Polymer clay is a fabulous medium not the least because it’s so easy to mix it with other mediums. You can sculpt with it, use it as paint, to make jewellery findings… the list goes on, almost endlessly. I even use it for components in gadgets and machines on occasion.
The problem with that, of course, is that it makes for accumulating not only clay specific gear but for the gear from all sorts of related craft projects. Planning your creative space gets tough when you’re incorporating projects that span a dozen areas!
The last ten years I’ve been lucky to have separate standalone spaces for my work. The first was a large room in my home which I still miss for the privacy. And now I have a huge space in my shop. The most used area is what’s in the photograph with my bench being the counter. I have tables to have classes at or spread out on. I have more storage than I use. The only issues here is that I have to keep it mildly neat and that it isn’t the least bit private. There are customers and students around most days.
When you plan your own clay space you may have different limitations. My first space was one table that I clamped my pasta machine onto and a few roller carts for storage because I had to eat on that table, too! It sort of expanded from there and I bought lots of tote boxes to store beads and canes and clay tools. They’re still what I use, mostly. I just have more shelves to set them on.
I’m also a reforming slob so the ongoing traffic through here forces me to keep the disaster limited. When I had private space… it wound up messy so often I couldn’t have had people in even if I wanted to!
How do you work? What kind of space do you have?
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