(#4) Studio Entertainment and Multitasking
My final semester of college starts this week! While bittersweet, I’m looking forward to returning to the art studios and once again becoming a studio creature. I spend a good chunk of my time in art studios. Studio work is not the same type of work as reading a book for class or writing a paper. For the latter I tend to isolate myself in the library and listen to brown noise to focus (this is sadly what I will be doing the first part of the semester as I write the Italian component of my thesis). I much prefer to be in an art studio. It is my home, a temple for experimentation and creativity, my favorite place to be. I often use my time in the studio to consume media since I usually sit in one place for hours working. In honor of returning to the studios this week, I am sharing my favorite ways to pass time and multitask while I work.
I spend many hours sitting at this table in my thesis studio.
Working in Silence
I love going to a studio space to work and finding it empty. Of course there’s value in collaboration, feedback, and class camaraderie, but I really appreciate having the space to myself. After long days, all I want is to be in a quiet studio by myself. There’s something special about connecting with the art process without distractions so I try to be as present as possible when I can. I find that silence is pertinent for project ideation and high stakes work, like carving tiny details for linocut. It also is quite meditative.
Music
A music-induced dopamine rush is a great tool to boost morale. I will say that it can be disorienting to be listening to a loud, upbeat, pop song when you’ve made a grave mistake. It’s become a habit of mine to listen to music while I work, but I’m trying to be more intentional about what I listen to. Recently, I’ve been diving into classical music. I was introduced to twentieth century Italian composers Piero Piccioni, Piero Umiliani, and Stelvio Cipriani a couple months ago. I like the idea that scores composed for film also serve as the soundtrack for my work.
Podcasts
I know I am not alone in saying I am an avid podcast listener. These days the only time I have to listen to them is in the studio. I do have a scarring memory of listening to a podcast while working on a ceramic sculpture assignment, though. I listened to an entire four hour episode while working on my bust project without stopping to take a break. I remember walking out of the studio around midnight feeling so dazed and dissociated that I swore I would never go that long without a break again. I learned my lesson. I, however, remain a fan of podcasts, specifically interview based ones. My current favorite is The Lex Fridman Podcast. In my opinion, Lex is one of the best interviewers in the podcast realm. His show covers a wide range of topics like philosophy, history, artificial intelligence, and engineering and exposes me to different ideas. I also like to use this time to catch up on politics and current events, usually through the Breaking Points podcast.
Audiobooks
I try to read as often as I can in my spare time. One of life’s greatest tragedies is not being able to read all the books the world has to offer. Listening to audiobooks while I work has been a great way for me to multitask and make a dent in my “want to read” list on Goodreads. I just started listening to Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin.
TV shows
I am not much of a TV person. I usually will start watching a show then forget it exists. That is unless I am knitting or crocheting. Since knitting and crocheting are repetitive by nature and require little brain power, I indulge in watching a movie or series. It’s also a great way to measure time. My first pair of socks took me two seasons of Gossip Girl to finish.
FaceTime and phone calls
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in the past few years is that it takes effort to maintain relationships. These days I spend many hours on FaceTime with friends who live far away from me. I try my best to make a habit out of calling to check in and catch up with friends and family and I find that an empty studio is a great place to do so. I’m being productive and connecting with people I care about—it’s a win-win.
Let this serve as a reminder to invest in a good pair of headphones and bring a computer charger to the studio.
