Developing a van studio practice

Small corners, big gains

Welcome to my wee corner of Substack. I am a seasonal artist living on the Isle of Arran, off the west coast of Scotland. I am the custodian of approximately two acres of land that includes a woodland, a meadow and my wee garden. I offer a seasonal book arts project for paid subscribers if you are interested and you can read more about that HERE. Grab a cuppa and lets delve into our relationship with the shifting seasons…

I have had my wee micro van studio for a few months so I thought I would spend some time reflecting on the difference it has made to my creative world. The first thing I would say is that the difference moves way beyond my creative world as you will see as this reflective offering unfurls.

To recap, my studio van was coverted by my daughter’s partner who turned a ‘workie van’ into a wee studio so I can take more of my creativity on the road, particularly around the island I call home. The build was just beyond words with all of my wee ideas taken into full account. He is a very talented man who had already built a van for my daughter and also their very own tiny home. If you want to see what that is all about follow her youtube channel here.

So my wee studio van has lots of storage, a wee workbench, a sink, a portable extending work table, a heater, a USB charger and a laptop charger point. It also has a very comfortable seating area that folds down as a bed.

She is called ‘Willow’ after my favourite tree that gives us the power of intuition which is the cornerstone of my art practice. So how has Willow shifted things?

Willow has enabled me to linger.

Working in the field has always been important to my work especially as landscapes often feature. Willow has allowed me to stay for longer and overnight if I want to be ready to the see the sunrise. I have a wee gas cooker and a kettle so I am able to stay for much longer periods of time that, in turn, allow for my creativity to ebb and flow through the day. This takes the pressure off the feeling of capturing at speed before the rain shower or the light fades. This was the primary reason I got Willow but I couldn’t have contemplated the rest of the changes….

Willow has reminded me about how time passes

I am a life long student of time as it fascinated me as a small child. I used to ask endless questions about the concept of time. My life in my 30s bought me into contact with the late Waverly Fitzgerald who I believe to be the guru on all things time. I like to think that was destiny. She taught me so much and eventually we started working together on her website and offerings on time and creativity. The world lost Waverly a few years ago and since she died I have lost one of my rudders. Waverly, would check in with me regularly to see how I was doing and, in doing so, reminded me the importance of creating a relationship with time that spoke to my inner soul. Willow has now taken over that important role and by spending so much time in and around her I have started paying more attention to ‘my time’. I believe time is a deeply personal concept and I don’t believe in the view that ‘there is never enough time.’ Waverly taught me that from the off and she was right. Since lockdown my life had become incredibly busy mainly supporting other people’s creativity and I wasn’t making enough time for my own. Willow has given me that time back.

Willow has delivered a renewed sense of calm

I am a Buddhist and a meditation teacher so calm is never that far from me. Willow has given my meditation practice a different dimension. I have a favourite handmade Kantha stitched cushion in the van and my favourite place to sit is in the side door opening to look outwards. The sense of calm that comes with sitting there is deeper than much of my meditation work at home or in classes. I am incredibly grateful for this, more prolonged, sense of calmness.

Willow has turned my creativity outside in

I have been an exhibiting and teaching artist since I was 38 (now 60) and I truly believe that supporting other people’s creativity is what I was meant to do. Prior to retraining in visual arts I was in performing arts working in a university. As a working artist and also self employed new ideas need to be considered from the creative merit as well as they financial gain. I feel that I have been doing that forever. Willow has arrived into my life just at the perfect time. Time spent with her has turned my creativity outside in. I am seeing far more merit in creating because I am inspired to do so for me rather than for other folk and finanical reward. As a result my work is better. It feels more connected to me. I still need to make a living albeit a part time one now. My income comes from my Patreon community, my Substack book arts project and my Etsy store and all three are benefiting from Willow. The process of making art is in really sharp focus in and around the van and I feel more able to translate that and share it with my communities. My work for my Etsy shop suddenly has a new life being born into it and more on that as my emerging plans become clearer.

Willow has got me addicted to tiny corners of the island

I had big plans of where I would park so that I could creativiey breathe in the landscapes I love so much, especially on the island. There has been some of that but not much. Instead I look for tiny corners that I can squeeze Willow into with small spaces to contemplate.

This is the corner of a car park where folk leave their cars for the walk up our Goat Fell mountain. Look how beautiful it is? Hidden inside the green are lots of low level wildflowers and I lost hours here. I have now become quite obsessed at finding small corners that folk don’t visit and I am loving the creativity that this is releasing. Last year I did a collection called Lost Worlds and it was my fastest selling work ever. This work I am loosely calling ‘Small Worlds’ and more on that as well as it develops.

Willow has taught me how little we need

Before Willow I was already experienced in van life as hubby as a larger van that we tour Scotland in and we use it a lot. But it is much bigger than Willow and holds more ‘stuff’. Inside Willow I have a very basic art kit, some books, my kettle and kitchen things and my beloved cushion. I also normally have my border collie, Frank too. It really is enough to fill my heart and I am reminded how much I have always loved my own company. I chat away to Frank from time to time and have natural encounters with squirrels, birds pond and sea life but I am very happy in this minimal space. I think humans generally have too much stuff and I include myself in that. I create ‘studio worktables’ in all sorts of wonderful places. If the wind is in the right direction hubby and I are away in his van for a whole month in September to test out a life as a digital nomad. You can follow those adventures here too.

Willow has been a gift that will just keep giving and I am so grateful for her. I might only be able to carry one passenger meaning my family need to find their own way, as I have four grown up children, but I am fine with that. I see this time as a way of releasing the stresses and strains of being a mum of four who ran her own business while also home schooling her children. The last 30 years of my life have been focused beyond me and now the focus needs to shift to within me. Willow has waved her magic wand and I will continue to share what she teaches me next.

Until next time,

Fiona x

You can find my Patreon community here

You can find my Etsy store here - UK only

You can join my seasonal Book Arts project by upgrading to paid (£6 per month)

You can meet Frank below!