The Studio

The Studio door

I went out to the studio this morning to see if Peter felt like going out to lunch today. We do that often -- it's good to get out of the house sometimes when you work at home. Peter's studio is a separate building from the house. It is only 40 feet from the front door but feels like a world away.

Today as I enter I try to imagine it's my first visit. The smell of paint and solvents is present but not overwhelming. I take a deep breath, it smells good, like work or art school. There's a small dark hallway stacked with paintings, framed and ready to go out to different galleries and book cases filled with art books and reference books from his days as an illustrator and stacks of other books and papers all over.

Absorbing the ambiance

Then I step into the light of the main room where he is busy at his easel. The room is filled with paintings in progress and empty frames and supplies and photos of family and items from his past, like his draft card and his acceptance letter to Pratt. It's a bit of a mess, but he always finds what he's looking for. It's comfortable but It's definitely a work space.

Peter at work on a study

His glass palette is crowded with brushes and paint tubes and paper towels. He mixes paint in the small area that is left for him. He works quickly and makes it look effortless. He's happy to go to lunch, as soon as he finishes.