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Home is Where the Art Is in Crystal Moody's Studio
Working from home certainly has its perks, but it can also present some challenges, especially when you share your workspace with the entire family.
By Beth Campbell
Mar 2018
Photos by Brandon AlmsCrystal Moody repurposed a spacious library table to pull double duty, serving as her desk by day and a place for homework and family games after hours. Natural light floods the room through original, wavy-glass windows.
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Photos by Brandon AlmsSmall format art is hot. It’s easy to display and ideal when wall space and budgets prevent you from buying larger works. Shown here, three portraits of Jean-Michel Basquiat and one of Andy Warhol.
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Photos by Brandon AlmsMoody prefers to work in Acryla Gouache, which dries to a matte finish. She is a very disciplined artist and begins each day reading about her subject for inspiration and motivation.
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Photos by Brandon AlmsMoody displays palettes from previous works in order to search for patterns in her color preferences. The freak flag was created by an artist friend, prompted by a suggestion from Moody.
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Photos by Brandon AlmsEva “Granny” Henderson (small portrait) is an Ozarks legend for her refusal to leave her land when the National Park Service designated the Buffalo National River a protected area in 1976. The larger piece was inspired by the work of Lois Mailou Jones, an influential African-American artist and teacher. Moody created a textile design and “upholstered” several pieces of furniture that would have been popular at the time.
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Photos by Brandon AlmsMoody’s body of work is largely centered on portraits, and she researches her subjects extensively. This portrait of Frida Kahlo was inspired by The Two Fridas, 1939.
Photos by Brandon AlmsIn addition to portraits, Moody also creates activity books and stickers. Her work is available for sale on her website and to her subscribers on Patreon. (Similar to Kickstarter, Patreon is a membership platform for creators to build relationships with subscribers, or patrons.)
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Photos by Brandon AlmsThis portrait of fashion designer Sonia Rykiel has special meaning for Moody, “I don’t know how to explain it, but there was just something about this work that made me think, this is the right track.”
Photos by Brandon AlmsFrom the Dead Artists Society series, this piece references Andy Warhol’s album cover design for The Velvet Underground.
Working from home certainly has its perks, but it can also present some challenges, especially when you share your workspace with the entire family. Crystal Moody has carved out a corner of the living room in her charming Rountree home to serve as a studio by day and homework and game space in the evenings. “Some people need to be secluded, but with two kids and two dogs, I work best in the mix of things,” Moody says. “I love this workspace! I’ve had a lot of creative spaces through the years, and over time, you figure out what you want, and more importantly, what you need from a space.”
“It’s important to me that my workspace is in the heart of the house.”— Crystal Moody
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Visit Crystal Moody's website to shop her art, view upcomming events and join her book club!
