I have just finised a 4-week artist residency at the Vermont Studio Center in Johnson, Vermont. I am very grateful to the Dedalus Foundation for providing my full fellowship and the George Sugarman Foundation for providing me a grant for the purchase of paint and enrichment of my artist career over the next year. One of the best gifts that can be given is the gift of time and by doing a residency, artists are given a studio, living space, and 3 meals a day so they do not have to be distracted from anything but their work. Over 50 artists — visual artists and writers — a month are at the Vermont Sudio Center.

At the Vermont Studio Center, I was given a large studio with skylights in the Wolf Kahn Barn. There were many artists in the building to hang out with, discuss work and of course imbibe in the different flavors of Vermont Beer. The meals are served in the Red Mill dinning hall. Houses and old town builings have been bought in the vilage for artist studio buildings and housing. The studio artists have open studios twice a month for everyone to see the creations going on. The writing artists also have a couple of nights of readings. There are also slide shows of the work of resident artists, professional visiting artists, and writers / poets after dinner once a week.

This month, Tony Hoagland and Mark Tucotte were visting artists for the writers, and each read from his work one night. I was very fortunate to have excellent visits with artists Mary Hambleton, Sheila Pepe, Loren Madsen and Joe Fyfe. Meeting many new artists and friends and having this shared experience was an amazing creative experience that will last a life time.

Photo Credit: Darrell Roberts

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