Home with the Creators: A Journey Through Artists' Homes

Today we'll get a glimpse into the homes and studios of renowned artists and creative professionals. Learn more about their inspiration and creative process, and how they and their living spaces mutually influence each other.

At home with the creators of the art world

In this article, we embark on an exciting and insightful journey into the private living environments of some well-known artists and how these spaces influence creative process

Some exemplary artists we will be looking at are Cevin Parker, Tomaz Veber, Sylwia Synak, Paul Schrader, Nicola Metzger and Danh Vo.

Each of them has found their own unique style and expression in the art world. Germany boasts some remarkable artistic havens that we will explore, including the studios of Cevin Parker and Tomaz Veber .

There they find the necessary peace and inspiration to work on their art and realize their artistic vision. Other inspiring artists' residences can be found at the homes of Sylwia Synak in Munich, Paul Schrader in Hamburg, and designer Nicola Metzger in Berlin.

The vibrant art scene and multicultural atmosphere of these cities offer artists a wealth of influences and ideas that can be incorporated into their creative works.

Even in a rural setting conceptual artist Danh Vo has found his artistic niche. Surrounded by the beauty of nature and far removed from the hectic pace of city life, the Vietnamese artist has settled on an idyllic estate to create his art in harmony with the natural surroundings.

These artistic refuges offer artists not only a place to work, but also a space for self-reflection and personal growth . The studios of Parker, Veber, Synak, Schrader, Metzger, and Vo are places of inner contemplation and creative experimentation.

Here they can develop their ideas and hone their artistic skills. In the next section of our article, we will delve deeper into the significance of these creative havens for artists and examine how they utilize these spaces to create new works.

The importance of the creative refuge for artists

The importance of a creative retreat for an artist cannot be overstated. It is a place where they can retreat and fully concentrate on their art. Here they can freely develop, experiment, and try out new techniques. It is a space where they can fully express their passion and talent.

The environment in which an artist works also has a significant influence on their art. A country's culture and landscape can be a source of inspiration and open up new perspectives. For example, some artists from Germany move to other countries to find new inspiration.

They immerse themselves in foreign cultures and allow themselves to be influenced by the atmosphere and flair of a place. The experiences and impressions they gather on their travels then flow into their artwork.

An artist's creative refuge is therefore not a place of isolation, but a place of freedom and artistic expression . It allows the artist to detach themselves from external distractions and concentrate fully on their art. It is a space that inspires the artist and encourages them to expand their creative boundaries.

And although each refuge is unique, they all have one thing in common: they are the places of retreat where artists bring their art to life and express their passion in impressive works.

Join me on this exciting journey through the living and creative world of talented artists and let yourself be inspired!

Studio visits and room tours with 6 well-known artists

Cevin Parker – Between Minimalism and Creative Chaos

Let's begin our journey in the federal capital. More precisely, within the four walls of Berlin painter Cevin Parker .

Cevin Parker, a gifted artist from Berlin , is opening not only the doors of his studio today, but also those of his apartment, where he lives with his loyal companion Franky, a dog. As an artist, Cevin's lifestyle is characterized by creative freedom, and the city of Berlin is a true source of inspiration for him.

Art is a constant in his life, and difficult experiences have made it even more important. Although he has no formal art training , he dared to be an artist and has become successful at it.

Our journey begins in the artist's studio . Here, Cevin Parker is allowed chaotic , spill paint, and leave everything lying around. His 48-square-meter apartment, however, presents a stark contrast, in a minimalist and tidy style. A contrast that piques our curiosity.

The Berlin artist's apartment is cleverly laid out: The main room consists of a spacious kitchen and a living room. But the kitchen is hardly ever used – Cevin Parker prefers to eat out with friends. His living room functions as a small art gallery where he exhibits and admires his paintings.

In his bedroom, Cevin Parker has made extensive use of lowboards to optimize the space. But the most important thing for him is a comfortable bed – a place of peace and relaxation. For the artist, his home above all one thing: an oasis of calm far removed from stress and hustle and bustle.

Here he can simply be himself. His apartment reflects his character – a combination of minimalist design and carefully selected objects, arranged according to feeling rather than plan.

Like art, furniture something special to Cevin Parker. Something to own and cherish for a long time. Creativity and art are constant threads throughout his life and also influence his interior design.

Room tour at Tomaz Veber in Stuttgart

At the beginning of the year, the house building heroes their viewers on a very special tour through the premises of the talented artist Tomaz Veber in Stuttgart .

In his charming old apartment , which he shares with his roommate Jonas in a space of just under 100 square meters and 2.5 rooms, Tomaz lives, works, and creates. Let's discover together how Tomaz combines his living space and artistic work, where he finds his inspiration, and how he has furnished his apartment.

The apartment itself is located in a multi-family building dating from 1950 and comprises four floors plus an attic. For Tomaz, it was essential from the outset that the apartment be completely renovated to meet his requirements for an older building with high ceilings and parquet floors.

