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| Boilerpipe Text | A studio is often a reflection of the artist themselves. Not just in the artwork itself, but everything from the clutter on the desk, the inspiration tacked on the walls, to the type of chair they are hunched on all day.
Since people tend to change and grow as they age (hello character development!), so too does the studio.
The lovely
Allie Sullberg
invited me to be on her Tiny Desk Tour, where I show her around my current workspace. You can read that here!
In the post, I mention that Iāve had to adapt my studio/playroom around my baby-now-toddler, especially since we share the space together. Itās not an ideal working solution, but itās whatās needed in this season of life.'
And speaking of seasons, I thought it would be fun to give you guys a trip down memory lane to ALL my desks over the past 15 years.
Letās go!
Share
After dropping out from my first year at the American University of Sharjah, I came back home to my parents who had just moved to Switzerland. There I had enrolled at a small local art school called Ceruleum Ecole dāarts Visuels.
After coming home around 4pm from school, I would spend the remainder of my time at my bedroom desk. This was an enormous Ikea behemoth, and I did a lot of my Tumblr fan art, portfolio building, and generally being chronically online here.
After I graduated, my family moved to Canada and I continued to work in my bedroom. I had started my first Big Girl job at an animation studio in downtown Toronto, and commuting 1.5hrs home, I would get to work until midnight at my desk on my freelance picture book projects.
After a year of my studio gig,
I was thoroughly burnt out and even developed a panic disorder.
I declined to renew my contract and took a small hiatus.
At this point, I also realized that having no boundaries between my work/life was not helping my situation, so I moved out of the bedroom and set up shop in my basement (not pictured). Thus started my official Studio Life!
My unemployed era! After my hiatus, I was ready to get back into the studio fray. I touched up my folio and applied to a bunch of places, and saw rejection, after rejection, after rejection.
My parents moved to a new house, and they had a spare office where I set up my studio. Having a dedicated working space really helped during my depression era, where I ended up working a part-time marketing gig during my day.
So what did I get done in this studio, if not any client-work?
This is where I drew a lot of personal art, kept redoing my portfolio, made a half-assed attempt to apply to grad school, and started a podcast!
Could a depressed person do
this?
Eventually, I came to a realization that something needed to change. I pivoted away from my dreams of working in animation, and set my sights fully into freelance illustration.
The number one change that needed to happen was to move out of my parents house.
Me and my sister moved into an apartment in the suburbs, and I had a small space in the corner of the living room, next to the litter box. At this point, I said goodbye to my Ikea behemoth, which stayed behind at my parentsā house since there was not nearly enough room for it here.
I quickly realized that freelancing was
hard.
I blamed it on a lack of discipline, laziness, and something being wrong with me, when in fact I had undiagnosed ADHD.
Having a studio space in my living room wasnāt enough, I needed to get out of the house and
feel
like I was āgoing to work.ā But in boring (sorry!) Mississauga, there werenāt a lot of options here.
So this is where I did the insane thing of
willingly
commuting 1.5hrs (both ways!) daily to downtown Toronto to a coworking studio. The change in scenery was helpful, but so was being in a more creative environment and the hustle and bustle of the city.
During this time, I tried three different coworking studios (OkPeople, Make Lemonade, and Good Gorilla; all sadly victims of the pandemic), and always stuck to a cheaper hot desk subscription.
Ahhā¦ the pandemic. Good time.
After I got married, I moved into my partnersā 1Br+Den apartment in downtown Toronto. This was aā¦ difficult time. Dan took over the den (which was doorless and definitely not soundproof), and I had the living room.
We made it work when we could, but I definitely went a little crazy in here, especially through Canadaās much stricter Covid lockdowns. When I started my Youtube channel, I had to work around Danās meetings, as well as the sound of the railway right next to the apartment.
Once I got into traditional painting and my online store, I was cooked. My supplies bled over the entire apartment, and something needed to change fast.
As soon as COVID restrictions eased in the spring, I started searching for a studio space. I found one close by and had a glorious few months here. This was
Flick the Switch
, that houses several artists in an open studio space. I had thought this would be a good way for me to connect with other artists, but funny enough, I was usually the only one at the studio at the hours I was there, so I had the place to myself.
Literally, what I would give to be back in the summer of 2022. Sigh.
I initially worked on this writing desk in the corridor that they had immediately available, and eventually was moved to the larger studio space.
