Welcome to the 292nd installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists play with the material of nautical flags and mask paint fumes with lavender incense.
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.
Crystal Marshall, Atlanta, Georgia
How long have you been working in this space?
My studio space is currently located in my home. I’ve completely taken over my garage for my artistic practice, and I’ve been in this space for the past 16 years. I’ve organized and reorganized it multiple times over the years, and now the space has extended into my bedroom as my inventory has expanded. I enjoy being around my work so I don’t mind the invasion.
Describe an average day in your studio.
Sometimes I begin right when I wake up — but mostly I’m a night owl and spend late-night hours painting until bedtime. It’s invigorating to tap into multiple concepts at once — all telling one story. One painting ultimately ends up informing the others, and the process is rewarding, especially if I get stuck on a particular painting and resolving it becomes draining. I like to stream a binge-worthy show in the background, or I’ll listen to my favorite conspiracy or art theory YouTube channels. My favorite thing to listen to is my huge curated playlist, filled with genres ranging from pop, hip hop, dancehall, orchestra, alternative, and more. I like to light my incense to fragrance the space, a lavender scent gets me into the creative space … and I forget that I’m inhaling painting fumes.
How does the space affect your work?
My space is a bit small and chaotic, but there’s a method to the madness. I have one wall for displaying my work and another for works-in-progress, filled with brushstrokes and scribbled text. I have a table covered with paint and various materials, which energizes me throughout my process. It might seem like junk to an onlooker, but I hate throwing anything away, since I might require something obscure in the future. I have lots of craft materials strewn about for sculptures and reserved for future work. Sculpture is a relatively new venture for me. I tend to leave the craft materials around so I can continually contemplate utilizing them. Because I have limited wall space and lots of ideas, I aim for fast turnaround. I hate the idea of abandoning ideas due to limited space.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I primarily work in my garage studio, and when I take breaks from painting, I go to pilates or I go outside and garden, which helps me clear my mind and ground myself. I do a lot of weeding and planting. Gardening keeps me preoccupied as my ideas continue to germinate. I connect with my global community more through the internet these days, and locally I attend art shows, shows at the High Museum of Art, and if I’m lucky, I’ll find myself at the SCAD Museum of Art.
What do you love about your studio?
Because my space is accessible to me 24/7, I can enter it whenever I want. I enjoy having a space I can call mine, where I can exert all my energy and commit time to being creative. There’s an allure to having this type of space where you have total autonomy and authorship, unlike any other space in my home. When the weather is just right, I love having the sunlight beam into my studio, giving my works perfect light to work with.
What do you wish were different?
One adjustment I’d like to make to my space would be to have more windows and wall space, and better lighting, which is a goal for the immediate future. However, being able to open the garage door and have the sunlight come in is a quick and manageable fix, which is why I prefer to work in the warmer months.
What is your favorite local museum?
I typically try to go to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta on the regular.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
I most enjoy painting oil on paper. I find the surface to be very forgiving compared to canvas. I enjoy the process of working in faded washes and working my way up to a much thicker surface of paint — essentially, a fat over lean process. I have a more liberal approach when working on paper, where I feel the possibilities are endless and I can paint anything I want.
Andy Li, Boston, Massachusetts
How long have you been working in this space?
I’ve been in this current space at the Distillery in South Boston for about two years now, and I have been part of this building for over nine years!
Describe an average day in your studio.
I have become a real creature of habit over the years. I get to the studio between 9:30 and 10am, I put on a pot of coffee, and I eat the breakfast sandwich I brought with me. Between the doomscrolling and the email checking, I look out the window toward the Boston skyline and appreciate where I am and that I am fortunate to be doing what I do. It has kind of turned into this self-reflective moment where I try to communicate with my past self and say, “Look at how far you’ve come.” Especially since my first studio was in a basement of a now-renovated biotech building with no windows. Once I snap back to reality, I get to work. My focus is usually aimed toward completing one piece a day, so on a good day, I will have finished one, and on a really good day, I will get my thoughts organized for the next one as well.
How does the space affect your work?
When I am here, I know that I have access to all the tools and materials I need, so I am free to make whatever I feel like in the moment.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
We have a pretty solid crew of artists in the building, from photographers to sign painters, and I feel like there is a good support structure if you need it. Boston in general has a pretty supportive creative scene. It seems like we all have an understanding that space is limited and there is a lot of communication to keep pushing for more outlets for each other.
What do you love about your studio?
I love the light that I get all day, and I love how much the space embraces both the chaos and the calm at any given moment.
What do you wish were different?
I wish I had taller ceilings, but you work with what you got.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of my favorite spots here.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
I’ve been using nautical flag material for years and think that I have developed a great relationship with it.
