by Nysha Nelson | Dec 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
And after framing, it’s time to insulate and wire for electricity… The last crew in the walls before insulation and dry wall are the electricians. Do you know how challenging it is to decide, before you move in, before the space is complete, before there are even really walls to choose where light fixtures will go? Where will the furniture go, what light needs to be where? What fixture will be in what location? Choose now because once there is dry wall, changing them is much more of a challenge! There are many things left — insulation then dry wall. That will be exciting because then the HVAC crew will return and get the heat on! Trim carpentry will come and then paint. The electricians then can return to put things in place along with the plumber. Can you say gigantic sink for rinsing yardage?! Oh and I am forgetting the brick siding. That was just delivered. Which leads to the next really big decision. The brick on the house and detached garage is no longer made so we will paint all the brick. Wait! That means I have to choose an exterior color. Have you ever chosen exterior paint colors for more than shutters? It is not my favorite thing to do. While interior paint colors are relatively simple to pick expand the scale of the wall space and add the blazing sun and green grass reflecting on the color and I am at a loss. Painting the brick is something that I have talked about for years with great anticipation. Now that I am faced with the...
by Nysha Nelson | Dec 14, 2015 | Uncategorized
So after the foundation comes framing… The framing crew has a love of heights that was shocking to me. First off, they climbed and scurried almost thirty feet in the air with more grace than I exhibit on the ground. And they were walking on a tiny 2 x 4 (Which you probably know is neither 2 inches nor 4 inches. It is smaller!) Also amazing is that they didn’t bring ladders and saw horses but built them on site. I know what you are thinking and no! I have no idea why. Within a few days the frame was erected and the volume of the space was evident, not in the Crow Barn, but my studio. Exciting! Once the framing was finished and the decking and siding were on, the roof was put in place. All the progress till now had been dramatic and quick. The end of each day brought something to see. Next came the plumbers to put things in place: gas line for the HVAC, a bathroom and a laundry area. The heat and air guys were next putting the furnace in place and running ducts everywhere. After they were finished the framer returned to frame in the around the duct...
by Nysha Nelson | Dec 9, 2015 | Studio, Studio Nysha
I recently began construction on a new studio. Well, I am not building it. My contractor is. I can build things with fabric or even paper, yet I am not handy with a saw or hammer. I have dreamt of having a free-standing studio on my property since moving to the country almost a decade ago. I had attended classes with Nancy Crow at the Crow Barn. The Crow Barn is a barn c.1880 timber frame barn that Nancy moved to her farm from a neighboring property. It is a spectacular space with soaring ceilings, beautiful beams and atmosphere for days! I dreamt and envisioned my barn and even put a barn on my vision board. Searching for antique barns yielded many beautiful results, most of which were a long haul away. Nothing seemed near enough and certainly not plausible. So with the end of the lease on my studio in town looming I thought it time to take on a new studio. My house has a two car attached garage and a detached building intended by the homes first owner as a ‘workshop.’ We use it as a garage space and where the treadmill lives. (Notice I said the tread mill lives there, not that it is a gym – that requires using it!) Building onto the back side of the detached garage (as we call it) seemed logical. It is at the end of the driveway and just across the rear of the house for an easy commute! The detached garage is a story and a half building. We continued the roofline with only a single story...
by Nysha Nelson | Nov 25, 2015 | Thank You
“You are such a treasure trove of information and talent! You are a blessing in my life.” Sharon “I enjoyed finding out no one is ever too old to learn. I do not think I will ever be intimidated by a blank piece of paper again.” Beverley “Your relaxing and non-judgmental style made it possible to work the exercises without the feelings of regret that come from not being perfect. I was able to enjoy my work.” Wanda “Thank you so much for an informative and fun day!” Donna Time and time again I’m honored and humbled by the outpouring of support I get from my fellow students and artists. You all continually let me know what it is I pour into your lives. I would like to take a few moments to let you know how you overflow into mine as well. Not only do I get to work with and encourage some great people, but I get to do it while working in a field I truly love as an artist. I don’t think words could ever truly express my gratitude for how much my service to you means to me. I get to be there to help you all through your struggles. I get to see what you’re made of mentally. And I get to be there on the other side when you ‘get it’! Other than my family, nothing in my life has ever felt so rewarding. I wish you all the most blessed of holiday seasons. Thank you for being a part of my journey. The tapestry weaved from my experiences and relationships with...
by Nysha Nelson | Nov 11, 2015 | ZenTangle, zentangles
I subscribe to the Tanglepatterns.com Newsletter. Several days a week I get the newsletter and often there is a new tangle pattern to check out. I always click on the link and look at the pattern. Sometimes I love it or think it’s okay. Other times I don’t really care for the pattern at all — for whatever reason I just don’t like it. Inevitably when I initially react poorly I will end up seeing an effective and beautiful usage of it somewhere. This has happened on more than one occasion prompting me to ask why? The more strong the dislike the more determined I am to work with the pattern. Test it out. Draw it. Alter it. Shade it in different ways. Do as many variations of it as I can to uncover more about the pattern. All of this is done in an effort to really understand and explore. Often the very patterns I have the strongest dislike of initially are the ones I end up liking. Using. Finding them very effective. Just like the patterns, people can be just the same. Someone that we think we know, think we don’t have anything in common with, think we don’t like, can end up being someone who is exactly the person we need to...
