Judith HeartSong's studio is moving to become Judith HeartSong Fine Art - studio and gallery

Many of you have been along on this journey of mine for years now as I started blogging in 2004 after moving here to Maryland from Florida in November of 2002. For several years after moving here I worked in a home studio that we created here in the back bedroom of our apartment. I was very happy and so grateful to have a space to work and create that was a dedicated space, because in my previous life I had always worked in space that needed to morph back into a dining room at the end of each day.

Eventually I took on half of a studio at the art center, sharing space with another artist and celebrated with a huge studio warming. Over time the other artist decided to give up her space and I took over the full studio. I have worked there happily for a long time, and have gotten a lot of PR for the art center as I worked on my events and happenings. Most recently I was invited to sit on the board of directors for the art center and have always taken my responsibility to the artists and the artist program we were building very seriously.

It has been a wonderful time with a great group of artists and professionals who have grown to be such good friends of mine as we worked side by side and shared our passion and our process. We worked and laughed and shared our lives while populating the artist concourse and sharing our work with the public. I filled my studio walls with paintings and mixed media and kept on working and producing with lots of new ideas for work that I want to create next. My mind and my studio were bursting with creative ideas. My 188 square feet of space was now overflowing with art.



Recently I learned about space that was available about ten miles from here in Glen Echo, Maryland. The space is in a newly refurbished three story house that sits on the edge of Glen Echo Park, and this basement flat is more than three times the size of my current space. I started exploring possibilities with the owner weeks ago, and he agreed to rent me this flat for studio space. I picked up the keys yesterday.

I am making a huge leap and Judith HeartSong's studio is now moving on to become Judith HeartSong Fine Art - Studio and Gallery.



This flat has a full kitchen for catering parties, a washer and dryer, a full bathroom, a fantastic studio space with french doors leading onto a flagstone patio overlooking the C&O Canal and the Potomac River, and a large gallery space (I still have to figure out the lighting in here) where I can host workshops, discussions, parties, and more. The front door boasts a large brass knocker (that I need to polish) with a lovely fox holding a ring in her mouth. A very good sign for this nature-loving artist.



I have no pictures yet as things are happening fast and the move is in the works right now. I am packing up all my paintings and filling my current studio with packing materials to wrap up all of my supplies and paints and brushes and materials for the truck ride to the new space. I was finally able to tell the board and my artist friends yesterday, and I have been getting emails from everyone that have been so kind and loving. I have very mixed emotions at the moment... some fear of the unknown, excitement at the amazing possibilities that this move holds, and the certain knowledge that I will greatly miss the friends who have been an amazing daily presence and support system in my life. Change is..... well..... change.

There are a lot of reasons that the timing for this move is perfect, and I am operating on my gut instinct (which has always been reliable) and the fact that all of the timing and options lined up perfectly as all of this began to happen.... it is what I call 'flow'. When a decision needs to be made I look at whether the universe seems to be embracing it or whether there seems to be traction against it. I always follow the flow. There is tremendous flow happening here.



So I am moving out of the glass and steel fishbowl (a nickname for this studio space because people could watch everything you were doing through the floor to ceiling glass walls bordering two sides of the studio) to a space that is both more private and perfect for hosting all manner of events and workshops... a space that will be all mine.... and the possibilities are just ENDLESS.

P.S. to see images of the space as it develops, click here.