Good commercial kitchens run like well-oiled machines and some of that comes down to the french term, “Mis en place” or “putting in place”. The idea that before one cooks, the kitchen utensils and ingredients should be organised in a way that makes the cooking process efficient and allows the chef to do their best work. At the end of a dinner service, part of the ‘cleaning’ process is the preparation for tomorrow – putting it all back in its place.
Good art studios are like good commercial kitchens; there is almost no bigger barrier to starting a process of creation for me than misplacing the pencils, the paper, the paints, the erasers which I use to make marks. The process of making is also far more stressful if, halfway through a watercolour wash, I can’t locate the towel I need to do some mopping up, or the right brush to finish the job in the moment.
There is no right way to organise this stuff of course, and I’m always evolving, but it’s a useful reminder – when the day is done, mis en place.