Managing A Home Studio, Easy Smoked Fish Dip

A reader wrote to me, asking about managing a home studio for visitors. Here are my thoughts on this.

I have managed a home studio situation for about 4 years now. It was the best idea I ever had. I turned my Dad's old workshop into a studio for myself. It is about 5 steps from my back door, so it is esentially a home studio. I have no bathroom, so folks use the bathroom in the house. I do have a sink in the studio for brush washing.

I have found that the things we sometimes worry about, like having to walk a few steps to the bathroom are really non issues in the bigger picture. The fact that my studio is rural and 13 miles from the city is also a non issue. Like the old saying, "if you build it, they will come." We lost our yard man, yet again, so the grass is knee deep. The studio needs to be painted, The carpet is stained with paint.I could go on and on about the flaws in my studio space, but the point is, that people will come in spite of the problems if I make it an interesting and fun place to be.

If I greet my friends and clients like long lost beloved family, they will come. If I focus on the art and the company, providing a happy, joyful environment rather than fussing over the weeds and chipping paint, they will feel good about coming there. Let's face it, coming for a studio visit or classes should be an adventure. If your studio is in the kitchen, all the better; You can show paintings of fruits and veges :>) Make your lemon studio into lovely fresh lemonade and they will love it as you do. I treasure my dilapidated studio and it is a happy place to me. I project that to friends who come to visit or paint with me.

It doesn't really matter to visitors whether you have a tiny bedroom as a studio, a dining room, family room or even hall closet. The important thing is to make them feel welcome and happy to be there. It is all up to you and the way you make them feel. A tiny room full of art, with nice music and a cool drink can be charming to a visitor.

Regarding the practicalities of managing a home studio, it is best to set some rules, including clearly stated hours of operation. You will find that most visitors will want to call or email first to receive the ok. I tell most of my visitors that they can come anytime but they need to call or email first to make sure I'm in town. I try to keep a couple of days open for drop ins, like Monday and Thursday, but that rarely happens. Most folks will contact me first.

I do carry Public Liability Insurance on my studio, a separate policy on the studio. My homeowners does not cover it. This is important to protect yourself from being sued. Sad but necesary. It costs me less than 500.00 a year and it is worth it for my peace of mind.

I always have cold drinks and snacks available for my guests because I want them to feel as though they are honored guests, which they are. It is special to have a visitor and you should let them know how special they are.

So, you set the times the studio will be open, you plan a few parties or open houses now and then and you make it known to guests that this is a happy, positive space, and they will come.

On the other hand, if you start worrying about how the place looks,whether your house really looks like a gallery or a dump,what kind of people may show up to rob you, or any number of real or peceived problems, you will never have any kind of success. Let's face it, I am a risk taker by nature. I like to view the glass as half full. I cover myself with insurance and then I don't worry about it anymore. Perhaps I will be burned someday and perhaps not. I don't think art studios are of particular high interest to serious theives. After all, we can hardly give it away in this economy! :>) My advice is to take normal precautions. If you have a very expensive home with lots of expensive things, you might want to consider renting a storefront a few times a year for your studio parties. If you live in a moderate home like most artists,get some insurance and don't worry about it.

Today's Recipe:

This recipe is the one I have selected for my newsletter this fall. I am putting it on a large yellow post it note to attach to the first page of the newsletter. It is a shortened version of my recipe.

1/2 c mayo
8 oz cream cheese
1 pouch smoked tuna
1/2 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix it all up and serve with crackers and lemon wedges.