Arrow Radisch spent years in medical research before realizing she'd rather build worlds than study them. The New York- and Paris-based photographer and creative director has become known for still lifes so sculptural they practically dare you to reach into the frame — work that's landed her commissions from Cartier, Chanel, and Saint Laurent, and editorial pages in AD, T Magazine, and Harper's Bazaar. A 2023 residency in the South of France let her push those compositions off the page entirely, into painting and physical sculpture, and now she's at it again with her first furniture collection. We sat down with Arrow to talk creative blocks, trusting your gut, and the Facebook Marketplace find she's still thinking about.

What do you do when you hit a creative block?

To overcome a creative block, I start by regulating my nervous system, because I can't access creativity from a dysregulated state. That might look like meditation, a yoga class, or simply allowing myself to rest. From there, I try to understand the block itself by journaling and identifying its root cause, then working through it with reflection, meditation, or mindset shifts. I also find it incredibly helpful to immerse myself in mediums outside of my own practice; stepping into unfamiliar creative worlds takes the pressure off and often sparks unexpected inspiration.

What's the worst recommendation someone's given you?

I thought long and hard about this and honestly couldn't come up with an answer. I've always lived life to the beat of my own drum, so I don't tend to seek out much advice; when it's offered unsolicited, I usually let it pass. I'm deeply intuitive, and as long as I keep my nervous system regulated, I trust that my inner guidance will lead me where I need to go. When I've been led down the wrong path, it's almost always been because I was operating from a place of scarcity or fear, rather than true intuition.

Where do you go to find peace?

I find peace in a few simple places: a hot yoga class, a favorite neighborhood coffee shop, my bed for a quiet meditation, or curled up on the couch under my weighted blanket. Each one gives me a different kind of reset, but they all bring me back to myself.

Who is your forever inspo?

Ellsworth Kelly, Tadao Ando, Alicia Keys, Rothko, Barbara Hepworth, Ruth Asawa, and Brâncuși.

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Find Arrow on Instagram and Cosmos.