An Artist’s Perspective from the Easel
Welcome to the 325th installment of A View From the Easel, a series in which artists reflect on their workspace. This week, artists work in the realm of the intangible and explore the visual language of binding.
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?
Just over three months.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I typically work on four to five paintings at a time. I begin with simple line drawings of figures based on live models or photographs, gradually building up detail and developing the full composition. To get into a creative rhythm, I listen to alternative music or 1980s new wave — music from my 20s — which often energizes me. Sometimes I find myself dancing around the studio as I work.
How does the space affect your work?
The high ceilings and open layout — connected visually to other artists’ studios — make the space feel much larger than its 200 square feet. This openness gives me a sense of freedom and encourages me to fully explore the visual narratives in my work. There’s also a subway just outside my window. I love hearing it pass by and imagining where everyone on board might be headed.
How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?
For inspiration, I often visit the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo, both of which are close to my studio. The Bronx itself is a lively and dynamic community. There is a strong art community here, and I’m deeply connected to it. I earned my MFA in painting from Lehman College, and I continue to visit former professors and attend exhibitions at the Lehman College Art Gallery.
What do you love about your studio?
As a queer artist, I enjoy having a studio in the Bronx, which is a melting pot of people from different cultures. My studio is at the Bronx River Art Center, where they offer reasonably priced studios for artists, exhibits, and classes for adults and teens. I appreciate the sense of community there. And it’s reassuring to have fellow artists nearby who I can turn to for feedback and dialogue while I’m developing new work.
What do you wish were different?
I feel fortunate to have an affordable studio in New York City and close to my home in Scarsdale, so I genuinely have very little to complain about.
What is your favorite local museum?
The Bronx Museum is a hidden treat. It’s rarely crowded, which allows for a more intimate viewing experience. I’ve taken zine-making and printmaking classes there and have also taught a workshop. And I created a silkscreen print of Marsha P. Johnson there, which is now part of their museum archives. The piece was exhibited in Making Room: Museum as Space for Self-Expression (2024), a show highlighting the museum’s public programs alongside works from its permanent collection.
What is your favorite art material to work with?
Recently, I’ve been working with aluminum, leather, and waxed thread. I construct frames using aluminum and leather or metal belts, binding them together with waxed thread. I also wrap leather and metal belts around canvas surfaces. I’m drawn to the visual language of binding — it speaks to themes of restraint, structure, and masculinity that are central to my current work.
How long have you been working in this space?
Fifteen years.
Describe an average day in your studio.
I work in two very different spaces. In one of them, I use the studio walls to place my images in various formats, where I plan the order, scale, and series of each project. I think of this space almost as a rehearsal for a museum or gallery, a place where I can experiment with different wall installations. The other space is dedicated to writing: I work in front of a large window overlooking the city. This environment allows for concentration, contemplation, and a sense of freedom in my thinking.
I am a very routine-oriented person. I usually wake up at 5am and spend the first moments of the day reflecting on different aspects of my work and trying to find answers to questions that concern me; this is when ideas flow most clearly. I then write, often between 5am and 7am. After breakfast, I begin my studio work around 10am, reviewing photographs and building series.
I often combine studio work with phone calls and coordinating with my team, especially when we are planning an exhibition or developing a publication of my work. My artistic practice is primarily grounded in photography and writing. I am deeply interested in writing about my own artistic research, so my time in the studio is devoted both to reviewing and editing images and to writing.
How does the space affect your work?
Space is fundamental to my artistic practice. I work primarily with photography as my main medium, and while I have developed some projects within my own neighborhood