My studio continually evolves as I use and finetune the space. A couple of weeks ago, I was doing some reorganizing and realized I could utilize the space to the left of the large hardware cabinet. Some picture ledges would give me a little more storage and would also be the perfect place to display my bottles of pigment.
What was hanging there before was a pinboard with color swatches. While I enjoyed looking at them, I didn’t really use them, so changing it out made sense.
Sienna Counterweight Studio Easel | | painted checkerboard floor | Hare art print
I purchased shelves from Target for $15/each and hung them in that space. The dimensions were absolutely perfect for my collection of bottled pigments.
| | antique palette
I bought the bottles from Hobby Lobby, but I wasn’t able to find them on their website. They are in the glass aisle and I pick them up with they are on sale. The fun thing about these pigments is I purchased many of them when I was traveling in Europe last year and the year before. I made a point to stop into art supply shops in Paris, Lucca, and Florence and picked up pigments from each store. They are pretty and unique souvenirs. I picked up the rest online from various art supply stores.
I labeled each bottle with 1/4″ masking tape.
I decorated the top shelf with my antique French paint pots from Dreamy Whites, an antique ironstone palette from White Flower Farmhouse, and an a few months ago.
This little corner with the picture ledges and bottled pigments makes me so happy every time I look at it! I haven’t had much time over the past few months to play around with mixing the pigments to create my own oil paint, but I have all of the supplies, so I hope to be able to dive into that fun world soon!
In other studio news, I painted this 16 x 20 piece as a warmup to the larger piece I shared yesterday. (I fixed the brand in the tree that looks like a dinosaur head! Do you see it?)
And I’ve been slowly painting more minis and color charts. I hope to get a nice collection of minis, charts, and some larger paintings together to have another original art sale in November.
I’m hoping to get some new index card art pieces in there, too. I have these fantastic green calendar cards…
Until I have more originals available, you can buy prints from Society6 and some of my landscape paintings are being sold in TJMaxx and HomeGoods. I haven’t spotted one, yet, but they are in circulation! Let me know if you see one…
25 Responses
How is the master bedroom coming along. Love to see pictures!!
Marion….love this post as I do all of them! You even ‘stage’ the top shelf…..such an artistic touch! BTW….how can I find you in Instagram? I have entered all variations of Ms. Mustard Seed but to no avail. Is there a clue I’m missing?
You can find me on @missmustardseed
Call me crazy, but I don’t see a dinosaur head…..what I do see is a Giraffe peeking out around the tree. Everyone sees something differently. ?
I’m a blue & white person, so I love everything in your house.
Helen
I see the Giraffe also…complete with legs! so fun! I also love it all. So fun to see all the neat things you find/discover.
So funny! Yes, I see the legs and body, too!
It’s not a dinosaur’s head; it’s a dragon’s head! Cute shelf arrangement.
The Pigments on the shelves look lovely. I notice that they are right next to a window. Will UV light have any effect on the pigments? Just curious.
So glad you are planning to have your original art sale in November. I’ve been waiting for this announcement, as I’m sure many have.
Your ledge arrangement looks like a picnic for the eyes!
Are you concerned about the bright light fading your pigments??
I looked on tjmaxx.com and it looks like two of them are available on their website. Marketed by Deny Designs.
You should use the monthly index cards to paint the same landscape scene, but in the corresponding month, so that you have a year of season changes.
Thank you! It’s so funny that I didn’t even think to look on the website!
just fyi –the bottles are now on line @ Hobby Lobby
Oh, good to know! They didn’t have them the last time I looked.
How are the shelves attached to the wall?
yes! There are hangers on the back, but they were a little fiddly, so I just put a screw through the back of each shelf, knowing they’d be hidden and more secure.
Beautiful way to show your pigments! I plan to put my pigments in these apothecary bottles from Dille & Kamille a shop where they also sell a lot of old fashioned wooden cleaning tools etc .The shops are in Holland and Belgium but they ship worldwide.
https://www.dille-kamille.nl/apothekerspot-glas-o-6-x-11-cm-00016592.html
I got all of them as a gift after loosing my studio and my old collection of paint-powders in glass jars in The Fireworks catastrophe from 2000 from a local Artist material-shop who went broke. If you ever have a chance to visit the paint windmill in Holland you will enjoy it and they sell lots of grind-ed paint-powders and tools and give workshops too. They have the website in Dutch and English; here is the English link:
https://www.verfmolendekat.com/en/
I use my paint-powders not for painting but to color my latex to pour into the sea animal molds I made. A friend teached me how to do that and also how to make my own acrylicpaint and oilpaint.
When I reorganized my sewing room last month I used picture ledges to contain the clutter. I first considered a peg board, which is common in sewing rooms, but I knew the visual clutter would bother me. I had a couple of photo ledges from Pottery Barn that I wasn’t using and bottles from The Dollar Tree. Now everything is nicely contained, in easy reach and looks organized. I used black s-hooks to hang scissors from the ledge. Your display in pretty bottles is a work of art in itself. I don’t paint but I am tempted to try something similar to use as a focal point on an otherwise bare wall. You always manage to inspire me.
I’d only be concerned that since they are so close to the window where it seems as though a lot of light seeps in, that the more fugitive pigments would fade in the clear bottles. But the arrangement does look charming, a work of art in and of themselves, and SO you!
Yeah, I’ll have to keep an eye on that. They don’t receive direct sunlight but just diffused light, so hopefully they’ll be okay.
Can’t wait for you to start playing with the pigments! And… how exciting that your paintings will be at Homegoods, I will definitely snatch one up if I see it! And…I just finally found your issue of WWC, yay! I had even called the publisher to find out when it would hit newsstands, lol! Your spread turned out so beautiful! It’s my favorite magazine, I’ve collected for years and years. Your feature is my favorite of all time! ❤️❤️❤️
Unique way to store your pigments…. if you know a roofer (ahem… my hubby) – they could make you handmade shelves from copper gutters or copper sheet. He is a master with copper and it is absolutely beautiful if you have ever seen an entire roof done in copper!!!!!
I used to follow you years ago. I kind of lost track of you over time, and was so glad to get back on board. Was so excited to see you painting and offering classes. Please know you are so appreciated for the information and sharing with others that you offer.
I thoroughly enjoy you on all your media avenues; website, blog, FB and Instagram. Keep those painting classes coming!!!
Deb Stone