Giving and dedicating ourselves to our artistic craft is undoubtedly an essential element of life that enriches our existence. Artists have taken different approaches towards this dedication to their work and where to produce it – yet is it a necessary thing for artists to have a specific space in which to create? Must there be a place in which to be in the right headspace to make art?
Curating the right artistic space was essential to painter Gustav Klimt, as he exclusively conducted his craft in his studio in Vienna. He often expressed the importance of his garden and his oriental art collection as inspiration for his work. He also often invited his clients over to discuss paintings and refused to talk about his projects elsewhere. Nobody was allowed to enter unannounced, and the interior of his studio has never been photographed – it was a space that belonged to him and his vision.
However, famous artist Picasso was known to paint along his travels; anywhere, anytime. He often produced paintings based on bursts of inspiration, known for his spontaneity and impulsivity. For example, The Passeig de Colom (1917) was painted on a visit to Barcelona, from the balcony of his hotel room. This approach can also be essential, as ignoring a sudden vision, or waiting for the ‘right space’ can hurt one’s artistic craft.
On the opposite end, Joan Didion is known for her extreme dedication towards the craft of her writing, as she essentially ‘locked’ herself into her writing room in her house in California, where she had no decorations and no distractions. She didn’t even have a window, regardless of her insistence on living by the ocean. In many interviews, she speaks off the necessity of her creative isolation; ‘when Didion was working on a book or essay, she didn’t like to have people to dinner, or to go out socialising herself, because she feared losing this precious hour‘ (Jones). Didion wouldn’t even read others’ work, as she needed to become consumed and obsessed with her craft.
Yet must artists limit their craft to a four-walled space? Inspiration can come unexpectedly, and I do believe it is necessary to pursue it, without postponing it until one’s in the right headspace, for sometimes the pursuit of the right time can be futile. However, I do also understand artistic obsession like Didion’s when working on a hugely significant project, like a novel. Curating a space in which to dedicate oneself towards artistic pursuits is essential, but one must not limit their art to be conducted within it exclusively.
Works Referenced:
Jones, Kate. “Writing Rituals of Joan Didion.” Substack.com, A Narrative Of Their Own, 17 Aug. 2025, anarrativeoftheirown.substack.com/p/writing-rituals-of-joan-didion.
“Highlights of the Picasso Museum in Barcelona: 16 Masterpieces You Need to See – through Eternity Tours.” Through Eternity Tours, 6 Jan. 2026, www.througheternity.com/barcelona/highlights-picasso-museum-16-masterpieces. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
“Klimt’s Studios – Google Arts & Culture.” Google Arts & Culture, Google Arts & Culture, 2016, artsandculture.google.com/story/klimt-s-studios-austrian-national-library/nwWxV3ZH7TyxLQ?hl=en.
