Sunday, March 31, 2013

The Studio! TADA!

Studio Construction Progress
The studio is finally taking shape.  We started construction at the end of February and I'm hoping everything will be done by mid-April.  It's a simple sloped roof design with lots of windows for light.  I've been wanting a studio for years and have been working from my living room since 2006.  A large part of this long delay has been due to our frequent moves and we also had to do some saving-up in order to make it happen.  Yes, we make 3, 5 and 10 year goals... things can change, but it gives us a direction to go in.  Short and long-term goals are good things to have, they keep you from feeling lost and you get a huge sense of accomplishment when you reach one of those goals.  I can't express how excited I am to get a studio!  A BIG THANKS to the hubby for all his support in so many ways!

Studio Construction Progress
The studio is 16' wide by 12' deep (192sf), the front is 12' high and slopes to about 8' in the back.  It's built on pier blocks, the ceiling, walls and floor are fully insulated.  There is electricity but no plumbing, we will have heated floors as well.  The roof is metal and I think might put in a cistern/rain collection system to save water for the yard.  The windows are double pane vinyl from Milgard.  We also pulled some cables from the house so I'll have internet in the studio as well.

Seattle weather is pretty pleasant, if we're lucky we'll get a week or 2 of really hot weather (heat in the 90's).  There's no need for AC, but there are 3 windows that open for cross breeze.  We mostly worried about the cold and insulation. 

FAQ's
Q: Did you need permits?
A: Yes, although apparently not a lot of people get permits for smaller structures.  Every municipality is different, you'll have to check with your city's building code. I think in rural areas you can build up to a 200sf "shed" without permits.  Because we're in Seattle we can only build up to a 120sf (10' x 12') structure without a permit.  From our experience they're mainly concerned about safety and structural integrity.  Our permit cost us about $500.00, it's a cheap cost for peace-of-mind.  If you're going to build I HIGHLY suggest going through the proper channels... You won't have to worry in the future in case you sell the house or a neighbor reports you.  In most cases you'll just pay a fine, equal to or more than the cost of the permit.  In severe cases they'll make you tear it down, usually that does not happen unless you make someone at the city REALLY mad.  I have friends in both scenarios.


Q: How much did it cost?
A: The studio will cost around $15,000-$16,000 when finished.  It sounds like a lot, but it's not.  We opted to have our contractor build it and most of the cost is probably in labor.  He's been great for us, he did our home remodel and we work together well.  Jeff has always been on time and on budget.

I will sit down with Jeff and get a cost rundown for those who are interested in just the material costs.  If you know a bit of construction and have time you can do much of this yourself.  At the moment I'm guessing there's about $4000 worth of material.  The permits are another $600-$700 (building and electrical permits).  There's also the cost for electricians.

210/365 Guy in the Studio!
First week of construction.
The pier blocks were set, the floor went down and a few walls went up.  You can see Guy (my dog) inspecting the work.  This was the first time I got to see how high the front face would go!  It's so large compared to what I imaged from the plans.  I am happy to get a bit of privacy from my neighbors as well :) 


What's Happenning.
Week 2
All 4 walls went up, windows were framed in and the roof is starting to take place.



More Sticks Added
Week 2 (end of week 2)
Roof joists are on and we're ready for paneling.

Roof is on!
Week 3
The studio gets some skin and we're ready for windows and door.  There was a little delay, Home Depot had misplaced ordered or door?  They gave us a solid door vs. a glass front one.  Wiring was  installed and we also had our building and electrical inspections this week.  Anticipating what the inspectors would say was nerve wracking, but both had approved the job with a few minor changes.  The inspectors were surprisingly pleasant... I've heard too many horror stories from other people.

Studio Construction Progress
Week 4 (pic from top of post)
Windows are door are installed and trimmed, the house is also wrapped.  Next week we start on the siding and interior work.

Friday, March 29, 2013

T to Z Crayons

T-Z
I will have 26 sets of carved "Alphabet" crayons as well as new carved pencils in an upcoming art show at Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago.  I will also be in Chicago for an artist talk, please come by and say hi!
*The Z is flipped backwards, I was working so quickly to get these photographed for the show that I totally spaced this!  Thanks for catching the error Caroline :)  I'll have to Photoshop the mistake!

