All Finished ...

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So... the Carriage House Workshop Studio is done. It's been an amazing project and tons of fun. Surprisingly it went very smoothly. Only a few minor delays and I am so happy with the end result. I never imagined it would turn out this great.
The photos above show the completed studio. The single sliding door is in the back and the two double carriage doors are in the front. My taboret is the bright green table (which is a former potting shed) with my large easel to the left and my table top easel on top.

When my husband and I decided to convert the old carriage house in our backyard in to my new studio, I knew I had finally found the perfect location to teach.  Offering workshops in the Carriage House, which was built in 1915, allows me the opportunity to invite my students in to my home and share what I am most passionate about ... my family, my home and my art. Because of the studio size, the workshops taught in the studio will be limited to only ten students. But the intimate nature of the workshop allows me the chance to develop both the skill and the motivation of all of my students.  In three days students will rediscover their passion for art, learn the basics pertaining to values and colors and master the techniques of painting with a palette knife! 

If you would like information on my workshops, click on my workshop page. 

Check out my upcoming palette knife painting workshops at http://www.saetastudio.com/Leslie_Saeta_fine_Art/Workshops.html.

Carriage House Workshop Construction - Day Twelve

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We are getting so close and I decided today that it was time to turn my new space in to a "working studio". In doing so I realize that tomorrow I will need to move a few things back in to the house as the construction crew returns to make the carriage door for the front of the building.
But ... I wanted to paint and decided it was worth it! So I moved in my supplies and pulled out a lot of my swap meet purchases to hold all of my art supplies. I am not sure if you can see the old green wooden crates that are under the work bench but they are really cool and I finally have a use for them.


 I was really excited that I found a use for the old wooden barrels. They are my new "trash cans". f you recall, we found the barrels stored up in the ceiling of the carriage house so it is likely they have been up there almost 100 years. Amazing!

The photo below also shows how the shelves on the wall can be used to dry panels. And the final photo shows my station all set up to paint a small 6" x 6" painting. First painting in the new studio is done!

Carriage Workshop Studio Construction - Day Eleven

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I was able to take some photos this morning before the workers came today ... which is a good thing because it doesn't look this clean. They moved in the two pieces of furniture and you can see in the photo above where I will be spending most of my time in my new studio.

The second photo shows the small shelves that I had built on the wall. These shelves will be perfect for my students to place their completed paintings ... and I will can take great photos of the finished paintings for my blog! Anyone who has tried to take photos at a workshop knows what I am referring to here ...

The photo on the left shows the wall opposite to where  will paint. I have already moved in my refrigerator (which is where I store my paint so it won't dry up ...). I also had this really old workbench painted. You will probably see my laptop here in future photos.

The next big project are the front carriage doors. The old doors were removed today and hopefully construction on the new doors will start tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed ...

Carriage House Workshop Construction - Day Ten

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Light is a good thing. Especially when you are an artist. So when we got home last night and the electrical was completed, it finally felt as if my studio was almost done! I am thrilled with the results so far and can't wait to start "moving in". I should be able to start moving in mid-week and hope to finish my first painting in the studio sometime this week as well.

I added six overhead lights and four sets of track lighting. The track lighting will help show off the art (what a concept ...). I think I need to add a bit brighter bulb in the over head lights as too much light is not my concern. Plus I have dimmer switches to control the amount of light if necessary. 

All of the glass in the windows and doors has been installed and we just need to add a few locks on the doors and windows. I bought a lock last week but forgot that the door did not open like most doors. It slides, and the lock I purchased would not have worked. Anyone could have just slid open the door and "unlocked" it. Oops ...

I am taking a two-day workshop at the end of this week with Darrell Hill in Balboa. I can't wait! I think there are a few spots left if you want to sign up. Contact Debra Huse gallery for more information at (949) 723-6171.

Carriage House Workshop Construction - Day Six

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 I realize that today is actually "Day Eight" but since we haven't had anyone working on my studio for a few days I thought I would just count by "days actually working".
Yesterday was one of those "odds and ends" workdays. The broken glass in the windows was replaced, the windows were hung and the glass and moulding on the carriage door was finished. They also finished painting touch ups and removed the really awful carpet that has served as a "drop cloth" during the painting process. There is a lot of paint that somehow traveled to our back patio and a few other places that needs to be removed (the hazards of using a paint sprayer ... ). I think the electrical will be installed this weekend so we are getting close to a finished project. My lights will arrive tomorrow so the timing should be good (although my lights did arrive in LA this morning at a FedEx location but they aren't delivering them until tomorrow since they are technically not due to be delivered until tomorrow ... seriously???).

