Corcoran Studio Arts

More from Evie…. What does your studio mean to you?   For me, I feel like it’s very different for other people. I don’t really work at my studio that much. I’m working in my studio right now because I needed somewhere to put this crib, but since I’m mainly a ceramicist: I’m usually in the ceramic studio or, working with acrylics at my own apartment. I feel like my studio is kind of like the stomping ground of where I put my finished work. A lot of people come here, and say it looks like a display of work that (I’ve) done. And it is. It’s just kind of somewhere I store my work, but it’s also a reminder of everything that I’ve done and completed. It’s what I look at everyday and draw inspiration from to keep making art based on what’s around me. I wish it was more of a place for me. It’s not, but maybe one day it will be.   What does it mean to you to be making art?   When I’m making art, it doesn’t matter the location. I’m very disconnected to it in the process (for me to be able to do it). So while I’m making my art, I’m only focusing on the function, the technical aspects; not even the motifs. I think about the motifs and what it means, right before I start, and then when I finish it. Actually making it is just so it gets done and so that I have something that speaks for what I want to speak for, but the actual process itself is just doing it. I know it’s weird. I have a lot of people who ask me that. That’s like a big thing and they’re like, “Are you okay? Like, when you’re making this?” A lot of people are very in it when they’re making their art. They’re really thinking about what it is, but for me: I’m very disconnected from what it actually means until it’s done. And then once it’s done, I’m like, oh, damn, I did it, and I’m happy that I did. I’m hopeful that people understand what I made, but in the process, I just really want it to turn out good. I’m not even making myself emotionally attached to it because if I get too emotionally attached to it, I’m not going to be able to do it. continued in the comments

they say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure… but why should the dumpster diver get to have all the fun? 🤨 learn how to upcycle your own trash into accessories with studio arts’ very own @electramakes tomorrow! hosted at the pavilion pop-up in friendship heights… can’t wait to see what you make

Evie Williams is a first year Studio Arts MFA student. Is this for a class? - It’s for my Radical Self-Care class with Carmen Montoya. What is the prompt? - It asks about rest. Any form of rest. “Where do you need rest? Where do you like to rest? What do you think is a form of rest? What would you like to put to rest?” What are your materials? - Clay, a crib, flowers… How are you answering it and why? - For me, when I think of where I want rest or what I want to put to rest, I have these PTSD dreams from my childhood sexual abuse trauma. When I have those dreams, I really feel like it’s my child self not being able to go to sleep. It’s like I can’t fully let her go to sleep because I’m having her relive this trauma over again whilst my adult self is asleep. So what I wanted to do, and am in the process of doing, is I am sculpting my child self’s brain in a swaddle and surrounding it with these dead flowers and other childhood motifs, like a rattle and stuffed animals, to represent those memories being put to rest in a crib. Then on the front of the crib, it says, “THE ABUSE DONE REST HERE. “ So it’s almost like a memorial or a ritual setting of putting those memories to rest so my child self can rest peacefully. It seems like I’m killing my childhood, but it’s not even that. I just want her to be able to sleep peacefully because she deserves that. She doesn’t deserve to be reliving these horrible experiences that she had. continued in the comments…..

Looking for something to do this Friday night? Consider visiting one of Studio Arts’ very own, Lorenzo Piero Holder III’s collaborative project with his uncle, Dr. Vicenzio Holder Perkins, entitled “One Stroke at a Time“ on tonight’s Dupont Circle Art Walk. On display through June 20 at the Washington Project for the Arts (@wpadc ), Holder and Dr. Perkins’ collaboration chronicles a process that started in 2018 after Dr. Perkins experienced a stroke. Engaging in art therapy during his recovery, Dr. Perkins began sketching while Holder responded “through color, mark-making, and composition.” Their continued collaboration “explores what it means to move and make in sync across generations shaped by trauma, resilience, and queerness.” The regular gallery hours are: Wednesday-Friday | 12p-6p Saturday | 1p-5p But today hours are extended until 8pm in conjunction with this Friday’s Art Walk (and all corresponding first Fridays of the month, during the exhibition)!

An update on Gabi…. What does it mean to you to be making art? -I feel like, specifically here: it’s very much a community, but it’s also a way for me to empty my brain. It’s a way for me to fully just disconnect from what I’m doing and take a break, a moment to breathe, and do something that I know that I love. It’s something that brings me confidence. Tell me a bit more about how it clears your brain - I just get into a state of not thinking about anything else.  A complete focus on what is in front of me and what I’m making.   Has anything changed since the initial ideas? - As far as the outside part, surrounding the moon, I went into it really not knowing what I was gonna do, or how it was going to manifest. Figuring out how to keep a celestial vibe, while also emphasizing the figure was tricky. I’m currently working on this section and I’m still changing it. It’s honestly just a process of experimentation and if I don’t like it, I’ll just wipe it off and start again. 
How are you feeling about it right now? - I’m pretty satisfied with the centre part: the moon portion. It’s the outer part that’s still a little iffy. I think there’s a lot of light at the top, where the yellow hat is. It’s a solid block of colour, but then on the bottom: it’s kind of wispy and not as full. So I can’t really tell if it’s balanced enough. I think it might look a little awkward, so I’m trying to brighten it at the bottom to even it out. continued in the comments….

