Step Into My New Studio
A few months ago, I made the move into a brand new space at Oyé Studios here in Greenville. Formally Daybreak Community Church, Oyé was saved from demolition and filled with the new life of 12 artists.
To be honest, I was perfectly content with my home studio and hesitant to make the move into a communal space. It took a little convincing and a loving push from my friends Glory Day Loflin, Jeffrey Leder and Signe Grushovenko, but from the first day I spent painting in my new space I knew I had become part of something very special.
There’s an energy to Oyé that’s hard to describe, but evident to anyone who walks through its doors. It’s not just the mid century charm of the building itself. It’s the beautiful blend of personalities and styles each artist brings to the space, and the strong sense of community that feeds, informs and flows through us all.
Upon moving into my new studio, I started creating on a new body of work. For the first time in awhile, I didn’t have a firm deadline, no shows to travel to, and a lot of time to think about what I wanted to say, and how I wanted to say it. I’ve been letting the work evolve slowly, the stories unfolding with every wash of ink, mark of graphite and strand of thread.
It would be impossible to say my new space and studiomates haven’t already had an impact on me and my work. I believe environment and the people woven into the fabric of our daily lives play an important role. Oyé is the Spanish term for “listen up.” In my own studio practice, I’ve been noticing an emphasis on slowing down, listening and tuning in with movement.
These paintings feel warm and fluid, soaked in summer color and layered moments of texture. They are both the weightless joy of going for a swim, and the fullness of pausing to notice the stretched out hues of the sun sinking low. Step into my studio and take a first look at what I’ve been working on in the video below.
I’m excited to share that I’ll be releasing this new collection of paintings on my website at 10 am on September 1st. If you’d like to receive a special preview of the collection and first access when it releases, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter below. I truly can’t wait to share these stories with you.