Studio Tour # 28 - Risa Tritabaugh

Hey There!  Ready to go? 

Today we're off to St. Paul, Minnesota to tour the vibrant art studio of painter/mixed media artist Risa Tritabaugh. Last May Risa gave us a sneak peek into her creative world in this Saturday post.

Risa's studio - all photos courtesy of Risa Tritabaugh

She is also featured in the Summer 2010 issue of Cloth Paper Scissors Studios Magazine.  A great issue by the way (which also happens to showcase a few other studios previously featured on this blog). 

Summer 2010 issue

I had the good fortune to meet Risa through the Melange Team on Etsy, a creative & supportive group of mixed media artists who sell their art online at Etsy.com. Yummy colors abound in both Risa's spirited artwork & wonderful studio! There is a cheerful energy in her rich pallet that always makes me smile.  Now I'm going to get out of the way so Risa can show you around her fun candy colored space - Enjoy!

Sunrise by Risa Tritabaugh

 RT: When I was planning to move in with my soon-to-be hubby nearly four years ago, we knew that we needed more space. There was just no way we were going to be able to combine two households into a 2-bedroom apartment. So we decided to rent an artist studio in our neighborhood. By renting and sharing a studio, we could resolve some of our space issues. My hubby could have his office there and I could have a place to paint. It sounded like a win-win situation.

RT: We made an appointment to look at a studio in the nearby Jax building. The Jax is a very old building, primarily filled with artist work studios. I had been to the Jax during a recent Art Crawl (open studio event) and loved the “feel” of the building. The building was a little rustic, but maybe because of that, it reminded me of my high school art classroom. It had great creative energy.

RT: We walked into the empty studio and I was immediately impressed with the amount of light pouring through the windows–something very important to a painter. It had great wall space with lots of opportunity for exhibiting artwork (including a little front entryway “gallery”). And finally, it had lots of storage space. When the landlord told us someone else was looking at it later that day, my hubby and I looked at each other and in unison said, “We’ll take it.”

Rebirth by Risa Tritabaugh

RT: Before we moved all our stuff in, we painted the space. It went from drab and dingy to bright and warm. I bought paint at a discount paint store where I could only buy one gallon of any particular color. I picked a few purplish-blues and two different tones of magenta–not what I would paint my home, but great for a creative space.  I have had many visitors on dreary, cold rainy days comment that the space really feels warm and inviting. 

RT: With paint on the walls, it was time to start putting paint on canvas. For the first time in my life, I had a dedicated creative space–a space where I could make a mess and not have to put everything away after each work session! I had raised my two children as a single parent, and having the time and space to make art was always a challenge. For years, my only work space was a corner of my bedroom or perhaps the dining room table.

Hope Garden (work in progress) by Risa Tritabaugh

RT: For me, it also works to have my painting space away from home. I can make a mess and not worry about it. When I go to the studio I escape the distractions at home. There's no t.v. or computer--just my stereo that plays music as I paint (and sometimes do a little dancing)! I have a wall of shelves that hold bins that organize my stuff and a large work table in the center of the room.
 

RT: The studio is my creative oasis away from home!

Thank you Risa for showing us around  your colorful world!  

And thanks to everyone who stopped by for today's tour. Please leave a comment & tell Risa what you think. It is your ongoing interest that keeps these tours coming! Also, if you like to  share your creative space, just drop me a comment or email (found in my profile).

Want to see more of Risa's work & world? Find her online 
Blog: http://www.createdbyrisa.blogspot.com 
Website: http://www.createdbyrisa.com 
Etsy: http://www.createdbyrisa.etsy.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/createdbyrisa
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/createdbyrisa

Risa returns Thursday to tell us a little more about herself & her work. She is also  donating an original painting for the next Thursday Giveaway. To find out more about this contest be sure to pop back here on 7/29.

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By the way, have you entered the current random drawing? On 7/29 two lucky winners will get their choice of prints from artist Jacquelyn Berl (a.k.a. Ascender Rises Above). Prints measure 11" x 17" each. Leave a comment on this blog before 1 a.m. (EST) on 7/29 to enter this random drawing. Click here to view prints to choose from & Click Here For Giveaway Details & an interview with Jacquelyn.