Welcome to the 237th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists let rhythm seep into their paintings, follow in the footsteps of AbEx greats, and approach their work like making a salad.
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.
Nelson J. Diaz, Haverstraw, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Fifteen years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I approach painting as I do cooking — my ingredients are non-Euclidean geometry, form, and content finished with color like making a salad. (My work deals with non-Euclidean geometry in modern art and quantum mechanics.) I listen to tons of music, a mix of everything.
How does the space affect your work?
A poetic space with chaos usually works. Then I tidy up and enjoy the vibe.
What do you love about your studio?
I love the big kitchen sink where I just dump and mix paint. Then I prep a meal. I trigger all the senses my space gives me that luxury.
What do you wish were different?
That I slept more.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Haverstraw Brick Museum.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Anything … gouache, pastels, markers, oil, and acrylic. I love paper too. I journal daily.
Sarah Bechter, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
Describe an average day in your studio.
I always start by having tea and just looking at the work first. I usually work on one painting at a time and have a second one up, which I turn to when I feel stuck with the first. This way, I can channel my focus on one work and have another painting as an escape door. This second painting is usually at a stage where I don’t have to make too many major decisions — either at the very beginning or at the very end, when I bring the painting to a conclusion. I listen to music, and I would be lying if I said that rhythm doesn’t play an important role in my work. The music helps me focus and shuts me off from my surroundings. My practice is very process-oriented, and I work without any preliminary sketches or fixed ideas. So instead of representing a certain image, I am searching for the image.
How does the space affect your work?
The studio space at the International Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) is much bigger than my studio in Vienna, where I am based. I can spread out and have more of my work open and visible. In my studio at home, I lack the wall space to hang this many paintings at the same time. This is particularly nice for studio visits and also when preparing for a show; I can already see which works make a nice pairing.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
We have a generous communal area in the studio building, where we usually cook and have lunch together. Artists from all over the world have their studios at the ISCP, and it is a great space for exchanging ideas. After working in the studio, I usually go see some shows or attend openings. It is so great that there is always so much happening and so much to see in NY!
What do you love about your studio?
I love that it is so spacious and has a lot of wall space, which is really important for me as a painter.
What do you wish were different?
There is some construction happening outside, next to my window, so it is a little loud at the moment.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Paint!
Janice Stanton, Bridgehampton, New York
How long have you been working in this space?
Several years since it was renovated; five years previously.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I typically work in my studio during the afternoons, after full mornings of exercise, emails, social media, and other work-related admin.
How does the space affect your work?
First and foremost, it is a creative laboratory where I focus solely on my work. It enables me to become totally immersed in my process and engage with the materials that surround me.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I am fortunate to be surrounded by, and connected to, a very creative arts community. I often visit art venues and exhibitions nearby and know many other artists working in the community. And there is a history of some of the most important post-war American artists connected to this location, including Pollock, Krasner, de Kooning, Mitchell, Lichtenstein, and others.
What do you love about your studio?
Everything! But especially the light, the space, and the configuration, which allows me to be surrounded by the materials I work with.
What do you wish were different?
One can never have too much natural light.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Parrish Museum in Watermill.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Handmade paper.
