Michael Litewski
My Home Studio | Zion IL
LitewskiArts Home Studio | Zion IL | Established July 1, 2022
After setting up an extensive art studio in Racine WI in 2019, the initial plan was for my wife and I to relocate to that area and for me to establish myself in the southeastern WI arts community. Eventually, however, by 2022 my wife and I had discussed all the various options and we decided not only to stay in Zion IL but also to build a stand-alone home studio in our side yard for art making. After working closely with the Zion City Council for a year on the planning of the space, we broke ground in October 2021. The multi-use barn-style building is a 16’ x 26’ space that houses both my workshop and my art studio.
The workshop is 10’ x 16’ and features a CNC machine, table and miter saws, and a work bench which all make it a very comprehensive space for me to build and cut/carve the items I need for my constructions and assemblages. The workshop also has a 6’ x 10’ outdoor porch for added flexibility that I use to break down wood and materials.
The art studio is a 16’ x 16’ room with a north wall that is 14’ at its highest point. The space is characterized by an overall flexible set up where I can easily move tables and workstations around at a moment’s notice. I really like how this approach particularly supports the development of larger works right when they are occuring — in the moment. The walls are outfitted with movable hanging systems to allow me to display works-in-progress. In this way I can more ably study them for problem-solving and determining next steps. I also view older works on the hanging system, keeping them visible, as this helps me create a cohesive yet evolving body of work for upcoming exhibitions.
The art studio has a loft above the workshop for handy storage of works. I also set a drawing horse set up there (see photo above) for those times I need to work out ideas, sketch, and think. I find myself sitting up there from time to time looking down at the works being made and thinking about how wonderful it is to have a space like this just a few steps from my back door. The studio and workshop are connected by an interior door allowing me to move in between all the spaces with ease. The buildig has its own power source, is heated, and has air conditioning so I can work and create comfortably year round.
I moved into the studio on July 1st in 2022. Little by little all the spaces are coming to life.
16th Street Studios | Racine WI | 2019-2022
My studio in Racine WI was located on the 2nd floor, Suite 2040, in the historic 16th Street Studios building — a 500,000 square foot complex housing 80 artists and some light industry.
My space was approximately 1,300 square feet which included a small gallery to showcase my art. This was ideal to show visitors my finished works as well as to see what the works would look like in gallery settings. The main studio, flanked by four large windows, received hours and hours of direct sunlight daily.
Because I like the ability to move from project to project, I designed the space to have defined work stations for each of my creative practices. These work stations included a wood-working area to make my own stretchers and frames, a dedicated space equipped with a CNC machine, table, and miter saw to make the assorted parts for my assemblages and sculptures, a painting station with easel, canvases, and painting supplies, a drawing table, and other stations for constructing, building, and assembly.
