Alyssa X On View Gallery
The cliche is true. Artists living in parents basements, renting out studio apartments, existing in small spaces with beds, coffee tables and couches that co-share duties. A clean floor makes an excellent easel. Kitchen dinettes take shifts between breakfast and paint-covered working hours. Hallways become storage units as paintings lean on walls, getting passed by on the daily as it's the main thoroughfare to the bedroom. And everywhere, absolutely everywhere, is art.
The dream of course is reaching some sort of genuine space where creation and income and freedom come together without compromising on any of them.
Although I hear similar stories, the journey seems to be slightly different for everyone. And as the art world shifts with changing desire, demand/supply and sourcing; artists options to make decisions about their future are growing.
Alyssa has already taken the path to sell her work online. And from this choice, it has afforded her the opportunity to join into a collective of other artists and spend more time on her art.
After walking up a serious flight of steps to the Seventh Avenue Collective, we caught up with Alyssa to talk art, her process and how she navigates the art world.
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Q.) What does having a physical location to make art mean to you and how do you intend to use it?
A.) "Having a dedicated space to paint is so new to me, I think I’m still learning what it will mean for my practice. Sleeping and painting in the same room over the last two years has given me an idea of what it’s like to be constantly thinking about my work, and while that has been good in some ways, I think the new space will help me bring fresh eyes and more focus to my work every time I go to the studio."
Q.) For this series, what outside influences, besides visual artwork, were in your orbit?
A.) "I recently have come to know a lot of other artists in the area; conversations with them have made me much more confident in my work and in my own growth. I think these meetings really pushed me to explore what could happen if I did more of what I loved in the moment and not more of what I’ve done in the past."
Q.) What’s your process, from start to finish?
A.) "This question is always a tough one because each painting sort of just comes to me while I’m in front of a canvas. I think the most important part of my process lately has been reading other artists’ blogs, seeing what inspires them, and letting those thoughts stay with me in own day-to-day routine. Showing up caffeinated, with a clear head, an empty canvas and seeing what happens is how the actual paintings are finished."
Q.) What lesson, if any, have you learned from this series?
A.) "I have learned a lot from this series. I think I was hiding behind many layers in my work as well as my life in previous moments. I think this series taught me the value of breathing as I go; in the paintings this resulted in letting things completely dry before I continued. This also gave me more space to think through the end result and if I really needed to add to something I already loved - as it turns out, I don’t need all those layers all the time."
Q.) You recently went to being a full-time artist, how do you spend your days now vs. then?
A.) "I have been a full-time artist for two years now; before that, I was teaching and tutoring art part time in Denver, Colorado. I loved spending my mornings watching how children interact with art - they’re fearless and messy. I think this experience was integral in teaching me how to relax in art-making. At this point, I was staying up until 2 o’clock in the morning filling sketchbooks with any and all ideas I had from my days with the kids and in the city. Now, I get to dedicate whole days to painting and gathering inspiration.
My routine as a full-time artist includes far more marketing and emails than I ever imagined, I think that’s the biggest change - not only am I creating but I’m also presenting the work."