The place had itās cons; it was insanely hot since it was an old building, but this was when I truly understood that I need to have that āgoing to workā feeling to properly be productive and create some work/life balance.
You can watch me decorate this studio here!
Weāre in our suburban era! We impulsively bought a house when the market was down, and it had a spare room to turn into a studio. Although I sorely missed my outdoor studio, I was now medicated post-ADHD diagnosis, and the lighting in this space couldnāt be beat.
Note: the 0.5 zoom is making the room look much larger than it actually is.
Whoops, Iām pregnant! We made the tough decision to move to the US to be closer to family. For the first few months of our move, we stayed with my parents while we settled in Dallas.
Here we see the return of the Ikea Behemoth! Hurrah!
Sadly, after 15 years we finally sold the desk two months back. Gone, but not forgotten.
Not much work was done during these months of pregnancy and post-partum, since this little guy was enough of a handful.
And here is my current studio! We bought a 30-year-old home in the Dallas suburbs, and we are using the second living room into a studio/playroom. The space keeps evolving as Nayel grows older, with more and more of his toys taking over the room.
While I am so grateful to have a space like this, itās also such a suboptimal place for my brain to work haha. The constant mess, the over-stimulation, the lack of life/work balanceā¦ Like I said, this is what is needed in this season of life, and the flexibility is
so
helpful for parenting. Buuuutā¦ keep an eye out for the next studio, because Iāll definitely be moving out of here to an outside spot as soon as I am able!
For a full tour of my studio, donāt forget to check out my Tiny Desk tour!
I hope you enjoyed this little tour!
BYE
Thanks for being here. Iām Anoosha, a childrenās book author and illustrator who loves talking about creative careers, publishing, and building a sustainable life in the arts.
If you liked this post, subscribing, liking, or sharing it truly helps my work reach more artists and readers and is super appreciated!
You can explore more of my work and my artist resources on my
website
, and come hang out with me on
Instagram
for studio updates, works in progress, and book news.
No posts |
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# [](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/)
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# Every Desk Iāve Ever Worked At
### A decade of sketchbooks, deadlines, and coffee mugs
[](https://substack.com/@anooshasyed)
[Anoosha Syed](https://substack.com/@anooshasyed)
Jan 30, 2026
18
1
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Share
A studio is often a reflection of the artist themselves. Not just in the artwork itself, but everything from the clutter on the desk, the inspiration tacked on the walls, to the type of chair they are hunched on all day.
Since people tend to change and grow as they age (hello character development!), so too does the studio.
The lovely [Allie Sullberg](https://open.substack.com/users/7714954-allie-sullberg?utm_source=mentions) invited me to be on her Tiny Desk Tour, where I show her around my current workspace. You can read that here\!
[The Museum of Small and Important ThingsTiny Desk Tour: Anoosha SyedMusicians give tiny desk concerts for NPR, and artists give tiny desk tours for The Museum of Small and Important Things. Todayās featured artist is Anoosha Syed of Studio Secretsā¦Read more4 hours ago Ā· 2 likes Ā· Allie Sullberg and Anoosha Syed](https://alliesullberg.substack.com/p/tiny-desk-tour-anoosha-syed?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web)
In the post, I mention that Iāve had to adapt my studio/playroom around my baby-now-toddler, especially since we share the space together. Itās not an ideal working solution, but itās whatās needed in this season of life.'
And speaking of seasons, I thought it would be fun to give you guys a trip down memory lane to ALL my desks over the past 15 years.
Letās go\!
[Share](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/p/a-tour-of-all-my-art-studios-over?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_ZN9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F11275fda-02d4-45e4-bb47-2cb53f41acbb_3982x285.png)
### 2012-2015
After dropping out from my first year at the American University of Sharjah, I came back home to my parents who had just moved to Switzerland. There I had enrolled at a small local art school called Ceruleum Ecole dāarts Visuels.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DFKn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F974905ed-ab17-44e8-867e-fcb8c3dd767d_960x717.jpeg)
After coming home around 4pm from school, I would spend the remainder of my time at my bedroom desk. This was an enormous Ikea behemoth, and I did a lot of my Tumblr fan art, portfolio building, and generally being chronically online here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!G8lx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86264ee2-a343-44f8-a90f-9f6e73ce7306_640x640.jpeg)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!F1Yo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F580a0638-3271-4eb8-9c1a-2810dd328d6e_1017x68.jpeg)
### 2015-2016
After I graduated, my family moved to Canada and I continued to work in my bedroom. I had started my first Big Girl job at an animation studio in downtown Toronto, and commuting 1.5hrs home, I would get to work until midnight at my desk on my freelance picture book projects.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Cl5Z!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F856a29db-095e-44ae-b5aa-73ad93b90883_1080x1080.jpeg)
After a year of my studio gig, [I was thoroughly burnt out and even developed a panic disorder.](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/p/lesson-3-sometimes-the-dream-needs) I declined to renew my contract and took a small hiatus.
