One of our most eye-catching things inside the studio is our sunflower mural. Sunflowers are Amy’s favorite flower, so it was only appropriate to have one somewhere. How lucky were we to have the locally born artist, Christopher Maslow, design & paint it?! We learned a little more about the talented man behind the paintbrush....

How long have you lived in the area?

Chris: I was born at Holmes Regional Medical in 1982 and lived here on the Space Coast. At the age of 18 I moved to Los Angeles/Orange County California. About 10 years later I moved to Miami part time before returning to Melbourne 5 years ago.

Does the sunflower mural have a name?

Chris: Exploding Sunflower

What was the inspiration for this piece in the studio?

Chris: The sunflower has a really peaceful vibe, from its smiley face, yellow petals to the grainy brown and gold center. I really liked the circular shape to Ian Soden's mural directly adjacent and wanted to balance the two. I had been experimenting with the rounded root basin concept in my studio with small watercolor paintings on paper. The circular concept fits perfectly into this criteria. The exploding pieces leave the perimeter of the circle in chaos while the center eye of the sunflower remains more controlled and focused representing a return to ones center for balance and clarity.

Is it true that you hide little things in your work?

Chris: Yes, I commonly hide three primary symbols but I sometimes include more. The three main ones are:

• A little dog with its tongue out - This represents my dog Sebastian who passed away three years ago. Sebastian was my little red best friend that went with me everywhere.

• The letter "N" with a heart around it - This represents my wife Nikki.

• My son's name "INDIGO" - All of these different symbols are members of my family and are meant to remind them that they are part of everything I do and how much I think about them when I am away at work.

Are there any particular artists that inspire you?

Chris: There are soooo many artists that inspire me. My absolute favorite is Salvador Dali, but I am moved by so many others. I could go on and on about all the ways I am inspired by other artists but the greatest inspiration I find is when I see someone who is completely immersed in their artistry so much so that it becomes a way of life that they live constantly. It is as if their entire being is a work of art and everything they do reflects such.

When did you know you wanted to focus on being an artist?

Chris: Since a child I have always been an artist. In my early teens I knew that I wanted to be in a creative career, and around 18 I decided that I was going to be defined as an artist. I've never seen myself any other way since then.

What do you appreciate about being an artist in this community?

Chris: I appreciate the opportunity to create public works of art, I see it as a privilege to be able to do so. I feel like I have a social responsibility to give back to the community whenever I can because of the great acceptance I've received for my work.

What would you recommend to those who want to dive a bit deeper into their own creativity?

Chris: Consider diving in entirely and what that would be like. If it sounds appealing then go all in and never come back up. The most important thing you can do is create work, by any means. Just keep making work. There is no such thing as a great idea without execution. You have to make these notions become reality.

Do you have any projects coming up?

Chris: I currently wrapped up my first phase of projects at my Artist in Residence at Hotel Melby which consists of 3 murals and 3 installations in addition to digital design works.I am about to start a large mural for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center.My new 4,000 sqft gallery and studio will be opening later this summer in the heart of downtown Melbourne.

What else do you enjoy doing besides painting?

Chris: Spending time with my family and cooking. Fitness and surfing. I watch cartoons to relax when I'm off of my feet. Writing graffiti and making art that is entirely for myself. Traveling and experiencing new cultures and places.

Chris at his Mural Reveal Event at Hotel Melby

If you have been around the area, most likely you have seen some of Chris’s work on the side of a building or curated on a wall. If you want to keep up with what Chris Maslow is creating follow him on Instagram @christophermaslow or check out his website: www.christophermaslow.com

When you walk into the main studio to get on your mat, you are welcomed by two amazing murals on the walls. When Amy was putting together her vision for the space, she knew she wanted local artists to bring something special. One of the first local artists to come to mind is the incredibly talented Ian Soden. Ian has been a dear friend to us for many years and it’s been amazing to see his journey as an artist. We get so many questions about his mural, so we decided to reach out to learn more about the man behind the Lady of the Lake…

How long have you lived in the area?

Ian: I moved down to FL from NJ when I was 3... been here ever since.

We have named her The Lady of The Lake. Does the piece have an actual name?

Ian: Originally it was Lady in the Water... but I like The Lady of the Lake way better :)

What was the inspiration for this piece in the studio?

Ian: I wanted to do something that invokes a sense of calm and peace, something that has a flow to it - that allows your eyes to follow it through its own movement. Water and trees do that for me... I thought it only fitting that it be for a yoga studio

Are there any particular artists that inspire you?

Ian: There are so many... Ran Ortner, Ellen Jewett. Brandon Boyd.. I could keep going

When did you know you wanted to focus on being an artist?

Ian: Probably since birth lol. I loved drawing since I learned how to use a pencil. Plus, all of the other "options" just didn't seem right to me.

What do you appreciate about being an artist in this community?

Ian: There is always room for more. The community is so accepting of all artists, and the level and amount of talent is becoming increasingly more diverse and exciting as the community grows. It's very inspiring and encouraging.

What would you recommend to those who want to dive a bit deeper into their own creativity?

