Today on the Studio Art Quilt Associates (SAQA) yahoo group, the question came up about purchasing property one can work/gallery space and live from. I have exactly that kind of living arrangement.
Our downstairs and also street side in San Jose, Ca. has 900 square feet and the upstairs has 1900 square feet. The entry way has a room that is 18 x 16 feet and that is used as my gallery. What I really love is I always have somewhere to bring people where my work is staged and I can stage new projects that I am working on. Also the lighting is wonderful because of the overhang I receive no direct sunlight so my photographer also likes coming to my home to photograph my work and I also welcome him to use it for photographing others artwork also. We purchased a hanging system that now goes all the way around the room offering me quick up and down hanging of my work so I can always see exactly how my finished work will look. The entry door is the same style of door one would find at a department store all glass with side windows also in glass. Any passerby can easily see what my next creations are at all times.
I do keep the doors locked and have a by appointment sign prominently placed and yes people do want to stop, come in and look around and sometimes make a purchase or just contemplate what is gong on with my work. When friends visit this is always the first stop in the house to see what I have been up to lately. I do not work downstairs in the other rooms as I prefer working upstairs always keeping a distance from the area but I have been thinking lately of moving my studio to one of the lower level rooms. In the past I have been approached by other artist to use the exhibiting space but I am pretty selfish about my little gallery and how I can always be changing the gallery and exhibiting new artworks..
