Stories from My Studio
This is my present studio, Soldner Fine Art Studio located in the Old Town Historic District in Algonquin, Illinois.
My experiences in finding and keeping a studio outside my home have presented many challenges, and volumes of stories. Each of the four studios I have inhabited came by way of sweat, tears and challenges that only the most committed or insane soul could tolerate.
After working out of a spare room in my home for over 20 years, I found that it was time for a change. In my home studio I worked in watercolors and color pencil, in order to limit unnecessary exposure to solvent or other health risks that might affect my family. I wanted to return the oil paints that I began using while in my teens. To do this would require a work space away from my home and young children. I needed a studio away from my home.
Upon completion of a Masters of Art in Art Education degree at the University of Illinois in 1995, I became active in the local artist community. Myself and several other artists founded, the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Arts League, a non profit arts organization.. The Arts League rented the spacious and light filled third floor of the century old historic Toastmaster factory building.. The Toastmaster building is located in my hometown of Algonquin, Illinois. The Arts League members and a crew of volunteers, built-out the space into artist studios, an art school and gallery. We were a small group, but we had a dream and our vision was shared by the entire community.
My first studio was in this historic factory building. I moved into an amazing space with 400 square feet, a wall of windows and a sky high ceiling. I could finally stretch my arms and move a fully laded brush across the largest canvases I could manage. This large, raw, studio was instrumental in my decision to work as a large format painter.
Over the course of one year the Arts League had sublet eight artist studios and began seeing the development of a real artist community. We were a driven by the vision that is shared by many artists that of a community of creative individuals, working together on a common goal.
But after two years of rocky and tortured dealings with the landlord we lost our studios. . Life safety repairs were not taken care of, creating a hostile environment from the city code department point of view. The Arts League was never issued a certificate of occupancy, thus public openings and studio tours were impossible. At what seemed our “darkest hour” the landlord served the Arts League with a lawsuit claiming not payment of rent, and we counter sued with a breach of contract lawsuit. Just before our case was resolved in the county court the landlord filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, thus forcing the artists into Federal bankruptcy court, with the landlord. In the end, we lost everything. Our investment of time and money and vision where never fully realized..
In 1997, not to be deterred I searched for another studio with three other artists who had shared the first studio experience. We found the perfect studio in a century old church in the small town of East Dundee, Illinois. We were able to divide the space into two larger rooms and a storage room. We worked out of the studio for two years. Our plan was to work as a cooperative. We shared two main work rooms and used all the walls as galleries. We held gallery openings and hosted parties and artist talks.
We enjoyed two together but each of us found that we were going in a different direction with our work. We shared a lot of memories and worked hard to collaborate on studio usage. In the course of two year, in 1999, we left our group studio and ventured out into our own to find the right studio for our individual needs.
Fortunately in 1999 found a 330 square foot space located about a mile from my home in Algonquin, Illinois. My studio was on the second floor of a 40 year old construction company building. I had complete privacy to work as I wanted and invite the occasional client to view my works in progress. I enjoyed the total freedom of working as I wanted without interruption.
In February 2006 I arrived at the building that housed my studio to find the embers of a burned-out fire. The ground floor of the building had been burned, and there was extensive smoke and flame damage. After calling the fire department I spoke to the police, and arson investigators. I was not allowed in my studio until the following day. Fortunately I did not store my completed work in my studio. The smoke damage was minimal, and I was ready to look for a new studio on the day after I moved my paints, brushes and easels from the smoke and soot.
Again I was reaching out into the artist community that I know so well, in search of a studio. I found a beautiful space in another historic structure in the City of Crystal Lake, IL. The Lakeside Legacy Arts Park is home to a growing artist community. I now have 900 square feet, high ceilings and plenty of natural light.
My present studio is the fourth outside of my home, and arrived upon after a 12 year transformation that grew exponentially with my work. Or perhaps my work grew exponentially with my studios. In any case, I have a great space now, and have found
the high ceilings, exposed pipes and raw quality to be both inspiring and soothing.
I had the space to work on several easels or tables and teach classes all in the some large area. There was ample storage and a double wash sink. The large storage rack in the back of the studio holds several large bodies of work, and provides easy access for clients to view my work. I meet clients in the main work area where I can move the work onto easels and spread proposals out on one of the six foot work tables. There were large paper file for paper storage and completed unframed works on paper. There is ample wire shelving to hold the stretcher bars, canvas and gesso. I also store student art supplies on the wire shelves and use a wheeled cart to dispense materials. There are several floor easels and table easels that I may use while working on several paintings.
I learned to deal with the imperfections that are a fact of life for a painter's studio. Overcoming the many obstacles that have come with my studio practice have fueled my desire to work on my art all the more. A creative space is what you make of it. Many artists create passionate work in the most difficult of circumstances. I feel fortunate that I have found my way to art making.
I was honored in August 2006, with a visit to my studio from a PBS film crew in the taping of an Artist Profile for the nationally syndicated program Real Simple Television. The segment aired during the month of June on PBS stations nationwide.
