I have a studio, with 2 art tables and easels. I have 2 art tables set up on the patio. And still, many, many times I paint on the kitchen counter.
It doesn’t really make sense.
Especially to the someone who has gone above and beyond to assemble said studio, those tables and the gear for this ‘persnickety’ artist.
What is it, about the kitchen counter?
What does it have, that the other places…. don’t?
I’ve never paused to contemplate this until now.
Til the post of yesterday, “How much do you paint?”
This post, it made me think, it caused me to question things. How? Why? Where? When?
All great questions, insightful, if we dig our way to the bottom of them.
Where, do I paint?
It does have a little bit to do with Light and yes with space too; but more than those, its about: Feeling.
When I’m in the art studio, I am in isolation.

I’m cut off from the other rooms, from whats going on elsewhere.
I’m not part of the rest of the house.
And that sensation fosters a tightening up.
Comfortable
When I’m in the kitchen space, I’m perfectly at ease.
All rooms connect. I feel Free and in the zone.
I paint when no one is home, so there is a feeling of aloneness, but not, loneliness.
That is a huge difference to me as I create.
The kitchen area, its not a big space.
Nor is it infused with an abundance of natural light.
Its not the best lit room of the house.
its adequate.
But it comes down to how I feel, when I’m creating in that space vs when I’m in the other spaces.
I will always paint better, create better, when I am comfortable.
At ease.
Outdoors
I do love to paint and create out on the lawn; sitting near the rose garden.
I feel free and loose and at home there.
There is no sense of being cut off or isolated.
I’m part of the whole.
Thus, painting is easy there.
I guess, the bottom line is that we just need to paint, create in the space – wherever it may be that makes us the most comfortable.
How many of you, paint at the kitchen table or counter?
Love it!! I always paint on my kitchen counter… hehe… cramped and not well-suited, but it just feels like a joyous place. So what it lacks in other things, it more than makes up for in soulful happiness! 😍
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chuckling…. thank you Charlie! its great to hear how others, do the same thing for such similar reasons too! 🙂 Cheers!
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I have a tiny, cramped room for a studio… with two north light windows (for you it would be South Light! ) A drawing table in front of one of those windows. The light in the morning is enough to fill me with energy to work!
… this, after 3 years where my studio space was in a basement… nightmares can’t do worse than how that made me feel.
For me… light… light… light … is everything
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on the floor and anywhere I find inspiration…
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Your art studio is beautiful! I too love to paint next to the kitchen maybe because of natural light.
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thanks! it needs another tidy up again…. and it gets lonely in there. the kitchen space seems to be the wide open Heart, of a house, where many of us feel more creative I think. thanks for your comment today! cheers, Debi
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If only my studio could look so tidy and organized. Would love to have seen a before and after so I could feel less guilty 🙂
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Oh I have studio envy, what a wonderful space to work. ❤️
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Miss M, hello – I’ve missed you! my bad, of course. been one thing and another. how are you? how’s the River?! 🙂 lol Spring in N. Cal. wonderful the daisies blooming yet? My art studio space is nice, and its shameful that I do not ‘feel’ the love in there to Create! Yet, I can always feel it, when I’m Outdoors. I know, you can too. Have you been recently… to the River, of course! must come see you. now. 🙂
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Aww! I am doing well. I do some outdoor work in between painting. I can’t do the work like I used to. Sigh….but I will be going to plein air paint at the river on Friday, yeah me! ❤️
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I’m guessing you could paint beautifully anywhere, but it’s good to have places where you feel comfortable while you work (I mean play)!
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Guess Who?!..My kitchen..just like you..!!…must be why I am obsessed with, practically living in this 1 room 😊❤️…seem to get inspiration..Thank you, for sharing..your fav space. . ♦️As always..Joanne in old rural Ontario/ Canada..
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well, how about that! a lovely surprise 🙂 hi! so nice to hear from you and hoping Spring is showing you wonderful things ….iris, wisteria, violets, etc. cheers, Debi
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I used to paint in the spare room which was great for about a year then I got tired of all the brush cleaning and running out of space for canvases.
Now I have a digital tablet and can sit in the lounge near large patio doors and whenever the urge hits ( and it does a lot) I just pick it up.
I never thought I would enjoy digital more than traditional but at this moment in time I do. 😊
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I hear you! I have all the apps and pen for it, just haven’t committed. tidy, no mess.And Less strenuous or tiring. And, I do enjoy creative photoediting definitely. My house, has art, in nearly every room. Like you, getting tired…… of all that too! But, I still need the physical paints. LOL Thanks for writing in, I loved your comment. Cheers, Debi
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I promise you once you commit to digital you won’t look back 😉
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I’m a kitchen painter, too!
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wow! there is alot more of us “Kitchen Painters” than I thought – I like it! thanks for sharing Sharon 🙂
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I have a small home studio which I love – it’s my most favourite room in the whole house. I love painting there. But I do sometimes paint at my dining table too. You have a wonderful large studio debi – but you’re right it’s how we feel that’s important. It doesn’t really matter where we paint as long as we are happy and comfortable there…
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yep! and you probably feel at ease too, outdoors in the summer shade with a warm breeze and flowers around you, birds chirping…. I imagine. 🙂
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Yes, I’m going to be in my garden this summer painting plein air… !
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sounds good, to me 🙂
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Wow you have a nice art room looks spacious, but I understand your isolation surrounding the room… I live in a city row home, and use a small spare bedroom as my creating space, one window, enough space to house desk chair, computer, and cabinet to house papers. I enjoy my space, I love creating in my room. Occasionally I will draw elsewhere in the house like kitchen table or paint/draw outdoors..
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thanks! we find, a space that works for us and then just go with it. I do feel bad that my hubby went to a lot of trouble though and I don’t “enjoy” the room! ooops! 🙂
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😬 well maybe you might find a reason or another solution to use that space more often .. have a great day!
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I enjoyed your lovely post, and it certainly resonated with me. My favorite place to paint is standing at my easel, which is squeezed in between the dining room table, my “art chest” (antique dresser) and a much appreciated window behind me. I’m really part of every downstairs room when I’m in my “studio area.” I set up an area in the master bedroom, which has plenty of room to spare. However, as you mentioned, I felt disconnected from everything else. It is also murky up there, so I never paint upstairs. My favorite place and time to paint is in my little corner in the morning when I’m alone. Okay, my dog (assistant artist) can stay. 🙂
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you had me laughing about your dog assistant Beth! yes, they… are allowed! Thank you so much for your lovely comment – came at the end of a long day, perfect. Its funny that we go to small and sometimes inconvenient spaces, to do our creating. Even though we have perfectly good areas that just do not work, for us! cheers, Debi
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“I paint whenever there is paint left to paknt with. Or shall I put it this way, I paint anything that does not move. Smiles”. artfromperry
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had to laugh! thanks for that 🙂 sometimes, even if the thing moves… I try to have it pause for a moment. its 30-70 so far… better than None.
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