Sugarwerks is an artistic collaboration between photographer and artist, Ann Lawlor and musician and artist, Oliver Corwin. Based in New York, the pair creates a variety of vibrant and multidimensional paintings with mixed media and oil, paired with a catchy vibration or sound.

Tell us a little bit about Sugarwerks.
Oliver: We are an artistic collaboration and force creating paintings, drawing, photography, and music.
Ann: When we paint, I like to start the paintings and then have Oliver add to what I started. We go back and forth, each adding to the other’s work. I call him “the closer.”

How did you come up with the name?
Oliver: ’Sugarwerks’ is all about the sweet stuff. Having fun with painting and creativity, and explorations, sweet works.

Ann: We had a lot of fun deciding on the name.

How did the two of you meet?
Ann: We were neighbors for twenty years or so, and we would say hello from time to time.
Oliver: One day I was sitting outside and Ann came by with her dog, Gentile. We chatted a bit. She found out I was an artist and invited me to a photo event she was involved with that was coming up in the next couple of weeks. The rest is history.

How did your collaboration come about?
Ann: When we first met I used to take photos and videos of Oliver painting. After a few months I was inspired and one night said, “I want to try.”
Oliver: I handed Ann some brushes and she was a natural. I think she picked up some from me, but when I saw her paint I was completely excited. It was fresh, fun and I immediately saw adding things I see in it. What I love about painting with Ann is that I am more of a trained painter and always designing. Sometimes too much. She is almost an untrained painter, free, whimsical, and unexpected. Our balance and chemistry are special.

When did you realize you wanted to become a painter?
Oliver: My mother was an artist. She inspired and encouraged me to be an artist. She used to set me up to draw while she worked on her freelance work at home since I was two years old. I found the true start to my mature path as an artist at Pratt. My mom also went to Pratt.
Ann: I also was inspired by my mother. We used to paint together. I focused more on my photography but after watching Oliver it really inspired me to paint. We now paint on some of my celebrity photographs I took over the years. It is a show I’m currently working on.

Where are you from, and how does that influence your work?
Oliver: I am from New York City; I think just being in this environment has influenced me in a lot in subliminal ways. I mean it is so rich with culture almost everywhere.
Ann: I am originally from Canada, I moved to Paris when I was 18 to study French and it was there I fell in love with the art and started my passion for photography.

What motivates you to create?
Oliver: I think somehow in the fast pace and what I call the noise of the city my creativity is my time to re-center myself and focus and get in tune to something that feels good. And I just love art and music, it gets my fire going. I am drawn to vibrations, rhythm, color, design, soul, and fun.
Ann: I think the fact that we paint together motivates me a lot. Living in New York City, on a daily basis you can find something that motivates you like an umbrella on a raining day or a woman’s hairstyle, so many ideas you can see daily.

What is your most recent project?
Oliver: Our most recent project has a black background with two robotic women. Ann came up with these characters with cool hairstyles, and I just started spinning with ideas adding to it.
Ann: We are also working some of my celebrity photography images and adding mixed media.

What do you most enjoy about your work?
Oliver: I like listening to music and painting with Ann. It is exciting to add to each other’s work, and sit back, look at it, and talk about it together but I really think the real thrill for me is looking at the finished product.
Ann: The same. I like the end process and how we both create a fun and colorful story within the painting. A big part of it for me is the story we tell together.

What do you enjoy doing besides painting?
Oliver: I record a lot of music, that is most of my down time from painting with Ann. We also like to walk in the city, stay home, and watch TV shows and documentaries.
Ann: Of course, my photography, going out, meeting new people, and I love tennis.

Where do you draw your inspiration?
Oliver: Imagination, life, all art before us on some level and mostly from what Ann paints.
Ann: When I think of a fun idea and start a painting, I can’t wait to see what Oliver will add to it. It is really magical for me.

How do you define success as an artist?
Oliver: There are many kinds of success. Having your art keep you in a nice place and having a certain level of excitement is one type of success. We still want to achieve other successes with it, and bring something nice into the world.
Ann: I love it when people show excitement for our work and when they find their own stories in it.

Where can we find your work?
Oliver: Pierogi Gallery flat files and on our Instagram @sugarwerks.

How would you define your art?
Oliver: Abstract with an element of fun and sound.
Ann: Colorful, fun, whimsical with funny-looking characters.

What is next for Sugarwerks?
Oliver: Ultimately, we would like to be represented by a gallery and release some of my music. We are working on those goals, but I guess at the end of the day, we are having fun doing what we love doing.
Ann: Same, we would love to be represented by a gallery and have many shows. And, we are working on some of my celebrity photos.

Article by Melia Robinson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine