Tea Time
OUTSIDE
THE RECTANGLE
Stepping into local artist Alex Markwith’s
apartment on 33rd Street
feels like entering a very private
gallery. “Curated” with intention,
the focus is on Markwith’s paintings
— ranging from large-scale
abstracts with hundreds of brush
strokes to 3-D works jutting out from the
walls. One walk around the apartment
tells me more about its owner than any
other space I’ve visited.
Originally from a small town near Scranton,
Pennsylvania, Markwith knew from a
young age that he wanted to be an artist.
“When I was very young, it was crayons
and colored pencils, and I was always inventing
my own characters,” Markwith said.
“I got into Rhode Island School of Design
and I haven’t looked back since.”
Markwith studied painting and English at
RISD and moved to New York upon graduation.
46 SEPTEMBER 2 0 1 9
He landed his first show that summer at
a gallery on the Lower East Side. After living
and working in Manhattan for three years,
he made the move to Astoria with his partner,
Meeri Koskialho.
“I didn’t even know where Astoria was
prior to then. I never thought about living
in Queens,” Markwith remembered. “The
community is great. I needed a place that
was big enough where I could set up a
space where I could work.”
But Markwith needed to stay in New York
for the vibrant arts scene.
INTERIOR DESIGN
BY ESTELLE PYPER
@ESTIEPYPER @ESTIE_PYPER