Bella Maria Varela‘s work integrates photography, video, performance, and fleece blankets to weave together personal experiences with American history and popular culture. Through her multimedia practice, Bella has developed a hybrid visual language to represent her family’s journey from Guatemala, across the U.S.–Mexico border, to Washington, D.C. Come hear more about her work and journey tonight at 6:30, in Hammer Auditorium, for the final Research + Practice lecture of the semester. You don’t want to miss it!

Please join us tomorrow for an artist lecture and conversation with Corcoran’s own, Bella Maria Varela, tomorrow Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 6:30-8:00pm at the Beaux Arts Flagg Building! This event will take place in the Hammer Auditorium. This will mark the last Research + Practice lecture of the semester! Plus, there may be some fun surprises for those that discovered something special in their popcorn earlier in the semester 🤭 see you soon!

Gabi is a sophomore BA student, double majoring in studio art and art history, and minoring in marketing. Is this piece for a class? - “No, but since I’m not in a studio class this semester, I felt like I needed to do something creative.” Tell me about your piece - “This is my favourite artist currently, musical artist, Marlon Funaki. I wanted to relate [this painting] to him somehow. His new album is called Half Moon, and so I ended up adding a moon overlay onto a photo of him, sort of this idea of the man in the moon. Also, the circle [composition] was carried on from the last painting that I did, which I liked, so I wanted to continue with it and do a series.” What media are you working with? - “It’s oil on wood” Speaking of gesso preparation of the wood - “I did one layer this time. For the last [painting], I did two or three [coats], so it was very, very opaque. But with this, I wanted for the wood grain to still be visible. Especially because the background is just one plain colour and there's not really a lot going on, it gives [the painting] a sort of texture.” What is your process prior to painting? - “So, usually I use Canva. I use the remove background feature to create the layers. And then I sort of play around with different layer variations. I took this [reference] picture at his concert that I went to last September. I cropped it, made sure it looked okay within the composition. And then, I took the moon, and I overlaid it. I arranged the images, sort of aligning his profile with the edge of the moon and seeing what would look best composition-wise. But, I use Canva and then Google Slides to arrange the images. What do you find beautiful or artful? - “I think portraits in general are beautiful, but specifically those of other people. I think painting portraits of other people is really fulfilling to me, because you're observing and understanding their essence in a way, and then sort of translating that into a visual form.” What advice do you have? - “As far as process, start messy and then build onto that. It doesn't have to be perfect straight out of the gate. I mean, that's what I usually do, just a rough, general outline.......

Save the date: March 4, 2026. @more_underlines and @nidhi.singh.rathore are hosting a collage party for Studio Arts and Design students. Come to tear up some papers, and leave with artworks ✨💖

Mutschelknaus’ most notable project, Space Type Generator, is an open source tool that has become widely adopted by the global creative community for creating kinetic type experiments. With 20 variations currently available and more in development, STG has been used for diverse applications ranging from music videos and magazine covers to large-scale murals around the world. The project has garnered significant attention in the design press, earning features in prestigious publications including It’s Nice That, Eye Magazine, étapes, and Novum Magazine. Variations of Space Type Generator have been exhibited internationally in cities from Hong Kong to New York City to Taipei to Seoul, and Kiel has shared his expertise through presentations and workshops at renowned conferences including OFFF Barcelona, OFFF Tel Aviv, Us By Night, Tipografìa México, and INTL. He joins us tonight in the Hemicycle @ 6:30p! See you there.

The Research + Practice event happening this week will feature designer, Kiel Danger Mutschelknaus. Please join us for an artist lecture and conversation with him ✨ tonight✨: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 from 6:30-8:00pm at the historic Beaux Arts Flagg Building! NOTE: This event will take place in the Hemicycle. Reception to follow.

Kiel D. Mutschelknaus is a motion and generative designer, based in Maryland, whose studio specializes in crafting generative tools to create bespoke typography, image, and motion outputs. His approach combines computational design with creative experimentation, exploring the possibilities between kinetic typography and visual design. He works fluidly between code and creativity, developing tools that empower designers and artists to create unique, algorithmically-driven visual experiences. He joins us tonight, for the Spring ‘26 Research + Practice series! This event will take place in the Hemicycle.