HAMILTON ONTARIO | CANADA | Published Monthly | APRIL 2012 | urbanicity.ca
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Stephanie Custance - Berlin
ARTISTS in the STUDIO | Lesia Mokrycke
“…by painting the walls [of the gallery] white, I desired through this act not only to purify the premises but also above all, through this action and this gesture, to make it momentarily into my space of work and creation, in a word, my studio”. – Yves Klein on his exhibition at Iris Clert Gallery in Paris, 1953
The studio is a “safe space” where unresolved thoughts, new ideas and fragmented artworks can be left unfinished for the next day's work.
The phenomenon of the artist's studio is one that has occupied the imaginations of writers for hundreds of years. Since apprenticeship guilds flourished around master artists in the fourteenth century, the artist's studio has taken on many forms. Ranging from Rodin's high profile production studio in Paris, to the small room where Giacometti spent nearly his entire life, the studio provides insight into the working lives of artists. In writing this article, and in light of the artist's studios that are quickly springing up along James Street North, I sought to discover how artists are working in different cities around the world. This month I interviewed Jaclyn Brown in Brooklyn, New York and Stephanie Custance in Berlin, Germany. Jaclyn is a Canadian-born painter who completed her Masters at the New York Academy in the Tribeca area of Manhattan. Stephanie is an American-born fine artist who studied at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. Stephanie now lives and works in East Berlin. Berlin, like New York is a magnet for culture and creative talent. In both circumstances, Stephanie and Jaclyn rely on a network of other artists and creative people to propel their careers. When asked if the cities they live in inform their studio practice, both artists responded, “absolutely”. An artist's studio space serves as an extension of a certain way of thinking. Unlike a gallery where resolved artwork is on display for the purpose of critique, discussion or sale, the studio is a “safe space” where unresolved thoughts, new ideas and fragmented artworks can be left unfinished for the next day's work. In Berlin, Stephanie works out of the European Creative Center (ECC). The ECC currently houses 350 national and international artists and is the largest galleryand artist's workspace in Berlin. The building is located in former East Berlin, ten minutes from Alexanderplatz. For Stephanie, her practice involves working on her art everyday. This means writing about concepts, working on applications, or sketching. Stephanie maintains that through this daily practice, concepts remain“stable” and it is easier to re-enter the working process. In this way the studio becomes a projection of her working philosophy. As Stephanie outlines, for her, the studio is a space where the continuum between prior ideas and current projects gain latitude. For Jaclyn in New York, the studio is also an important resting space for ideas and artworks. Jaclyn works in a warehouse studio building at 1717 Troutman Street in Brooklyn that overlooks the skyline of Manhattan. The warehouse is affordable and home to several artist work spaces as well as several galleries. Together, Jaclyn and her husband, Jason Talley, share a space of over 300 square feet. For Jaclyn, the studio gives her the same respite from the busyness of New York City that most people gain from
spending time in nature. Jaclyn maintains that although she also enjoys working out of her home, the studio is valuable because it is a neutral‐spacewhere an artist can solely focus on their work and let the rest of the world go, for a time. In terms of the culture of a city, the studio space is also a generator of new ideas, fresh perspectives, community initiatives, and talent. Since Jaclyn has moved into the studio in Bushwick, the neighbourhood has changed. Bars and restaurants are opening and a Manhattan‐based gallery, Luhring Augustine, has recently openeda location close to her building. The Bushwick Open Studio initiative is also a resultof the high concentration of artists in the area. This energy is drawing people from Manhattan, which is an advantage for artists working in Brooklyn. Similarly, the ECC in Berlin is home painters, photographers, sculptors, designers, actors, musicians and other performers. It is a locus for talent in Berlin and is committed to further the growth of the arts in the city. In thinking of creative cities, two principles are important for working artists in every city around the world. The first is that work spaces are affordable enough for artists to occupy them. The second involves attracting creative people with common goals so that support networks grow organically and keep people working. Both Berlin and New York have the advantage of a diverse and dynamic atmosphere. An international environment with opportunities for cross‐cultural exchange and innovation is certainly an asset to a creative career. In Hamilton, on a much smaller scale, the community on James Street North also supports creative initiatives and presents opportunities for people to build support networks. Every artist works differently, and in this way, no two studio spaces will be the same. The important thing to consider is the best way to ensure that artist's studios have the opportunity to flourish in communities that value creative output from their citizens. In Stephanie's words, “a studio space is simply a mindset. It is the sum of the way an artist is able to enter into their work and produce it. I see a studio space as essential to an artist”. For more information on Jaclyn Brown and Stephanie Custance, please visit their sites: w w w. j a c l y n b r o w n . m o s a i c g l o b e . c o m a n d www.sacustance.com LESIA MOKRYCKE received her BFA from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 2011 and a Certificate in Painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 2009. Lesia currently works as an artist in Hamilton and has permanent public art pieces installed in the United States and Canada.