After Hours Disc 4: Q&A with Lindsey Marshall

September 23, 2021

_{After Hours 9.24.21
Discussion 4: Art & Neuroscience
with Lindsey Marshall}

After Hours Artist Highlight Lindsey Marshall Neuroscience Science Abstract Artist San Diego Encinitas Leucadia

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Through the beginning of the pandemic, our good friend Lindsey Marshall created unique one-of-a-kind beaded mask necklaces for Thread Spun encouraging safety can come with style and expression. It was hard to not keep them all for ourselves, but while discussing composition, color and the meanings of stones we discovered Lindsey's other hidden (until now) talents.

She's a golden individual that's really putting both sides of the brain to serious-use; a neuroscience student and artist that has been hittin' the books and canvas for almost a decade. Lindsey's style is abstract, geometric and emotional. The rhythm in each design leads your eyes up, down, across and around, feeling like you're reading a story or dancing to music of your choosing. Adventure, romance, energetic, mellow & soothing, flavorful, fun. It's a controlled chaos we understand. We're excited to highlight her work and share her thoughts on life itself right now.

Tell us a little about yourself; where are you from? What are some of your favorite spots in Leucadia / San Diego?
I’ve lived in Encinitas my whole life. I have left here and there to travel but I’ve always come back. I look forward to traveling more one day when I can do it safely. I spend a majority of my time studying, painting, or both at the same time. When I’m not doing those things, I spend a lot of time with my dogs and sometimes I surf. When it comes to spending money... I’m going to Juanita’s, Raul’s, and La Especial Norte for Mexican food, Le Papagayo for margaritas, Encinitas Ale House for beer and veggie burgers. Basically, if the restaurant hasn’t been here most of my life I’m probably not frequenting it. I get a lot of my records from Lou’s, most of my groceries from Nijiya Market on Convoy, and the best coffee is definitely from Steel Mill in Oceanside. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll go to Donna Jean, a vegan restaurant in downtown San Diego, that I might be willing to say has the best food I’ve ever had.

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What inspires your art? Did you go to school for it, or are you self-taught?
My art is mostly inspired by jazz and anime (anything from Studio Ghibli). A lot of bluegrass too. I didn’t go to school for art but I’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded by amazing artists for most of my life and they’ve provided a lot of guidance and encouragement to me in my creative journey. I would say I’m friend-taught more than I would say I’m self-taught even though ultimately I try to do what feels good for me.

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Button-up in the Utility Jumpsuit by Outerknown

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So you're studying neuroscience - what on earth is that exactly? How long have you been in school for it?

I study Neuroscience at UCSD which means I study the nervous system. There are many different disciplines involved in this study that attempt to provide a biological explanation for how we learn, behave, remember, and perceive reality. It’s a fascinating topic that relates to every person on the planet.

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What do you plan on doing once you're finished with school?

When I finish school in March after 7 long years, I hope to continue in neuropharmacology, developing safe and effective treatments for the many ailments of the nervous system. I’d love to be a voice in the holistic realm of this research since there don’t seem to be many that are clinically endorsed.

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Do you sketch out your compositions before painting? What is your medium of choice?

I have a sketchbook but I mostly draw straight on the canvas and very rarely do I actually paint on the canvas without having some idea down first. My medium of choice is acrylic but am not firm on that because it’s just what I know.

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Do you have any suggestions/strategies on how we can support our nervous systems in a global pandemic?

It’s obviously going to be different for everyone, but I personally try to focus on turning off the fight or flight response when it doesn’t serve me. Taking moments where I am able to be fully present with what’s in front of me has been really helpful. For me, it’s walking my dogs and painting. If we see the value in finding real solutions to real problems we should be willing to do whatever we can to avoid irrationality and I think that begins with practices like this. Breathing, coming back into my body, and letting my heart rate slow down so I can think clearly and act intentionally. Of course it’s not always so simple and this doesn’t cut it for a lot of people but it’s definitely a good place to start.

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Shop the Jordan Jacket by Whimsy + Row

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Any podcast recommendations?

I really like Neuroscience Education Institute podcast and the Psychiatry and Psychotherapy podcast. I have a hard time straying from my main areas of study during the school year so I find these to be supportive to me in that realm. Podcasts I have listened to on my free time that I highly recommend are 1619, Code Switch, Nice White Parents, and Intercepted.

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