I have a bit of an obsession with creating inspirational spaces. Because of this my studio probably looks less like a traditional jewelry craftsperson's than it does a child's playground. But that is just me. I think it is important for every artist (whether jewelry artist, painter, potter, or any other artistic discipline) to customize their space to be in tune with their mode of working. And that looks different for everyone. Some folk are neat freaks and cannot work unless their space is highly organized. Other artists I know would not trade their organized "chaos". No matter what your creative style your workflow is affected either positively or negatively by the way you set up your studio.

Here are just a few things that I have found that work for me to create efficiency as well as inspiration.

1. Enough Storage.
Just do it. Have enough to store the various stages of your work. This may take the form of cabinetry or rubbermaid tubs, but having a place for everything helps ease work flow and makes finding things less of a hunt.

2. Color.
So many folk that come into my studio marvel at the color on the walls. I am not sure why people are afraid to apply a little color to their spaces. Paint is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to enhance a space and the benefits are great. A little purple paint provides buckets of inspiration.

3. The Creative Triange.
You know how designers talk about the "triangle" when designing a kitchen? The same concept applies to a well functioning studio. If your work flow involves multiple steps then a triangle or square shape where each station is within three or four steps is a great rule to make your work time more efficient.

4. Inspiration Promptors.
It may seem cheezy but we all need little reminders to pursue our art forms. In my studio these promptors come in the form of words like "Imagine" and "Dream". Jars and cans with gemstones, beachglass, and pearls are mounted to the walls. Coffee cans filled with colored pencils and other "creative opportunity items" are in view and in reach. Little things like this make the difference between struggling with you muse or setting her free.

It may seem like such a simple thing, but if you have ever lost track of which solder ( soft, meduium, hard) you purchased and cut into those nice little snippits, you might find this little tip helpful.

When receiving your shipment of sheet solder and other silver products, resist the urge to just put the solder aside for a later date to label. Mark it immediately using these simple steps.

1. Take a permanent marker ( a different color for each level of solder, red for soft, black for hard, etc.) and cover one side of the selected solder sheet in that color.

2. Create "snippits" by using sheers, slicing vertical lines, and then following with horizontal lines snipping into a container labeled for the level of hardness.

After the sheet is cut into snippits the marker coloring will allow you to distinguish the level of hardness even if the snippits are spilled or mixed, or end up on the bench, floor, or elsewhere. The ink will burn off when you use the solder.
For more handy tips go here...

Thanks so much to Jordan Edwards and his great article this week in The Gazette. You can read the full article here.

A great book that every jewelry craftsperson should add to their bookshelf is Jewelry: Fundamentals of Metalsmithing by Tim Mccreight. Unlike Tim's textbook: Complete Metalsmith, (also a must have) this book is fully illustrated with beautiful photos that visually guide you through each technique.

This is a really simple project that is perfect for the beginning smith, or anyone wanting a quick and rewarding project that takes less than an hour.
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Word-of-the-Month
Annealing: (or, creating elbow room)
To heat and cool-quench silver rendering the silver pliable. The first step in preparing the metal before working it. Used when a project has become work-hardened.
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Blalir Anderson is an artist in residence at Glen Echo Park, MD.
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