When papermaker, Betsy Miraglia, and her husband downsized and moved into a new home, one of her first tasks was to unpack her art supplies into the room that would become her new studio. Betsy soon realized that the view from her studio windows was anything but inspiring. “The overgrown Yew bushes crowding the tiny courtyard next to my studio were downright ugly. They looked as if they hadn’t been pruned since they were first planted,” remembers Betsy. She knew her imagination and creativity would suffer if she didn’t make a change in her surroundings. “I’m an artist,” Betsy states. “So the place next to my studio needs to be beautiful.”
She remembers being enthralled with the courtyard gardens she had visited during a paper making tour in Japan. “I brought home lots of books and pulled out photos I had taken during my visit to Japan. Since my artwork as a paper maker is Japanese in origin, it seemed that a beautiful Japanese garden outside my studio would be perfect!”
(Come back next time to find out how Betsy made this happen!)
Joyfully shared by Betty Hanselman
Gardener’s wife (& Japanese garden enthusiast)
A specimen Japanese Black Pine, Nobedan patio, seating rocks, and hand-shaped stepping stones provide space for contemplation and the creative inspiration Betsy was seeking.