Welcome to the 264th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists in Los Angeles find freedom in tight spaces, take the pressure out of their studio routine, and revel in the sunset outside their window.
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.
How long have you been working in this space?
Eight months.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I have tried (and failed) to create a routine around my art-making. For the same reasons I am bad at having a job, I am bad at sticking to a singular way of being in my studio. Once I let go of that pressure — which was negatively affecting my work — I realized that if I just showed up in the space and started playing with clay or painting a panel or tufting a rug, I could find myself in an hours-long flow. Now, I just set myself the task of showing up every day, maybe with a specific task in mind and maybe not, throwing on an episode of the Talk Art podcast, or the soundtrack to Wicked, or Brat, and working for as long as it feels good.
How does the space affect your work?
If the pictures didn’t make it clear, I am a little bit of a hurricane in my space. The joy of this studio is that it’s a building filled with other little hurricanes, so I don’t feel too bad when I spill things or splash the walls. I think that freedom, and knowing that I am in a building dedicated to making art, has helped me be less precious about what I make more generally.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My building is a huge part of my art community. I am one of about 35 artists in Mohilef Studios in LA, which is also run by fellow artist Canyon Castator. We have open studios, private tours, a constant revolving door of visitors, and I often just pop in to visit my studio neighbors to ask questions or have a chat. It’s led to creative collaborations, show invitations, and more.
What do you love about your studio?
Aside from the sense of community, I love the light, the smell of everyone’s art, the plants that everyone keeps, and the fact that artists’ pets and kids join them for their days at work. The idea that this place feels like an extension of all our senses of self, our homes, and our most vulnerable expressions is a pretty powerful realization.
What do you wish were different?
Parking.
What is your favorite local museum?
We’re close to both branches of the Museum of Contemporary Art and I love them. The Olafur Eliasson show that’s up right now is absurd and beautiful. They also do such a wonderful job of engaging the LA arts community by hosting markets and other events that exist outside of a traditional big museum’s programming.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
This year, I picked up oil painting and fell in love. It has become my third major medium, and co-exists with my ceramics and textile practice. I love them all differently, and sometimes very much unequally. The good thing about that is if I am about to have an absolute meltdown, I can switch my focus and stick my hands in some wet mud or shoot yarn everywhere.
Brea Weinreb, Los Angeles, California
How long have you been working in this space?
Three years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
An average day in my studio begins anywhere from 8am to 4pm. No matter what time I begin, I always get started by spending an hour or so looking at my progress from the day before and mapping out what I want to do today, usually while having coffee. Sometimes during this time I’ll also read, sketch, clean, or write. It’s really like a mental warm-up before I begin painting. Once I get started painting, I’ll work for six to eight hours. I like to work on a lot of paintings at once so that I don’t overthink or overwork an individual piece. Usually, I’m listening to music, though recently I’ve started putting on TV shows in the background, which helps me forget what time it is.
How does the space affect your work?
My studio feels like home to me. I’ve set it up so that it feels cozy and I can take breaks, which helps me feel more relaxed when I paint. I’ve got three large windows and the LA sunsets are always amazing colors that I love seeing next to my paintings. The light in my studio plays a big role in how I formulate light in my paintings. There’s also a fire escape that looks out onto the mountains, which is very inspiring.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
My studio is in an artist-run space called Mohilef Studios. I also help co-manage the building, so this community is a huge part of my day to day. I spend a lot of time talking to my studio neighbors. Having this proximity to other artists has helped me zoom out of my own practice, especially because I worked in isolation before moving here. We also plan events, shows, and studio visits with one another, so collaboration is a big aspect of having a studio here.
What do you love about your studio?
The people, and the light.
What do you wish were different?
Like many painters, I wish I had more wall space!
What is your favorite local museum?
The Norton Simon in Pasadena.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Oil paint, forever.
Aaron Rose, Los Angeles, California
How long have you been working in this space?
Three years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I usually begin work around 8:30am because the morning light is so beautiful at that time. My studio is in an enclosed porch that’s attached to my house in Hollywood. I share it with two rabbits who lie at my feet while I paint. There’s lots of windows that let in the sun. I usually work in two- or three-hour shifts, tackling other projects in between sessions. Since I use enamel paint, I almost always have multiple pieces going at the same time because the drying time is so long. Plus, I find that each piece informs the other, so there’s a nice interplay. I almost always listen to KXLU, a local Los Angeles college radio station, but sometimes I listen to podcasts or playlists. It just depends on my mood.
How does the space affect your work?
It’s a relatively small space, so it’s taught me to work within a scale that fits the environment. In some ways it is limiting, but I’ve found that the guardrails can sometimes be very helpful to my creativity.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
I live in a very old neighborhood that was built in the 1920s for Hollywood stars. There are a lot of actors and directors, but not many painters. Sometimes I feel like a bit of a novelty, but I think people enjoy having me around.
What do you love about your studio?
It’s very unconventional as far as artists’ studios go. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to work in a concrete box again.
What do you wish were different?
The lighting is terrible once the sun goes down. It seriously limits my working hours. Also, even though I’m happy with what I make here, I’d really love some more space.
What is your favorite local museum?
Craft Contemporary. The Petersen Automotive Museum is pretty fantastic, as well.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
One Shot Sign Painters Enamel.
