Noah Mashiak

Noah Mashiak (b. 1999) is an American artist living in London. They hold a BFA in Painting from Rhode Island School of Design and an MA from the Royal College of Art.

Their work primarily consists of maximalist, all-over compositions, in which the accumulation of patterns feels equally expansive and infinitesimal. Largely inspired by the natural world, organic networks are married to a rigid, repetitive structure to create spaces where extremes can coexist without contradiction. Their process is both laborious and meditative, and they consider it a secular method of reaching towards the ineffable deconstructing everyday patterns of perception and dissolving the barriers of taxonomic thinking.

“My paintings, though not narrative, are an extension of my world. They continually challenge me in what I’m able to share with others without words.”

6 questions with Noah Mashiak

We ask our emerging artists 6 questions to uncover what drives their work, practice, and creativity.

What themes or questions do you find recurring in your work?

My work often centres on the themes of the natural world, biomorphism, and psychological spaces. I am greatly inspired by growing up surrounded by nature in an extremely rural town, which was intensely isolating, yet gave plenty of space to explore my surroundings. Occasionally, my peculiar interests outside of painting, such as my profound love of insects, is often where I begin when collecting source images for my practice.

Can you describe a pivotal moment in your journey as an artist?

When I was a teenager, I recall seeing a work by the artist Terry Winters at the Boston MFA. His work stood out to me specifically, as it seemed to operate as a psychological space for tearing down barriers and perceptions. It is a work without direct or literal representation, but simultaneously a place of limitless associations – it is an image that can only exist as it does at that moment, never to be perceived outside the canvas. It was art that didn’t require explanation, exposition, or narration, but rather seemed to communicate something to me as I looked. It provided a similar sensation to the joy one might feel while having a rewarding conversation, but it was executed without words; it was a truth not within reach of words. I often think back to this moment and cite it as my primary reason for deciding to pursue art instead of traditional academia.

What materials or processes are most important in your practice - and why?

In my current practice, I primarily use acrylic paint, as alternate mediums such as oil can’t quite capture the desired effects and lack the immediacy I require for building up layers. I also use collage and digital tools to create patterns for larger compositions while I’m still in the preliminary planning stages.

How do you want people to feel when they experience your work?

I find joy in the fact that once I complete a painting, I’m allowed to completely relinquish control and expectation. First and foremost, I want to be of service to the viewer and avoid prescribing any concrete narratives. I hope that my paintings challenge the viewers’ perceptions rather than converting them to my way of thinking, and I am most satisfied when someone who views my work comes to conclusions that never even occurred to me.

What does a typical day in your studio look like?

It isn’t particularly glamorous – Most of my paintings are focused on the detail, so more often than not, I’m sitting at my easel, hunched over, and tediously painting with the smallest brush I own. My process is very slow but accumulative, and some days the work that I complete isn’t even immediately noticeable.

What dreams or hopes do you have for your artistic journey?

Having a financially sustainable art practice has always been a dream of mine, of course. However, I’m also interested in pursuing a route in teaching fine art to students in higher education. Alongside my practice, I work for a gallery space and teach English as a foreign language. I feel the most fulfilled when I have the ability to help people and share what I know.