I never thought I would want to have people watch me paint. Or interrupt my creative process. But I've found something special in having an open studio.
The vision for Robert Lange Studios was to always having working artists a part of the everyday experience for visitors. The Langes' hope was to demystyify the process of creating art and allow the artist and potential collector an opportunity to connect in a meaningful way.
For the last 8 years since I left art school, I sought solitude in my workspace. I thought that it was important for me to have a space for focus and contemplation without distraction. My studio was a refuge for me and while I had studio mates, our schedules didn't overlap very much. So, when I decided to participate in the gallery's Artist in Residence program and have my studio in the gallery with visitors walking past, I wasn't sure if it was going to be right for me.
It turned out to be something I've really liked. After a year of COVID and being a solitary single in San Francisco, I couldn't have been happier to have people stop by to say hello. I've found such immense joy in talking with the gallery-goers. Over half of the people that walk through the gallery doors are visitors and it's a treat to find out about their travels and their own experiences in Charleston.
I'm still not an exhibition painter and tend to stop painting when someone pops into my studio. But I welcome them, happily answer any questions that they have, share my process, talk about my journey, and find out about their lives, their loved ones, and share our gratefulness for a retreat to Charleston.