A View From the Easel
“My practice has grown in new ways just from being in close proximity to other artists.”
Welcome to the 230th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists embrace the color palette of the desert outside, sew thangka fabrics, and wear many hats, from parent to teacher to painter.
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.
Marla Faith, Nashville, Tennessee
How long have you been working in this space?
Fourteen years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
Usually I work from 8am till noon, then 2 to 5pm, and often 8 to 10pm. Sometimes I'll fit in a hike in the forest, a yoga routine, and even sitting meditation, but most often making art is my meditation, and it's hard to stop when I'm in a flow. If I'm painting oil on canvas, I like to have two to three going at the same time. I have a tiny studio shed out back and the canvasses are on the walls. If I'm hand sewing thangka fabric hangings I sit at my indoor upstairs studio and sew one at a time. Collages are also mainly one at a time. I've made several playlists that I listen to, though often I prefer total silence.
How does the space affect your work?
I have everything I need within reach. Fabrics and collage materials are sorted into color baskets. My workspace is very small, so supplies are piled on shelves and in drawers. If my space were larger I'd likely work on more pieces at a time and be able to spread out. I feel very comfortable in my spaces even though the upstairs studio is open to the rest of the house.
What do you love about your studio?
It has good light and a tall ceiling, and works for me since I'm neat and organized for this small space. However the outdoor art shed has too low a ceiling.
What do you wish were different?
I'd love a really large area where I could leave all of my supplies out on tables.
What is your favorite local museum?
Nashville only has the Frist Art Museum, which is good but does not have a permanent collection.
Darlene Deloris White, Manhattan, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Three months.
Describe an average day in your studio.
My hours in the studio are random. I am a teaching artist, currently at two different middle schools in Queens, and am a full-time mom to a three-year-old. So I make the trek to the city as often as I possibly can, sometimes in the mornings, other times at night, and even in between classes. Once I get to the studio, I change my shoes into some knock-off Uggs that I bought from Family Dollar and put on this uniquely patterned robe that my best friend bought me one year for my birthday. I then pull out snacks, water, juice, and coffee or tea, all before I actually begin working on a piece. It is important to me to feel comfortable and at home while creating.
How does the space affect your work?
I am currently working as a resident for the Shift Residency, so my space is shared with two other artists. We are all similar in how we work in the studio. Generally quiet and neat, so we never have conflict. On the occasion that we are in the studio at the same time, we tend to bounce ideas off of one another. I find that part to be more helpful and encouraging than anything. My practice has grown in new ways just from being in close proximity to other artists.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
When I am in the studio for more than a few hours, I take breaks to find food. There are hundreds of restaurants in the area so there is no shortage of choices. Because this is New York and Times Square at that, I get to see new public art installations regularly. Plus the train makes supply stores and art galleries very accessible.
What do you love about your studio?
I love the communal aspect of my studio. Sharing an artistic space with other people has been a valuable experience. I like that the entire building is full of artists. Anything I want to learn is under one roof. And Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts (EFA) makes the experience very pleasant and the doors to any office are always open. I also like that it is above an Irish restaurant-bar. The food is really good, although pricey.
What do you wish were different?
If I could have anything different, it might be to have my studio closer to home. After working or caring for my toddler, the 45-minute-to-1-hour trek can feel like a hundred years.
Maja Ruznic, Placitas, New Mexico
How long have you been working in this space?
Three years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I get to the studio around 11am, and stay there around sunset. I sometimes have days where I am just painting, but other days I will be building stretcher bars in the wood shop. I try to exercise before I get to the studio to get my body alert and mind clear. I usually listen to podcasts on Jungian psychology and begin the day with some smaller works before moving on to painting. I clean my studio before every session and maintain an obsessive approach to my process — certain colors can’t touch one another and the consistency of paint has to be just right. Only certain brushes are used for very specific areas in the paintings. I can only move in one direction in my paintings, and I can only add so many layers of paint before I call it "overcooked."
How does the space affect your work?
I have three stations in my studio. The main is the oil painting station, the other two are for works on gouache and sculptures. Having a larger space than when I lived in Los Angeles with my husband makes all the difference, as we were struggling in California and moved once he received the Rockwell Artist Residency Program. Moving to New Mexico allowed me to have more time to make bigger, more ambitious works, and progress as a painter and a full-time artist. I also found that my color palette became more toned down once I moved from a crowded city to the desert.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My family goes on hikes and visits different ruins in our area. We recently visited the Coronado Historic Site and the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo, where some of the wall paintings are preserved. I also enjoy running around my neighborhood.
What do you love about your studio?
I like that I can move around the room if I am feeling uninspired by a certain piece. My husband and I alternate with having 12-hour studio days and days where we take care of our daughter and fulfill our role of being parents. I also like the fact that I don’t have to constantly be working in the studio, and can take three hours to just reflect on the work that I have completed whilst stretching on my yoga mat.
What do you wish were different?
Nothing.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Harwood Art Museum in Taos, New Mexico.
