Tuesday, February 16, 2010

A Creative Space

Before I became a writer I always found other ways to release my creative soul. While the children were little I poured myself into my home, sewing curtains, pelmets, cushions, tablecloths and painting every room in the house at various times. My passion for English country interiors found me scouring antique shops and craft markets, op shops and garage sales. I could pair a Dutch delft vase with a chinese grocery store bowl and visitors would comment on their complementary arrangement. The value was not in the cost, but in the aesthetics.


In between house decorating and renovations, when cleaning bricks and stippling stencils were set aside, I would draw and paint. But I never had a space, a special area set aside for my pencils and brushes, paints and paper. Until recently.


Now I have a room called 'Mum's Study'. It is central to the family, near the laundry for hanging out that quick load and the kitchen for the essential cuppa. And Mum's Study is probably the tidiest room in the house. This is most likely because I like to procrastinate by arranging and re-arranging my piles of books, notes and sketches.


But because you are visiting today my procrastination has been given a purpose, a writer's purpose. "It's for my blog," I say.


So this is my creative space, a small room with a large picture window overlooking the front paddock, a room that captures the morning sun and the afternoon breezes.

I love the new office chair that hubbie bought me for my first book contract. Note the apple, a mother's day gift from my daughter. The blue notes board is my plotting board for the novel I am working on.
Where I sit and read with feet up
My art desk and easels and a part finished portrait of my daughter for her 18th.

The reading and thinking couch bed, with my dad's 'tambourica' and my sister's resonator guitar (just visiting)
Recently other authors and artists have been posting about their creative spaces. Check out Sheryl Gwyther's , Katherine Battersby's and Jason Nahrung's blogs. Perhaps you'd also like to tell me about yours.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loved reading about your space, Angela - very organised, probably like your mind and that's a good thing.
Especially loved the idea of that story board you've made - that could just be the thing I could do to sort out my w.i.p. :)
Looking forward to visiting the real thing on Friday.

Anonymous said...

It looks gorgeous, Angela. So very you, which is what I love about seeing other people's writing spaces. They're so often a reflection of one's personality.

I love the thought of you sitting there writing your Aussie Chomp...

Katherine

Angela Sunde. said...

Thanks Sheryl. My head clouds over if my desk is untidy. Wait till you see our other study though! Rob has promised he'll tidy it before Friday. :)

Thanks Kath, yes it really is 'my room', but then the rest of the house is too. I have free reign to decorate how I like.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous, spacious creative room. Lucky you, Angela. You'll be apples!

Michelle Macwhirter said...

It's so gorgeous Angela! And so very you. I hope the new red notebook is feeling at home. And I have to ask ... who is the cheeky face peering out from under your posh new chair's armrest?
Is it bad that my writing space is the couch/the bed/the floor with my laptop? So my novel notes are never at my fingertips and my drafts say things like 'His green? (check) eyes...'
I'm so excited about your book. xxx

Unknown said...

That's a beautiful office, Angela. You're very artistic. My office is full of books and dolls. I had meant to put a picture of it on my blog, but it's far too messy at the moment.

I love your doll. Where did you get it?

When my kids grew up and left home, I missed them, so I made a dozen rag dolls, boys and girls. They all have different coloured woolen hair. I photographed them hanging in gum trees on our property. They're on my twitter wallpaper.

You’ve inspired me to tidy my office, now.

Angela Sunde. said...

Thanks Kat, Yes,you can take the girl out of the orchard but...

Thanks, Michelle, You see! My whole study is red/white. The notebook fits in perfectly and I LOVE it!!Thank you. The cheeky face painting is a serious attempt at an abstract(Picasso)style. Isn't she gorgeous? I also write on the couch, bed etc.

Thanks Trish, The doll is my daughter's. My sister made it for her when she was little. It is a copy of one I had as a child. We recently took it out of the cupboard to give her a 'breather'. I'll have to join twitter to see your wallpaper.

BookChook said...

It's such a creativity-inducing space! Thanks for sharing it. I always work better when I am not in a mess, so I'm inspired!

Tina C said...

Hey Angela

I love your Mum's space. The red and white is so nice - and when I saw the photies I went - that room looks just like your personality - old fashioned in values and modernised in thinking...

And now I expect more beautiful books to be written in that room - and I can just imagine you sitting there doing them - and I can't wait to read them all!!!

Bye 4 now
Tina

Sandy Fussell said...

How neat is that? Did you tidy up first? Come on, fess up? It does however look like just the place to go and be inspired. I love it. You might have hordes of us descending soon.

Angela Sunde. said...

Thank you. Ah, yes. I confess. I did tidy it before taking the photos. Hopefully lots more books will be written in that room. I love its aspect.

Anonymous said...

what a lovely space, Angela! So much creativity going on in there!

Angela Sunde. said...

Thanks for popping in, Jason. So lovely to have you here. When I saw your creative space I was inspired to write about my own.

Marion said...

Hi Angela, I only just saw this blog and how impressive is it! Nice to have a special space. Mine is like me busy and cluttered. Even after swapping rooms with Starla I thought it may be tidy but there is so much to cram in. Good excuse for another bookshelf perhaps.

Tania McCartney said...

Gorgeous, Ange. So lovely to see your beautiful writing and nesting books. And it's kind of freaking me out because I have that exact same red and white toile on a pillow!! x

 
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