This Saturday I leave for Indiana! I was accepted to another Artist-in-Residence Program at Indiana Dunes National Park on the southern shore of Lake Michigan.
Indiana Dunes is about 45 minutes from Chicago
A lot of people ask me about artist residencies since I have a couple under my belt now. What does it mean to be an Artist-in-Residence? Wikipedia sums it up pretty nicely. “Artist-in-residence programs exist to invite artists, academicians, and curators to reside within the premises of an institution. Some residency programs are incorporated within larger institutions, such as museums, universities, or galleries. Other organizations exist solely to support residential exchange programs.” There are all types of programs that range from ones that you have to pay for, ones that are free, and ones that offer a small stipend. Sometimes there is housing and sometimes there is not. Sometimes you are living with other artists and sometimes you are not…
Indiana Dunes National Park
Applying for a residency program involves a lot of research to find a program that is a good fit for you. Personally, I discovered that these types of programs existed through my husband who is an avid outdoorsmen and frequents state and national parks. He introduced me to a program at Baxter State Park which I applied to but was not accepted to. I hazarded applying to several other programs and was invited to be one of 4 Artists-in-Residence at Fire Island National Seashore in 2018. It was an incredible two weeks full of creativity, personal grown, and introspection. I came back refreshed and my art-making was reinvigorated. It was such a fantastic experience that I put out several more applications to find a residency experience for 2019. Indiana Dunes seemed like a really nice fit and I am super excited for this upcoming adventure.
The Indiana Dunes Artist-in-Residence program builds on the tradition of artist Frank Dudley, who first visited the Indiana Dunes over 100 years ago, and found his place painting the fragile and constantly evolving landscape and promoting and preserving the dunes. The Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program at Indiana Dunes offers professional artists the opportunity to live in the park for two weeks to, like Dudley almost a century before, create art that helps generate appreciation and support for the National Park. In exchange, the artist provides a public program and donates a piece of art created during their stay.
This is the inside of the cabin where I will be staying