Welcome to Issue 240 of Landscapes on the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspaces. This week, artists build their own studios, make their own paper, and cherish the creative community around them.
Want to participate? Check out our submission guidelines and share a little about your studio with us via this form! All mediums and workspaces are welcome, including your home studio.
Cheryl Edwards, Washington, D.C.
Describe a typical day in your studio.
I wake up early and sit on the porch with a cup of coffee. I thank the day and then start painting. In the afternoon I take a walk or bike ride and then return to the studio to continue working. I block out an hour for administrative tasks like catching up on emails or organizing supplies.
How does this space influence your work?
This space is perfect for my work. It’s a home studio with 10-foot ceilings. I’m currently working on a painting that’s 80 x 60 inches.
How do you interact with the environment outside of the studio?
I am part of the art community in Washington, D.C. I am a teaching artist at the Krieger Museum and I am on the advisory board of the Washington Sculptors Group. I served on the advisory board of the former director of the David Driskel Center from 2015 to last year, and I am currently curating a 51-artist exhibition that is set to open at the American Art Museum in March of next year.
What do you like about your studio?
I can work 24 hours a day.
What would you like to see different?
there is nothing.
What is your favorite local museum?
National Art Museum.
What are your favorite art materials to work with?
Water soluble oils, inks, waxes, found objects, stitching, handmade paper, canvas and wood.
Joshua Thaddeus Rainer, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
How long have you been working in this field?
From May 1st.
Describe a typical day in your studio.
I usually get to the studio around 11am. I’m a night owl, so I tend to be in the studio until around midnight, sometimes even until 3am if I’m really into it. When I first get to the studio, I like to listen to music while I make a pot of coffee. daily podcast New York TimesI’ve been making this oatmeal lately with whole milk, pitted dates, chopped walnuts, raisins, a little salted ghee, maple syrup, and banana butter. I work best in silence, but if I’m in a rhythm, I’ll listen to a podcast (I love Question of opinion, American Life, The Moth Airtime, David Zwirner Podcast, Talk about art and brush) or music (if not Vulfpeck, then something rhythmic, medium to fast-tempo, instrumental).
How does this space influence your work?
I have a home studio and a 24-hour studio of the same size on the campus of Cranbrook Academy of Art, where I am pursuing my MFA in Painting. I find that I am more productive in a studio that is farther from home, and more energized by being close to other students’ studios. My studio in the International Studio and Curatorial Program offers me many of the same benefits of an on-campus studio, except that I have the opportunity to be close to many wonderful museums and galleries. I am also fortunate to work and interact with many kind, profound artists. Soho Art Materials is within walking distance, so I have easy access to supplies, and with high ceilings, I can paint larger pieces.
How do you interact with the environment outside of the studio?
I loved walking around and noticing and quickly photographing the interesting color relationships between different objects and buildings. Coming from a relatively small population in Detroit, I was fascinated to see so many different types of people, the social dynamics between hundreds of strangers, and the infrastructure that accommodated everyone. I found myself going out of my way to fit in more people. There were many other artists’ studios nearby, including several alumni of the MFA program I’m currently attending.
What do you like about your studio?
I love my studio for its large windows, lots of natural light, and high ceilings. My studio number also corresponds to my birthday. Before I arrived in New York City, I began thinking about the history of spaces and who lived in them. I was fascinated to learn that my studio had been occupied by 50 artists from 25 countries. But what I love most is that it is shared with so many other thoughtful and generous artists from around the world.
What would you like to see different?
I only wish I could have stayed longer!
Ian Dugdale, Cambridge, UK
Describe a typical day in your studio.
I get up early and get ready to get the kids off to school. Once I’ve done that, I rush to the studio as quickly as possible. The studio is at the end of the garden and the dog is usually hanging out outside while I’m there. Coffee and music are essential; I usually listen to something familiar so it doesn’t distract me. It could be rock or classical, depending on my whim. I work on multiple paintings at the same time. I currently have about 15 canvases in progress. This provides drying time for small series of canvases, allowing them to complement each other, and also means I can put things away and “forget” about them so I don’t become too familiar with them and lose judgement. I fill my sketchbooks and loose-leaf paper with watercolours and drawings, sometimes as works in themselves, sometimes for oils. After school, I take a break in the afternoon and I usually return to the studio for another few hours of painting in the late afternoon or early evening.
How do you interact with the environment outside of the studio?
My home and studio are located in the countryside a few miles outside of Cambridge, England. The surroundings are very peaceful and as a landscape painter, the experience of being out and about provides inspiration for the work I do in the studio. I paint locally but also in other parts of the UK. I particularly love the Peak District, the UK’s first national park; I grew up there as a child so it’s in my blood.
What do you like about your studio?
Quiet space, no distractions, and close to home.
What would you like to see different?
The studio is a small log cabin that I built myself. While it’s a reasonable size, I really wish it was bigger. I know I could organize better, but I don’t have enough space for all the mediums I use (oils, dry pastels, watercolors, charcoal). I also wish it had some heating; it can be very cold in the winter, even with thick clothes, gloves, and a hat.
What is your favorite local museum?
There aren’t many truly local galleries, but the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge is great, and a little further afield I’d go to the galleries in London.
