Where We Work: Art Studios in New York City and Upstate New York

Dozens of artists find and share art studio spaces every week on Listings Project. These artists are the lifeblood of our communities, keeping us connected to and engaged with the things that matter most. In our Where We Work series, we showcase some of these art studios.

A Home Art Studio in New York City

Photo by Cathy O’Keefe

Cathy O’Keefe is an abstract expressionist painter working out of her home art studio in New York City. You can also find her on Instagram.

“My art studio occupies most of my one-bedroom apartment. I organized the space into three main areas so that I could work in a variety of media in a peaceful environment. The painting area is the largest and includes two large tables for working with oils and acrylics, two easels. I also have a large credenza that holds all my paper, canvases, art supplies, and tools. The office is in a cozy corner and consists of my computer, a high-quality printer, small tables, and one bookcase for art books. Most of my storage is against one wall in my bedroom and includes flat files, paintings, and sculptures. This arrangement allows me to work on both acrylic and oil paintings at the same time. I can also use the acrylic table for creating large mixed media pieces. I reserved one wall for painting large canvases.” - Cathy O’Keefe

A Temporary Art Studio for a Nomadic Digital Artist

Photo by elena botts

elena botts is a nomadic artist currently working out of her bedroom art studio in Upstate New York. 

“Given that my work is so digital at the moment, I generally can work anywhere, meaning that my studio is the world, as silly as that sounds. I work all over, from city to city, all over the world. Just me and my laptop. The more minimal the possessions I have with me the better. My work is very place-based, influenced by video/field recordings of each place, and the people I meet. I often use field recordings and video samples from locations, and, when possible, I seek to learn from local artists.” - elena botts

A Living Room Art Studio in New York City

Photo by Olga Alexander

Olga Alexander is a painter and designer working out of her home art studio in New York City. You can also find her on Instagram.

“With the unaffordability of a separate working studio, I decided to turn my living room into an art studio. My space is not very big.  Generally, I work on a very large scale and my work involves lots of different materials, as I am a mixed media painter, sculptor, and jewelry designer. Because of the constraints of my space, I decided to work small and even miniaturized my sculptures or installations into art jewelry. To accommodate this smaller scale practice and my larger work, I have segmented my living art space into zones with a desk for my jewelry practice and the floor and wall for my larger artworks!” - Olga Alexander

Feature Photo by Cathy O’Keefe