5 items in my studio

a special series of posts! Inspired by @jjcolagrande’s #HuffingtonPost article, “The Wonderful Story of the Left Side of My Desk”, I’ll present “5 Items in My Studio” giving a brief history of five of my prized studio possessions. ​

#1- ITALIAN PALETTE KNIFE: Bought this during my first college painting class. I remember agonizing over Pearl’s (R.I.P. Pearl) wide selection of palette knives before finally selecting this one. What sealed the deal? Embossed on the handle in tiny gold print was “Made in Italy.” I knew it had to be good. While I barely used it in class, it’s been a multi-tasking tool that I can’t part with. I mix paint with it, scrape things off my table with it, and even used it to affix glitter to a parking meter in Wynwood. It’s been my trusty companion through so many experiments and projects.

#2 – COWBOY BOOTS LAPTOP BAG: Oddly, I bought and used this bag before I even owned a laptop. I loved the print (still do) – the happy colors and repeating boot pattern make me smile. Even though I was born and raised in Miami, I guess there’s some country in me: I enjoy listening to country music while working in my studio, eating Southern comfort food, and even own a pair of real cowboy boots (they’re studded, of course). Nowadays, I use the bag for its intended purpose and every time I pull out my laptop, I smile. #GiannaD ​

#3 – ARTBIN: Growing up I owned a big purple Caboodle (a girl’s tackle box). I loved that thing. There was really no need for me to have one– I didn’t own that much make-up and it took up too much room in a suitcase for trips. But I still loved that thing; particularly, the gliding three-tier expanding trays with neatly divided compartments. It was cool. Now, fast-forward to being an artist. As soon as I laid eyes on the “ArtBin” I knew I needed one. It’s the artist’s Caboodle. I love this thing and currently use its multi-tier pull-out trays to organize my floss and sewing materials. #GiannaD #5itemsinmystudio #artbin

#4 – GREY SCISSORS: I absolutely love these scissors. I have 3 pairs of them. Found them when I was working on the body of work for my graduating thesis. I was making thousands of tiny paper houses, each house cut by hand. Being left-handed, using “normal” scissors is extremely uncomfortable. Not these! #GiannaD #fiskars #5itemsinmystudio #lefthanded

#5 – MOLESKINE JOURNAL: This model in particular is the perfect size to throw in my purse and keep with me wherever I go. But I HAVE to have the one with the grid lines. The regular ruled ones might be on sale or be a better buy, but no, I need the ones with the grid lines. There are 3 main reasons: (i) I can write in it with each letter having its own box. It’s a bit cumbersome to write this way especially when the words are coming in a rush, but when I do, it sure looks nice – so neat and organized, each letter having its own designated space; (ii) it’s helpful to measure and visualize things (1 box = 1 square inch or foot, etc.); and (iii) I’m big on making checklists– lists for things to get done, steps to complete a project, what to pack in my suitcase, etc. Some checklists even have sub-checklists. The grid provides pre-outlined perfect sized boxes for me to check. And now that this post is complete, I can check this off my list. #GiannaD #5itemsinmystudio ​