At this point, I also realized that having no boundaries between my work/life was not helping my situation, so I moved out of the bedroom and set up shop in my basement (not pictured). Thus started my official Studio Life\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gyac!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Febef0bad-0fde-4826-8257-55d2cd4c3d15_9684x714.jpeg)
### 2017-2018
My unemployed era! After my hiatus, I was ready to get back into the studio fray. I touched up my folio and applied to a bunch of places, and saw rejection, after rejection, after rejection.
My parents moved to a new house, and they had a spare office where I set up my studio. Having a dedicated working space really helped during my depression era, where I ended up working a part-time marketing gig during my day.
So what did I get done in this studio, if not any client-work?
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oc93!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65896a74-b627-4dad-9b21-db54c0c9a30e_4032x3024.jpeg)
This is where I drew a lot of personal art, kept redoing my portfolio, made a half-assed attempt to apply to grad school, and started a podcast\!
Could a depressed person do *this?*
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xZ9m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd97a874-19a3-4246-962d-aee9cfa466ee_220x126.gif)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Qcy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F594fe648-602e-453d-81ef-067f90658b3c_9291x736.jpeg)
### 2018
Eventually, I came to a realization that something needed to change. I pivoted away from my dreams of working in animation, and set my sights fully into freelance illustration.
The number one change that needed to happen was to move out of my parents house.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HvqX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0676f2b0-b7d5-4e07-97f1-607b305d6c91_3024x2481.jpeg)
Me and my sister moved into an apartment in the suburbs, and I had a small space in the corner of the living room, next to the litter box. At this point, I said goodbye to my Ikea behemoth, which stayed behind at my parentsā house since there was not nearly enough room for it here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xYd2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ffb5479-31f1-40a0-a65d-f90c479aff61_10993x729.jpeg)
### 2019
I quickly realized that freelancing was *hard.* I blamed it on a lack of discipline, laziness, and something being wrong with me, when in fact I had undiagnosed ADHD.
Having a studio space in my living room wasnāt enough, I needed to get out of the house and *feel* like I was āgoing to work.ā But in boring (sorry!) Mississauga, there werenāt a lot of options here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NDfq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99d09bf9-a1b4-4655-840f-082c359c738b_3024x4032.heic)
So this is where I did the insane thing of **willingly** commuting 1.5hrs (both ways!) daily to downtown Toronto to a coworking studio. The change in scenery was helpful, but so was being in a more creative environment and the hustle and bustle of the city.
During this time, I tried three different coworking studios (OkPeople, Make Lemonade, and Good Gorilla; all sadly victims of the pandemic), and always stuck to a cheaper hot desk subscription.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oTwA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faaa3aa9f-334a-4673-8b9c-ab6eb276c549_1017x68.jpeg)
### 2020-2022
Ahhā¦ the pandemic. Good time.
After I got married, I moved into my partnersā 1Br+Den apartment in downtown Toronto. This was aā¦ difficult time. Dan took over the den (which was doorless and definitely not soundproof), and I had the living room.
We made it work when we could, but I definitely went a little crazy in here, especially through Canadaās much stricter Covid lockdowns. When I started my Youtube channel, I had to work around Danās meetings, as well as the sound of the railway right next to the apartment.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!W-6r!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa03b3b25-d097-4f5b-9497-9a782c3af369_3024x4032.heic)
Once I got into traditional painting and my online store, I was cooked. My supplies bled over the entire apartment, and something needed to change fast.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wdOc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F896762b7-06a7-410c-b0be-c42d698bb3cd_1017x68.jpeg)
### 2022
As soon as COVID restrictions eased in the spring, I started searching for a studio space. I found one close by and had a glorious few months here. This was [Flick the Switch](https://flicktheswitch.org/), that houses several artists in an open studio space. I had thought this would be a good way for me to connect with other artists, but funny enough, I was usually the only one at the studio at the hours I was there, so I had the place to myself.
