SETTING UP STUDIO

The framework for the
light is in place

I have spent the past week setting up my studio at my new home. Having become the owner of an inspiring collection of tools recently, I could construct a frame for my neon light that needed to be positioned above my latest commissioned copy of a Gainsborough society portrait.

The painting is 1,75m wide en 2,35m high and I always just attach such big paintings on a rail and hang it against a wall, and sit on a ladder or stand on a table to paint. When it needs to be delivered, I only need to roll it up against the wall and take it down with the rail on which it is fastened.

The new studio needed a framework against the ceiling, as the neon light - that was mistakenly fixed to the wall to shine sideways, away from the wall - had to repositioned above the painting. How I got the frame up there, would have made quite an entertaining video. I am sure I put Mr Bean to shame, but with an accompanying soundtrack of horrible expletives.

Frame, light and painting in place...

Next, the neon light was taken off the wall and fastened to the frame by means of wire hooks and cable ties. What did we do before cable ties?

LIGHTS! Now for action...

Then it was time to hang up the painting. It works like this: The top edge of the canvas is attached to a wooden strip that has a string for hanging it against the wall. The canvas is then rolled up and kept in place against the wooden strip by means of masking tape. The next step is up the ladder with the rolled-up canvas package to hang it from nails on the edge of the wall, right against the roof. Then break the masking tape and slowly move down the ladder while the canvas rolls down against the wall in your hands.

I took a picture of the jigsaw after
opening it, in case I got confused
when I had to put it back together
again without the help of all the
king's horses and all the king's men.

For good measure, I also put up some pelmets today and finished hanging curtains in the house. By then, I was feeling very independent. Had good reason to, too, as I also replaced plugs and cables on my jigsaw and sander, plus I figured out why the sander would not work and made a plan to fix it.

Lastly, I nailed up some planks which the monkeys had pulled off the side of the veranda of my tree house. It is a wooden structure on stilts and I call it a tree house because it sits snugly among the trees - and also because it moves with the wind and even shakes when my dog scratches herself.

Stability has not been central to my life for a number of years, so I adjusted quite easily to my shaky-shaky tree house, where I shall be making all sorts of art and teaching classes. Current projects include a set of three seascapes, a paper mache rooster, the copy mentioned above, a portrait, a local landscape, and a series of five arbour ladies for reproduction as prints and cards.

I shall keep you posted.