5 things that built my dream studio
When I came back to painting in 2010, I had nowhere to work. I kept a box of supplies next to the desk in my home office and pulled them out whenever I wanted to paint. I also took a few classes at an art centre in Nyack, NY, and I remember melting with envy every time the teacher mentioned her studio.
Two years later, back home in England, I converted a tiny boot room into my first real studio. The space was just 1.5 metres wide and 2.5 metres long. I could barely squeeze in a chair and a small desk—but still, it felt like heaven. A space of my own!
Now, 12 years later, I’m building a new studio —a 150-square-metre, custom-built space. It’s huge. It’s beautiful. And I can hardly believe it will be mine.
I’m not rushing this. I’m enjoying every part of the construction process. I've been choosing pieces of furniture, but I don't yet know where it will all go. I plan to let the space evolve naturally, based on how I use it.
It’s an exciting time—but it’s all the sweeter because it took so long to get here. It’s been 15 years since those early classes in Nyack, and I’ve worked really hard. Yes, luck has played a role (it always does), but I believe there are five key things that helped me get here—and they can help with any goal, including becoming the artist you want to be.
Here they are:
1. Risk-Taking
This might be the most important one. People who achieve their dreams take risks—both in their art and in their lives. That might mean adding a bold colour to your painting, applying to a gallery, or investing in something before you feel “ready.” If you want something new, you have to be willing to leap without knowing for sure what’s going to happen.
2. Patience
It’s been 15 years since I first started dreaming of a proper studio. Fifteen years! I meet new painters who feel frustrated because they don’t yet have a large space, even though they’ve only just begun. Even after I found this place, I was still a long way away. Construction has taken over a year. It’s the same with learning to paint—it takes time. You can’t expect instant results. Anything meaningful is worth the wait.
3. Self-Reliance
If you depend on others to believe in your dreams, you might never get started. Not because they’re unkind, but because they can’t see your vision—and often, they’re dealing with their own fears. Sometimes they want to protect you from disappointment. Sometimes they feel envious. That’s why it’s so important to trust your own instincts. If this is what you want, go for it. Don’t ask for permission. Don't waste one second worrying about what anyone else thinks.
4. Vision
You don’t need to achieve everything at once. You just need to know where you’re heading. Maybe you can’t afford a studio right now. Maybe you’re not painting at the level you’d like yet. That’s okay. Hold the vision in your mind—“this is where I’m going”—and let it guide your choices. Stay focused and it will start to come together.
5. Hard Work
If you want something different, something has to change. That usually means working hard—over years, not just weeks. If you want a better studio, you'll need to find new ways to earn money. If you want to be a brilliant painter, you’ll need to practise. You might need to study more, paint more, explore more. That’s work. But it’s worth it.
These five things—risk, patience, self-belief, vision, and work—are what is building the new studio.
You may not want a studio. But what do you want?
Take a moment to reflect:
What risks have I been avoiding?
Am I being impatient? What’s a realistic timeframe for this goal?
Am I listening to myself—or letting others influence my decisions?
Have I clearly defined my vision?
What can I do—today—to move toward it?
This applies to big dreams and small ones.
Maybe you want to show your work in a local exhibition but haven’t applied because you’re afraid of rejection. Maybe you want to become a really good portrait painter but expect it to happen far too quickly. Maybe you’ve been thinking about renting a studio, but a family member’s doubts have held you back.
Whatever the dream, you can begin.
Define the vision.
Take the risk.
Do the work.
Build your self-trust.
Learn the art of patience.
Once you start thinking this way, everything begins to open up and the world is your oyster :)