In our series Behind the Scenes, artists answer questions about their creative process, philosophy, and more. This installment features Laura Marshall. See some of her work here. (Read our other exclusive interviews with artists here.)

Describe your ideal work setting.

I just bought a house where I have my own studio space and it’s quickly become my favorite room in the house even though everything is still mostly in boxes. It gets beautiful natural light which is important for me – I do a lot of work on the computer, but I’ve always found it more comfortable to work if I have a lot of light. My dog likes to hang out with me when I’m working in there, but other than that I like to be alone and distraction-free with just some music or an audiobook playing and a full mug of coffee.

What 5 things do you have in your studio at all times?

Gouache paints (my go-to medium), my Wacom tablet, scrap paper for list-making, an audiobook to listen to (I’m currently on the 7th book in the Outlander series), and lots of coffee.

Do you like to talk about your own art when it’s in progress?

I didn’t use to, but I find it really helpful to now. I’m lucky to be surrounded by a lot of creative people in my life so if I’m ever stuck for inspiration or need feedback I have a lot of people I can go to. I find it’s a great way to troubleshoot when something is just not working or looking right.

Send an image of your workspace.

A lot of my studio supplies are still packed in boxes, but I’m having a lot of fun building a new studio from scratch!

Send an image of one of your favorite works of art, and write a short blurb why.

One of my favorite movements that I studied in art history was the Romanticism movement, especially in landscape paintings. Caspar David Friedrich’s The Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog always struck a chord with me. There’s something about the immense vastness of the landscape and the hidden possibilities underneath the fog that I’ve always been drawn to.

Send an image that makes you feel old.

What advice do you wish you could have given to yourself ten years ago?

Don’t be afraid to make art that’s really, really bad! As a perfectionist, I used to be so concerned about always doing everything perfectly the first time and especially as a poor art student I was very concerned about wasting paper or supplies. As I got older I realized that perfection is a completely unrealistic expectation and giving myself the license to make bad art, waste a few pieces of paper, or experiment with different techniques that might not work is the best way I can grow as an artist.

How much of your work is accidental?

With most of my paintings, I tend to be very deliberate and planned. I make lists for any collection I work on so I know exactly what I need to paint and how I need to paint it. I find it very soothing to plan and sketch things out. On the flip side, if I’m doing an abstract collection I like to improvise and see what happens as I’m painting and the only thing I’ll plan is the color palette.

Is it better for an artist to be an optimist or a pessimist?

So much of my work focuses on happiness, empowerment, and my ability to see the good in the world that it’s essential for me to be an optimist. I think art is hopeful in its essence and requires some degree of optimism no matter how small.

In all honesty, what were the last 5 songs you listened to?

“Handle with Care” – Traveling Wilburys

“Morning Song” – Le Loup

“Vincent” – Ellie Goulding

“Never Going Back Again” – Fleetwood Mac

“It’s Nice to Have a Friend” – Taylor Swift

Would you rather have not enough to do with your day or too much?

I love having things to do, I find that it actually stimulates my creativity. On the flip side, I think boredom has a lot of value and it’s hard to come by at this point in my life, but for creative purposes, I like to have a lot of projects to work on at the same time.

What decade or era would you most like to live in?

My first love in the art world is photography and I’ve always loved the time surrounding the birth of photography. I think the mid-1800s would be such a fascinating time to be an artist in that new medium. There was so much experimentation and exploration of the possibilities that photography offered, not to mention that it started to give us the first real glimpses of what life really looked like back then.