GN: 59 Rivoli began as an abandoned building reclaimed by artists before becoming one of Paris’ most celebrated creative spaces. As an artist in residence, what does the history of this building mean to you personally, and how does that spirit of artistic freedom influence your work? 

MS: For me, 59 Rivoli sparks a joy of creation, separating me from external expectations. The freedom is particularly poignant as I am an artist whose paintings are rooted in abstraction and surrealism. The founding of 59 Rivoli, with passionate artists who found an underused space, created an artistic oasis turned permanent Paris art hub for working artists and the public to connect, is something I do not take for granted. 59 Rivoli is a special place to work because each artist transforms their space into their own artistic universe with walls filled with work as they continue to create and add to the collection. 

Artistic freedom is a key marker in my work, as I have never been a good creative “rule-follower”; I choose to create my own expectations instead. Countercultures inspire my work in street art, graffiti, dadaism, and now the legacy that is Rivoli’s artistic squat. 

GN: Visitors don’t simply view finished pieces here, they witness art being created in real time. How does the experience of working with an audience just outside your studio door shape your creative process? 

MS: As a new resident, I am excited for the challenge. I am used to working alone on my bedroom wall or the kitchen table, and now there is an added performance aspect to the work. The other day, I was deep in my painting and turned around to find a small crowd behind me, watching every brushstroke. 

While it is a little bit daunting, I also love the connection between the process and the public to deepen an understanding of contemporary art and artists. The art as performance adds a new layer; I am interested in seeing where it takes my work. At the end of my residency, I know I will be a better artist for the little moments of live feedback, and distilling complicated ideas into answers for visitors passing through. One thing for sure– I am learning how to describe the way I paint and why I make art in French, not just English, a new but useful skill!

GN: The walls, staircases, and studios of 59 Rivoli feel like a living artwork in themselves. Does the building ever become a collaborator in your practice, and if so, in what ways? 

MS: I look forward to the inspiration I will gain from the 59 Rivoli, the artists, and the constant flow of new artworks. I am someone who takes visual inspiration from many sources, and each visual moment creates opportunities for discovery in my paintings. 

Whenever I am at a standstill in a painting, I visit other artists and see their latest projects. It is such an open space of artists supporting each other, and creating in front of the world.

GN: Every artist carries a unique source of inspiration. What subjects, memories, places, or emotions continually draw you back to create?

MS: I am motivated by the perpetual urge to create. Abstraction is a foundational element in my work; through research and exploration, I examine how the optical realities of natural complexity can be translated into my own material subjectivity.

Drawing on a foundation in photography and visual composition, I create large-scale watercolor and ink paintings that emphasize gesture, atmosphere, and intricate details. Through layered surfaces and the interplay of watercolor, Sumi ink, dye, and acrylic, my work investigates how material behavior can reveal the complex systems and quiet nuances embedded in everyday life.

GN: Paris has inspired generations of artists, writers, and dreamers. What continues to inspire you about creating in this city today? 

MS: Paris has a bit of magic. From authors to painters to dancers, it continues to be a creative hub full of people with dreams and ideas. Some of my absolute favorite art movements in history originated in Paris: Dadaism, Surrealism, and Impressionism. 

As a young artist in America, I dreamt of Paris and the creative potential that lay within this city. When I first travelled here in 2019, I had just graduated from university and put up my first solo exhibition, not knowing that six years later, I would call Paris home. I have always liked the energy of cities, and I love the beauty found in every corner of Paris. It’s an honor to work in this city and an even bigger honor to be working in a building with so many artists I respect. 

GN: Goodnight Magazine often explores the relationship between dreams and creativity. Do your dreams influence your artwork, and have any particularly memorable dreams found their way into a piece? 

MS: My dreams are the synthesis of emotions, events, and thoughts left over from the day. This synthesis parallels my process when working in the abstract. Trying to create beautiful complexities in my paintings directly ties to the confusing worlds I see in my dreams. While I often don’t remember the dreams once I wake up, I am almost certain that there are moments from my dreamworlds that sneak their way onto my canvases. But inversely, I know my paintings influence my dreams, and that continues to build my visual world. 

GN: Conversely, do nightmares, fears, or anxieties ever surface in your work? How do you transform those darker emotions into something visual and meaningful? 

MS: Negative emotions (fear and anxiety) are a part of life, but something that I believe is meant to be faced head-on. I use negative emotions as kindling for my work and try to leave the feelings on canvases when needed. 

Some of my most powerful paintings are ink paintings, rooted in an immediacy of emotion and anger. Anger is not an emotion I feel often, and something I try to release, so I process the emotion with creation. My painting Entropy was created in one night, full of rage, flinging black across the floor until the wee hours of the morning. But when I finished, I was tranquil and slept soundly, with the rage only as a memory etched into canvas, and no longer weighing me down. 

GN: If someone could step inside your artistic imagination for a day, what would they discover that they might never see in your finished work? 

MS: To step into my artistic world is to immediately feel a magnetic pull towards the canvas, as dancing moments of energy and color vie for attention. While shapes begin to form, new characters spring up, asking to be painted. The feeling of a brush in the hands is satisfying beyond belief. I enjoy the process of making each mark, and my material connection to each brushstroke is something that I can only compare to dancing. I try to capture this feeling in my work, but it is never the same on the other side of the canvas. 

GN: Many artists speak of creating as a way of making sense of the world. What question are you currently trying to answer through your art? 

MS: As a university student, I was a double major in Studio Art and Government. A core interest of mine is in ethical theory, and I am deeply intrigued by how we live in the world with others. Tackling ethics is a large project, but I am looking for new ways to explore ethics in a visual medium. 

I cannot rush this goal, as the execution is more important to me than the accomplishment of finishing. Petit à petit, I find new answers every day. 

GN: Looking ahead, what is the dream, personal, creative, or professional that you hope this residency helps bring closer to reality? 

MS: At 59 Rivoli, I hope to find new inspirations, opportunities, and collaborations. I am diving back into my bigger canvases, exploring new worlds deeply, and looking for continued opportunities within Paris and France. I feel such gratitude working as a painter here, and I want to deepen my connection with the artistic traditions, the language, and the artists around me. 

In 6 months, I plan to fill my space with new paintings and ideas that might surprise even me. I look forward to the challenge ahead. 

GN: When you say "goodnight," what does it mean to you? Is it an ending, a moment of reflection, an invitation to dream, or perhaps the beginning of another creative world altogether? 

MS: goodnight is my invitation to dream, reset the clock, and restart fresh tomorrow. A moment to myself for discovery and relaxation. A temporary limbo between what has happened and what will happen. Each night is an opportunity to prepare for what is next.

team credits:

photography: @dshch5

painter: madeleine sargent @madeleinesartwork

eic @kimberlygoodnight

@mediaplaypr