Welcome to the 234th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists tune out the endless flow of email, let music and news seep into their practice, and fall into a trance while they work.
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.
Sue Vermaas, Johannesburg, South Africa
How long have you been working in this space?
Eight years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I am usually in the studio by 7:30 in the morning. My radio is on my favorite station, I love the interaction of music and daily news. I am working on a few pieces at any given time, and at the moment I am busy working on an artist book.
How does the space affect your work?
The studio is a lounge in the house that we do not use. I close the door to one world and move into another one filled with creative prompts and the smell of oil paint. The space is filled with pieces I have collected over a period of time: sculptures, books, wood, and rocks (I am an enthusiastic hiker). My studio is a reflection of my interests and objects acquired over the years. I can quietly sit and observe. Everything in my studio reminds me of places, times and days lived …
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I am part of the Johannesburg art community: Blue Door Print studio and various artists offering workshops and exhibitions.
What do you love about your studio?
I love my studio simply because it offers me my second life. It’s a space that is safe and familiar. I am surrounded by everything I love: paint, paper, tools, sculptures, rocks, wood, quiet serenity …
What do you wish were different?
I would have loved more natural light … but I have managed to cope with this.
Yasmeen Abdallah, Governor’s Island, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Three months.
Describe an average day in your studio.
As a teaching artist, I’m always on the go, and my studio time shifts around my classes throughout the day; but preferably, I like to work in the afternoon and evening when the sun is crescendoing to absorb the beauty of the golden hour. I take the train from Brooklyn to Manhattan and then take the ferry to Governor’s Island. I love the ferry ride over, because it transitions me physically and spiritually from the intensity of the city to the magical space of the island. That short ride is the liminal space I need to prepare for a day in the studio. Once there, I stay and work as long as I can; moving from painting to textiles to installation within the space. I usually listen to playlists that are high-energy punk and new wave, or enchanting melodic songs that feel trance-like and meditative.
How does the space affect your work?
This studio space has been a dream for my work. There’s so much room to play, experiment, and try things out. I’m also very lucky to be in such a great community, where the energy feels good and everyone there is inspired and on similar wavelengths. The experience that the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council has created is truly amazing.
What do you love about your studio?
The light coming through the space; the roominess in our studios, and the freedom to work as we wish and be in conversation with so many wonderful people in our community.
What do you wish were different?
I wish the residency wouldn’t end, so I could stay forever!
What is your favorite art material to work with?
I love the squishy texture and malleability of both Das clay and modeling foam.
Fanny Allié, Manhattan, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Five years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I begin working in the studio after I drop off my son at school or after teaching a class. I put a radio podcast on (French radio), check my emails once, and give myself an hour without looking at my emails. I have coffee around 10am and work until I need to leave to pick up my son or until I need to teach again (I teach private French classes). I like to work on two pieces at once; it helps the flow, bouncing it from one piece to another.
What do you love about your studio?
It’s a space of mental and physical freedom.
What do you wish were different?
I wish I didn’t have to share it (I do it for financial reasons) and have more space.
