Welcome to the 246th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists work to the soundtrack of crickets and loons, make paper from discarded oyster shells, and create paintings on yoga mats.
Want to take part? Check out our submission guidelines and share a bit about your studio with us through this form! All mediums and workspaces are welcome, including your home studio.
How long have you been working in this space?
Less than a year — I have been moving and traveling a lot these past two years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I get to work shortly after breakfast. I answer emails, look out for opportunities, apply for grants, and check my phone camera roll for painting videos I have and might need to film for content creation. As soon as the afternoon starts, I get to painting. My studio is in the middle of the forest, so I very occasionally put on music. I listen to outside noises: crickets, loons, and the sounds of the lake nearby. Since my workspace is quite small, I concentrate on one large piece and create smaller works simultaneously so as to not put all my energy into one creation. However, I just got a new H-frame easel which allows me to put up two canvases at once, which I am really excited about! I try to take sporadic breaks to air out my lungs. I sometimes get lightheaded if I work with solvents for too long. Since I use natural light as much as possible, I tend to end around 6:30pm.
How does the space affect your work?
It affects it so much, and before I started moving around for work, I did not realize it did this much. Obviously, in bigger spaces, I tend to create bigger, more immersive pieces. When I was in Montreal, my pieces were very reflective of my own life and day-to-day introspections. However, during my stay in Japan for a residency, my work grew so much in scale and played with nature more. Now, I am in the woods, where I can mix this introspective approach with the nature surrounding me. I will be moving back to Montreal in the fall, and am excited to see how it will affect my work.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
Montreal is a six-hour drive, so I limit my outings there to once or twice a month. Otherwise, there is a great art community in Saguenay even though it is not a big city. There are ample artistic spaces and artist-led projects going on. As for my studio space, it is remote, so the trees, insects, and calm energy that surround me are all great to get me inspired.
What do you love about your studio?
The peace and fresh air.
What do you wish were different?
Its size — I want it bigger, and winterized!
What is your favorite local museum?
Hard to pick — Centre Bang or Centre National D’Exposition are always my go-to though.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Oil paints, obviously. Michael Harding is one of my favorite brands.
How long have you been working in this space?
Since December 2020.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I start in the late morning or early afternoon with organizing or cleaning, lighting incense or a candle — fire in any form sets the mood. Depending on whether I am in the mood for background noise versus actual listening, I listen to a podcast, audiobook, music, or reality TV show while working with my hands. I often work in several scales simultaneously — either vertically on the wall in a mural-sized fashion, or horizontally at the table while I collage or do smaller works. When I get stuck on one piece, I hop to another, working on several pieces simultaneously so as to stay in rhythm. Having fresh eyes for the work helps.
How does the space affect your work?
It does and it doesn’t. Of course, having more space can feel great, but in my practice, the work is going to get done whether I’m working in a closet or a warehouse.
In another interpretation of the question, I’m an avid residency-goer. Shifts in studio and environments can be stimulating and challenging. While this variety in space can open up new inspiration and ideas, it can also be destabilizing — both are necessary for growth.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My studio is in my home and faces the street in the neighborhood. I often have the windows open, watching and working in tandem with neighborhood walkers, dogs, and changes in light and weather throughout the day. I’m fairly connected to the local Houston art community as I’ve been working in it since 2010 (wow, that’s almost 15 years ago!), but these days it can be challenging to leave my studio sanctuary.
What do you love about your studio?
I love having a studio at home. It is so easy to access at any time of day. I end up getting more done with the freedom of getting to dip in and out at my own pace. Whether I’m being spontaneous or logging long hours, this is a comfortable setup for me. I also love the hanging system my partner designed for my yoga mat paintings — it allows them to hang from the ceiling like clothes on a rack. Convenient and accessible!
What do you wish were different?
The low ceilings and recessed lighting! I would die for 12-foot walls and track lighting, but for now I found some affordable and effective garage lights that work. Also, I have a love-hate relationship with the carpet. The love part being that it is a lot gentler on my joints than cement floors and my aging body appreciates this. The hate part being that it’s carpet! Eventually, once I’ve loaded it with stains, I’ll rip it out and replace it.
What is your favorite local museum?
I love the Sculpture Garden at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. They’ve recently added a Simone Leigh and an Anish Kapoor. It’s a lovely spot to meditate, walk the pup, or go on a picnic date.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Right now, it’s yoga blocks!
How long have you been working in this space?
Ten years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
My studio days vary depending on deadlines, my energy levels, and the weather. The time shifts according to which task I’m working on — prepping pulp, the molds, or pouring the sheets. Some days it’s simply an afternoon of grinding oyster shells until I’m spent. When I work outside, I find that nature provides the perfect soundscape whereas when I’m inside I usually listen to something mellow on Spotify.
How does the space affect your work?
Dramatically. For the past several years I’ve been working in my home studio with access to my lovely and wild yard for papermaking. With my process, I get to mindfully interact with the world outside — the wind, the sounds of leaves rustling, the butterflies gliding by, and the innumerable chirps and trills of various critters. It’s an experience that surfaces my sense of awe and gratitude for the magic of life.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I’m fortunate to have a critique group that meets monthly for professional feedback and networking opportunities. Also, I’m preparing to move into a shared studio space outside of my home, so I’m looking forward to experiencing all the goodies that go with that including more studio visits and regular critiques and conversations with my studio mates.
What is your favorite local museum?
I’m very lucky to live near the Norton Museum of Art as well as the Ann Norton Sculpture Gardens.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Time.
