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| My New Barn Studio |
A proper artist needs a proper studio--even a plein air painter. There's always stuff to store and paintings that are better adjusted indoors than out. But as much as I've enjoyed my small studios over the years, I've always had a hankering for a barn studio. It's not so much that I have a need for more space for stuff as it is a need for just more, well, space. Room to swing a brush in. Room for the light to play in. Room to breathe in.
If you've seen photos of the studios of historic painters, the studios are usually quite large. Mostly, that's because the painters made big paintings, and they needed a ceiling high enough for their tall easels and room for storing all those big paintings. And, it seems, they needed space for a day bed for a nap after wielding a big brush all day long.
Here's Jackson Pollack in his studio. I don't think I'll be painting on the floor, nor will I be painting canvases quite that big. But I do have my barn studio now, and the electricians have just finished wiring up new lights. I'm very excited to have it and eager to show it to visitors. It's also a gallery, filled with my maritime paintings. I'm calling it "Michael Chesley Johnson Studio at Friar's Bay," and it's open by appointment seasonally. If you're in the area, email me or give me a call.
Here are some more pictures of the new studio, plus a short video showing it. (Can't see the video? Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfSoNDX3VTs )
