11 may 2022, Oscar van Gelderen
The studio of... Amber Andrews
What does the ideal artist’s studio look like? How much time does an artist spend there? Is it a sacred place? This week in 'The Artist’s studio' series: Amber Andrews (27). Her solo exhibition 'You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours' opens this week at Galerie Sofie Van de Velde in Antwerp.
Do you visit your studio every day?
I try to go to my studio consistently from Monday to Friday, but then I really do take the weekend off.
What time do you leave for your studio, and how: on foot, by bicycle, public transport or car?
I try to be in my studio between 10am and 11am. If the weather is nice I prefer to go on foot, because I can still take advantage of the good weather. Towards the end of the week this can take a while, because then I like to browse the thrift store with my friend Tom Poelmans. There is nothing better than starting your day in the studio with a good catch.
Do you hold on to certain rituals in your studio? Music or silence?
I don't really have daily rituals, but I do get a lot out of a visit to the thrift store and then display my loot while a pot of filter coffee is being brewed. This usually while listening to podcasts, preferably about true crime.
How important is light to you?
Unfortunately, I don't have direct daylight in my studio, yet light is very important for my mood. That's why I think that sometimes it is necessary to step out of my studio and just recharge in the daylight.
What does your work process look like? Do you work everywhere and all the time or does?
Usually, I start painting right away. I really see drawing as a practice in itself, and there are certainly days when I can just draw for a whole day. You are busy with your work every day, which starts when you get up and ends when you go to sleep. Especially when you live with another painter, art is, as it were, our ally..
How much time do you spend on average per day in your studio?
Once I'm in my studio and don't go outside, I hardly take a break.
Is your studio a sacred place?
It's an important place because it's a place where you can gather all your thoughts and everything falls into place. All that matters is the work that is made in that place.
Do you receive visits there; collectors, curators or fellow artists?
Rarely do I have people over. The only person who regularly comes by is my nanny (my father's mother) and that is more than enough.
What is the most beautiful studio you have ever seen?
There are studios that are 'beautiful', that make you think: wow, I want that too. Such as the studio of Constantin Brâncuși, Aristide Maillol, Philippe Vandenberg, Gerhard Richter. Yet, for me it also has to do with the aura of the artist that lingers in the space. A studio is to some extent the image of the artist, a place that breathes art and continues to develop through the artist in it.
What does the ideal studio look like?
It certainly has daylight, and it is surrounded by water and/or greenery. I would like a large white space with high white walls in which I can only paint. It also contains enough nooks and crannies where I can sit comfortably and draw.
