alexander Calder

Alexander Calder in his studio.

Alexander Calder, Untitled, 1949

Alexander Calder (1889 to 1976), was the originator of the mobile and kinetic art, balancing nature and industrial materials he changed sculpture and defined a new art form. He built his glass and cinder-block studio on the top of a windy hill in Connecticut.

Learn more about Alexander Calder at this link.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo in her home and studio

Frida Kahlo (1907 to 1954), is remembered for her self-portraits, pain and passion, and bold, vibrant colors. As a child she suffered from polio, and nearly died in a bus accident which left her disabled. Often, she painted while lying on her back in bed. Her studio was her family home, where she lived all her life. The cobalt blue walls gave the house the nickname the Blue House.

Learn more about Frida Kahlo at this link.

Artist’s spaces can be big or small, they can be in a box or a whole room. If you have a small space, check out this cool Art Starts Here video by artist Claire Krueger. She will give you tips on working in a small space, taking care of your artist tools and being creative.

Build Your Own Art Studio Diorama Project

In this project a diorama is a 3-dimensional, miniature representation of a scene, or a room, a made-up place with realistic details. Think about your art and what kind of space your need to create. Go really crazy with your design or be really practical, but make this 3-dimensional diorama yours. You may want to grab all kinds of supplies from your art supply box and from the recycling bin.

Supplies you may need:

Cardboard
Paper
Scissors
School glue or glue sticks
Tape
Recycled materials
Air dry clay or even play dough
Markers
Paints
Crayons
Toothpicks and/or pop sickle sticks
Old magazines to cut up
Hot glue device and hot glue sticks with the supervision of an adult

Here are the instructions to build your basic wall and floor for your diorama. We know you are all creative whizzes and we want you to think about all the details and create them by yourselves.

1. Draw some fast thumbnail drawings of your artist studio ideas

2. Gather the supplies you need from looking at your thumbnail design

3. To start construction by cutting out a large square for your floor, you could make it around 18” x18”, a little small or bigger. If you make the floor really small, it will be difficult to make all of those teeny, tiny details like paints, books, tables, chairs etc. And if you make the floor too big, it will take a lot of supplies and take up a lot of space in your art area. Think about the size of your project before you start.

Now that you have cut out your floor. You want to color and decorate the floor now. It will be hard to color the floor if you have tables and easels already glued down.

1. Cut out cardboard shapes for your walls (in this diorama we are just showing 2 walls of the room).

2. Now color the walls before you glue them into place.

You may want to add braces to the backside of your walls to make them sturdier.

1. One kind of brace is a basic piece of cardboard cut into a right-angle triangle.

2. A more elaborate brace could be an architectural element design for the outside or inside of your wall (in our sample, we chose a flower box to help hold up our wall).

3. Your walls are up. Now, what will you use to make a table, or an easel, or books or your goldfish!!! Go for it.

Send us a picture of your diorama, or even take pictures while you are making your studio, let us know the process. Send images to: artstartshere@louisvillevisualart.org

To practice any art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So, do it."

Kurt Vonnegut