A Studio Visit and Interview with Artist Lynne McDonald

This studio visit invites readers into the working world of artist Lynne McDonald, where paint, chance, and curiosity intersect in her home studio. Lynne shares how she builds her practice from the ground up, starting with the way she mixes her own paints and tests how different tools, textures, and materials react. She talks about the pull she feels toward water, the quiet stories she finds in ripples and tides, and the way she searches for motion and tension on the canvas.

Her studio is situated in the heart of her house, which means her son and cat often wander nearby while she works. The air carries the simple scent of the kitchen, giving the space a lived-in ease rather than the hush of a separate workspace. Through the interview, Lynne opens up about her process, the shifts in mood that guide her choices, the accident that turned into one of her favourite memories, and the small habits that help her stay ready for the moment when inspiration starts to stir. She also discusses her entry into art therapy and how it has altered her perspective on her own work.

This conversation offers a close look at how Lynne builds her studio life, how she finds order inside a bit of chaos, and what keeps her returning to the table with new colours and new questions.

I was told by a mentor and teacher that there are two types of artists: those who are natural and those who are learned. It has taken me a lifetime to know that I am a natural artist. The kind that picks up things and thinks, “I wonder what this will do.” I mix my own paints and add various additives or mediums to achieve different viscosities, then pour them onto the canvas. I use a blowtorch, forks, straws, paintbrushes, and fingers… whatever is handy. I’m intrigued by what materials do when they organically repel instead of blend. I’m fascinated by the organic beauty in nature. Most often, my inspiration comes from water.

A simple ripple in still water or waves crashing violently holds the most beautiful secrets created by gravity or the pull of the moon. It has a spiritual element that tugs at my soul. I am protective of our finite fresh, clean water. I am grateful for the time I’ve spent in beautiful, inspiring places like the California coast, Montreal, Italy, Greece, Switzerland and the stunning GA waterfalls. You can also find me gazing at astronomy images of distant galaxies and solar systems. Music also inspires me to be creative. It can put me in a mood that I associate with colours. Deep, vibrant colours full of passion and molten emotion. I like my pieces to look organic. I also like my artwork to have complexities that take you years to see, yet a moment to feel. I find it interesting what others see in my pieces. I often learn as much about them as they do about

1.  Can you describe your typical day in the studio and your creative process?

I try to have my studio ready for when I feel inspiration so that when I feel like painting I’m not hindered by anything. I turn on all the lights and cameras so that I don’t have to worry about keeping notes. I like to go in with a rough idea of what I’m going to do l, set some colors out and begin.

2. What is the primary inspiration behind your current body of work?  

I’m working on getting more comfortable with a little bit of chaos. I want more texture, more intricacy, more cells and movement, but I want to find the beauty in that commotion and help it evolve to a symphony—commotion to composition.

3.  What is your favorite memory or incident from your studio?

A mentor of mine told me not to wait until I feel like painting, but instead to paint when I feel tired, angry, or sad, and see what comes from those emotions. I was going through a particularly tough time, and I did not hold back. The painting was overworking and frustrating. I finally took a trowel and scraped the paint off. It left some stain still on the cannabis, and I painted it over it. It actually ended up being one of my favourite paintings because it left an image in the background that looked like a faded memory. I loved it.

4. Do you have any studio assistants, or do any visitors, like pets or kids, often accompany you?

My studio is in the heart of my home, so my son and my cat are often nearby. I do my best to keep cat hair out of the paint.

5.   How would you describe a dream studio for yourself?

Huge with a lot of natural light. And most importantly, somebody else to clean it up.

6. What does your studio smell of right now?

It smells like my kitchen since it’s right there.

7.  If you get a chance to set up your studio anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Someplace with a fantastic view next to an art supply store.

8.  Can you discuss any ongoing projects or plans you have for your work?  

I’m becoming more involved in art therapy, which is making me view my artwork differently and produce things with a new perspective.

9. How do you organise your space?

I tried to keep my paint bottles upside down so I can grab colours easily. I keep a bucket of straws and forks nearby.

10. What is your favourite corner in the studio?

I don’t know if I have a favourite corner. I love it all.

Lynne’s studio feels lived-in, warm, and close to daily life. It sits right in the centre of her home, so it carries the gentle spillover of family sounds, the soft shuffle of her cat, and the familiar scent of whatever was last cooked in the kitchen. Nothing about it feels stiff or staged. The space feels ready for play, with jars of paint waiting upside down, a bucket of forks and straws nearby, and light filling the room so she can jump in the moment something sparks.

It offers the comfort of a place where ideas flow freely, mistakes are welcome, and the line between home and creativity blurs in an easy, grounding way.

Visit our website to explore the virtual studio spaces of other artists. To be featured on our website, remember to apply for this month’s call for art.

Read more about Lynne on her Website and Instagram.

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