Studio

 

I used to work in a poorly lit room in the basement of my house where I had trouble separating my home life from my artistic life. In 2005, I started to share a studio with another visual artist in an old mill building in Arlington Heights, MA, on the 4th floor. I loved to walk up the large wooden stairs surrounded by high brick walls. I always felt surrounded with serenity and peace; it was like stepping in another world. I really enjoyed having my own space where I could work freely.
Very soon, the space became too small and I moved across the hall into my own studio. The space is filled with lot of light, high ceilings with wooden beams, and wooden floors. My own space. Alone. What a change! I can work without being disturbed. I can spread my work on the floor, the tables, and the walls. I can leave out my work in progress without cleaning. It’s freedom.
My studio is my sacred space. I fill it with all the unusual objects I love to collect: lost gloves, perfume bottles, tea bags, banana peels, run-over aluminum cans, and little bits of things gathered throughout the years. These objects have no interest to many people, but I find something very appealing in each of them, whether it’s the color, shape, material, or texture.
I acquired a second hand American French Tool Press for my printmaking. The press weighs one ton. The bed measures 42” x 48” so I can print at a large scale. This acquisition provides a sense of freedom, I can print any time I want without any time constraints.