Sherri Haab's tips for developing a creative oasis and a peek at her workroom

2010 is shaping up to be a busy year for bestselling author, instructor, and all-around crafty superstar, Sherri Haab. Although she has two new books on the way, Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations in March and The Art of Metal Clay, Revised and Expanded in July, as well as a packed schedule of workshops, teaching, and appearances, Sherri can always come home to relax and craft in her workroom.

We’re excited to bring CrafterNews readers an exclusive glimpse of Sherri’s sunny, airy, and inspiring workspace, as well as share her top tips on designing and organizing your very own creative oasis.

1) Making Space for Your Work
Creating a studio or work space can be a challenge, especially if you work with a variety of materials. Working in a small space with limited storage can be even more of a challenge. I have a small studio room dedicated to my work, but often my projects drift out into the rest of the house. I’ve learned over time that the only way to get things done is to let things get messy for a while; and if I have a space where I can leave works in progress, it helps. No matter how little space you have to work with, you can make it your own oasis.

A few musts for the studio are a tabletop that can get banged up a bit, a comfortable chair, and good lighting. Small task lamps make a big difference in the workability of your space. Along with all of the necessary items, it helps to surround your work area with things that inspire you, such as fabric swatches, small pieces of art, jewelry displays, and even music.

2) Organized Chaos
I find it impossible to stay as organized as I would like. Since I’m more of a night person, the early part of the day is spent on non-creative tasks such as email and business matters. My creativity kicks in later in the afternoon and peaks about 10 PM. I live on chocolate chips and herb tea to keep me going for long hours. Among the candy wrappers, I have to-do lists and Post-it Notes littering my desk. Despite the chaos, I try to run a few miles in the mornings to maintain clarity and balance. I think every creative person has to find what works best for him or her, and how to balance life.

I’m not sure there’s a way to ever be totally organized; personally, if I were organized I wouldn’t have time to create. I have to work in waves, creating for a deadline and then trying to find time to regroup and reorganize. I try to at least group things in common so I can find them quickly when working on a project. I have beads arranged by color in small clear jars where I can see them. Tools and findings are organized in shallow drawers or boxes. I have stacks of divided plastic organizers in which I keep small pieces, sorted by metal type or bead color.

3) Compiling Ideas and Inspirations
I’m not sure when or why I started collecting craft ideas clipped from magazines, but I have a collection of files dating back to the early ’70s. Whenever I found a cool idea in a magazine or came across a pattern I wanted to make someday, I would clip or copy the idea and put it in a portable file box filled with labeled folders. I like to keep the articles loose because I weed through them from time to time and get rid of some depending on my current interests.
The files are very useful for sparking creativity, as you tend to collect ideas that suit your artistic style and interests. It also saves space to tear out individual articles to file rather than saving the entire magazine. I found that keeping the articles in a scrapbook or ring binder didn’t work for me; it took too much time and effort. My worn files are very functional and serve as a helpful resource for researching timeless techniques.

4) Creating Idea Notebooks
Many artists keep sketchbooks filled with ideas. I like to keep ideas in a notebook with written descriptions and sketches of ideas for jewelry making. It’s nice to take a small sketchbook with you on your travels. Some of the places that might inspire you are museums, galleries, and cultural or historic locations. It’s a good idea to keep a notebook by a bedside table, as many creative ideas pop into your head just before you drift off to sleep or upon waking, when your mind is in a relaxed state. Being creative is an exercise in problem solving. The challenge is trying to capture insights and translate them into finished works.

• Visit Sherri Haab’s official website
• Watch Sherri Haab’s art instruction videos
• Read Sherri Haab’s blog

Categories: Jewelry |

Tags: photos, sherri haab, Sherri Haab Jewelry Inspirations, The Art of Metal Clay, watson-guptill

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