Literally, what I would give to be back in the summer of 2022. Sigh.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kVof!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb37990d1-5024-4792-b3a6-924bb12b5ffa_3024x2344.jpeg)
I initially worked on this writing desk in the corridor that they had immediately available, and eventually was moved to the larger studio space.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wbtg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3fe1f09b-6ef7-412e-a00d-11ed7e2d4492_1206x2097.png)
The place had itās cons; it was insanely hot since it was an old building, but this was when I truly understood that I need to have that āgoing to workā feeling to properly be productive and create some work/life balance.
You can watch me decorate this studio here\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ctZq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F734a7f88-83f1-45dd-bf2f-721e22a16ae4_9684x714.jpeg)
### 2022-2023
Weāre in our suburban era! We impulsively bought a house when the market was down, and it had a spare room to turn into a studio. Although I sorely missed my outdoor studio, I was now medicated post-ADHD diagnosis, and the lighting in this space couldnāt be beat.
Note: the 0.5 zoom is making the room look much larger than it actually is.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ijzL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faca78b0c-0ee1-4405-9b15-d5118afa28c5_4032x3024.jpeg)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!D1Ny!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F082ae0c2-3567-4bac-afaf-cee307c4ac86_9291x736.jpeg)
### 2024
Whoops, Iām pregnant! We made the tough decision to move to the US to be closer to family. For the first few months of our move, we stayed with my parents while we settled in Dallas.
Here we see the return of the Ikea Behemoth! Hurrah\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Qc7Y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbefa28e9-83d9-4d26-b0c2-8272b60022e1_3024x3024.jpeg)
Sadly, after 15 years we finally sold the desk two months back. Gone, but not forgotten.
Not much work was done during these months of pregnancy and post-partum, since this little guy was enough of a handful.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v2la!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01cbe3d-a388-4ce0-a4ab-7363a5cf8398_10993x729.jpeg)
### 2024-Present
And here is my current studio! We bought a 30-year-old home in the Dallas suburbs, and we are using the second living room into a studio/playroom. The space keeps evolving as Nayel grows older, with more and more of his toys taking over the room.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B9-m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd4c308b3-67f7-4474-886c-e106602ca100_5712x4284.jpeg)
While I am so grateful to have a space like this, itās also such a suboptimal place for my brain to work haha. The constant mess, the over-stimulation, the lack of life/work balanceā¦ Like I said, this is what is needed in this season of life, and the flexibility is *so* helpful for parenting. Buuuutā¦ keep an eye out for the next studio, because Iāll definitely be moving out of here to an outside spot as soon as I am able\!
For a full tour of my studio, donāt forget to check out my Tiny Desk tour\!
[The Museum of Small and Important ThingsTiny Desk Tour: Anoosha SyedMusicians give tiny desk concerts for NPR, and artists give tiny desk tours for The Museum of Small and Important Things. Todayās featured artist is Anoosha Syed of Studio Secretsā¦Read more4 hours ago Ā· 2 likes Ā· Allie Sullberg and Anoosha Syed](https://alliesullberg.substack.com/p/tiny-desk-tour-anoosha-syed?utm_source=substack&utm_campaign=post_embed&utm_medium=web)
I hope you enjoyed this little tour\!
BYE
*Thanks for being here. Iām Anoosha, a childrenās book author and illustrator who loves talking about creative careers, publishing, and building a sustainable life in the arts.*
*If you liked this post, subscribing, liking, or sharing it truly helps my work reach more artists and readers and is super appreciated\!*
*You can explore more of my work and my artist resources on my [website](https://anooshasyed.com/), and come hang out with me on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/anooshadraws) for studio updates, works in progress, and book news.*
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#### Discussion about this post
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[Anna Lena Feunekes](https://substack.com/profile/224848938-anna-lena-feunekes?utm_source=substack-feed-item)
[10h](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/p/a-tour-of-all-my-art-studios-over/comment/207676609 "Jan 30, 2026, 11:01 PM")
I really love how this is a desk-POV to your seasons of life!š„°
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| Readable Markdown | A studio is often a reflection of the artist themselves. Not just in the artwork itself, but everything from the clutter on the desk, the inspiration tacked on the walls, to the type of chair they are hunched on all day.
Since people tend to change and grow as they age (hello character development!), so too does the studio.
The lovely [Allie Sullberg](https://open.substack.com/users/7714954-allie-sullberg?utm_source=mentions) invited me to be on her Tiny Desk Tour, where I show her around my current workspace. You can read that here\!