I probably have too much light planned for the studio. I have six hanging lights plus four track lights that will highlight the four walls designated for art. I am having dimmers installed so I can be sure that the light is right for different uses in the studio.  Unfortunately I got the news last night that they have to pull in more electricity to the garage. My refrigerator for "wet paint" put me over the top for electrical needs so that news was a surprise to my budget.

I also have some "refurbished" pieces of furniture that will be going in to the studio for storage of my art supplies. The first is a piece that we think was built with the garage. It was in really bad shape, dark brown and almost covered with cobwebs and stuff. So it is being refurbished and will have new doors added eventually. The second is an old potting bench I purchased a few years ago at the Rose Bowl Flea market. There were a few years when we first bought our house that I would head to the Rose Bowl every month. The flea market (held on the 2nd Sunday of every month) is full of antiques and at least half of the furnishings in my house were purchased there. If you have not been to the Rose Bowl Flea Market and are ever in LA, you should go! I love the old look of this green piece and I will actually use this as my taboret to hold my palette while I paint. I had them install wheels (with locks) on the bottom of my large easel so I can move it around the studio while I am teaching.
If all goes well the Carriage House should be completed next week. That's pretty amazing but I was very lucky with this carpenter. They showed up when they promised and moved faster that I had expected (when does that ever happen?). Now it's time to get back to painting.

Carriage House Workshop Construction - Day Four

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Ahh ... paint is a glorious thing! The color is a bit off in the photos but I am thrilled with the end result. The sage green is a nice and light color (although it looks a bit yellow here which it is not!) and the trim looks great painted in swiss coffee.  The new carriage door is done and Monday they will add the glass, moulding and tracks to hold it in place. How funny to think it's been years since the door could either open or close. They took the track off the wall and polished it up before putting it back on the wall. You can see it in the photo below.

 The windows required quite a bit of TLC as here they are drying after another coat of primer. I think they will be hung today or tomorrow. They haven't opened in almost 100 years ...

Here is a great look of what the ceiling looks like. You can finally see why I had them take out the low ceiling ... hopefully it makes sense!

Electrical comes tomorrow! 

Carriage House Workshop Art Studio Construction - Day Two

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You can see the open ceiling ... 

Our official "first day" of construction was a really great day. Demo always seems to go great and then usually things slow down after that so I have tried to temper my expectations that this project will still take longer than I think.

The opening on the left is the old "carriage door"

They opened up the ceiling to expose the pitched roof. When it's all painted it will look amazing.
The best surprise of the day was the Carriage Door. The "old door" was covered with wood and wouldn't open or close. As they were taking the door apart I discovered the "frame" and told them to STOP! It turns out the sliding door just need some TLC and it can be repaired. So we are just going to re-work the frame, add glass and get it working again. Originally I was going to put in a french door in the back but I am thrilled that this option is more consistent with the original design of the house (which was back in 1915).  The "frame" of the old door is in the photo on the right - it's the six sectioned door to the left of the window.

The Carriage Door on the left is on a track that "rolls open"

For the first time in 69 years, the windows will actually open ...

The lovely carpet in these photos was actually put in many years ago when we filmed a commercial for Sears in here (and yes, that would be the last time this room was clean). It is going to be removed after the paintingof the walls and ceiling are done.
Last night I picked out paint colors and light fixtures. The paint color is Martha Stewart "Garden Shed". It's a version of my all-time favorite color, sage green. Window and door trim will be Swiss Coffee (aka white).
I am adding six industrial looking hanging lights and small track lights to shine on the walls to highlight the art. I even have a wall planned with shelves that will hold finished artwork from my workshop students, so it can be photographed easily for show and tell!
Today's big project is getting the walls above the old ceiling line ready for painting. Lots of cleaning, sanding, removing cob webs and who knows what else has been up there for the last 96 years ... It actually looks surprisingly nice ...

Garriage House Workshop Studio Construction - Day One

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The Carriage House (looks great on the outside ... but not in the inside)

So ... my summer project has finally begun! A few months ago I suggested to my darling husband that I turn our unused Carriage House in to an art workshop studio. He thought it was a great idea and needless to say I have been planning all summer. Although this post is titled "Day One", I forgot to mention the fact that I have been cleaning and organizing all of the "stuff" aka "junk" for days. So it is really "day three".

The "Before" Shot ... too much junk ...

All cleaned out ... ready to start ...

They started taking out the ceiling in the Carriage House ... this will really open it up!

There is a low ceiling in the carriage house that we are taking out so that the peaked roof will be featured. I can't wait to see this when it is all opened! I am also paining the dark wood ... this will be such a dramatic change ... I can't wait.