I am one of the lucky artists in this world. By that I mean I have a wonderful studio to work in. Actually, I have two. I am extremely fortunate and grateful for all that is available to me. Today I want to share with you my winter studio in North Carolina as seen through feng shui eyes. You can click here to see my summer studio in Maine.
Here is the floorplan layout showing you where all my studio furnishings are:
Katy's winter art studio.
This next pic shows you how the bagua is laid out on my floorplan. I know it is a messy drawing (usually I use a transparent paper overlay but that would not have shown up here) but I hope it will give you a clear understanding of how to use the bagua on your own studio.
Baqua layout of Katy's art studio.
My big worktable is on wheels so that I can move it around as needed. The work surface table is permanently attached to the wall by the built in shelving / storage cubbies. As you can see, I have a fireplace–it works!–and it is very auspiciously located in the Fame & Reputation area. Why is this lucky? Because Fire is the element that enhances Fame. That means it’s natural placement belongs in the Fame area. Above the fireplace is a great hanging wall and right now it has my first painting that I ever did on canvas hanging there. Why? The background of this painting is red and red is the color that belongs in Fame & Reputation area—it enhances and strengthens it. The message I am giving to the universe is that right from the beginning (my first painting) I had set intentions of becoming famous for my art work.
My big worktable on wheels I normally keep in the Career and Tai Ch’i Center areas to establish myself as a professional career artist. There is a wall above this table that I also hang some of my work on. Any paintings that have strong black color in them or images of water belong on this wall because both activate and strengthen the Career area. Here is a slideshow of actual pictures of my studio.
Note the Wealth area. This is where many of my paintings are painted (I place my movable easel there or in the Career area or Tai Chi area or Fame area depending on the light and my mood). This corner has two large floor to ceiling walls that is where I show new work when clients come in. I also hang art in the Travel & Helpful People area because this area of the bagua is directly related to Wealth (notice they are diagonally opposite each other).
The large window along my Wisdom & Knowledge area and Career area has a nice ledge. I have placed meaningful spiritual objects and personal talismans there…my gratitude journal that I write in daily, my eagle feather that I found on the beach after watching the actual eagle eating a fish there, candles, smudger stick and incense…you get the idea. All of these relate to Wisdom. There is a book nook in the wall that straddles the Wealth and Fame areas next to the fireplace…I keep art books of famous and successful artists there.
Because my storage closets flank the space and their locations are in important areas, it’s more crucial than ever that I keep them well organized. But in general, my art studios are working spaces and while I am working, I have stuff everywhere. I keep it organized but creatively so! Writing this now I realize I need to do some spring cleaning and get the closets back into tip top shape! I don’t want my Wealth/Health/Wisdom side to suffer on the left nor my Love/Creativity & Future projects area on the right. My built in book shelves are located partially in the Love area so I keep one of my Love Power Heart paintings displayed there to activate and reinforce all my art relationships.
You may wonder wouldn’t it make more sense to work on paintings in my Creativity & Future Projects area? That would be a good place for any artist to work, but one has to make your space work for you given the layout you have available to you. My Creativity area is directly in the path of a door to the basement, and, the light over here is not as great as the light where my work table is. However, I do make use of the work surface table to layout projects and to make greeting cards…so it does contribute a function to my overall Creativity. To see more of my art, please go to my website www.katyallgeyer.com. As a Pisces, I see no contradiction in having dual careers. One as an artist and one as a feng shui consultant. Both use my creative expertise to help people beautify their personal spaces. If you’re an artist and would like to share links to your artwork and studio spaces, please post in my comments section!
Feng Shui By Fishgirl 
Love the workspace, looks like a great studio
Thanks, Arlissa!
Hello, first i want to thank you for this great post, i find your enthusiasm very inspiring.
I am 30 years old and currently going through a career change stage in my life, recently i discovered my passion for landscape design and sculpture and i decided to just go for it, i am about to enroll in a Landscape Design Course and now i am beginning to build my own studio at home, my idea is to combine the two activities within one studio.
I find the idea of separating the areas as you did in your studios very interesting, i am going to try to apply the principles you are sharing to the space i have.
Thank you
Guillermo—thanks for posting. I don’t know how I overlooked it back in July when you first posted your comments. By now maybe you built your own studio? Did you use the bagua layout? If you’d like to share photos and tell my readers how it worked out for you, let me know. I’d be happy to blog about your space!
I’m setting up my studio which combines more than one area of interest. So, it’s easy to get confused. I write and I want to do some of my own books and cards. I’ve decided to place my workbench in the children and creativity center, and my writing desk in the fame/reputation area. But then I think maybe that’s backwards. Any suggestions? Also, I don’t see any reference to the purpose of the health and family area in an art studio.
I’m setting up my studio which combines more than one area of interest. So, it’s easy to get confused. I write and I want to do some of my own books and cards. I’ve decided to place my workbench in the children and creativity center, and my writing desk in the fame/reputation area. But then I think maybe that’s backwards. Any suggestions? Also, I don’t see any reference to the purpose of the health and family area in an art studio.
PS…thanks for all the great info and sharing so generously.
Hi Asunda,
I’d have to see your entire layout of your studio in order to give you an accurate reading because there might be doors, beams, windows, poison arrows, etc that would affect the overall analysis. However in general to answer your question I would say that putting your writing desk in the Fame area suggests to me that you wish to become most known for this aspect of your work. The creativity area is a good place for your worktable and creating stuff. You might also consider your writing desk in your Wisdom area and/or your Career area (but again, not having seen your floorplan, it’s hard to tell which would be best for you). The Health & Family area of your studio or any location is always a good idea to keep clean and organized as it correlates to a symbolic representation of your health. You can activate it by keeping photos of your family here. If you want to get an analysis of just your art studio, donate $120 via my PayPal Donate button and send me your floorplan sketch via email and I will send you complete analysis via email. Thank you for reading Feng Shui By Fishgirl. 🙂
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This is wonderful and I thank you for it – I am currently in the beginning stages of designing an art studio on my property in Eureka, Nevada. I have a house here also but want to make my studio also a place where I can sleep and cook if I want to – I am going to have a basement dug and have two stories on top. Because this is an old mining mill site area, I will build it to look like an old mine office on the outside. I am very enthused by seeing your studio – it’s beautiful and you’ve done quite a bit of research which helps me a great deal. Thanks very much.
Mariana- thank you for your wonderful feedback. I hope you will take lots of before after and during pics to share with us. I am excited for you! A mining exterior seems like not only a cool nod to history which honors the feng shui there but also a very creative smbology of mining your own personal “gold”(your art). Good luck n keep me posted.
Thank you Fishgirl – I love how you see things. I did write you another email regarding your fees. I can’t find it here. I’ll keep looking. MT
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What an amazing space. I am inspired to get into the studio to tidy up andmake ausable space again but upon researching I just get more and more confused: I am in AUstralia and there are so many ideas asto how to position the Bagua. Which one should i go with? Many thanks for your time.
Trust your instincts. Go with what “feels right” to you and what you want to use the space for. Thanks for your support of FSbyFG blog!
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