In the post, I mention that Iāve had to adapt my studio/playroom around my baby-now-toddler, especially since we share the space together. Itās not an ideal working solution, but itās whatās needed in this season of life.'
And speaking of seasons, I thought it would be fun to give you guys a trip down memory lane to ALL my desks over the past 15 years.
Letās go\!
[Share](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/p/a-tour-of-all-my-art-studios-over?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!_ZN9!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F11275fda-02d4-45e4-bb47-2cb53f41acbb_3982x285.png)
After dropping out from my first year at the American University of Sharjah, I came back home to my parents who had just moved to Switzerland. There I had enrolled at a small local art school called Ceruleum Ecole dāarts Visuels.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!DFKn!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F974905ed-ab17-44e8-867e-fcb8c3dd767d_960x717.jpeg)
After coming home around 4pm from school, I would spend the remainder of my time at my bedroom desk. This was an enormous Ikea behemoth, and I did a lot of my Tumblr fan art, portfolio building, and generally being chronically online here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!G8lx!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F86264ee2-a343-44f8-a90f-9f6e73ce7306_640x640.jpeg)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!F1Yo!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F580a0638-3271-4eb8-9c1a-2810dd328d6e_1017x68.jpeg)
After I graduated, my family moved to Canada and I continued to work in my bedroom. I had started my first Big Girl job at an animation studio in downtown Toronto, and commuting 1.5hrs home, I would get to work until midnight at my desk on my freelance picture book projects.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Cl5Z!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F856a29db-095e-44ae-b5aa-73ad93b90883_1080x1080.jpeg)
After a year of my studio gig, [I was thoroughly burnt out and even developed a panic disorder.](https://anooshasyed.substack.com/p/lesson-3-sometimes-the-dream-needs) I declined to renew my contract and took a small hiatus.
At this point, I also realized that having no boundaries between my work/life was not helping my situation, so I moved out of the bedroom and set up shop in my basement (not pictured). Thus started my official Studio Life\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Gyac!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Febef0bad-0fde-4826-8257-55d2cd4c3d15_9684x714.jpeg)
My unemployed era! After my hiatus, I was ready to get back into the studio fray. I touched up my folio and applied to a bunch of places, and saw rejection, after rejection, after rejection.
My parents moved to a new house, and they had a spare office where I set up my studio. Having a dedicated working space really helped during my depression era, where I ended up working a part-time marketing gig during my day.
So what did I get done in this studio, if not any client-work?
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oc93!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65896a74-b627-4dad-9b21-db54c0c9a30e_4032x3024.jpeg)
This is where I drew a lot of personal art, kept redoing my portfolio, made a half-assed attempt to apply to grad school, and started a podcast\!
Could a depressed person do *this?*
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xZ9m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ffd97a874-19a3-4246-962d-aee9cfa466ee_220x126.gif)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7Qcy!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F594fe648-602e-453d-81ef-067f90658b3c_9291x736.jpeg)
Eventually, I came to a realization that something needed to change. I pivoted away from my dreams of working in animation, and set my sights fully into freelance illustration.
The number one change that needed to happen was to move out of my parents house.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!HvqX!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0676f2b0-b7d5-4e07-97f1-607b305d6c91_3024x2481.jpeg)
Me and my sister moved into an apartment in the suburbs, and I had a small space in the corner of the living room, next to the litter box. At this point, I said goodbye to my Ikea behemoth, which stayed behind at my parentsā house since there was not nearly enough room for it here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!xYd2!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1ffb5479-31f1-40a0-a65d-f90c479aff61_10993x729.jpeg)
I quickly realized that freelancing was *hard.* I blamed it on a lack of discipline, laziness, and something being wrong with me, when in fact I had undiagnosed ADHD.
Having a studio space in my living room wasnāt enough, I needed to get out of the house and *feel* like I was āgoing to work.ā But in boring (sorry!) Mississauga, there werenāt a lot of options here.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!NDfq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F99d09bf9-a1b4-4655-840f-082c359c738b_3024x4032.heic)
So this is where I did the insane thing of **willingly** commuting 1.5hrs (both ways!) daily to downtown Toronto to a coworking studio. The change in scenery was helpful, but so was being in a more creative environment and the hustle and bustle of the city.
