Empty by Molly Smith in Brooklyn, New York

I pass this place on the way to and from my studio which is a short walk from my home. I have noticed it for years now, as a space where stuff sits, mostly untouched, and changes. The most dramatic example of that was a kitten that died there and decomposed and is now a pile of bones.

Name: Molly Smith

Place you live: Brooklyn, NY

Place your photo was taken: An empty lot next to a church down the block from my studio. It’s empty except for this piece of wood and some other refuse. Sometimes a church van is parked there, but for the most part, it’s wild. Nature has reclaimed it. And it’s fenced in so people can’t interfere much.

Can you sum up your spot? I live near the Brooklyn Museum, Botanic Garden, Library and Prospect Park. My studio and the Food Coop are also nearby. That’s my world here.

Occupation: artist and teacher

Preoccupation: Living simply.

What is a perfect day in Brooklyn? Walking my dog Flick in the park in the morning and running into friends. Exploring different neighborhoods, people watching. A bike ride anywhere, maybe the beach. Dinner in Jackson Heights. Drinks and a nighttime walk. Looking at the moon through binoculars on my roof.

If someone was visiting, what must they do? Walk and observe.

A perfect meal in Brooklyn? Stew peas from the Caribbean restaurant across the street from my apartment. Followed by rum soaked bread pudding.

What is the best thing about your spot? The proximity of things that make my life in the city pleasant.

What is the worst? Fancy restaurants and stores moving in…bringing more people.

A little known fact about where you live? I might live on the longest block in Brooklyn, or at least in my neighborhood. And in the middle of that block there is a building whose facade is painted two shades of a bright, salmon pink.

Where is your favorite place in the world? I’m not sure I’ve found it yet, but the closest so far is McCarthy, Alaska, in the summer.