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Putting the U (and I) in “Studio”

November 13, 2018 By Matthew White Leave a Comment

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There’s a world where I can go and tell my secrets to,
In my room.
– Brian Wilson and Gary Usher


In Mary Jane Jacob and Michelle Grabner‘s highly readable and enlightening The Studio Reader, David Reed shares this:

I first saw the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres in a group show at Artists Space in 1987 in New York. Impressed by his work, I asked to visit his studio. Felix hung his head and said, “Oh David. I’m sorry. I don’t have a studio. I’m just a kitchen table artist.” I loved his phrase, but since I had a mistaken concept of what a studio could be, I didn’t ask to visit. Now, of course, I wish I had.

I too struggled with defining and even discussing my studio space for years. What is it? Where is it? Is it really a studio?

The Truth Is, Studios Evolve

My work, in every sense of the word, has long relied and often revolved around a digital workspace. For most, this doesn’t translate well as a studio destination. Why? The resulting environment isn’t often visually compelling as a space. It has the same effect as watching an electronic musician or a DJ perform: Like watching a guy check his email.

And Then There’s Workshop Space

Francis Bacon's Reece Mews studio

A peek inside Francis Bacon’s studio at Reece Mews with built-in wall palettes.

As many artists would tell you, a lot of work often occurs in different places. I may work in the garage, the outdoor kitchen, or a hotel room for example. The studio effectively travels with me, and the studio tools are stops along that path.

Prepping a wooden surface ideally happens separately from where painting happens. Sometimes I operate the saw, and sometimes someone else cuts a length of wood for me.

This reality however is in direct contradiction with what many envision “having a studio” to be. In the physical world, what is it really? Is it a complex? Or, is it a group of spaces located in the same city? On the same block?

Ideally for most (and maybe me) the foundation for a good studio would be one warehouse space spanning a few thousand square feet. High ceilings, separate walled-off stations, a spray booth, adequate natural light, color-corrected electrical light, proper ventilation and ducting, a bathroom, utility sinks, and at least one dock with a roll-up door. Unfortunately, this is also often the foundation for an unsustainable business model.

The idea of such a space is appealing, but then there are maintenance costs, utilities, property taxes, and the associated real-world distractions on top of having a living space.

The Heart of the Studio

The heart of my studio, as I would call it, is currently at my home. After a renovation, including an addition of square footage, there are multiple work areas that meet my immediate needs. I call a separate room upstairs “the studio.”

Is everything I need or use there in one location? No, my studio is actually spread out across locations and temporary places. I’m part of a workshop collective where a lot of the messier stuff can happen. I take a notebook with me somewhere and make a drawing. Then I might go home and work into the evening on a desktop.

I’m now convinced more than ever that a single perfect place with everything an ideal practice requires may in fact be unattainable. Maybe even undesirable.

And perhaps that’s a good thing. The thought of an artist content in his environment and satisfied with his surroundings is troubling. Even if he’s at home.

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Filed Under: Contemporary Art, Creativity Tagged With: Art, Contemporary Art, Creativity, Studios

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Matthew White

Multimedia artist Matthew White shares thoughts and meanderings. Subjects in the Tokens From The Well arts and culture blog include travel, creativity, contemporary art, music, culture, his work, and delightful randomness.

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