A View From the Easel
“Every day I see more and more of my footprint in this small space.”
Welcome to the 316th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists get acquainted with their first standalone studio and surround themselves with blooming flowers.
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.
Jess Sossi Romano, Brooklyn, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
I've lived in this apartment for over two years but converted this room to a studio in August.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I am usually in my studio by 10am with a drink, a snack, and a speaker. I'll play music that ranges depending on my mood and what painting I am working on. I always have a larger work I will spend a few months completing, and several other studies or smaller works in progress simultaneously.
How does the space affect your work?
As an early-career artist, it is the largest space I have had for my work yet and it has allowed me to go bigger in terms of scale of my work, but also I am able to have multiple projects going at the same time. Many times, my studies or more hastily made artworks inform the larger projects.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My studio and home are set in a very lively and artistically driven community in Brooklyn, where there are many murals, gallery spaces, working studios, and artists around me. I feel a bit disconnected because I have yet to make connections with the people within my community but I often stop by the spaces to keep myself up to date on the contemporary work.
What do you love about your studio?
I love that my studio is mine. This is the first time in my life that my studio is not also where I sleep, change, and lounge. It is a true working space, and I honor it by keeping it busy. Even with my bustling, lifestyle I have churned out more work and of higher quality than I ever have before. I love that it is a blank slate, that we are warming up to each other, and every day I see more and more of my footprint in this small space.
What do you wish were different?
I wish I had more natural light. I often work into late hours but I usually start in the morning. Most days, I have no concept of what time of day it is, when I last ate. I turn off my phone so I don't get distracted and get very locked into a flow state with my painting.
What is your favorite local museum?
I will always love the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I could sit in the European painting wing among the Monet, van Gogh, and Cot paintings for hours.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Oil has always been my choice of material and more recently I have switched from canvas to wood panel. I love the smoothness of the surface and its lack of buoyancy.
Qiurui Du, Shanghai, China
How long have you been working in this space?
Three years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I usually start around 10am, and I'm always with an iced Americano when I'm in my studio. My studio has massive floor-to-ceiling windows facing a courtyard, so I really enjoy that prime natural light between 10am and 2pm, which is when the colors feel most honest. I paint in the main hall, occasionally watching birds outside. Being a Virgo, I always finish one piece before starting the next. My soundtrack is usually dreamy; Spotify says my top track this year was Bel Canto’s "Unicorn."
How does the space affect your work?
Visitors are often shocked by how clean my studio is. You won’t find paint splatters on the floor. I need that order and comfort to create. Since plants and flowers are central to my work, I surround myself with many blooms and plants; their vibrant colors give me vitality. The high ceilings in the main hall make me feel free and open, while at night, I retreat to the smaller room for a sense of security and intimacy.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My studio is in a quiet neighborhood surrounded by traditional Suzhou-style gardens and plants, far from any art district. I travel downtown when I need to see exhibitions. Socially, I’ve evolved. I used to host big, loud parties for artist friends, but lately, I crave solitude. Now, the studio is a private sanctuary; I only invite my inner circle over for coffee and intimate conversations.
What do you love about your studio?
My favorite feature is the basement connected directly to the underground parking. The basement is like a massive archive for my paintings, materials, and the bizarre props I use for exhibitions. And art handlers can drive right up to the door to load or unload work. No stairs, no hassle, it is just seamless transport. It allows the studio upstairs to remain pristine while the "messy" reality stays hidden below, hah.
What do you wish were different?
I sometimes wish the garden were bigger, or that the windows faced west to catch more sunlight throughout the day. But honestly, though, I can’t complain. The studio is already pretty close to perfect for my needs.
What is your favorite local museum?
Definitely the Museum of Art Pudong (MAP). I love going there not just for the world-class exhibitions, but for the Glass Hall, two massive vertical windows that turn the view of the Bund into a living painting. It perfectly captures the tension between Shanghai's history and modernity.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Acrylic paints, without a doubt.
