MakeRoom Artist Residency season two has begun!!!

Applications are again being accepted for the MakeRoom Artist Residency - season two. Many applications have already arrived and are being reviewed. With any hope many more will be flooding the inbox soon. The deadline for applying is December 1st.

Applications from photographers, dancers, multi-media artists, musicians, painters and writers have all arrived. It’s amazing to see the breadth and depth of work that is being explored from all across the country

Last season, was the debut offering of the artist residency, held in February and March of 2018. It was a rousing success with artists applying from far and wide. Because of season one - connections were made, art was created, relationships were forged and artists from Philadelphia and Wisconsin were given 10 days of free lodging and breakfast, a welcome dinner and a reception in their honor. Plus - the space to create, think, focus and recharge.

With the first season in the archives we’re excited to have opened up the application process again. The first season taught us lessons and helped the program to grow making season two even better.

Word of mouth and person-to-person connections is one of the best ways for this opportunity to be shared. Please help spread the word of MakeRoom and tell all your favorite makers, creators and artists today

Artist Residents have been chosen!!!!!!!

In my last post I described the process I went through to learn, select and choose the artist residents for my newly offered program. Since then something very exciting has happened ... I have made a decision and selected three individuals for the debut MakeRoom Artist Residency program of 2018.

During the month of February, Keegan Van Gorder and Morgan Vessel will be staying for 10-days. The pair of multi-media artists have been working together for some time now with investigations into weaving and fiber as well as prints, sculpture, film and what they call ceremonies. Their time is sure to include; exploring Minneapolis, gaining inspiration and general collaborative creative excitement. 

During March, Jordan Jirschele will be staying for 10-days with a focus on sculptural drawings. As a recent graduate with an bachelor degree in sculpture, from my alma mater of UW-Stout, School of Art and Design, Jordan is looking forward to his first artist residency as a way to ready himself for grad school. Upon first reading his application, his dedication to his work and craft have been obvious. He has a impressive body of work for such a young artist and I look forward to seeing what else he adds to his portfolio during his time at MakeRoom.

Both Keegan and Morgan as well as Jordan will be speaking of and presenting their work during an artist's reception in their honor, during the time of their stay. Please stay tuned for details.

 

Learning. Selecting. Choosing.

The last few weeks I've been receiving and reviewing MakeRoom Artist Residency applications on an almost daily basis. It's required a rather consistent level of attention, more than I imagined. As the deadline grew closer the speed by which the applications arrived grew faster and faster.  And now with the deadline past I'm thrilled with the numbers. 34 total applicants from all across the country.  I couldn't be happier to be successfully getting this idea off the ground and this new offering into the world. 

Of course the next step is the reading, reviewing, learning, selecting, choosing and the deciding of it all. It's both exciting and nerve-wracking all at once.  I think about it like the chairs pictured above - all of them are comfortable, interesting and completely fit the requirements for sitting. All the applications I have received are from creative and capable people. All of them fit the requirements. But, it's a small residency with only the availability for two openings total. So, how will I decide? That's the tough part with so many productive and original creatives. 

The applications have come from far and wide, from across the state and across the country, from small rural towns and big cities, from the West Coast to the East Coast, from Los Angeles to NYC and everywhere in between.  From Mankato MN to Atlanta GA. They have arrived from solo creatives and pairs of collaborators. Writers and poets, educators and administrators, sculptors, painters, performers and photographers. People who are just starting creative processes and those who have been long established. Some with very clear ideas for a focused completion and others whose main goal is to take a break and  simply get some clarity. All of which is perfectly acceptable.

I have been delighted by the diversity of talents and mediums, thrilled how far and wide the word was spread and just plain humbled by the kind words I have heard from both applicants and supportes. Friends and family and complete strangers have gone out of their way to share how much they like this idea. 

In the next few days I will be making a decision about who will attend the very first MakeRoom Artist Residency. But even before that decision is made and before they arrive it already feels like this this idea of mine is a success.

The artist residency makes local news

My very own local neighborhood newspaper, The Messenger, published a story on the artist residency offering. Take a look at the kind words of writer Margie O'Loughlin here.

Longfellow-Nokomis Messenger article.