Welcome to the 236th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists get back to basics with pinhole photography, invite passersby into their studio, and imagine an art world free of commodification.
Want to take part? Check out our new submission guidelines and share a bit about your studio with us through this form! All mediums and workspaces are welcome, including your home studio.
Tamen Pérez, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
How long have you been working in this space?
I moved in August 2023 and get to stay until August 2025.
Describe an average day in your studio.
An ideal day is slightly overcast so I can set up my pinhole camera in natural light for at least five hours to make cyanotype photographs. In the meantime, I’ll work on a painting or a drawing, slowly, listening to music. Depending on my disposition, I might read or watch a movie as well. I like knowing I can be in the studio for an unlimited amount of time.
How does the space affect your work?
The atmosphere at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) is focused and inspiring. There’s always a hum of activity, and it’s exciting to know and hear other artists and curators working in the building. My ceilings are high and the wall space is ample so I’m able to make large work.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I’ve taken photographs of the landing and stairs outside the main entrance of the building, making images of the infrastructure in the area. People at ISCP and strangers who work in the building sometimes notice the box and are curious about it. The camera brings the outside indoors. Having coffee or lunch breaks in the common areas and hanging out with other residents makes me feel grateful to be part of a special community.
What do you love about your studio?
I love being constantly surrounded by creativity, ideas, and good programming. I love that my studio is private and I can close the door and be in my own world. At the same time, I love that it’s situated in a communal building and everyone around me is pursuing their dreams; it’s very affirming!
What do you wish were different?
Global imperialism, war economy, advanced capitalism. Free Palestine!
What is your favorite local museum?
I love the Met Breuer building — the last show I saw there by Vija Celmins was stunning!
What is your favorite art material to work with?
History and light.
James Anderson, Speedwell, Tennessee
How long have you been working in this space?
Six years.
How does the space affect your work?
Great light and view of local lake people moving about animals scurrying close to the kitchen.
What do you love about your studio?
It’s in my home, so I am always there.
What do you wish were different?
That fine art not be treated as a commodity.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Knoxville Museum of Art.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Found materials.
Domenica Brockman, Ithaca, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Four years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I live upstairs in a building in a busy outdoor shopping district. I usually don’t get to the studio until after lunch and my second cup of coffee. Since I work in painted collage, some days are “paint” days, some are “arrange/glue” days. Most of my creativity comes during the arranging part of my process. Many times, chance, luck, and happy accidents play a part in my work. The other day, I planned a whole collage based on a certain color scheme — then, when I turned over the arrangement, I found the unplanned colors in the back were better than on the front, so the piece became something else altogether.
How does the space affect your work?
My space has two sides: one that is mostly private and another that can be opened to the public through a door to a popular shopping area. Some days I take over the whole space, just for working, sometimes I display my work, open the door, and it functions more like a gallery. For me this is a good way to share and market my work, without having to be constantly on the look out for exhibition opportunities.
What do you love about your studio?
Its proximity to home, and that it is a very public place.
What do you wish were different?
I could always use MORE space.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, and the Corning Museum of Glass.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Encaustic and painted canvas collage.