A-Z: 
New Carved Pencils and Crayons
Packer Schopf Gallery
April 5th- May 18th
942 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60607

Opening Reception:
Friday, April 5th
5-8pm
Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 6th @ 1pmApril 6th @ 1pm

T is for Tiger
T is for Tiger

U is for Urchin
U is for Urchin

V is for Viper
V is for Viper

W is for Wolf
W is for Wolf

X is for Xiphosura (Horseshoe Crab)
X is for Xiphosura (Horseshoecrab)

Y is for Yoga
Y is for Yoga

Z is for Zebra
Z is for Zebra

M to S Crayons

M-S
I will have 26 sets of carved "Alphabet" crayons as well as new carved pencils in an upcoming art show at Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago.  I will also be in Chicago for an artist talk, please come by and say hi! 

A-Z: 
New Carved Pencils and Crayons
Packer Schopf Gallery
April 5th- May 18th
942 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60607

Opening Reception:
Friday, April 5th
5-8pm
Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 6th @ 1pm

M is for Manatee
M is for Manatee

N is for Nautilus
N is for Nautilus

O is for Owl
O is for Owl

P is for Penguin
P is for Penguin

Q is for Quail
Q is for Quail

R is for Rabbit
R is for Rabbit

S is for Seahorse
S is for Seahorse

G to L Crayons

G-L
G-L Crayons
I will have 26 sets of carved "Alphabet" crayons as well as new carved pencils in an upcoming art show at Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago.  I will also be in Chicago for an artist talk, please come by and say hi! 

A-Z: 
New Carved Pencils and Crayons
Packer Schopf Gallery
April 5th- May 18th
942 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60607

Opening Reception:
Friday, April 5th
5-8pm
Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 6th @ 1pm

G is for Girl
G is for Girl

H is for Handstand
H is for Handstand

I is for Iguana
I is for Iguana

J is for Jellyfish
J is for Jellyfish

K is for Koala
K if for Koala

L is for Ladybug
L is for Ladybug

Saturday, March 23, 2013

A to F Crayons

A-Z Carved Crayola Crayons
I've been wanting to make a set of "Alphabet" crayons for a long time.  I've always been drawn to illustrated alphabets.  Maybe it's the Fontophile in me, but I find an extreme satisfaction in seeing a well made set of ABC's.   I will have 26 sets of carved crayons as well as new carved pencils in an upcoming art show at Packer Schopf Gallery in Chicago.  I will also be in Chicago for an artist talk, please come by and say hi! 

A-Z: 
New Carved Pencils and Crayons
Packer Schopf Gallery
April 5th- May 18th
942 W. Lake St.
Chicago, IL 60607

Opening Reception:
Friday, April 5th
5-8pm
Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 6th @ 1pm

A is for Aardvark
A is for Armadillo

B is for Boy
B is for Boy

C is for Cat
C is for Cat

D is for Dove
D is for Dove

E is for Elephant
E is for Elephant

F is for Frog
F is for Frog

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Maneki Neko @ The Bellevue Arts Museum

Maneki Crayons
I have a set of carved crayons in the Maneki exhibition currently showing at the Bellevue Arts Museum.  Please stop by if you're in town.

Maneki Neko: Japan's Beckoning Cats – From Talisman to Pop Icon
February 22 - August 4, 2013
Bellevue Arts Museum
510 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004
Since the Edo period (1603 - 1868) a fabricated cat with a paw upraised in the Japanese gesture of beckoning has been considered a good luck charm, drawing good fortune to individuals and businesses. This exhibition highlights a unique selection of more than 150 cats collected by maneki neko aficionado Billie Moffitt, as well as interpretations of this tradition by renowned contemporary artists. Whether carved in wood or stone, sculpted in clay or formed in papier mâché, these alluring and enigmatically artful felines express aspects both of historic Japanese lore and contemporary pop culture.

To celebrate the exhibition, Bellevue Arts Museum has invited several contemporary Northwest artists to create their own interpretations of this Japanese tradition. Participating artists include: Diem Chau, Joey Chiarello, Jeffry Mitchell, Saya Moriyasu, Moxie, Yuki Nakamura, George Rodriguez, Maki Tamura, Jason Walker, and Patti Warashina.

Here's a short segment on King 5's Evening Magazine about the show:
http://www.king5.com/on-tv/evening-magazine/Beckoning-Cats-200292971.html
It was fun doing the shoot.  It's a really cool show, bring the whole family. :) 

Here's Deanna Duff's article in the NW Asian Weekly about the show:
http://www.nwasianweekly.com/2013/03/japans-beckoning-cats-visit-bellevue/
Thanks Deanna :)