Hi! How are you? I know it took me a bit longer to get around to writing the fall newsletter, but I had a very good reason for the delay.
Rose Island artist residency
Earlier this month I was away doing a week long artist residency at a lighthouse on Rose Island, located in Narragansett Bay. Originally built in 1870, the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1971 and now functions as a museum and guest house, where overnight visitors can experience what it might have been like to be a lightkeeper back in the day.
There is no commercial development or wifi on the island and I was truly able to step out of my normal routine. The one room brick structure that was my home for the week also had no electricity, and was originally built in 1912 to house the steam powered foghorn machinery.
The other interesting aspect of staying on the island is that all the fresh water is collected rain kept in cisterns, which meant we had to limit our water usage (think 1 minute cold showers) and keep an eye on the water levels. There was one full bathroom in the second floor of the lighthouse for the 8 artists in residence, in addition to a half bathroom on the first floor, and 2 outhouses which had manual water pumps (plus solar water bags for outdoor showers). We each brought our own provisions for the week, with peanut butter, apples, bananas and oatmeal making frequent appearances. I tried to pack as light as possible, so anything that didn’t need refrigeration was top priority! It was like camping, but with a roof over my head and a bed to sleep in. Plus amazing views.
So what exactly was I doing there, you ask? Starting in January I’ve been working on a self initiated project, combining my love of birding and book design that is partially funded through artist grants. My week was spent going on many long walks taking reference photos and working on the written portion in the relative solitude of my foghorn room. I am keeping most of details under wraps for now since it’s still very much in progress, but will share more early next year. It requires a full newsletter to do it proper justice!
The main reason why I applied to this residency was because the northern portion of the island is a designated wildlife refuge, reserved for wading birds to nest from March to mid-August, including various types of egrets, herons, and glossy ibises. Since it’s now past nesting season, I got to explore the entire island, and one of the highlights was seeing the egrets come to roost every evening! It was magical to see them flying in from various part of the mainland, right around 6pm as the sun was going down.
I also did some outdoor sketching of things I found on the beach.
Perhaps the most memorable aspect of this residency was experiencing the island in all types of weather. The week started off sunny and in the 70s, but on Wednesday thick fog blanketed the bay and I could hear invisible ships during the night, sounding their horns as they passed (right outside my window at 12:07am!!). Thursday through Saturday we had rain and 20mph winds, with temperatures dropping into the 50s. Due to the choppy waves, the ferry for day visitors got canceled three days in a row, which meant we had the island all to our selves.
My week away was such an inspiring time. Being at the mercy of the weather made for a true lighthouse experience, and I couldn’t have asked for a better cohort of artists to be with when marooned on an island! Everyone worked on their own projects in various rooms/studios, but gathered to eat meals (and charge our devices) in the lighthouse. I’ve gained a new appreciation for having clean running water whenever I want it. After a week of cold jump-in-jump-out sprinklings of chlorinated rain water, that first extra hot shower as soon as I got home was FABULOUS.
A note about artist residencies
Residencies come in all sorts of flavors. Some where you have to pay a fee to go*, others that are completely subsidized, and ones where the artist even gets paid a stipend. Sometimes there are eligibility requirements such as being a resident of a state/country, utilizing a specific medium, or being at a certain stage in your career. There are others where accommodations are not provided but you get a free studio space, access to equipment, or experience being in an unusual location. And many more that fall somewhere in-between. I’ve done four residencies previously, and each experience has been interesting and productive in their own way. They help reset my brain, regather energy and inspiration, and I get to meet other artists while making progress on projects without everyday distractions. If you don’t mind stepping out of your comfort zone, I highly recommend trying it at least once.
*I haven’t participated in any residencies where I pay to go, since I can’t justify spending more money elsewhere when monthly bills need to be paid, but I usually cover my own travel expenses and materials.
Upcoming fall events
Saturday 10/19 - I am going to be participating in RISD craft, an art sale happening on Benefit Street in Providence, RI from 10am-4pm. Stop by for new riso prints, posters, books, and other goodies.
Sunday 11/24 - I’ve been invited as one of the guest speakers for the Grafixx festival happening in Antwerp, Belgium. My talk will be at 4pm at De Studio. If you happen to be in this part of the world, hope to see you there!
That’s it for the time being. Here’s one last sketchbook drawing from my time on the island to keep you company until the next newsletter.
