Studio Reformed

My studio at Sweethaven is being hauled out and reorganized by artist Femke van Delft and her daughter Keta Bun. My son Dane is helping.

This is a dream reorganization for me. Femke works in mixed process and is brilliant. We have admired one another and one another's art for years. She just gets my stuff. She has a background in Visual Marketing and has an incredible sense of space use. No judgements, easy to correct and Tim will do anything she asks.
Keta is a bull worker. A sense of organization that is astounding and a mind for category. They have been here for five days and worked everyday.

My library is now completely organized! Alphabetically , by date, by passion. I sat in there and cried.
It was perfect.

During this process they have whistled and laughed. Got out for awhile and made delicious food like beet pesto. I made delicious food like nettle pesto and Fidgety for sandwiches. Tim made buttermilk pancakes with duck eggs. Mike, a local farmer, heard I was sick and loved kale and he brought me a huge bag of kale, wild harvested miner's lettuce and an incredible spicy salad mix as a gift. Food seems to be part of this.

Today the piles of stuff in the studio, the furnishings and machines are being transformed into the most delicious, workable studio that I can fall into and work when I have the tiniest scrap of energy.There are staging centers to allow me to work on more than one project at a time. Heaven.

Femke has not allowed me in either the Sweethaven library or the studio while this is going on. She has emerged with exactly two bags of garbage. Which I sorted through. All garbage. She comes downstairs with phone photos, hand drawn maps, descriptions and advice. No peeking. My first day at this was nerve wracking but as time has progressed  I see how well she directs others and knows exactly what I need and want I have simply released control. Complete trust. All rewarded.

I am really happy to say that Keta has decided to move into the Haven Suite. She wants to look for a job here and look after me. She has fallen in love with Mayne Island and Sweethaven. She perches her lovely young self all over the house and the gardens and has charmed my ducks and my family.

Through this whole process I am physically weak and have to curl up and sleep a lot. I now have to manage pain in a different way.  But this gnawing worry has been released. I can find my things and my work.

Inspiring Shelf

Femke in action

Studio shelves

Library

Sketch book and Sample Books.