There is much more to come and photos to share as I share with you the ongoing process of building a life in art and creating a work space.
My experiences in finding and keeping a studio outside my home have presented many challenges, and volumes of stories. Each of the four studios I have inhabited came by way of sweat, tears and challenges that only the most committed or insane soul could tolerate.
After working out of a spare room in my home for over 20 years, I found that it was time for a change. In my home studio I worked in watercolors and color pencil, in order to limit unnecessary exposure to solvent or other health risks that might affect my family. I wanted to return the oil paints that I began using while in my teens. To do this would require a work space away from my home and young children. I needed a studio away from my home.
Upon completion of a Masters of Art in Art Education degree at the University of Illinois in 1995, I became active in the local artist community. Myself and several other artists founded, the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Arts League, a non profit arts organization.. The Arts League rented the spacious and light filled third floor of the century old historic Toastmaster factory building.. The Toastmaster building is located in my hometown of Algonquin, Illinois. The Arts League members and a crew of volunteers, built-out the space into artist studios, an art school and gallery. We were a small group, but we had a dream and our vision was shared by the entire community.
My first studio was in this historic factory building. I moved into an amazing space with 400 square feet, a wall of windows and a sky high ceiling. I could finally stretch my arms and move a fully laded brush across the largest canvases I could manage. This large, raw, studio was instrumental in my decision to work as a large format painter.
Over the course of one year the Arts League had sublet eight artist studios and began seeing the development of a real artist community. We were a driven by the vision that is shared by many artists that of a community of creative individuals, working together on a common goal.
But after two years of rocky and tortured dealings with the landlord we lost our studios. . Life safety repairs were not taken care of, creating a hostile environment from the city code department point of view. The Arts League was never issued a certificate of occupancy, thus public openings and studio tours were impossible. At what seemed our “darkest hour” the landlord served the Arts League with a lawsuit claiming not payment of rent, and we counter sued with a breach of contract lawsuit. Just before our case was resolved in the county court the landlord filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11, thus forcing the artists into Federal bankruptcy court, with the landlord. In the end, we lost everything. Our investment of time and money and vision where never fully realized..
In 1997, not to be deterred I searched for another studio with three other artists who had shared the first studio experience. We found the perfect studio in a century old church in the small town of East Dundee, Illinois. We were able to divide the space into two larger rooms and a storage room. We worked out of the studio for two years. Our plan was to work as a cooperative. We shared two main work rooms and used all the walls as galleries. We held gallery openings and hosted parties and artist talks.
We enjoyed two together but each of us found that we were going in a different direction with our work. We shared a lot of memories and worked hard to collaborate on studio usage. In the course of two year, in 1999, we left our group studio and ventured out into our own to find the right studio for our individual needs.
Fortunately in 1999 found a 330 square foot space located about a mile from my home in Algonquin, Illinois. My studio was on the second floor of a 40 year old construction company building. I had complete privacy to work as I wanted and invite the occasional client to view my works in progress. I enjoyed the total freedom of working as I wanted without interruption.
In February 2006 I arrived at the building that housed my studio to find the embers of a burned-out fire. The ground floor of the building had been burned, and there was extensive smoke and flame damage. After calling the fire department I spoke to the police, and arson investigators. I was not allowed in my studio until the following day. Fortunately I did not store my completed work in my studio. The smoke damage was minimal, and I was ready to look for a new studio on the day after I moved my paints, brushes and easels from the smoke and soot.
Again I was reaching out into the artist community that I know so well, in search of a studio. I found a beautiful space in another historic structure in the City of Crystal Lake, IL. The Lakeside Legacy Arts Park is home to a growing artist community. I now have 900 square feet, high ceilings and plenty of natural light.
My present studio is the fourth outside of my home, and arrived upon after a 12 year transformation that grew exponentially with my work. Or perhaps my work grew exponentially with my studios. In any case, I have a great space now, and have found
the high ceilings, exposed pipes and raw quality to be both inspiring and soothing.
I had the space to work on several easels or tables and teach classes all in the some large area. There was ample storage and a double wash sink. The large storage rack in the back of the studio holds several large bodies of work, and provides easy access for clients to view my work. I meet clients in the main work area where I can move the work onto easels and spread proposals out on one of the six foot work tables. There were large paper file for paper storage and completed unframed works on paper. There is ample wire shelving to hold the stretcher bars, canvas and gesso. I also store student art supplies on the wire shelves and use a wheeled cart to dispense materials. There are several floor easels and table easels that I may use while working on several paintings.
I learned to deal with the imperfections that are a fact of life for a painter's studio. Overcoming the many obstacles that have come with my studio practice have fueled my desire to work on my art all the more. A creative space is what you make of it. Many artists create passionate work in the most difficult of circumstances. I feel fortunate that I have found my way to art making.
I was honored in August 2006, with a visit to my studio from a PBS film crew in the taping of an Artist Profile for the nationally syndicated program Real Simple Television. The segment aired during the month of June on PBS stations nationwide.
There is much more to come and photos to share as I share with you the ongoing process of building a life in art and creating a work space.
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