Faces of Artspace: Alyssa Schwarz

Welcome to our new series profiling the creative artists who call Artspace home. , located at 20 Terry Street, held its last summer with the goal of attracting artists to Patchogue Village. We will use this series to introduce you to some of the talented faces behind its doors.

Alyssa Schwarz

Age: 24

Hometown: East Patchogue

Q&A

Patch: What is your art, and how long have you been doing it?

Schwarz: I’m a multi-medium artist, maybe better described as crafty and decorative… basically, I like to make pretty things! I have a fine art associate of applied arts degree and a bachelor of fine arts in textiles and surface design, both from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Some of my favorite mediums are watercolor and gouache, and I love to work with specialty/textured papers and fabrics. I’ve been drawing and painting since childhood, adding different skills along the way. My biggest passion is interior design, and I hope to one day make a successful living at it.

Patch: What drew you to Artspace?

Schwarz: My boyfriend and I were living with his mom in Bayport after I finished college, and were looking to get an apartment together when Artspace popped up. We took a tour of the building the night of the C2 gallery opening and had our hearts set from then on. The apartments are beautiful and reminded me of the city. The idea of living with other art driven people sealed the deal.

Patch: What benefits have you found by living in an artist community?

Schwarz: We have space to create that we didn’t have before. It’s inspired us to come up with a lot of alternative ideas and has led us to make some new connections with some very talented people. Everyone has something in common here.

Patch: What is your favorite aspect of living in the Patchogue area?

Schwarz: I grew up in East Patchogue so of course I was already very familiar with the town. I lived in Manhattan for four years attending FIT (2005-2009), and then landed in Bayport, but worked as a bartender in one of the restaurants on Main Street for awhile. When we were looking for places to move to, I have to admit, staying local wasn’t at the top of our list. We were considering moving out of state, but are so grateful not to have missed out on Patchogue’s revival. It’s really awesome how it’s turned around, and the plans for the new village are stunning- we can’t wait to see it come to life. Staying close to family turned out to be a real plus for us too.

Patch: What are your future goals?

Schwarz: My goals are still evolving, but I’d like to have my hand in a variety of things, so I’ll never be bored. Artistically, I aim to share my vision by creating cozy yet sophisticated residential spaces, and perhaps start up a greeting card business. Aaron and I are currently mapping out websites we plan to have up and running soon. I love to cook, so maybe that will go somewhere too. We’re in the foundational stages but we’re determined to spend more time creating and traveling in the future. We’re excited for what’s to come, and I have a feeling what happens while living in Artspace is going to shape a lot of it!

I have just accepted a position where I will be the assistant and marketing coordinator for interior designer Laura Kirar in Manhattan. I'm so excited to get started on my dream career path! I had a feeling 2012 was going to be a great year and big things are already happening two weeks in.

Patch: Where can people see more of your work?

Schwarz: Sorry no website just yet, but I’ll keep you posted!

Live at Artspace and want to be featured on Patchogue Patch? Email michael@patch.com. All of the Artspace profiles are together on the Faces of Artspace Topic Page.

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