And indeed: The apartment proved to be a lucky find, because such a perfect combination of old building charm and modern comfort is not easy to find in Stuttgart.

Together with Tomaz as artistic host, the housebuilding heroes show you his unique apartment in an exclusive room tour (see the following video).

As an artist, he has a particular vision for the design of his home and began dreaming as soon as he saw the floor plan. His artworks, which are impressive, colorful, and expressive, adorn the walls and therefore require a restrained color scheme and furnishings.

Tomaz incorporates his creativity into the interior design and practices upcycling . With great attention to detail, he polishes old furniture and gives it a new charm. The dining chairs and the dining table are his own creations. He also believes that stucco elements are an essential part of an old building and retrofitted them to the ceiling lights using polystyrene pieces and a heat gun.

Lighting , and doorstops himself, always focusing on the concept of upcycling.

Tomaz deliberately chose not to have a separate studio . His goal is to be able to be spontaneously creative at any time, without having to make the arduous journey to a studio. Therefore, he simply paints in his bedroom, right next to his bed. If he can't sleep at night, he uses the time to let his creativity flow freely.

He doesn't pay much attention to paint splatters on floors, walls, or curtains – for him, these are all everyday objects that can tolerate a bit of paint now and then. Only during longer, planned sessions does he lay down a protective sheet to safeguard his apartment.

Besides painting, Tomaz also uses his apartment as a gallery . He enjoys inviting interested parties to experience his artwork in a real-life setting. It's important to him that his paintings can have their full impact. By combining his apartment and studio, he has created an additional advantage.

At painter Sylwia Synak's home – now it's getting colorful!

Join the Westwing as they visit intuitive painter Sylwia Synak. In the following video, she will not only give us a tour of her colorful apartment but also show us her studio.

Sylwia is a professional artist specializing in intuitive painting . This means she doesn't plan any concepts or images in advance, but simply projects her feelings onto the canvas Gerhard Richter's her to employ a unique method.

Furthermore, she mixes her own acrylic pigments to precisely control the consistency of her paints. Essential elements in her abstract artworks are gold pigments and flakes, as well as natural materials like sand . She mixes these fresh in her bright studio to create her own unique colors.

Sylwia places great importance on creating spaces in her home where she can retreat and relax. She combines her love of order with her chaotic side, integrating both contrasting elements into her living space.

For the abstract painter, it's important to create bright and airy spaces. White furniture and colorful decorations allow her abstract artworks to become a constantly evolving source of interior inspiration . Sylwia is an intuitive person not only in her art but also in her interior design.

She hangs vibrant paintings to reflect her mood and loves constantly redecorating her rooms. With her modern artwork, she hopes to bring joy to others and inspire them to pause and recharge.

Paul Schrader – The unusual artist and his refuge in the far north

In the far north of Germany, Paul Schrader the most sought-after painter of the moment. The AD was allowed to visit him at his home for the #thirtysomething – a true backyard oasis, a rarity in big cities these days.

In a quiet street near Hamburg-Altona and the Schanze district, Paul Schrader lives in the second-to-last house and stands in his conservatory in front of one of his sold works. Almost all of the 40-year-old painter's artworks have long since been sold, underscoring his popularity and success.

Schrader is currently the talk of the town: a lawyer who gave up his profession to become an artist – and was unexpectedly successful. Even he himself was surprised at how naive and unenthusiastic he was at the beginning of his artistic career. In his three-story house, Schrader held his first exhibition and attracted 100 guests. One guest even bought a painting for 1,000 euros that night. His works are now being sold for five-figure sums.

Schrader himself says he never thought his art would be worth so much. For him, it was always just an expression of his own emotions and thoughts on canvas or paper. But over time, he realized that many people felt drawn to his work and were willing to spend a lot of money on it.

But Schrader remains modest and down-to-earth. He continues to work hard on new projects and doesn't let his success distract him. For him, his art remains a way to express his innermost feelings – regardless of whether they sell or not.

And yet, Schrader's success is also inspiring: it shows us all that it's possible to realize our dreams – if we only have the courage to do what we truly want. Because ultimately, life is about being happy – regardless of whether you work as a lawyer or an artist.

In an interview with AD, the painter revealed that the house was once a factory building in a backyard . Although he claims it was once used for canned fish, he isn't entirely certain. The building was originally 50 meters long, but in the 1980s it was subdivided and sold as five townhouses. The conservatories were added during the renovation, while the garden was previously a paved industrial yard.

The house was purchased by the painter's mother in the 1980s, while he has been renting it since 2012. He had originally planned to move in with his former girlfriend, but they broke up and he suddenly had a lot of space. Therefore, the middle floor was converted into his painting studio .

Paul Schrader has taken an unusual path into the art world. At the end of 2018, he gave up his job as a lawyer and took the plunge without any formal training at an art academy. Even as a teenager, he experimented with graffiti and presented his art on public walls. Later, he even did commissioned work, such as spray-painting an entire house wall with his crew in Dresden.

