I’m making my art studio feel very intentional for the first time, potentially ever.

Confession

I’ll go ahead and say it: I hate being in my studio room.

My studio/art space has changed and shifted several times over the last 10 years. Whether I was painting in my bedroom, balancing supplies on my bed and dresser, working out of a corner in a storage room, taking over a section of a shared living space, or now having a fully dedicated room—my art spaces have never felt thoughtful or intentional. They’ve always been scrappy, purely functional-ish, and chaotic. I used to think that chaos was good, like it mirrored my process and aligned with the themes I explore in my work. Maybe it does, I don’t know. What I am sure about is that I dread going into my studio in its current state, even when I genuinely want to create, because the space doesn’t feel deliberate.

The Idea

This is not to say I don’t enjoy creating. I absolutely do, there’s no debate there.
My goal is to enjoy the act of creating and have a space that actually fosters and encourages that creativity. It sounds obvious, but hey, we learn day by day.

In Slow Productivity, Cal Newport argues that we do our best, most meaningful work when we allow ourselves to rest and operate at a natural, sustainable pace rather than constantly pushing for speed or volume. He suggests that creativity, insight, and high-quality output come from periods of recovery, unstructured thinking, and working in alignment with human cognitive rhythms, not from nonstop busyness. By slowing down, reducing overload, and giving our minds space, we ultimately produce deeper, more valuable work. 

“Don’t rush your most important work. Allow it instead to unfold along a sustainable timeline, with variations in intensity, in settings conducive to brilliance.” 

I’m realizing how strongly this idea connects to my own creative process. My best ideas always show up when I’m relaxed—lying in bed trying to fall asleep, taking a shower, or out on quiet walks. A busy mind has never helped me with ideas or creativity. Yet somehow, it never occurred to me to make my studio a place that also supports relaxation and, in turn, ideation. I’ve always treated it purely as a space for execution. But why not let it be both—a place where ideas and work can happen? Groundbreaking.

Now how do I get there? This is where I’m starting:

The Desk

This somehow feels like the most critical in some ways. Sitting here, something feels more anxiety-inducing than creative. It’s not that I mind the natural mess of an art desk; I don’t mind that. It mostly stems from the items that end up on this desk just because they happened to exist– organizers I hate, old paints I feel bad throwing away (even if they’re dried and ugly.) Resetting this has felt the most meaningful thus far. Even if I don’t want to make something, it’s now at least a place I can just sit.

The Storage

The storage, my god, what a mess. For someone who prides themselves on being organized, it was not true of my studio. I would hold on to the dumbest things just because I felt maybe they could spark something? Most of the time, they didn’t and were just taking up space. I threw all that shit away. 

The Vibes

Honestly, before, there was not a single item in my studio that was there purely as decoration. Everything was just function, and sometimes function is ugly af. Just adding in some items that I like, that is a memory or just cute? Amazing. It’s funny in hindsight that I didn’t think to make this room and room and not just a sweatshop. 

This is only my preliminary steps in what I imagine will be a couple weeks’ project. I’m very eager to see how it turns out.

So here’s to a new chapter in making—one grounded in intention. I don’t know yet how it will shape my practice, or if it will at all. I hope it does. But even simply choosing to lead with intention feels like a step in the right direction.