During this time, I tried three different coworking studios (OkPeople, Make Lemonade, and Good Gorilla; all sadly victims of the pandemic), and always stuck to a cheaper hot desk subscription.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!oTwA!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faaa3aa9f-334a-4673-8b9c-ab6eb276c549_1017x68.jpeg)
Ahhā¦ the pandemic. Good time.
After I got married, I moved into my partnersā 1Br+Den apartment in downtown Toronto. This was aā¦ difficult time. Dan took over the den (which was doorless and definitely not soundproof), and I had the living room.
We made it work when we could, but I definitely went a little crazy in here, especially through Canadaās much stricter Covid lockdowns. When I started my Youtube channel, I had to work around Danās meetings, as well as the sound of the railway right next to the apartment.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!W-6r!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa03b3b25-d097-4f5b-9497-9a782c3af369_3024x4032.heic)
Once I got into traditional painting and my online store, I was cooked. My supplies bled over the entire apartment, and something needed to change fast.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wdOc!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F896762b7-06a7-410c-b0be-c42d698bb3cd_1017x68.jpeg)
As soon as COVID restrictions eased in the spring, I started searching for a studio space. I found one close by and had a glorious few months here. This was [Flick the Switch](https://flicktheswitch.org/), that houses several artists in an open studio space. I had thought this would be a good way for me to connect with other artists, but funny enough, I was usually the only one at the studio at the hours I was there, so I had the place to myself.
Literally, what I would give to be back in the summer of 2022. Sigh.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!kVof!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb37990d1-5024-4792-b3a6-924bb12b5ffa_3024x2344.jpeg)
I initially worked on this writing desk in the corridor that they had immediately available, and eventually was moved to the larger studio space.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!wbtg!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3fe1f09b-6ef7-412e-a00d-11ed7e2d4492_1206x2097.png)
The place had itās cons; it was insanely hot since it was an old building, but this was when I truly understood that I need to have that āgoing to workā feeling to properly be productive and create some work/life balance.
You can watch me decorate this studio here\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ctZq!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F734a7f88-83f1-45dd-bf2f-721e22a16ae4_9684x714.jpeg)
Weāre in our suburban era! We impulsively bought a house when the market was down, and it had a spare room to turn into a studio. Although I sorely missed my outdoor studio, I was now medicated post-ADHD diagnosis, and the lighting in this space couldnāt be beat.
Note: the 0.5 zoom is making the room look much larger than it actually is.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!ijzL!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Faca78b0c-0ee1-4405-9b15-d5118afa28c5_4032x3024.jpeg)
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!D1Ny!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F082ae0c2-3567-4bac-afaf-cee307c4ac86_9291x736.jpeg)
Whoops, Iām pregnant! We made the tough decision to move to the US to be closer to family. For the first few months of our move, we stayed with my parents while we settled in Dallas.
Here we see the return of the Ikea Behemoth! Hurrah\!
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!Qc7Y!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbefa28e9-83d9-4d26-b0c2-8272b60022e1_3024x3024.jpeg)
Sadly, after 15 years we finally sold the desk two months back. Gone, but not forgotten.
Not much work was done during these months of pregnancy and post-partum, since this little guy was enough of a handful.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!v2la!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd01cbe3d-a388-4ce0-a4ab-7363a5cf8398_10993x729.jpeg)
And here is my current studio! We bought a 30-year-old home in the Dallas suburbs, and we are using the second living room into a studio/playroom. The space keeps evolving as Nayel grows older, with more and more of his toys taking over the room.
[](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!B9-m!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd4c308b3-67f7-4474-886c-e106602ca100_5712x4284.jpeg)
While I am so grateful to have a space like this, itās also such a suboptimal place for my brain to work haha. The constant mess, the over-stimulation, the lack of life/work balanceā¦ Like I said, this is what is needed in this season of life, and the flexibility is *so* helpful for parenting. Buuuutā¦ keep an eye out for the next studio, because Iāll definitely be moving out of here to an outside spot as soon as I am able\!
For a full tour of my studio, donāt forget to check out my Tiny Desk tour\!
I hope you enjoyed this little tour\!
BYE
*Thanks for being here. Iām Anoosha, a childrenās book author and illustrator who loves talking about creative careers, publishing, and building a sustainable life in the arts.*
*If you liked this post, subscribing, liking, or sharing it truly helps my work reach more artists and readers and is super appreciated\!*
*You can explore more of my work and my artist resources on my [website](https://anooshasyed.com/), and come hang out with me on [Instagram](https://instagram.com/anooshadraws) for studio updates, works in progress, and book news.*
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