Inside the Painter’s Studio

By Joe Fig in Galleries — 08 Sep 2009

In his new book, artist Joe Fig documents the day-to-day lives of 24 contemporary artists with photos of their studios, notes on their work habits, and interviews about where and how they make art.

Interview by Rosecrans Baldwin

In addition to providing a glimpse into other artists’ lives, Inside the Painter’s Studio also features Joe Fig’s own sculptures—miniature reproductions of the artists themselves in the process of creating, a spellbinding sort of diorama as portraiture. For any artist, historian, or art fan, there’s fascinating stuff in the minutia about gear and paint brands, and also the larger questions about what it takes to get up every morning and go paint. As Chuck Close says, “Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just show up and get to work.” See below for Fig’s detailed account of how the book came to be. Read the interview ↓

Ross Bleckner, Sagaponack, Long Island, NY: “All I really need is the room to work—I don’t even need plumbing. When I found out I had to get a variance [for plumbing], I thought, ‘you know what, who needs it? I’ll just skip it.’ I mean, nature is my bathroom.”

Chuck Close, Bond Street, New York City: “Especially now that I am in a wheelchair and I have nurses and stuff come, it’s really important that I inflict my lifestyle on the family as little as possible. So, a separate studio is really essential.”

Equipment bench in Close’s studio

Eric Fischl, North Haven, Long Island, NY: “I listen to music and there are some days when I don’t and there are some days when that’s all I do. The great thing about iTunes and the computer is you get these playlists of stuff and just hit random and it just goes for hours and hours. I love that.”

April Gornik, North Haven, Long Island, NY: “One thing I tell undergrads a lot is ‘Don’t pretend that you’re not proud of your work.’ You know how they tend to show things leaning half against the wall and half on the floor? That makes me crazy when I go in for studio visits, and they’re acting all shy, and ‘Well I just did this little thing.’”

Mary Heilmann, Bridgehampton, Long Island, NY: “I work out of my memory, out of visual memory, sort of abstract memories of times and places and sounds. So [those records] are kind of magic. I like the fact that this studio is kind of like a rich kid’s playroom. Because it has different computers and all kinds of gear, and people like to come over and listen to records.”

Ryan McGinness, Chinatown, New York City: “I think there is something to be said for ‘stick-to-it-ness.’ You have got to be in it to win it. And I think it is important to recognize if you are an artist or not. Build a life and a career that accommodates your being an artist instead of trying to be an artist.”

Julie Mehretu, Harlem, New York City: “I clean the studio every week. And a lot of times I think while I am cleaning. Usually at the end of each day, I clean up a little. I also clean up and organize at the start of each day—like nesting. It gets me into the work, kind of like pacing.”

Malcolm Morley, Bellport, Long Island, NY: “I think the work would be the same if I was painting in a black cellar or in a very naturally lighted studio.”

Joan Snyder, Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY: “I’ve just worked very, very hard for 35 years. It’s just a lot of hard work. That’s my secret—it’s a big secret. [laughs]”

Artist interview

What stood out as something many studios and artists had in common?

What I found to be common factors between artists are several things. I found that in at least this group of particular artists, they are successful because they work incessantly. Several work seven days a week. They all seem to have very set schedules and daily routines that they diligently keep to.

As Eric Fischl says about his daily routine, “My discipline is that I try to work on a regular basis rather than in spurts. I certainly don’t wait around for inspiration!”

And Ross Bleckner: “I am happiest and most psychologically balanced when my days follow the exact same pattern day after day after day.”

There is no idea that I have ever had that comes to me outside of the process of work. So therefore, the few months in a row I am working seven days a week—and if I am having a show or not is irrelevant—I guess the operative metaphor for me is that I am a scientist in a lab, on the verge of discovering something. Or I am just a hound dog sniffing around trying to catch the scent. But in order to do that, I need the [daily] consistency.

Having visited so many other artists’ studios, are there things you’d like to change about your own space? Did you ever get studio envy?

Oh definitely. Size would be the main thing, not so much for actual working space but more for storage. I try to keep things cleared away but especially if I have a big sculpture in here it takes up both physical and visual space. Also if I had additional space it would also be nice if I could create a “drawing” zone, a “painting” zone, a “looking at the paintings” zone, a “display” zone, a “sit on the couch and chill out and read” zone.

However, I have been surprised at how small some of the studios are, such as James Siena’s and even to a degree Chuck Close’s. About the size of his studio Chuck has said, “You know there is really no reason to have a big studio.” And, “I could paint anywhere. [In the past] I made big paintings in the tiniest bedrooms, garages, you name it. You know, once I have my back to the room, I could be anywhere. I could care less.”

As for studio envy, Eric Fischl and April Gornik have a stunning studio. Plus architecturally it is incorporated into the surrounding grounds and the main house as well. If I could trade with anyone it would be with them.

To turn one of your questionnaire questions on you, are there specific items here (in the book) that have significant meaning to you?

You know, I am grateful to have this book published. I’ve interviewed over 50 or so artists and have hundreds and hundreds of photographs and documentation. I’ve been working on this project for close to 10 years, so to actually just have the physical book in my hands is significant. I sincerely feel that I have added something to history that I have provided valuable information to fellow artists, art historians, and anyone interested in contemporary art. I tried to approach this as an unmasking of the myth of the artist and tried to get at the day-to-day reality and practicalities of what a “real” artist’s life is like.

I just received an email from a man in California who graduated from art school 20 years ago but had to deal with the responsibilities of raising a family and working. He recently has just begun to paint again and was trying to figure it all out as it had been so long. He bought my book and just wrote me, “Anyhow, as I started painting again, I found that there was a real lack of information out there about the nitty-gritty, day-to-day process of making paintings—the stuff that I was really interested in. Then I saw your book listed on your web site, and realized that you had done it: made a book about painters that I really wanted (and needed) to read. So, thank you.”

That really means a lot to me.

What are you working on now?

I have a solo show coming up October 15 at Hendershot Gallery in NYC. I also am included in a big group show entitled “Picturing the Studio” at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, which opens December 21, 2009. I’ve also recently begun a new series of paintings based on 19th-century French painting and the creative process. I really can’t elaborate further as it is still a new group of work and I am still trying to figure out how to talk about it and what it all means.

What I’ve found interesting though is now that I am painting full-time I hear the voices of the artists I’ve interviewed (don’t worry, I’m not going crazy). And even though it’s been close to 10 years that I’ve seriously painted, I am surprised to find that I think I am a much better painter because of it.