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ART
Jeff Muhs, Soft Serve Bikini Party, concrete and bikini bottoms. 30 in. x 20 in. x 12 in., 2015.
when I was building my home studio. I had never used concrete before. I needed countertops and a fireplace for my home and figured out a way that I could make them the way that I wanted, and when I realized the potential of the material, that led to the concrete sculpture. I also designed and built the furniture for my home: people became interested it and it began to be shown around in New York and Milan. Again borne out of necessity. KB: Iāve visited your home and studio, and itās incredible to believe you built it from scratch. Tell us more about it. JM: I was able to design my studio according to my work style. In addition to the painting studio, I have a full fabrication shop. In building most of the home/studio myself I learned different disciplines and materials that I now incorporate into my work.
Jeff Muhs, Study in Form with Concrete and Jimmy Choo Shoes, concrete and Jimmy Choo shoes, 24 in. x 10 in. x 4 in., 2015.
KB: Unlike so many artists who move to Long Island to live and work, you were born and grew up right here in Southampton. How has that influenced your work? JM: I think that being born and raised here, a unique commu-
nity, makes me in many ways a product of this environment. The natural beauty of the area is always drawing artists here for good reason. Itās an inspiring place to live with the open space and water and the light that we are known to have here, but itās that and the artistic legacy, including some of the most influential artists of the 20th century living and working here; the proximity to Manhattan, where I attended the School of Visual Arts; all the people who are involved in art: artists, gallerists, collectors who are out here. I am in a way a product of those factors. KB: Some of your childhood experiences here in the area made a strong impression. JM: From an early age, my father, a hunting and fishing guide, instilled in me an intimate knowledge of our local natural environment. Through the 1990s I lived on the barrier beach in Westhampton. In December of 1992, a norāeaster raged into eastern Long Island and nearly wiped out a five-mile stretch of land. The Atlantic Ocean connected with Moriches Bay and many homes were completely destroyed and others were left
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