Featured Artist Friday - Francesca West Watson
Artist name: Francesca West Watson
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Website: www.francescawatson.com
Blog if you have one: working on this, but I don't have one yet.
(Any other web link you'd like to share, etsy, flickr...) www.jewelrylessons.com/fwwatson
Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? I am very grateful to be able to say that I do.
Where is it located? The only room on second floor of my house - I live in a funky 70's house that has only one big room on the second floor. I commandeered it when my daughter moved out.
Is it a large or small space? It's very large - but lately it seems to be shrinking. It could be because of the clutter and the stuff I keep trying to add to it!
What medium(s) do you work in? Do you have a separate area for each? I work in wire and metal clay, and I work on one large table for everything.
What one word would you use to describe your studio? Sanctuary.
What do you think is the best feature of your studio? Tons and tons of natural light.
What would you change if you could? Hmmm.... I'd add a bathroom and more counter and storage space. Right now, everything feels very cluttered because so much of it is out in the open! I would also love to have more than one worktable - the only thing stopping me is time. I work full time, so studio time is a precious commodity - if I could take two to three days to rearrange some things in my house, I could free up an L-shaped worktable and a tall worktable, but I don't have that kind of time to spare right now.
Can you share an organizational tip? This question made me laugh, actually. I have yet to come up with a really good, comprehensive way to organize all my tools and materials. I got excited early on by the divided plastic trays with lids - the problem is that they wind up in a drawer and I forget what I have. I'm working on an idea involving open shelving and recycled baby jars, but there's that whole time thing.... I use an old iron quilt rack to hang less frequently used tools and things on, and that helps to keep only the tools I use most often on the work surface. I have all my beads in plastic compartmented boxes in an old marble-topped wash stand behind my workbench. Everything else is kind of jammed in wherever I can find space!
Describe the usual state of your work table? Things are usually more or less in their places, depending on the project I'm working on, but it's way more cluttered than I'd like. I have visions of a large, clean space to spread out and work on one of these days!
Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? Into the room, facing a view of the treetops out some French doors and a TV.
What's one drawback of your studio/artistic space? It's up a very narrow spiral staircase - hard to carry things up and down, since the treads are very narrow and I need my hands to hold on. (I usually go down backwards, like a ship's ladder!)
Do you have any studio mascots (pets, mannequin whatever)? I have a very sweet dog named Rocky, and he likes to hang out with me up there. The problem is that he's terrified of the spiral stairs, so I have to carry him up and down - and sometimes I just don't bother.
Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? Yes - but it's been forever since I've added anything to it! I usually put photos of outfits with colors I like - using textiles as a jumping off spot is a great way to experiment with color combinations. I have also hung up a few things that didn't turn out well, to remind me to stay humble!
Do you listen to music in your studio? What kind? Yes, often - I have very eclectic tastes, from Contemporary Christian music to classic rock to classical orchestral music.
Do you display your own work in your studio? Other artists' work? I don't really - I have some pieces laying out on my table, but that's mostly because I haven't figured out a good way to store them. I keep meaning to hang some artwork, but I never seem to get around to it.
What's one quirk or unusual feature of your studio? Definitely the spiral staircase!
Thanks so much for participating Francesca !!!!
*************************
If you would like to be a featured artist, just shoot me an email at : Melissa@kcjewelbox.com and I will send you the questions and information.
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Website: www.francescawatson.com
Blog if you have one: working on this, but I don't have one yet.
(Any other web link you'd like to share, etsy, flickr...) www.jewelrylessons.com/fwwatson
Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? I am very grateful to be able to say that I do.
Where is it located? The only room on second floor of my house - I live in a funky 70's house that has only one big room on the second floor. I commandeered it when my daughter moved out.
Is it a large or small space? It's very large - but lately it seems to be shrinking. It could be because of the clutter and the stuff I keep trying to add to it!
What medium(s) do you work in? Do you have a separate area for each? I work in wire and metal clay, and I work on one large table for everything.
What one word would you use to describe your studio? Sanctuary.
What do you think is the best feature of your studio? Tons and tons of natural light.
What would you change if you could? Hmmm.... I'd add a bathroom and more counter and storage space. Right now, everything feels very cluttered because so much of it is out in the open! I would also love to have more than one worktable - the only thing stopping me is time. I work full time, so studio time is a precious commodity - if I could take two to three days to rearrange some things in my house, I could free up an L-shaped worktable and a tall worktable, but I don't have that kind of time to spare right now.
Can you share an organizational tip? This question made me laugh, actually. I have yet to come up with a really good, comprehensive way to organize all my tools and materials. I got excited early on by the divided plastic trays with lids - the problem is that they wind up in a drawer and I forget what I have. I'm working on an idea involving open shelving and recycled baby jars, but there's that whole time thing.... I use an old iron quilt rack to hang less frequently used tools and things on, and that helps to keep only the tools I use most often on the work surface. I have all my beads in plastic compartmented boxes in an old marble-topped wash stand behind my workbench. Everything else is kind of jammed in wherever I can find space!
Describe the usual state of your work table? Things are usually more or less in their places, depending on the project I'm working on, but it's way more cluttered than I'd like. I have visions of a large, clean space to spread out and work on one of these days!
Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? Into the room, facing a view of the treetops out some French doors and a TV.
What's one drawback of your studio/artistic space? It's up a very narrow spiral staircase - hard to carry things up and down, since the treads are very narrow and I need my hands to hold on. (I usually go down backwards, like a ship's ladder!)
Do you have any studio mascots (pets, mannequin whatever)? I have a very sweet dog named Rocky, and he likes to hang out with me up there. The problem is that he's terrified of the spiral stairs, so I have to carry him up and down - and sometimes I just don't bother.
Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? Yes - but it's been forever since I've added anything to it! I usually put photos of outfits with colors I like - using textiles as a jumping off spot is a great way to experiment with color combinations. I have also hung up a few things that didn't turn out well, to remind me to stay humble!
Do you listen to music in your studio? What kind? Yes, often - I have very eclectic tastes, from Contemporary Christian music to classic rock to classical orchestral music.
Do you display your own work in your studio? Other artists' work? I don't really - I have some pieces laying out on my table, but that's mostly because I haven't figured out a good way to store them. I keep meaning to hang some artwork, but I never seem to get around to it.
What's one quirk or unusual feature of your studio? Definitely the spiral staircase!
Thanks so much for participating Francesca !!!!
*************************
If you would like to be a featured artist, just shoot me an email at : Melissa@kcjewelbox.com and I will send you the questions and information.
Oh my gosh! That wonderful wire piece at the top of this post is one the Francesca made me some time ago. It is so cool to see it featured here. It is a beautiful piece I cherish and I store it in the soft cloth sleeve she sent it to me in when I am not wearing it. I am loving your blog.. Cheers!
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Wow, lucky lady to get such a beautiful piece. Glad you are enjoying the blog. Spread the word.
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