A View from the Easel, Part 7

CHICAGO — The sixth installment of a series (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6) in which artists send in a photo and a description of their workspace. The latest edition is our most international yet.

Click here to see guidelines for submissions.

Viktor Witkowski, Paris, France (site)

My studio is in a 17th century building. There is not much space in it and all the floors are covered with plastic sheets to protect the original wooden floors. Most of the time I work on smaller scale paintings so I do not mind the size of the space. When you look down through my studio’s window you can see an interior court flanked by walls on four sides. The building is in the center of town and once you enter and stand in the middle of the court, all sounds of the city are shut off.

Inside my studio I only keep a few canvases and some basic materials since I prefer to work in an environment that is as sparse as possible. That way, with most outside sounds muted, the studio becomes a space of focus.

Andrew North, Glasgow, Scotland (site)

This is an image of my current studio space in Glasgow, United Kingdom, which I have inhabited for just under a year. This photo represents my studio practice, in that it is assembled from more than one image and then categorized. These categories come in the form of (left to right): an area for storage, reading, painting and reviewing

Vesna Jovanovic, Chicago, Illinois (site)

This is a view of my drawing studio on Montrose Avenue in Chicago. I installed two sets of map rails along the back wall for hanging work in progress. The large desks on the right come from a bank that was discarding old furniture, and the used flat files (left) were locally listed online.

The drafting table has folding legs, so it can be stored upright against a wall during studio visits. I tend to keep things super practical and organized. It helps me clear my head and focus on the work

Tex Jernigan, Kansas City, Missouri (site)

I share a basement-loft studio space with artist and fellow collaborator Jared Walter Wilson. I mostly use the space to host photo-parties and to construct components for my artworks (the yellow “lion” and the large red circle belong to outdoor installations).

The animated swinging apparatus in the center was designed and built by Jared Walter Wilson and myself — it’s a tool for creating 360 degree animated portraits. The apparatus is essentially a lazy susan with an arm, but for obvious reasons we dubbed both the apparatus and the resulting series: Busy Susan.

McLean Fahnestock, Long Beach, California (site)

This is my desk. I work in video, digital photo and sculpture. I spend hours on end at this desk in a converted garage/former pilates studio that I share with two other artists.

As you can see, there is not much of a view, so I fill the wall with source material, notes and test prints. I have been working with roses as symbol and form for my current series of works. Since I am in the exploration phase they have overtaken my space — handmade, bought, fake and real. The ones hanging over my head have recently been cured using a glycerin preservation technique.

To my left are my old sketchbooks, reaching back into my undergraduate studies. I flip through them occasionally to see connections between my older thoughts and new projects. I like having my history close by.

Under the desk is a little stool that my Dad made for me. My parents are both musicians (among many other things) and foot rests are common for guitarists. I use mine while editing.

And yes, that is a package of hot sauce from a national fast food chain on my desk. That is used for making barely edible food more appetizing during late night studio sessions.