Studio Snapshot – Michelle Davis Petelinz

Artist name: Michelle Davis Petelinz

Location: Raleigh, NC

Website: Jordan’s Treasures

Blog: Artventuring

Etsy: Camida’s Shop / Jordan’s Treasures

Picasa: The Ancestress Series

Do you have a dedicated studio/artistic space? My beautiful, new studio space was conceived, designed and built by my darling husband.  I moved into it this past April, and I love it.

Where is it located? It’s located in our basement, (which is why we bought this house last year) right beside my husband’s studio (he’s a painter).

Is it a large or small space? Our combined space is large, with 3 windows a door to the outside.

What medium(s) do you work in? I work in primarily in polymer clay, acrylic paint, and handmade paper; I’m a mixed media artist, and I incorporate beads, powders, feathers, fabric, stamped textures and other items in my wall hangings, clocks, mirrors and shadow boxes.

Do you have a separate area for each? No.

What one word would you use to describe your studio? Love-filled

What do you think are the best features of your studio? The amount of storage and working space, and the windows—I can see the sky, trees and animals (see below!).

What would you change if you could? The black floor—what was I thinking?!  It’s very hard to keep clean.

Can you share an organizational tip? Color coding for file folders, and see-through containers for just about everything else.  Being able to what you’re looking for at a quick glance saves time and sanity!

Describe the usual state of your work table? When I’m busy, it’s pretty messy-looking, though I know where everything is, of course!

Does your work table face out into the room or toward the wall? My drawing table and computer area face the wall of windows, and my work surfaces face the wall.

What’s one drawback of your studio/artistic space? We haven’t done the bathroom addition in the basement yet, so having to go up to take care of business and/or washing out brushes is an annoyance.  But, it does get me up, which is good, since I often forget to stretch for hours, and pay for it later.

Do you have any studio mascots (pets, mannequin whatever)? Do the families of rabbits and groundhogs outside my windows count?  I think they do!  They’re a major source of amusement, as are the various birds, including hummingbirds who come by occasionally.

Do you have an idea wall or inspiration board? No, but I do a great deal of research online, and I create visual files for reference before starting most projects.

Do you listen to music in your studio?  What kind? Yes, jazz mostly.

Do you display your own work in your studio? I don’t usually display my own work unless I’m working out a problem with a piece.  I like to ‘live with it’ for awhile, which often lets me solve the issue.

Other artists’ work? The first pieces I hung in the studio were a series of photographs from a calendar of Women of the African Ark, by Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher.  Since much of my work is inspired by the colors, symbols and motifs of African tribal groups, these photos are perfect; I never tire of looking at them.  I also have a clay totem by Courtney Tomchick, a batik by Theodore Shola, prints by friend and artist Paul Goodnight and I’ll soon have a favorite painting by Jillian Zausmer Goldberg, who’s also a friend.

How has your studio affected your work? Being able to spread out, be organized, and continually inspired by nature and visuals I love has been wonderful.  I’ve created new pieces, and have many ideas for more. As I often say in my blog:  stay tuned!

Tagged as: polymer clay, Studio Snapshot