In the Studio with London Artist Alexandria Coe

The importance of self-care and sexual health can never be understated; the Lust Zine Wellness Series invites various experts and guides to help teach practices that will greater expand what wellness means to you. All episodes of the series are available to watch on my Youtube and right here on Lust Zine for free.

Alexandria Coe is an artist living and working in London. Her work focuses on simple line drawings exploring nakedness and on our relationships with ourselves and others. She works mainly with charcoal and enjoys the messiness of it that gives a different image every time, and she has recently started painting. Her art can be seen as conversation starters about how we view nudity and vulnerability. In this Lust Zine wellness video she takes us on a studio tour to tell us more about her work, her inspirations, self care, and how she uses art as a tool of sexual healing.

Watch the video below & get inspired to engage with your own naked form!

Q: What inspired you to draw, especially to draw bodies?

I started drawing in this way as a form of healing about my own relationship with my body, which probably wasn’t that healthy. At different points in my life, these drawings have really spoken to me. It’s my way of journaling and getting out my inner feelings in a way I don’t think words really can. I think drawing in this way really gets you to look at a body in terms of how interesting it is as opposed to what it just looks like. There’s nothing better than when you’re really in the mode of creating. It makes you feel so free, so ultimately, the subject, the act, and performance of drawing itself become one.

Q: What do you lust for?

I lust for being free. I think I’d love it if it were summer all year-round and there was just that feeling of an endless element of freedom in your life. I think sexiness is a really weird one because it’s something we often think is prescribed by the viewer, but actually, sexiness can just be feeling really confident. Having that element of reassurance, not needing to say everything, not needing to show everything, and that element of mystery as well. It’s being in control about how much you give away to people, because ultimately you feel so strong within yourself.

Q: What’s your favourite part of your body?

My favourite part of my body is my back. I think it’s really held me up through some tough times symbolically. It’s a strong and beautiful part of a female body- both visually and metaphorically.

Q: When do you feel most alive?

I feel most alive when I’m really in the mode of working. It’s a very brief time when you can really just not think and everything in your mind is kind of quiet.

Q: What are you most passionate about?

I am most passionate about wanting to say something, whatever that might be- to have an opinion, to have a voice. I think at times, drawing has been my voice and it’s really important to know where you stand on things and to find your own way of talking.