Playa Residency

Recently returned from an incredible month "creative residency" in southern Oregon at the the amazing Playa. What an wonderful gift of time, studio, living space/cabin, super supportive community and stunning Big nature enabling me focused time for art-working! My idea of an ideal world.  Thank you - Thank you Playa!!

My Playa home and studio which I shared with Sash Bischoff, a director from New York city.

My primary focus was working towards my 2015 Fall exhibition/installation at PeninsulaCollege PUG in Port Angeles. For this exhibition I'm considering Lifelines as the unique pathways we travel from birth to death. The study below shows a model for the 70’ wall I will be working with at the College. 

Another part of the exhibition will consider anchors and beacons as metaphors for that which gives our lives stability and questioning what illuminates our way.  There will be an area in the Port Angeles installation to invite viewers to share what act as anchors and beacons in their lives.

My studio

I was pleased to be able to share my work with the public and see the work of the other residents during “Playa Presents”; the monthly open studios, readings and reception welcoming the public for an insiders view of Playa. 

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Also during Playa time, I continued my work of engaging the natural world with human materials, I took my "glovebird" for a walk in the surrounding country. I created this white bird from white cotton gloves, which are traditionally used for handling art and other precious objects.  These images will give you a sense of the incredible landscape surrounding Playa as well as impressive skyscapes which were so much a part of my time there.

Another incredible gift of the Playa residency was to be able to share that time with my good friend and the wonderful artist Rebecca Welti who had a residency at the same time.   We have worked collaboratively on several installations in AK, OR and WA as well as she is the one who made my art work in Alaska possible.  In image below from "Playa Presents", Rebecca shares with some of the visitors from Paisley, a near-by town with population of 250.

and below, a couple of her great photographs of her carvings out on the playa.

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My time at Playa continues to inspire me. I would love to return to participate again in that incredibly supportive community and magnificent natural environment.