19 Comments
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Manuela Thames's avatar

This says it all: “ I might be sad when I get here, but never when I leave.”

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Duane Toops's avatar

Absolutely! thanks so much!

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Martin Hughes's avatar

Ooh, those words! So many to choose from, but it felt amazing to read, "I might be sad when I get here, but never when I leave." 💚

As for the artworks—fabulous, as ever!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Therapy and my daily studio practice work wonders for me! Thanks Martin!

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Neil Barker's avatar

The Vault looks like a great set-up to focus on creating art. Maximum focus, minimum distractions. I like that final collage with the caption: "when society has been constituted - analog collage on 4x6 index card."

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks Neil! "Maximum focus, minimum distractions" - that's exactly it! No wifi, and even my cell signal is terrible there, it's perfect! Lol

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Elizabeth Grace Martinez's avatar

Love a good Edith Wharton quote!

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Duane Toops's avatar

Such a good one!

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Ann Collins's avatar

It reminds me of a spaceship’s serene efficiency. A perfect place to focus and create! 🚀

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Duane Toops's avatar

It’s funny you mention that! I just finished a series of 8 collages called “Astronauts Coming Home” for a commissioned project.

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Ann Collins's avatar

Very cool—sounds like a perfect fit for you! I’ve really enjoyed the astronauts you’ve shown here.

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Duane Toops's avatar

earlier work definitely inspired the idea. I thoroughly enjoyed working on it. Sent them all off today, but I’m thinking of continuing the series anyway. Hopefully i’ll be able to share some of the commissioned pieces soon.

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Ann Collins's avatar

I’d love to see where you went with that!

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James Hart's avatar

Fascinating, Duane. Always interesting to see the places people like to work. That is so obviously a purpose-built space.

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks James! I’d much prefer a studio with lots of windows. But this fits my budget and it gets the job done. I put off having an offsite creative space because it felt like an unnecessary expense. But my place is small, and there just isn’t room for a dedicated collage area. Storage is limited too. It’s actually been really great having a entirely separate place I go to make collages. It creates a helpful divide between art and home. My head immediately goes into creative mode when I get to my studio. And it’s so nice to be able to leave things out and to not have to clean up everything, lol.

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Davin Trail-Risk's avatar

Thanks for the peek into your creative space. I love seeing where people make, what they gather around them, and what forms the dual comfort and disruption of making things for them.

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Duane Toops's avatar

“the dual comfort and disruption of making things” - Love that! That captures so much. Efficiencies and the purposeful inefficiencies. I never get tired of seeing the spaces people use for making. It’s taken me a bit to fully appreciate mine, it’s easy to focus on what it isn’t to teh detriment of what it is. but, it’s certainly my favorite place to be.

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Mark Luetke's avatar

What a wonderful studio! Thanks for sharing 🙌

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Duane Toops's avatar

Thanks man! It does what I need it to.

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