Inside the home and mind of multidisciplinary artist Joe Henry Baker
Ever wondered how an artist creates the art of their own home? We took our curiosity to Brooklyn-based multidisciplinary artist Joe Henry Baker to understand his process in perfecting a space, his personal connections to nature, and interiors as well as learn more about his artistic process.
Joe! Joe Henry? Joe Henry Baker? What do you go by?
Just Joe is fine!
We love your artwork and the presence it holds in any given room. Tell us about how you became an artist and what drew you to abstract art in particular.
I’ve always painted throughout my life - as an adult I pursued other creative paths such as design and furniture as more ‘sensible’ careers but always made time for painting and drawing whenever I could. The abstract work was an attempt to get as far away from the digital as possible and lose myself in the art, let go of heavy themes and so much control and trust in the process and mark making, embracing mistakes and learning through every exercise.
Our artisans at Enkay are deeply connected to and inspired by nature. We know you are inspired by light and movement. How does this translate into your art or your practice as an artist?
Themes of nature make organic occurrences in my work - from learning how to draw landscapes at a young age I use similar principles with regard to proportions, light, and color usage which echo abstract horizon lines or light flashes. I endeavor to spend more and more time in nature, traveling when I can and collecting visuals to bring back to my studio.
When it comes to the art of your home, where do you get your inspiration from?
I do admit I have my own work at home. Only a couple of pieces that are special to me and mark certain early stages in my career - things I could never sell. Besides these are an eclectic mix of framed notes from friends, traditional ceremonial wooden masks, fossils, duck decoys, and friends' artwork.
We know you just moved into your new Brooklyn loft. When creating this new space, what have been your guiding principles?
Take my time and be true to what makes me most comfortable. I like a very tidy space, but at the same time enjoy busy surfaces and filled bookshelves. I wanted to create a warm inviting place that mirrored my studio and practice.
We know you are the happy owner of our ENKAY Brae rug in Moss. What made you decide to go with a bolder choice in color versus the rest of your room?
I wanted something darker and larger to really ground the space as the floors are white-painted concrete - giving the room warmth and depth.
Whether it’s home, style, or your art, what colors, textures, or details are you most drawn to at the moment?
Dot sequences seem to be a recurring theme with me - I’m also very drawn to deep blues and soft browns right now.
What are some of your rituals when at home?
Honestly, recently it’s been a lot of lying on my rug and staring at the ceiling! I have a lovely garden out back so a cup of tea in the morning, fresh air, pull a book, and at least glance at it for later reading, BBC Radio 4 or comedy podcasts.