In his artist's apartment, the Hamburg painter spends most of his time in or on the bed, where he can gaze at the sky. When it rains, he prefers the conservatory. Or he relaxes on the comfortable " Nebula Nine" sofa by Moroso , which he bought shortly after losing his job. He borrowed the money from his mother and paid it off over a year. The "Eames Lounge Chair" has only been in his possession for a year or two, but it had always been a dream of his. In his narrow apartment, it fits perfectly with the rest of the interior.

ONE Hamburg visited the artist Paul Schrader at his home studio and had the chance to look behind the scenes:

Nicola Metzger's designer studio – living and working under one roof

Nicola presents her designer studio in the heart of Berlin. Here, she consciously combines her professional life as a sustainable fashion designer with her private living space. To make the most of her designer loft, where she not only designs new collections but also lives, she has employed some clever interior design tricks . The result: living and working under one roof!

Nicolas' designer studio reflects her joy and positivity. As a designer of sustainable fashion, she loves to surround herself with vibrant colors and unusual patterns to make her home a special place. To make the most of the limited space in her 55-square-meter apartment, she has created different zones and provided ample storage with tall shelves and clothes racks.

In her Berlin studio, Nicolas's workspace is located directly opposite the kitchen. Here she develops new designs and draws inspiration from everything life has to offer. To be flexible, she has equipped her worktable with casters, allowing her to easily move it and be creative. She keeps fabrics and patterns for her scarves right behind her desk, while her playful designs are sold under her label "Nicola Metzger" .

How does one manage to combine living and working under one roof? After finishing work, Nicola always puts away her work materials and switches off the light in her studio area. Then she can relax and enjoy her evening.

Close to nature and sustainable – conceptual artist Danh Vo lives on an estate near Berlin

Danish-Vietnamese conceptual artist Danh Vo now lives and works with up to 20 people in a 5,000-square-meter space. The Güldenhof , located north of Berlin in Stechlin, was revitalized through close collaboration between the artist and the architectural firm Heim Balp .

Architect Michael Heim describes the place as sustainable and inviting for residents to engage in collaborative creative activities and to be inspired.

Behind the old 18th-century stone walls await studios, exhibition spaces, workshops, apartments, and multifunctional areas, all accessible to the public. The three-story building at the center of the complex has been completely renovated, except for its exterior walls, and boasts a striking black facade.

Architect Pietro Balp explains that the visible interventions were deliberately intended to contrast with the prevailing aesthetic.

Danh Vo's vision of giving equal space to art, nature, and history is reflected on the estate. The architecture of the complex, both inside and out, is arranged like a collage of spaces designed by the artist. It offers an ideal setting for the production and presentation of art.

The living and working spaces of the estate are characterized by Vos' artistic approach. Artful objects, carpets, plants, and sculptures fill the rooms and tell their own stories. Even the wide wooden staircase leading to the upper part of the studio becomes an exhibition space for objects, books, and plants.

Nature plays a central role at Güldenhof . Living and artistic creation are closely linked to nature, which was also important to the architects. Michael Heim is particularly fond of the old barn, which was gutted and transformed into a large greenhouse with a new wooden structure and translucent panels.

Besides its extensive green spaces, the area also serves as a meeting place, and events are regularly held there in the summer. The public can enjoy music, performances, and culinary experiences, far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city.

There's all this nonsense that art bridges!

Meet the Danish-Vietnamese artist Danh Vo in his studio located between a chicken farm and a composting station outside Berlin.

Danh Vo's art features cut-up religious sculptures, old American flags, and his grandmother's washing machine. By using objects from his childhood in a strict Catholic household and presenting them in a white-cube gallery , he aims to unsettle people. He wants to make them question their knowledge.

Everyone is born under systems

Vo says and continues:

Someone has created what you should do and think. And that makes me very skeptical.”

Vos's works often feature a juxtaposition of objects.

Contradictions are very real in everyone's life

Danh Vo argues that we are taught that life should be harmonious, which is rarely the case. He attempts to project this idea in contrasting pieces, for example in the work Your Mother Sucks Cocks in Hell (2015) , in which an old religious wooden sculpture was fused with a marble sculpture.

Even when Danh Vo uses personal items, the goal is not to reveal an intimacy with the viewer.

I was interested in the distance between different social groups,”

he says.

I wanted to explore the alienation that comes with entering a white cube where information is amputated. The fact that you simply can't understand it.

For Vo, art should not be a bridge, it should be alienating.

Vo has presented solo exhibitions at several major art institutions, including the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, and the Museo Jumex in Mexico City. In 2015, Vo represented Denmark in the Danish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. Vo is the recipient of prestigious awards, including the Hugo Boss Prize (2012).

Danh Vo was interviewed in the following video in June 2020 by Roxanne Bagheshirin Lærkesen for the Louisiana Channel at his studio Guldenhof in Germany: