Welcome to the 329th edition of Inside the Studios, a series where artists offer insights into their creative environments. This week, artists are seen transforming school supplies into art and capturing faces during subway rides. Interested in joining? Review our submission guidelines and share details about your studio using this form. All types of workspaces are welcome, including home studios.
Lex Marie from Washington, DC, shares her experience of working in a studio located at the school where she is currently undertaking her MFA. Now halfway through the two-year program, her studio day begins around 9am after she drops her son off at school. This schedule is a significant change from her previous preference of working in the evenings. She often works on multiple pieces simultaneously, always accompanied by music to maintain focus and create a serene atmosphere.
The limited space of her current studio compared to her previous one has impacted her work, making her more conscious of the scale of her ideas. Despite the constraints, she draws inspiration from the vibrant artistic community around her and the access to numerous art exhibitions in DC. Lex values the creative energy that surrounds her studio, although she wishes for a larger space to accommodate her artistic needs.
Jade van der Mark, based in Paris, has been working in her current space for three years. Her creative process begins in the city’s metro, where she observes people, collecting facial features and emotions. These observations fuel her paintings, which she likens to her children, each with distinct characteristics. The studio space is not confined by its walls but is animated by the emotions she brings into it, becoming a limitless playground for her imagination.
Jade treasures the quiet of her studio, where she can explore and reflect without distraction. Her work is deeply personal, and while she selectively shares it, interactions with a neighboring artist provide meaningful exchanges. The bustling city outside acts as a living canvas, continuously inspiring her. Jade dreams of adding a vegetable garden and a pig to her studio environment in the future, embracing the unique tranquility her current space offers.
