Reflecting on my visit to Polly Cruse’s studio, my own work space is about as far from the domestic as i can get it. I don’t have a kettle – I can’t begin the entertain the idea of making tea when there. Its too domestic and inevitably involves bringing a small amount of milk from home, usually in a once used disposable water bottle which is something, without being too melodramatic, I dread. When I host studio visits, bottles of water are provided and advice notices issued to visitors to bring hot drinks if desired. A short walk to a local cafe also offers an opportunity to have a dialogue about the work, away from it, after the studio visit is concluded.
In addition to the avoidance of the domestic as far as possible I also leave connectivity behind also. I stopped taking my laptop to the studio, it was too heavy to carry and the temptation to read and draft emails too great. I have no internet connection there so browsing for research purposes is also avoided. I have read about authors who have dedicated computers for writing novels on. These machines have no internet facility and so the work process can be a focused and hopefully productive.
An office space at home provides me with a clear space where the digital work takes place and emails are read and sent. Back and forth I carry work, sometimes the portfolio’s lay on the office floor where they are left only to be picked up a few days later and taken back to the studio. Even though it may seem pointless endeavor its an activity I can’t seem to get out of the habit of doing.
