Christy Gast, Board President
Artists in Residence in Everglades
This is going to take a personal bend, so I need to make you aware of it from the outset. I had personally been searching for artist-in-residence programs that I felt were more appropriate to my art practice which had moved largely outdoors. When I heard about several at the US National Parks programs, from Denali in Alaska, to the Everglades in Florida, I became excited and went to the National Parks Service website looking for information: who, what, when, applications, fees, requirements, etc. Once on the web site, I had the listed Everglades phone number and email, I attempted to make contact, several times. Unsuccessful, I attempted additional times over a 2-3 year period. Still no response; I just gave up. (see additional note below)
Come 2011 the Everglades artist-in-residence program is an awardee of the Knight Arts Challenge and is being funded to the tune of $30,000. Wow, Great.
“The Knight Arts Challenge is a Miami-based initiative to draw the best and most innovative ideas out of local organizations and individuals seeking to transform the community through the arts. If you have a great idea in the arts, let them know. In the last two years, 51 ideas were funded.”
Before the end of 2011 I found out there was an Everglades resident in place, from out of state!? WTF! How can a local resident not get a response over years of attempts only to find out somebody from another state becomes the artist-in-residence?
To the rescue, the Knight Foundation offered me the opportunity to speak to any awardee for an interview. Obviously, it had to be Everglades Artist-in-residence program. Unfortunately, to date I have not spoken directly with Christy Gast, who is the new Board President of the program, although she did point me to the Facebook page. I hope that some of the financial resources made available by this award will allow them to do a better job of making residency information available to those that are interested in participation with guidelines and applications, and a fast way to respond to inquiries (Twitter, txt messages, etc.).
I was, however, able to speak with ceramic sculptor Eileen Powell, who was just ending her Everglades residency. She talked about her work and why she applied to the program. After seeing her ceramic sculptures, her residence in the park makes perfect sense.
Artist-in-residence, Eileen Powell, was very sweet and informative about her own work as a sculptor and her goals during the residency. Powell works in clay and her sculptures perfectly fit into the Everglades environment. They are earthy, organic, flora and fauna encrusted, and have the feel of archeology. Her sculpture has a language that is beyond the functional aspects we often apply to fired clay. It sings nature’s songs and harmonizes itself with nature.
As part of her proposal, she gave some hands-on demos, and allowed the public participants to be her artistic collaborators. While these works, tiles, were not fired at the time we spoke, Powell said she found working in this collaborative process one that she had a great deal more fun than anticipated, and welcomes similar opportunities in the future. eileen powell – ceramic artist (Flash site)
Everglades’ Artist-in-Residence Program Expands
- Project: Artists in Residence in Everglades
- Recipient: Artists in Residence in Everglades
- Award: $30,000
To help artists bring their passion for the Everglades to the public, the Artists in Residence in Everglades program will expand to include additional programming, a stipend and professional support. Because artists and art lovers are great ambassadors for the beauty of the park’s rare ecosystem, the program will help connect artists in the Everglades with Miami’s urban art scene, creating a bridge of artistic exploration connecting South Florida’s east and west coasts.
Artists In Residence In Everglades (AIRIE) was born in 2001 when the $8 billion Everglades restoration bill had been passed by the U. S. Congress. Painter and former arts administrator Donna Marxer thought it would be a good idea for artists and writers to become a part of this new interest in one of the most compelling and environmentally endangered parts of our nation. With the full cooperation of Everglades National Park, she started a program by which qualified professionals in arts and letters could reside in the Park for a month and create unimpeded in the wilderness setting.
AIRIE residents supply their own transportation and food. They are treated as treasured Volunteers In the Park (VIPs) by an enthusiastic staff and visitors to the Park where they offer events in the form of exhibitions, lectures or workshops. Each visual artist donates a work inspired by their residency for the Park collection, and writers and composers offer some publication rights to the Park.
The program has been a success. Today, there are nearly 70 AIRIE “graduates” who have produced an outstanding body of nature-inspired art, and inspired visitors and Park staff alike. With proposed projects like traveling exhibitions, publication in the form of books, film and video and ideas yet to come, AIRIE brings attention to this unique national treasure.
[* Note: Several years ago when I had viewed the Naitional Parks Service web site, http://www.nps.gov/, they did not have a direct link to the Everglades Residency web site, airie.org. Having a separate web site for the residency program off of the National Parks Service was very likely the source of my earlier frustration. National Park Service Artist in Residence Programs (not an official listing, but closely matches the information as I originally found. It does not have airie.org.)]
On Tuesday, Feb 21. the application period for the next round of the Knight Arts Challenge Miami will officially open. The challenge, now in its fifth year, is a community-wide contest to find the best ideas for the arts. It was created as a way to bring the South Florida community together through cultural opportunities.
We want you to inspire the community’s growing local arts scene. To submit a proposal, there are just three simple rules:
- The idea must be about the arts.
- The project must take place in or benefit South Florida.
- You must find other funding to match the Knight Foundation grant.
Applications will be accepted until March 19, 2012 at KnightArts.org.