A Visit to the Studio of Craig Nelson
Craig Nelson had the good fortune to design his studio from scratch
when he and his wife built their home. The 500-square-foot space fills
the upper floor of their San Francisco-area home. At one end of the
studio is a huge bay window that stretches from one wall to the other,
giving the room added dimension and a wealth of natural light.
The atmosphere is casual and inviting. Unframed studies and photographs are hung on a wall. Books lie open for reference. Several pots of paintbrushes stand ready.
A TV, radio and CD player are within reach to ensure that the artist can listen to his eclectic mixed music tapes or keep on top of can’t-miss football and basketball games. His easel and table with its large glass palette, however, take center stage.
On open studio days, the walls are filled with framed finished pieces. Nelson has worked hard to keep the studio uncluttered, but it is a challenge with the large quantity of studies, as well as finished work, he generates.
Nelson hosts many visitors to his studio, including other artists, gallery owners, and his three kids, who are frequently in and out.
Fortunately, he works well in a busy atmosphere with lots of activity going on around him. “I’m not an artist who needs silence and solitude,” Nelson says.
Three days a week Nelson is at the Academy of Art College in San Francisco,
where he teaches and serves as chair of the fine art and painting department.
On these days he paints for a few hours in the evening.
When not teaching, his days are devoted entirely to painting, six to ten hours at a stretch. Weekends are no exception, though he occasionally takes a day off for other activities. He typically has three or four paintings in progress at the same time. Often these are on a related theme, such as images from a recent trip to Europe or a collection of vintage objects.
Nelson chooses the subjects for his paintings by ideas that strike him with an emotional, gut-level feeling. He feels it is important always to be open to ideas that may hit him. He most enjoys paintings that communicate a mood.
“I like to evoke a lot of mood in my paintings—moods of every type.”