First Friday in Highlandtown /  by Bethann Wilson

I hope you had a fantastic holiday season! Mine was full of finishing painting commissions, hosting workshops at the gallery, traveling and spending time with friends and family. I can’t believe it is almost the end of January and we are approaching the first First Friday Art Walk of the year on Friday, February 7. As a member of the Highlandtown First Friday Planning Committee, I can tell you that it wasn’t a difficult decision to transition to an almost year-round format for the art walks. Over the past three years the art walks have gained tremendous momentum and have turned into a convivial community event that everyone looks forward to! With the exception of January and July breaks, the Art Walk in 2020 will be year-round.

I’ve been busy preparing the gallery for my Indiana Dunes Artist Residency show. The opening reception will be during the Feb 7 First Friday Art Walk.

As you may have read in a previous blog entry, I was chosen to be an Artist-in-Residence at Indiana Dunes National Park last September. While I was there I completed 11 paintings on canvas. (3 were gifted, one was donated to the National Park Service collection so 4 didn’t come home with me) I had two unfinished pieces that I just completed this week. I also had some touch-up on some of my larger pieces from where the paint had smeared in transport. I also spent a day last week framing them with reclaimed lath strips from Snake Hill.

These pieces are my interpretation of my visit to the Park and the observations and experiences that I had. I was stunned by the juxtaposition of beautiful natural landscape against the backdrop of industry. My paintings capture spontaneous narratives incorporating figures interracting with their environment oblivious to or complacent with the pollution around them. These pieces are commentary on industrialization, climate change, and human adaptation.

Please join me as I am looking forward to sharing these pieces that I worked very hard on with you.

Beth-Ann Wilson Indiana Dunes National Park Artist -in-Residence Paintings Opening Reception

When: Friday, Feb 7, 2020 from 5 - 9 pm

Where: Night Owl Gallery, 248 S Conkling St., Baltimore, MD 21224

Artist Talk: Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 3 pm also at Night Owl Gallery

Man’s Best Friend 36in x 48in oil on canvas 2019

Man’s Best Friend 36in x 48in oil on canvas 2019

Shop Small Saturday /  by Bethann Wilson

Come down to Night Owl Gallery the Saturday after Thanksgiving! We’ll be opening early and participating in Highlandtown’s first-ever PASTRY TOUR! New paintings by yours truly. <3 <3 See you there!

Artist-in-Residence at Indiana Dunes National Park /  by Bethann Wilson

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

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

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

This is the inside of the cabin where I will be staying