Quinn McDonald´s creative space story

Do you yearn for a place to create? This week I talk to trainer, author and business and creativity coach Quinn McDonald, who shares the genesis of her own creative space at home and the work she makes there.

1) When did you start dreaming about having your own creative space? Did you have one as a child?

When I was a child, and until I left home, my bedroom was first a sunporch, then closed in but used as a shortcut to both the garage and to my older brothers' room. Being the youngest, and coming along at a time when parents were practical, and stoic (rather than delighted) about having a child late in life, I never expected a room with privacy, but I wanted one. In college, there was still no privacy, so it was not until I was an adult that I had a space for myself and my work. And ever since, it has been a requirement. Now, I have a space in the former dining room for my office, which is open to all (but no more tidy) and the studio is the guest room, but it still is my studio, in all its glorious mess!

2) The day you stepped into your space for the first time, did you already know how you wanted your studio to look like or did the design evolve from the actual space?

Each time I moved into a new space, I let the space speak up for my current work. The spaces have varied widely in size and location, and each time, it's a surprise to see what developes. My most surprising development was about five years ago, when I moved to Phoenix while my husband stayed behind in D.C. to sell the house. What was supposed to be a few weeks turned into a year. I had a tiny apartment, but I took an art class, and sure enough, a small table and colored pencils grew under the only window.

3) After the work is done, do you clean up after each piece, after each day or whenever you can´t find the table any more?

I leave work out to tempt me to come back and work again. There is always something in progress. If I finish something, I start something else. As a creativity coach, I know that it can happen that you leave the studio and never return, because of the responsibility of creativity. So I always leave more of less of a mess. OK, more, rather than less.

Thank you so very much Quinn for being my guest today!

Inspired to create but don´t know where to start? Quinn gives you five idea on what to write on the first page of your journal here.  

You might be intrigued by the concept of a creativity coach and wonder how it works. Here´s how in Quinn´s words.

Thanks again for illustrating week #37 for me! 

Now on to you. Do you have your own creative space?