FACES. | MARISSA LEWIS
Marissa Lewis | WTR Cooler Studio, Field Seven.
eightonethree. | What inspired the creation of Water Cooler Studio, and what kind of vibe were you trying to bring to Tampa?
Marissa Lewis | It’s in downtown, so it just felt city, and it felt vague, and we didn’t see anything like that here. We wanted to have a space that felt safe to be creative in. We found such a cool community in Tampa, and I had used different spaces around, but we wanted something that was ours. A place to house creatives and just do the thing.
eightonethree. | As a Black and Latinx-owned business in downtown Tampa, how does that identity shape your mission and the environment you're cultivating?
Marissa Lewis | We need more spaces that look like us, are built by us, and feel safe for us to be in. If you can see someone who looks like you doing it, you feel like you can do it too. That’s always been super important to me especially now. It’s important to provide more opportunities for people who look like us.
eightonethree. | How has Tampa’s creative scene evolved since you started Water Cooler Studio? Have you noticed shifts in demand, style, or collaboration?
Marissa Lewis | It’s grown so much. I’m from New Jersey originally, but after coming back to Tampa in 2018, the growth was massive. Back then it felt scattered, small pockets of creatives, but now there’s so much more business and energy. More people are coming here to do real work, and Tampa is starting to feel like a big city. There’s more money coming in, more infrastructure for creatives. It’s great to see the recognition for this city and its talent.
eightonethree. | Tell us about your Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program. How did it come about, and what impact have you seen?
Marissa Lewis | The AIR program has been incredible. I saw something similar in a studio in the Midwest while researching, and I knew we needed that here. We put out applications, pick one artist, and give them 10 free studio hours to work on a project. At the end of the month, we host a showcase just for them. We’ve had five or six artists come through so far, and it’s been amazing. We’re working on funding to make it even better ideally, we’d love to give artists $1,000 to complete their projects. One artist created a series on mental health it was powerful. The stories, the photography it was beautiful.
eightonethree. | You offer memberships with perks like discounted hours, coffee, and community. What kind of creatives usually sign up, and how has demand shaped your offerings?
Marissa Lewis | Our members are a mix it’s mostly creatives who have recurring clients but don’t want to commit to renting a full-time space. We offer flexibility, so members can book hours as needed. One of our first members recorded a podcast here they'd come in, knock out a few weeks of content, then come back for the next batch. It's been fun to see how people use the space. Based on demand, we created tiered packages like 6, 10, and 16-hour options so people can choose what works best.
eightonethree. | You’ve hosted community events and showcases like the AIR final night. What role do events play in your vision, and do you plan to expand that?
Marissa Lewis | Events are huge for us. We didn’t just want this to be a rental space we wanted a community hub. We’ve hosted showcases for our AIR artists, plus themed events for Black History Month, Pride, and more. We also do Edit & Chill nights basically co-working sessions with snacks and drinks. Movie nights, open studio events, pop-ups, and workshops are part of it too. We want to encourage ongoing learning and creativity. We believe you never stop learning, and our workshops help people grow whether it’s learning how to use a new camera or film photography with Coastal. That community hub piece is everything to us.
eightonethree. | What inspired you to create Field Seven? How would you like to see it grow, and how would you describe your photography style?
Marissa Lewis | Field Seven is my personal business. Water Cooler is the shared venture between me, my husband, and V, but Field Seven is just mine. It evolved from a previous production company, los Coco Locos, that my husband and I ran. He moved on to work with youth and found his passion, but I still loved this work. Field Seven became the more focused version of what we were doing before. Now it’s all about commercial product photography streetwear, sneakers, body products. I love it. You have to capture emotion and story through objects, which is a challenge but so rewarding.
eightonethree. | What advice would you give to creatives or entrepreneurs thinking about starting their own studio or space especially in a city like Tampa? And what do you wish someone told you?
Marissa Lewis | I’d say do it. Just jump in. We didn’t know what we were doing at first. We found this place, saw it, and signed the lease a week later. We moved fast. One of our core values is “everything is figureoutable.” You’ll learn along the way. Ask questions. Problem-solve. When we started, there weren’t many studios here. Now there are so many each with their own flavor and price point. It’s awesome to see. Tampa is ready for it.
eightonethree. | Looking ahead, what’s next for Water Cooler Studio expanding hours, gear, or adding new services?
Marissa Lewis | Honestly, we’re still figuring that out. We have weekly team meetings every Monday to talk about it. The showcases we launched last year those have been new and exciting. As for what’s next? I’m not sure yet, but I know it’s going to be great.
