Jennifer knew
As well as you
That everything has its place,
But she just didn’t care
a whit,
a bit,
so her room (studio)
was a real disgrace.
These are the opening words to my favorite-of-all-time book from when I was a little girl. The Big Tidy-Up, written by Norah Smaridge is a large, wonderfully illustrated book (Les Gray) featuring Jennifer and her messy room. It really could’ve been my biography at the time…my room was every bit as messy as her’s…and we even looked alike! Though I’m much better about keeping things tidy now, I still allow my studio/sunroom space to get very UNtidy from time to time. Well, no, let me rephrase that: UNtidy is actually the USUAL STATE of the room. Big Tidy-Ups are few and far between, much to my husband’s dismay. Early in the book’s description of Jennifer’s bureau drawer, it states that her room looked like it had been struck by a Super-Rocket. Such is the state of my drawing table (above) AND studio desk (below).
But what’s a girl to do??? Crag 2 crag creativity does NOT lend itself well to neatness! I go along happily for a good while, not even noticing the super-rocket look to things. And then, one day, I’ll come downstairs and SEE it. And it will bug me until the Big Tidy-Up begins. Jennifer in the book:
picked up stuff,
blew away fluff,
shook out the mat,
hung up her hat,
swept the floor,
tidied the drawer,
made the bed,
smoothed the spread,
And worked and worked for most of the day
Until every last thing was put away.
And so, I tidy, I stash, I rearrange, I sort, put away, put back, and clear out the studio. For what?
FOR THE CREATING TO BEGIN AGAIN!! Aaahhh, yes. That’s why we clean, isn’t it? To wipe the slate clean so we can make more marks on the paper, pull out more stuff to make things, start new projects, dream, and create! Jennifer at the end of the book, hangs up a very big sign, “Come In!” on her bedroom door. I do SO wish my studio HAD a door (it would be nice to create in a closed off space so I could leave my mess and not worry about who sees it!). But alas, my “Creative Space” is our sunroom, right off the kitchen.
It would be great if this post had before AND after drawings…ha! AFTER will just have to wait.
I’ll leave you today with the cover of this wonderful book. Maddie and I, we read it together all the time…great rhyming, colorful illustrations, a perfect book.
P.S. Strangely, Maddie’s room is exactly like my room of old…is UNtidiness a genetic malady?:)
I hear that children like their rooms to be messy because they want to see all their stuff. Idk, my room was always messy as a kid, too. And so is my drawing table. Just like my mind. I swear, I’m ADD. Loved the post, the sketches and the book!
I did love the post, and the story it reminds me sooooo much of my Lindsay!!!
The cards are beautiful…. Thankyou, I do love your artwork!
Of course, my studio is not messy. Ha! Ha! I need to shake it out as well!
This post really put a smile on my face! It is me too! And my husband is always gently saying, maybe “we” should clean this room, and then he leaves when it begins! LOL I can take a hint! Love your sketches, the shapes of the desks are different than mine, but everything else is the same!
This is a delightful post, and I love the sketches and the quotes from the book. I do a big tidy-up in my studio occasionally too but create in a messy space otherwise. I try to keep our home fairly neat so my family will be comfortable, but it seems luxurious to me to be able to leave my own space nice and messy when I want! (I am lucky enough to have a door 🙂
I love your drawings of your messy studio. Must be a character attribute of creative persons. We are kindred spirits. Now where is that great drawing I did last week?
Oh boy, can I ever relate! My studio ….. need I say more? lol Great post. nancy
Wow, Jennifer, messy or not, this looks just like your desk! I love it!!
Great pages – I guess many of us can relate to this …!!