Ian: Try as many different mediums as you can. You might not like how you draw, but find that you love how you paint. Be patient with yourself and your work. Sometimes, pieces kind of develop their own momentum and trajectory that are different than what you intended. It might take months or even years for that "eureka" moment. Just be patient.. with your own work, there is no deadline.

Do you have any projects coming up?

Ian: I am actually in the middle of a mural project at Pineapples in EGAD right now. I am starting a new mural at Intracoastal tonight and I have another mural project for Frog Bones starting within the next couple weeks. It's a lot and a bit overwhelming at times, but all good problems.

Ian Soden painting the newest mural on the side of  Intracoastal Brewing Company

When Ian is not painting murals all over town he works as the Creative/Art Director at Intracoastal Brewing Company. Not only is he an amazing visual artist, but he is an incredible musician, too! You might be able to catch him playing Rock n Flow yoga soon.

To check out more of his work go to www.iansodendesign.com and be sure to follow him on Facebook & Instagram.

Rewind back to March 17 when we decided to close our doors for what we thought would be until the end of the month due to Covid. Growing up in Florida, it felt like we were preparing for a hurricane. Toilet paper was the new currency in March.

Three days later, we received a letter from the state mandating that all health studios must close until May 8th, unless the Executive Order was extended. Now this is a hurricane that simply will not leave. I personally do not remember those months at all. The studio was closed, questions were being asked that I didn't have the answer to or I was asking myself. Everything felt like a dream, and still does. To think that the whole world is affected by Covid-19 in some form or another. We are all feeling the uncertainty, the fear, the confusion, the sadness, the anger, the anxiety, even indifference at one point or another. The keyword there is "WE". WE as a whole are going through this and WE as a whole will get through this time together.

Alright, we are closed .... Now what? One of the goals of the studio for the last FIVE years was to create online content. On one of the last days the studio was open, one of our amazing students approached us about recording some classes to post online. This was the start to creating our online studio. Huge shoutout to Jessica Taylor for recording our first three classes. Another one of our students mentioned we should try ZOOM to host live classes from home in the meantime. On March 26, we launched our online studio. With the help of our amazing Yogi Perogi teachers, they were teaching from home via zoom and we were busy recording classes as well. Koah, Brittney and myself recorded videos using our PHONES. We edited the videos using our PHONES. I cannot mention to you how many times we would record and realize the phone ran out of memory, or someone called and it stopped recording. Then we had to learn how to convert it so we could upload it. Frustration is an understatement. I decided to invest in a video camera and then learned how to edit videos via trial and error.

During this time, we became heavily relient on ZOOM as we hosted classes and teacher trainings. One of our teacher trainings took place during the week and was a perfect distraction to current events. Koah and I were able to share something that we are both passionate about and that is educating others about the philosophy of yoga, the practice, the history, the anatomy, etc.

Too add to that, there was/is something about teaching at home and taking classes via a screen. I know an adjustment for myself and our teachers was that we went from teaching, to teaching and practicing while teaching. We found we had to practice so you could see what we were doing. Not only that, we are trying to look at a screen to see if you are facing the right way, how is your alignment, can you hear us, are you laughing at our corny jokes? We also got to know you a little better as we were able to talk with each of you a little more before and even after classes. We got to know your pets, your children, your families, and even get some home decor ideas ;) We also are able to practice with people around the world! During a time that we were confined to our homes, we were still able to feel deeply connected. We really do have a great community and personally I am so grateful for the friends I have made in this community.

Fast forward to May 8, the executive order mandating health studios closure was extended until an undisclosed date. That day was June 12.

Now that we were opening, that didn't mean things were going back to "normal". We made sure that we were and are following CDC guidelines of 50% in studio capacity, spacing 6 feet apart, pre-registration required and of course cleaning in between classes even more diligently than before. We are also requiring masks anytime you are not on your mat. Once we opened, we had to figure out how to live stream our classes while teaching to students in studio. We have headphones so that we can have music while teaching for those in studio and so that those online can hear us better. We also are pretty much stationary on the mat so that those online can see us and I even wear contacts now so that I can see the two inch squares on the ipad from my mat ;)

We are now just over 5 months since the studio first closed and we are still slowly introducing classes in the studio and continue to add online pre-recorded classes. I cannot believe we have over 85 classes that have been recorded from 10 of our amazing instructors so far. There have been ups and downs with anything, but one thing is for sure; the power of community is more prevalent than ever. There is no reason to focus on what "normal" used to be, there is no reason to focus on the what ifs to come, we must be there for one another NOW. When you find yourself getting overwhelmed, stop, pause and reflect.

I never thought that I would have said the following in regards to the studio:

• We were zoom bombed

• Miss Daisy (Koah's pup) used the bathroom behind her in a live meditation class- Good thing everyone's eyes were closed

• Going to classes where we used to say please place your mat one finger apart to now being stationed 6 feet apart

• You can hop on a class virtually from home or practice with us on one of our recordings

• Host an ONLINE YOGA Retreat

These current events more than ever reminds us that the only thing constant in life is change itself. I truly am thankful for my family, friends, students that have become friends as it makes difficult times that much easier. See you online or in studio :)