An artist’s studio is many things…
First and foremost a place to work, a studio is where painters, printers, sculptors, and other creatives bring their visions to life. When choosing a studio for yourself, you want to pick a spacious, well-lit room that is conducive to getting your work done. Each medium makes its own demand, as does your individual work style – it’s well worth searching to find the studio space that accommodates both.
The Artist’s Studio as Community
Artists must do more than create. For many, the studio serves as the professional office as well – the location where contacts are made with galleries, collectors, and clients. It’s a good best practice to keep one’s professional life separate from one’s home address, particularly if you do political or controversial work. There are tax benefits associated with maintaining a professional studio space as an artist – consult with your financial advisor for full details.
The Artist’s Studio & Networking
In any profession, who you know can matter every bit as much as what you do. One of the benefits of maintaining studio space in an active artist’s studio space like the American Fabric Arts Building is the opportunity to participate in Open Studios, an annual event that brings Bridgeport’s active art community through the doors. Meeting local influencers, prominent collectors and buyers, fellow artists, and local media professionals can have a transformative impact on your career.
Open Studios 2018
Photo by KVON Photography
The Artist’s Studio as a Source of Support
The artist’s way can be lonely, with many hours spent working in isolation. The artist’s studio is valuable as a retreat from the world – it allows you to do your best work without distraction or interruption – while the artist’s community, composed of other working creative professionals who face similar challenges and share common concerns, is a valuable way to engage with it. Whether it’s shop talk, bouncing around creative concepts, or sharing career insights, there’s a lot to be learned from other artists.