A "New Normal" Art Residency
I love art residencies. If you have never done one, Now is your opportunity. You might be asking yourself, HOW? I don't have any extra money, I can't fly anywhere, I am scared to leave my house. But that is it! It is a perfect time to sit in your own home, create a special studio space and go at it! WITHOUT DISTRACTIONS. Instead of watching news - create! Instead of fretting - create! Create what you fret even. When we study past artists, many times their artwork depicts what was going on during that specific moment in time, sometimes a fear, or solitude existence. Paint a COVID piece of art. What are we experiencing now? Just a thought.
What is an art residency?
- Usually it is a designated place and time to give artists an opportunity to work outside of their usual environments
- provides time to reflect, research, or produce work.
- experiment with different materials
- experiment with different ideas
- a time to play in your imagination
Guess what? Since we are getting back to normal-maybe for some of us in the United States - there is a new normal. Many people are still not working or we are working from home. And if you taught art, or sold art at a gallery or an outside of the home space...those places are the last to be explored and reopen again probably. What a perfect time to make your own art residency at your home, and enforce a set amount of time to be with you and your creative outlet.
I was at an art residency in India in March, when I had to rush out of there to get home before no planes would take me home. It was an adventure to say the least. Then coming home to quarantine, and after fretting over cancelled classes, cancelled shows, applying for grants (I know, ahead of everyone), but with no notice to receive one, I began to feel sorry for myself.
But then I started a free online zoom class, that lasted for 2 months. Yes, I had to learn ZOOM. But it Kept myself connected to students and in the right frame of mind. Many students offered to make donations. Many offered great advice and feedback. The first month in lockdown, I had a commission. After I "let it go" and quit fretting, (one of the first lessons learned with my experience in India,) things started happening for the good.
Another valuable lesson I learned from an ancient mantra, was to find the auspicious. In simple terms- "Instead of waiting for Good to find you, You find the GOOD in the situation!" So I thought....Why not Continue my residency at home. I have the TIME.
So I am making new connections with myself and my art. And instead of focusing on the unusual place to stay, as would happen in a normal art residency, I am exploring ideas in my head that have been rolling around in there for years in the comfort of my home!!
Here are some tips:
1. Make yourself a schedule; whether it be an amount of time or a designated time. (My experience is if I do it as one of the first things in the morning-it is better, because as evening comes, it becomes daunting and harder to achieve)
2. Set your intention! What are you wanting to explore? (i.e. flowers, roses specifically, cows, abstracts, the colors Blue and Red, a symbol) write it down.
3. Get a sketchbook or paper and work this out visually with photos, or creative ideas in your head, imagination, etc.
4. Set aside research time: discover what artists, past or present, do something similar and study!study! study!
5. Make 10-20 or more paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed media, or other in a small form (i.e. 8x10 canvas, or something of that nature)
6. Pick the One or Two from those small studies that you like to make larger and more impactful.
7. Do this for a designated amount of time (7 days or more)and use it as an excuse not to commit to doing ANYTHING. (For instance instead of watching BREAKING NEWS -have quiet BREAKING ART IDEAS in your space).
8. Share these ideas with someone, or make a show out of it. Put it on your instagram or Facebook. Or not.
This is the time to get those ideas out of you! Or create some new ideas.
It has given me an idea to continue a Mentorship class from last year. And I may involve my teacher from India, who is still teaching my husband and I, Yoga breathing and Chanting mantras on What's App Calls. It is a very peaceful exercise and needed for this less than peaceful time.
If you sign up for my newsletter you can learn more about this class and have a guided residency at home. Some of us need a little boost or assistance from an outside source.
Happy Creating and Peaceful living if at all possible!
My Best,
Jennifer
