welcome to the 210th episode of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. In this special edition, students from Ohio University and UC Davis give us insight into their journey to an MFA, from learning in community to pushing their practices to new heights. .
Want to participate? Discover our submission guidelines and share a bit of your studio with us! All mediums and workspaces are welcome.
Since childhood, I have been drawn to human forms. I was particularly drawn to portraits because of their potential emotional impact. In this photo I have included a panoramic view of my studio in my residence in Columbus, Ohio. Attached to the paneled wall on the left side is one of my most recent paintings on an 8x10ft canvas. Buckets of acrylic paint are placed on the floor. Directly in front of the viewer is a drawing table with a lighted magnifying glass that I use frequently to create small, intricate drawings. Above the drawing table, a self-portrait that I painted from my childhood photo reminds me of my artistic journey. Next to the drawing table is a bookcase containing some of my art books and a lovely collection of teapots. Below, a full-figured model dressed in traditional Uzbek folk clothes adds to the studio’s eclectic vibe. As a former fashion designer, dressing my model for fun comes naturally to me. Finally, on the right side of the studio, you will find my oil painting on an easel. The right part of my studio is only dedicated to oil painting.
This is the view from my ceramics studio at Ohio University. Spaces are long and I usually do my construction work by hand on this table behind a window. I have been well positioned in my practice as I complete my second year and my ceramic work is becoming more ambitious in scale and scope. Rabbits have been welcome friends in my life. I like this view because it shows a moment of transition from the end of my second year to my third year when I create the body of work for my thesis exhibition next spring.
My studio is located at The Ridges in Athens, Ohio, a repurposed university-owned psychiatric hospital that was built in the 1860s. This space is one of the largest studios and is shared with a peer from my masters program in fine arts at Ohio University. I have plenty of wall space to hang my work for both display and work. My work takes large formats, so it’s handy for keeping my space relatively organized! The windows you see in this space provide the most amazing view of Southern Ohio sunsets and with 24 hour access to my studio I often see all day passing through these windows this which allows me to connect to the environment in which I live. in Athens regarding my practice as an artist.
Justine Di FloreUniversity of California, Davis
I’ve occupied all kinds of studios, from basement and bedroom sections to a 400 square foot space in a former appliance factory. In any case, my studio was a solitary place where I spent whole hours. I am a process-based artist. I find new ideas by working with and manipulating materials. Currently, I am in the MFA program at the University of California, Davis. I am incredibly grateful to be able to use this beautiful workspace during my stay here. It’s a short walk to an arboretum and across the parking lot from the Art Building where I work as a teaching assistant. This space is where I synthesized all of the rich dialogues with Art Studio’s faculty, lecturers, staff, guest artists, curators, and amazing undergraduate community. The size of this space allowed me to continue to increase the scale of my work which involves using large gestural movements in the application of paint. My experience of caregiving during my earlier career as a Hospital Practical Nurse has informed the way I make marks and build the body. What you see is where I am developing paintings for my final thesis exam and exhibition.
