A View From the Easel

Aaron Wilder, Roswell, New Mexico

How long have you been working in this space?

Three years.

Describe an average day in your studio.

My most productive timeframes are afternoons and late evenings. I have an obsessive-compulsive tendency to make lists. Sometimes these are specific to a project, and other times these are big-picture lists of ongoing projects mixed with new ideas and items on the backburner I’m thinking of revisiting. I typically only work on a couple of projects simultaneously. Another “project” is what I call “administrativia,” including social media, website, exhibitions, etc.





How does the space affect your work?

My studio has tile flooring, which is forgiving when it comes to messes. It also provides a sense of free movement (moving around in my rolling desk chair, spreading materials out on the floor, pushing furniture or other heavy items around as needed) that supports my creative process. I’m a spatial visualizer, so it is important to organize many materials around on the floor to see how things look together. Stucco makes this impractical to do on the walls.

How do you interact with the environment outside your studio?

I live in Roswell, which has been an artist haven for decades. The Roswell Artist-in-Residence program started in the late 1960s, integrating artists from outside with the local community. Many artists who have come to Roswell for the residency have stayed, creating an environment of artists supporting artists. While I’ve not been in the residency program, I am a part of this creative ecosystem. We provide feedback and support to each other while engaging with locals.

What do you love about your studio?

My studio has a lot of windows, and I love the abundant natural light. The studio is also fairly spacious. I can have my needed technology, drawing and painting materials, collage source materials, research materials, books for inspiration, and comfortable furniture all in the same space. The high ceiling makes the space feel even more expansive. Sufficient space is important in a studio, because physical room has a direct impact on room for creativity.

What do you wish were different?

The stucco and wood-paneled walls of my studio are gorgeous, but impractical. There’s not much space to hang things up to see what they look like without damaging the walls, so I spend a lot of time looking at things on the floor. That works just fine, but isn’t great ergonomically. The ceiling-mounted light fixtures are sufficiently bright, but are not adaptable for different needs. I’m currently working on sourcing different kinds of lights to address this shortcoming.

What is your favorite local museum?

When it comes to my favorite local museum, I’m biased. I’m a curator at the Roswell Museum. It has served an important role in the community since 1937 and is the largest of the seven local museums. It was devastated by a flood in October 2024 and will be closed for years during recovery. Currently, I’m visiting the Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art more frequently. I also appreciate the eccentricity and warmth of the Miniatures and Curious Collections Museum.

What is your favorite art material to work with?

Photography, both analog and digital, is the medium with which I most frequently work. I also like working with pastels, despite how messy they are. Sometimes I even combine photography with pastels. Another related material I work with frequently is collage, again, both analog and digital. I’m an artist who appreciates crossovers between mediums; I think the results are greater than the sum of individual parts. This is as true between photography and drawing as between collage and video.